Work_Statement.docx

SECTION C

DETAILED SPECIFICATIONS

HERBICIDE APPLICATION

Item # 0001A through 0001D Antelope Pasture Chemical Application

1. Approximate Acreage: 1,100 acres

2. Location of Work Site as Shown on Work Location Maps: The Antelope pasture project area is located approximately 10 miles southeast of Juniper, Idaho in Oneida County near the Idaho/Utah border. The project will be implemented within the Black Pine area located on federal land administered by the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Pocatello Field Office, Idaho Falls District. The topography of the project area consists of gently rolling lava plains with associated basalt bluffs and desert playas.

3. Performance Times Allowed:

Base Line Item – 3 Day(s) of Actual Spraying between the dates of 09/01/23 – 09/30/23 Detailed Specifications for Antelope Pasture Chemical Application

1. Requirements of Equipment to be supplied by the Contractor: Sufficient to meet specifications of the contract.

2. Loading Facilities: Use of any loading area, federal, state or private land, shall be arranged by and at the discretion and risk of the contractor.

3. Work Crew Requirements: Work crew for handling and mixing of chemical and loading equipment shall be furnished by the Contractor.

4. Chemicals and Adjuvant to be furnished By the Contractor: The Contractor shall be responsible for purchasing, securing, and providing the chemical. The Government will supply 10 gallons of MSO Adjuvant and deliver to Contractor for the application. The chemicals to be used are Imazapic and Aminopyralid. All chemicals shall be purchased in 1.0- or 2.5-gallon jugs. Government will pay the Contractor for chemicals once an invoice is provided to the Government.

5. Kind of Chemicals and Adjuvant Requested:

Imazapic:

· Panoramic 2SL by Alligare, LLC or

· Plateau® by BASF or

· Imazapic 2SL by Nufarm

· Milestone by Dow AgroSciences/Corteva AgriScience in 2.5 gallon jugs

6. Chemical to be Furnished by Government: MSO Adjuvant

7. Location of Chemical to be furnished By the Government: On site (Project Area)

8. Rate of Application: 6.0 ounces of Imazapic per acre

7.0 ounces of Aminopyralid per acre

9. Remarks and Other Requirements: The timing of the treatment will need to be kept flexible in order to maximize the effects of the chemicals. Apply the spray solution in properly maintained and calibrated equipment capable of delivering the desired volume. Controlling drift is the responsibility of the Applicator. During application in the spring, roads may not be passable due to muddy, wet conditions. The contractor will be required to start work within three days after being notified by the Contracting Officer Representative.

Item # 0002A through 0002C Antelope Pasture Chemical Application

1. Approximate Acreage: 1,500 acres

2. Location of Work Site as Shown on Work Location Maps: The Antelope pasture project area is located approximately 10 miles southeast of Juniper, Idaho in Oneida County near the Idaho/Utah border. The project will be implemented within the Black Pine area located on federal land administered by the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Pocatello Field Office, Idaho Falls District. The topography of the project area consists of gently rolling lava plains with associated basalt bluffs and desert playas.

3. Performance Times Allowed:

Base Line Item – 3 Day(s) of Actual Spraying between the dates of 04/15/24 – 05/15/24 Detailed Specifications for Antelope Pasture Chemical Application

1. Requirements of Equipment to be supplied by the Contractor: Sufficient to meet specifications of the contract.

2. Loading Facilities: Use of any loading area, federal, state or private land, shall be arranged by and at the discretion and risk of the contractor.

3. Work Crew Requirements: Work crew for handling and mixing of chemical and loading equipment shall be furnished by the Contractor.

4. Chemicals and Adjuvant to be furnished By the Contractor: The Contractor shall be responsible for purchasing, securing, and providing the chemical. The Government will supply 12.5 gallons of MSO Adjuvant and deliver to Contractor for the application. The chemical to be used is Imazapic. All chemicals shall be purchased in 1.0- or 2.5-gallon jugs. Government will pay the Contractor for chemicals once an invoice is provided to the Government.

5. Kind of Chemicals and Adjuvant Requested:

Imazapic:

· Panoramic 2SL by Alligare, LLC or

· Plateau® by BASF or

· Imazapic 2SL by Nufarm

6. Chemical to be Furnished by Government: MSO Adjuvant

7. Location of Chemical to be furnished By the Government: On site (Project Area)

8. Rate of Application: 6.0 ounces of Imazapic per acre.

9. Remarks and Other Requirements: The timing of the treatment will need to be kept flexible in order to maximize the effects of the chemicals. Apply the spray solution in properly maintained and calibrated equipment capable of delivering the desired volume. Controlling drift is the responsibility of the Applicator. During application in the spring, roads may not be passable due to muddy, wet conditions. The contractor will be required to start work within three days after being notified by the Contracting Officer Representative.

SECTION C

DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/WORK STATEMENT

HERBICIDE APPLICATION

1.0 GENERAL

1.1 The purpose of this contract is to secure services for herbicide application. There are seven (7) line items for this contract. Two (2) for chemical application, three (3) for chemicals to be supplied by contractor, and two (2) for MSO Adjuvant, which will be supplied by the Government. If not all the chemical is applied, the unused chemical will become the property of the Government. The Contractor shall furnish chemicals (see Detailed Specifications item # 5, Kind of Chemicals and Adjuvant Requested), all labor, equipment, tools, materials, supervision, supplies, and incidentals; and perform all work necessary to complete applications, in accordance with these specifications, the Detailed Specifications in this contract, and the Herbicide Label(s).

1.2 The Contractor’s applicators shall hold a current Idaho Professional Applicator License in the Agricultural Pesticide Category. The Government will inspect each applicator for their current Idaho Professional Applicator’s License in the Agricultural Pesticide Category before work on this contract.

1.3 Contractor should plan accordingly for labor, equipment, tools, materials, supervision, supplies, and incidentals; and perform all work necessary to complete application

1.4 The Contractor shall stop operation if inclement weather conditions (wind or rain) occur during the spraying operation. (See section 5.0 Execution of Work)

1.5 Applicator Logs

A. The Contractor shall maintain a daily written log.

B. This log or record shall be signed by the applicator operator and turned into the Project Inspector (PI) upon completion of the contract.

1.6 The Government will pay for treatment spraying by the acre upon submission of proper invoices, after acreage is determined to have been sprayed by using the computer-generated shapefile from a GPS Differential Guidance System, and a flow control report is given to the Government for verification of the correct carrier rate was applied.

1.7 The Contractor shall conduct herbicide spraying procedures safely and in accordance with the Label restrictions of the herbicide and the herbicide application restrictions of the State of Idaho. (See Section 7.0 - Safety).

1.8 The Contractor shall follow Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines for application of herbicides (if applicable).

1.9 The Contractor shall strictly adhere to the herbicide label instructions.

1.10 The Government will have the option to inspect the Contractor's equipment and work before, during, and after completion of this contract.

2.0 LOCATIONS

2.1 The Government will provide work location maps for the site that is to be treated with herbicide.

2.2 Work sites will NOT be marked by the Government with flagging.

2.3 The Government will provide GPS perimeter data of the boundaries of all sites that are to be treated with herbicides.

3.0 CHEMICALS

3.1 The Contractor will supply all herbicides necessary except for the MSO Adjuvant stated in lines 0001D and 0002C, which will be supplied by the Government, to complete the specifications of this contract.

3.2 Chemical herbicide application rates for selected species are listed in the detailed instructions. The contractor shall adhere to the application rate the Government has determined for each site. The rate will be within the product labels rate.

3.3 Adjuvants

A. Drift agents WILL be used for all liquid aerial applications. If a drift control additive is used, read and carefully observe the cautionary statements and all other information appearing on the additive label. The Contractor shall provide the drift agent for all liquid applications. Controlling drift is the responsibility of the Contractor.

B. If the Government desires that dye be used for marking sprayed areas, it will be provided by the Government.

C. All drift agents and dyes shall be handled as chemicals. (See Section 7.0 - Safety).

D. No additional payment will be made to the Contractor for the use of Contractor furnished drift agents or Government-Furnished dyes. These expenses shall be included in the unit price bid per acre for herbicide spraying.

E. If a surfactant is identified under the Detailed Specifications, the Contractor shall be responsible for supplying and properly mixing the surfactant to label specifications.

4.0 EQUIPMENT

4.1 General: The Contractor shall spray designated areas in conformance with these specifications, the Detailed Specifications, and the herbicide label. Unless otherwise specified, the Contractor shall furnish chemicals, equipment, labor, supplies, and materials required to complete the job. The Contractor shall furnish properly equipped equipment with applicators experienced in applying herbicides in rough featureless terrain. The Contractor shall service and repair their equipment as necessary to maintain satisfactory progress on work. Contractor is responsible for all costs incidental to equipment move-in and move-out associated with the project.

4.2 Equipment

A. The Contractor shall furnish sufficient equipment to satisfactorily spray the designated areas in the time specified as required in the Detailed Specifications. Equipment shall be capable of traveling at moderate speed to give proper control and distribution of herbicide. Equipment shall have communications with the Government by using radio frequencies designated by the Project Inspector. Contract will not commence until radio communication is established.

B. Base of Operations: The Contractor shall provide such loading facilities as may be required for competent performance of contract. If loading sites are described in the Detailed Specifications or shown on the Work Location Map, the Government makes no warranty as to their availability or condition. Use of any loading area shall be arranged by and at the discretion and risk of the Contractor, and the Government shall not be held responsible for any loss, mishap, or accident due to conditions of any loading facility used. Any applicable fees for loading facilities are the responsibility of the Contractor. If Contractor wishes to use BLM land, this must be approved in advance by the Contracting Officers Representative (COR) or Project Inspector. The Contractor shall provide appropriate warning signs for traffic if roads are used as loading sites.

C. Dust Abatement: Any material used for dust abatement, other than water, shall be approved by the COR prior to use.

D. Flight Hazards: If Contractor aircraft(s) are utilized, hazards such as the presence of power lines or anemometer towers on the work site are the responsibility of the Contractor to identify. All appropriate precautions shall be taken by the Contractor. Flight hazards which have been identified by the Government in the Detailed Specifications or Work Location Maps may not be the only hazards present at the work sites and it is the Contractor's responsibility to check all work sites for flight or other hazards.

4.3 Spray equipment

A. Spray Tanks: Spray solutions of the product shall be mixed, stored and applied using only stainless steel, aluminum, fiberglass, plastic or plastic-lined steel containers.

B. Spray Nozzles: Contractor shall furnish a nozzle type that is designated for the intended application. Refer to the Label for proper nozzles to comply with Drift Management Section.

C. Booms: Contractor shall furnish non-rust booms. The distance of the outermost nozzles on the boom must not exceed 3/4 the length of the wingspan or rotor if aircraft is utilized.

4.4 Work Crew

A. Applicators: Shall be furnished by the Contractor and shall meet certification requirements of Idaho Regulations for this type of work. Applicators must hold a current Commercial Agricultural Operating certificate.

B. Work Crew: Shall be furnished by the Contractor for handling and mixing the herbicide and loading the equipment. Mixers and Loaders shall hold a Mixer/Loader certification of training. The Contractor shall furnish the necessary qualified mechanics for maintenance of equipment and shall furnish all fuel, oil, and service required for operation of equipment and vehicles. All expenses relating to maintenance and operation of equipment shall be included in the unit price bid per acre for herbicide spraying.

4.5 Project Layout

A. Requirement: Contractor shall be required to utilize a Differentially Corrected Global Positioning System (DGPS) for electronic Navigation. System must be capable of utilizing ArcMap or ARC-INFO shape files created by the government and given to the Contractor on a USB Thumb Drive or by email.

B. Ground flaggers and an auto-flagger system (if aircraft is utilized) can supplement the DGPS system, but not substitute for it.

4.6 Differentially Corrected Global Positioning System (DGPS)

A. Tracking/Guidance: DGPS is required for tracking, and data collection. The Contractor shall provide all guidance equipment, materials, computers, printers, personnel, and services required for the system to be used. The system shall be sufficiently sensitive to provide immediate deviation indications (real-time).

A. Software: Software provided with DGPS must be designed for parallel offset in increments equal to the assigned swath width of the application equipment.

B. Project Log: Must be capable of a minimum rate of one-second logging intervals. Full record includes position, time altitude, speed, track, application system on/off, job name/number, and differential correction status. The computer program must be capable of calculating and show total acres treated during the flight, and capable of downloading to a computer for analysis and review. The project log must show and differentiate between spray-on and spray-off when viewed on a computer monitor or printer. Export files of each project log shall be provided and must be compatible with ArcMap or ARC-INFO GIS system on a USB Thumb Drive. The Contractor shall provide software that is compatible, and which will enable the files to convert into viewable files for ArcMap or ARC-INFO GIS.

C. Hardware:

1. Visual Display Monitor and Control Keypad: (1) Capable of displaying swath width over project path: (2) mounted in a location that will allow the applicator to view the screen; (3) have a method to display nested polygons to indicate sensitive or no-spray areas within or adjacent to treatment blocks: (4) have a feature that allows the applicator to return to the exact location of application shutdown and complete application without omitted or doubled treated areas: (5) be able to input reference waypoints (A-B line): (6) have a feature which alerts applicator when they are about to enter or exit a specific treatment block or an exclusion area within a block.

2. Course Deviation Indicator (CDI): The course deviation indicator or course deviation light must have the capability to display both cross-track error and intercept angle to desired heading. Cross-track error shall be adjustable down to one (1) foot.

3. Memory: Must be capable of storing up to eight (8) hours of continuous project log data.

5.0 EXECUTION OF WORK

5.1 Pre-Work Conference: Prior to commencement of work, a meeting may be requested by the Contracting Officer to be attended by the Contractor, the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR), and the Project Inspector(s). The meeting will be held at the Pocatello Field Office at a time mutually agreeable to the Contractor and the Contracting Officer to discuss the work schedule and to familiarize both parties with the responsibilities of each under this contract. At this time a work schedule showing dates, locations, equipment and employees working on this project shall be provided by the Contractor to the Contracting Officer.

5.2 Priority of Work: Will be determined prior to application start.

5.3 Environmental Conditions

A. Work Period: Spraying Operations will be permitted only during daylight hours. The Contractor will have personnel on project site prior to commencing daily application, during application, and will notify COR or Project Inspector of changing weather conditions. The COR or Project Inspector will allow Contractor to continue or stop application if weather factors dictate. The COR or Project Inspector will give the permission to start, approximately one (1) hour from notification of conditions, depending on location of project from the Pocatello Field Office. The Contractor will be allowed to work seven days per week including Saturdays and Sundays. Work will not be permitted on holidays, unless authorized by the COR.

B. Wind: The Contractor shall follow the Label Section on Spray Drift Management - Wind. Local wind can influence wind patterns. Every applicator should be familiar with local wind patterns and how they affect drift.

C. Relative Humidity: Refer to the product label when making applications in low relative humidity conditions. Measurements can be obtained from local National Weather Service.

D. Site Conditions: No treatment spraying will be allowed if conditions do not meet the label requirements.

5.4 Herbicide Application:

A. Coverage: The entire surface within the designated boundaries of the project area shall receive uniform coverage with the herbicide except for areas excluded by the Government. Areas excluded from the spraying operation within the designated boundaries, will not be included in the acreage computed for payment. Any areas not covered by Contractor shall be reapplied or compensated by suitable contract adjustment, at the option of and at no additional cost to the Government. (See section 5.6 Field Quality Control and Section 5.9 Completion of Contract) B. Rate of Spraying: Herbicide shall be applied at the application rate per acre according to the work data sheet. For liquid applications, the carrier (water) for the chemical will follow the label limits for ground or aerial application. The carrier (water) must be clean, free of dirt particles. Ditch water will not be considered clean. Contractor will be required to demonstrate that they can provide adequate and uniform coverage. Contractor shall furnish mixing equipment, suitable work crew, and perform mixing operation. Spray formulation shall be thoroughly mixed according to the Label and distributed over entire area. Distribution of herbicide shall not vary more than ten percent (10%) above or below the average distribution of herbicide per acre from that specified.

C. Application Paths: Shall be patterned to secure a uniform distribution of herbicide. Contractor must ensure that there will be straight and regular paths of application. The Contractor must keep applications within the perimeter of the Government provided shape file. Irregular paths or areas sprayed outside of the perimeter will result in immediate stoppage of work. Corrective action shall be taken immediately by the Contractor to insure evenly spaced, straight, and regular application paths and complete coverage of areas included in the spraying job. Avoid overlapping, and no stripping shall be allowed.

D. Swath Width: Effective swath width shall not exceed the maximum for adequate coverage of supplied application equipment.

E. Application Height: Herbicide dispenser shall be set at a height to obtain proper distribution and uniform coverage of herbicide on target species. Contractor shall follow Herbicide Label instructions on Spray Drift Management to obtain proper boom height.

F. Spray Drift Management: The interaction of many equipment and weather-related factors determines the potential for spray drift. The Contractor is responsible for considering all these factors when making application decisions. Avoiding herbicide application drift is the responsibility of the Contractor.

5.5 Sprayer Cleanup: Shall be conducted according to the label instructions. Avoiding contamination of the work site is the responsibility of the Contractor.

5.6 Field Quality Control:

A. Tests for Uniformity: The Government representative will make tests to determine uniformity of herbicide application. Randomly spaced water sensitive cards or collection trays will be utilized.

B. Tests for Rate of Application: Rate of application will be determined from test applications and strip tests made prior to commencement and/or during application operations to establish and maintain the desired application setting of the distribution mechanism. Should the Contractor wish to object in any way to the weight recording and/or ground recovery sampling done at any particular time by the Government, the Contractor shall be present in person or by authorized representative to voice said objections when weight recording and/or ground recovery samplings are done, and to agree upon new records and/or samples at the time, where after the weight recording and ground recovery sampling done by the Government shall be final and binding in the settlement of the contract.

5.7 Work Stoppages: The Contractor agrees to work diligently to complete the application of the herbicide. Partial workdays will be counted as full days of performance time.

5.8 Termination for Convenience of the Government: Because of the nature of the work, the Contracting Officer may, by written notice to the Contractor, terminate this contract, in whole or in part, when it is in the best interest of the Government. To the extent that this contract is so terminated, the Government shall be liable only for payment in accordance with the payment provisions of this contract for work satisfactorily completed prior to the effective date of termination.

5.9 Completion of Contract: The Contract will be considered completed and payment due when all areas furnished to the Contractor by the Government have been sprayed to the standards specified above. Test for uniformity will be made at the time of spraying, and final completion of the contract will be determined by these tests.

5.10 Risk and Damages: The Contractor shall assume all risks in connection with performance of the contract and shall be liable for any damages to persons or property in connection with the prosecution of the work, including the applicator or other employees of the Contractor.

6.0 MEASUREMENT AND PAYMENT

6.1 Method of Measurement:

A. Units: Application of herbicide solution will be measured and paid for by the number of acres sprayed to the nearest whole acre.

B. Measurement: Measurement for payment for spraying will be the actual area, in acres, within the designated boundaries satisfactorily sprayed in conformance with these specifications. Measurement will be made from either physical surveys of the areas or a computer-generated shapefile created in a GPS Differential Guidance System at the option of Government. The shape file will be used in ArcView for final acreage measurement. Acreages will be computed from horizontal distances as shown on maps at the option of Government.

C. Remeasurement: Remeasurement of the acreage under this contract will be made upon the written request of the Contractor. The request for remeasurement must be made in writing within 10 calendar days after completion of the work. If remeasurement indicates a difference of not more than 5% from the original measurement, the Contractor shall pay the actual cost of the remeasurement. Payments will be based on the second measurement where the difference between measurement is more than 5%. Where the difference is less than 5%, the results of the first measurement will be used.

6.2 Basis of Payment:

A. Payment: Because this contract is split into two services, the Contractor may request payment for the first service located in lines 0001A – 0001D, once the first service has been completed and approved by the Government. The remaining funds will be released once the Contractor has completed the second service in lines 0002A – 0002C, and it has been approved by the Government.

B. Payment: Measurement for payment will be the cost of all herbicides purchased, as well as actual acres sprayed within the designated polygon, satisfactorily sprayed in conformance with these specifications. Measurement will be made from the ArcGIS polygon provided by the Government. Acreages will be computed from horizontal distances as shown on the map. Payment will be made at the unit price per acre specified in the Bid Schedule which is made a part hereof and shall include the cost of all work described in this paragraph and the Detailed Specifications, including any respraying, if such work is required.

7.0 SAFETY

7.1 Transportation of Herbicides: The Contractor shall be responsible for the transport of chemical herbicides used to fulfill the specifications of this contract to the Contractor’s loading site. The Contractor shall secure herbicide containers in mixing area to prevent spillage. The Contractor shall load and transport herbicide from the pickup point to the work sites and shall be responsible for its protection from loss or damage due to weather, rodents, insects, theft, or any other hazard. Any herbicide damaged or lost while in the custody of the Contractor will be replaced by the Contractor and actual cost to the Government for replacement will be deducted from payments due the Contractor. All unused herbicides shall be returned to the Government by the Contractor upon completion of work or termination of the contract.

7.2 Protective Clothing and Equipment for Contract Employees Exposed to Herbicides: The Contractor shall supply protective clothing and equipment to contract workers that guarantee minimal exposure throughout the herbicide application process. The Contractor shall follow all advice on protective clothing and equipment which appears on the herbicide label and/or MSDS documentation. The Contractor shall make available cleanup facilities to contract employees exposed to herbicides or herbicide-contaminated equipment.

7.3 Storage of Herbicides: The Contractor will be responsible for the storage of all chemicals.

7.4 Mixing and Application of Herbicides:

A. The Contractor shall mix herbicides in accordance with the proportions listed on the product labels. The Contractor shall provide adequate protective clothing and equipment for contract employees who mix the herbicides.

B. By law, the application of an herbicide, either directly or through drift, must not expose workers or other people. The Contractor shall be very aware and cautious of any environmental hazard present during herbicide application. Upon completion of herbicide application, the Contractor shall thoroughly clean equipment and dispose of waters, residues, rinses, and unused herbicides only according to EPA and Idaho State regulations. All empty herbicide containers will be triple rinsed, labels removed, and punctured by the Contractor after mixing. The Contractor shall be responsible for disposal of the empty boxes, labels, and lids. The Contractor shall be responsible for disposal or recycling of the empty containers.

7.5 Spills and Accidents: The Contractor shall be responsible if accidents and chemical spills occur. The Contractor shall report immediately spills and accidents to the BLM authorized officers and appropriate local authorities. The Contractor shall provide immediate treatment of contaminated or injured persons and seek professional medical attention when necessary. The Contractor shall control chemical spills quickly and shall secure additional help when the Contractor cannot effectively or safely handle the spill cleanup. Spills will be the responsibility of the Contractor and shall be cleaned up to the satisfaction of the local authorities.

8.0 DEFINITIONS

ACTIVE INGREDIENT: The chemicals in an herbicide which control the targeted noxious weed species.

ADJUVANT: An inert material added to an herbicide formulation or tank mix to increase the effectiveness of the active ingredient.

DRIFT: The movement of airborne particles by air motion or wind away from the intended target area.

EMERGENCE: The act of a germinating seedling breaking through the soil surface.

ENDANGERED SPECIES: Plant or animal species that are in danger of extinction through all or a significant part of their range.

LABEL: All written, printed, or graphic matter on or attached to pesticide containers as required by law.

RATE: The amount of active ingredient or acid equivalent applied per unit area or other treatment unit.

THREATENED SPECIES: Plant or animal species that are not in danger of extinction but are likely to be classified as Endangered within the foreseeable future.

SENSITIVE SPECIES: Plant or animal species (as designated by the Idaho BLM State Director) that are managed by the BLM to ensure that agency actions do not contribute to the need to list any species as Threatened or Endangered in the future.

(End of Section C)

SECTION F – DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

F.1.0 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

Estimated Start Date for line items 0001A – 0001D: September 01, 2023 Performance Time: 3 Day(s) of Actual Spraying between the dates of 09/01/23 – 09/30/23

Estimated Start Date for line items 0002A – 0002C: April 15, 2024 Performance Time: 3 Day(s) of Actual Spraying between the dates of 04/15/2024 – 05/15/2024

Total Period of Performance for this application is 9/1/2023 to 5/15/2024.

F.2.0 PROGRESS PLAN

At the prework conference, the Contractor shall provide to the COR a written "work progress plan" that details its proposed work force and schedule to provide for orderly completion of the work within the contract performance time. This work schedule must be acceptable to the Government. At a minimum, the schedule must reflect a work progress rate equal to the available amount of contract performance time.

The following clause is incorporated by reference:

(End of Section F)