2020 HUD Herbicide Site Prep

Combined Solicitation & SynopsisHUD FY20 Herbicide Release129JGP20Q0032The Department of Agriculture, US Forest Service, Central California Acquisition Services Area, and Stanislaus National Forest requires services for Herbicide Release on the Groveland Ranger District. This is a combined / solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotes are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. It is the contractor's responsibility to be familiar with the applicable clauses and provisions. The clauses may be accessed in full text at these addresses: https://acquisition.gov/far.This is solicitation no.129JGP20Q0032 a Request for Quotations (RFQ) and is a 100% Total Small Business Set-Aside.  The NAICS code is 115310 Support

Activities for Forestry.  The size requirement for this NAICS code is 8.0 Millions. The government intends to award multiple awards of Firm Fixed Price Contracts. The Government Reserves the right to award to single awardee if a single award is the best value.    Closing date of Solicitation is:  April 3, 2020 4:00 p.m. PSTProjected Award Date is: April 13, 2020B.1                                                     UNIT      UNITITEM                                                  QTY       QTY          UNIT            TOTAL           TOTAL          NO.    DESCRIPTION         UNIT       MIN        MAX         PRICE          MIN                 MAX1    Herbicide site prep          Gallon   11,310   22,610      $ _____    $_________    $ ________            (377 acres)                                                      2    Herbicide site prep          Gallon   13,590   27,180      $ _____    $ ________     $ ________                         (457 acres)                                                      3    Herbicide Site Prep         Gallon   10,410    20,820     $ _____    $ ________     $ ________                         (368 acres)                                                     4    Herbicide Site Prep         Gallon   7,320      14,640     $ _____    $ ________     $ ________            (249 acres)                                                     5    Herbicide Site Prep         Gallon   12,630    25,260     $ _____    $ ________     $ ________            (426 acres)                                                     6    Herbicide Site Prep         Gallon   7,260      14,520     $ _____    $ ________     $ ________            (246 acres)                                                      7    Herbicide Site Prep         Gallon   7,620      15,240     $ _____     $ ________     $ ________                     (259 acres)                                          1. Responses for quantities less than those listed in the numbered items may be rejected.2. Responses without prices for each item and sub-item may be rejected.3. Contractor will provide the estimated minimum herbicide gallon amount for each unit.  Any amount over the minimum estimate up to the maximum estimate is at the discretion of the COR and shall be based on vegetation type, vegetation amounts, vegetation heights, and the unit needs.You may find the Line Item unit breakdown at attached Table 1.        DESCRIPTION/ SPECIFICATIONS/ STATEMENT OF WORKScope of WorkDescription of Work: The intent of this contract is to secure services for ground, broadcast spray application of herbicides according to the attached specifications. The goal of this contract is to control woody shrubs, grasses, and forbs to provide a suitable environment for the survival and growth of planted conifers.Contractor Responsibility: The Contractor shall provide everything - including, but not limited to, all equipment, supplies, transportation, labor, and supervision - necessary to complete the project, except for items the contract clearly states will be furnished by the Government.Before work may begin, the Contractor shall designate, in writing, at least one person on site with authority to act in case the Contractor is absent from the work site. The Contractor shall list the extent of authority this representative will have on the job. The Contractor or authorized representative shall be on the project area whenever work is in progress and shall act as a non-working supervisor. In the absence of the Contractor, this authorized representative shall receive orders and instructions from the Contracting Officer and shall take such action as is required to keep the job in progress under the terms of the contract. The Contractor and authorized representative(s) shall have an oral command of both the English language and the language common to the crew(s).Project Location & Description    Location: The project is located on the Stanislaus National Forest, Groveland Ranger District.Description: The area for herbicide treatment is within the 2013 Rim Fire. Ground to be treated is comprised of grass, forbs, and small brush. Snags are scattered throughout unit.Exclusions (Non-Work Areas): Known exclusion areas are flagged within the work areas and/or are labeled as “CA” on unit maps.  See Section J Maps for CA location.Accessibility: All work areas are accessible by standard pickup. Four-wheel drive vehicles may be beneficial in improving the access points of any given treatment unit. It is the Contractor's responsibility to reach the work site when it is ready for treatment. The Contracting Officer will determine the access routes which may be used.Any prospective Contractor desiring an explanation or interpretation of the solicitation, drawings, specifications, etc., must request it in writing from the Contracting Officer soon enough to allow a reply to reach all prospective Contractors before the solicitation closing date. Oral explanations or instructions given before the award of a contract will not be binding.MapsMaps included in Section J are general in nature and are not to be considered as definitively identifying locations.Estimated Start Date & Contract TimeEstimated Start Date: April 27th, 2020Number of Calendar Days Required: 40 Daysee also Section Restrictions on WorkWork may be performed at any time during the period of the contract, except as outlined here. Nothing in this part shall be construed to take away any of the Government's rights under the Suspension of Work Clause (52.242-14).Restrictions are as follows:In accordance with the fire plan, if included in Section J.When the Contracting Officer (or designated representative) determines that adverse weather has made access too dangerous or that continued vehicular travel would cause unacceptable road damage.The Contracting Officer will determine whether target vegetation is in an appropriate stage of growth for the herbicide application to be effective.Work shall be performed only when the Contracting Officer or their Representative is present on the work site.The Contracting Officer will determine the sequence in which each unit will be treated.Each unit shall be completed prior to starting work on the next unit.Licenses and InsuranceThe Contractor shall obtain the insurance and licenses listed here.MSPA Card (Form WH510): Applicable when Contractor uses H2B/MSPA Employees.  This contract does require the Contractor to be registered with the US Department of Labor as a Farm Labor Contractor. The Contractor shall provide a current Form WH510 or legible copy.Licensing and Safety Requirements: The Contractor shall have a current State of California Agriculture Pest Control Operator License, including Category "E" (Forest), and Pest Control Business License prior to the award of contract. The Contractor shall register this State License with the appropriate County Agriculture Commissioner(s) prior to beginning work.The Contractor shall be required to provide the following:Required permits.Complete and file all reports, with a copy to the Contracting Officer.Complete any other incidental requirements.The Contractor's authorized representative(s) on site must, at a minimum, have a State of California Qualified Applicator Certificate (QAC).The Contractor shall comply with the State of California Safety Orders found under the California Administrative Code and with the requirements of the Federal Worker Protection Standards (40 CFR, part 170). For further information regarding licensing requirements contact the California Department of Pesticide Regulation at (916) 445-4038, or online at www.cdpr.ca.gov.Camping and HousingCamping is not permitted in US Forest Service campgrounds. Contractor will not be permitted to camp elsewhere on US Forest Service land. Camping on Forest Service land is not a right; permission may be revoked for failure to comply with the terms of the permit. Any non-compliance will result in suspension of work until compliance is achieved.Technical RequirementsDefinitionsAdjuvant: Anything added to the herbicide with the exception of water. This includes drift control agents, surfactants, dyes, antifoam agents, acidifiers, etc.Batch tank: A mixing tank with a constant agitator that can be moved and operated separately from the clean water tank. For example, a tank mounted on a separate vehicle from the clean water tank or mounted on a trailer.Broadcast spray: The entire area of the unit, excluding protected areas, rock outcroppings, and non-target species, is to be sprayed with the herbicide mix at the specified rate.Clean water tank: A tank that contains water for mixing and wash down. It must be free of all pesticide residues.Crop tree: Any conifer tree or seedling present with the exception of knob-cone pine, bull (foothill gray) pine, and California nutmeg.Damaged tree: The following constitutes unacceptable types of damage:Any herbicide mixture on the terminal leader, or on more than 5% of the green crown.Any physical damage to the terminal bud or leader, or more than 25% physical damage to the live crown.Any damage on the bole or stem of the tree.Herbicide: The concentrate before mixing occurs.Herbicide mixture: The herbicide, water, surfactant, and dye.Non-target species: Include, but are not limited to: Alder, California nutmeg, Dogwood, oaks, all riparian species, Elderberry, Hazelnut, and Willow.Protected Oaks:  Where available, five oaks per acre that are at least 0.5 inches DBH and 8 feet tall.Target vegetation: All green plants not identified as crop trees or other non-target species.Wash down: Spray a contaminated seedling or other non-target vegetation with wash down solution to runoff.Wash down solution: Composed of 5 gallons of water and one 3 oz. bar of soap per backpack of water.SpecificationsLicensing and Safety Requirements: The Contractor shall have a current State of California Agriculture Pest Control Operator License, including Category "E" (Forest), and Pest Control Business License prior to the award of contract. The Contractor shall register this State License with the appropriate County Agriculture Commissioner(s) prior to beginning work.The Contractor shall be required to provide the following:Required permits.Complete and file all reports, with a copy to the Contracting Officer.Complete any other incidental requirements.The Contractor’s authorized representative(s) on site must, at a minimum, have a State of California Qualified Applicator Certificate (QAC).The Contractor shall comply with the State of California Safety Orders found under the California Administrative Code and with the requirements of the Federal Worker Protection Standards (40 CFR, part 170). For further information regarding licensing requirements contact the California Department of Pesticide Regulation at (916) 445-4038, or online at www.cdpr.ca.gov.Work Methods: The Contractor shall be responsible for training his employees in the proper techniques to be used during application of herbicides and safety procedures to be followed when handling herbicides.The Contractor shall keep his crew organized so that units are covered systematically without skipped areas or overlap. The Contractor shall not scatter his crew over different parts of the unit.The Contractor shall apply the herbicide mixture to all target vegetation in each stand.The Contractor shall spray to coverage, but not to runoff, the leaves and outer stems over the entire plant for all the vegetation to be treated. Interior surfaces of large, dense target species vegetation shall be sprayed.The application rate and coverage shall be uniform throughout each unit although the amount of mix applied per acre will vary with plant density and size.Application rate shall not exceed 60 gallons per acre.Crop trees in all units shall be protected from herbicide mixture in the following manner: Seedlings up to 2 feet in height shall be shielded to protect the entire plant from herbicide spray (i.e., cones, shields, etc.). Protective equipment shall not damage seedlings. Seedlings taller than 2 feet will be protected by directed spray application. Where there are multiple trees planted per spot, all trees on that spot shall be protected while the adjacent area is being sprayed.There shall be at least one clean (i.e. triple rinsed) backpack sprayer available per crew that is full of wash down solution. Crop trees and non-target plants shall be washed down within 8 minutes of contamination. Individual spray bottles are allowed. Eyewash bottles will not be a substitute for individual spray bottles.No application of herbicide will be allowed within 10 feet of any meadows, perennial, intermittent, ephemeral stream courses, or special aquatic features such as springs, seeps, and fens. These areas will be designated by the government prior to entry into the units and shall be considered protected areas. Areas containing standing water not designated by the government prior to entry will be given a 10 foot buffer and treated as non-work areas. The 10 foot buffer does not apply if any intermittent or ephemeral stream is dry at the time of application.Do not apply herbicide within 20 feet of the bole of protected oaks unless noxious weeds are present. These oaks shall be identified during application by the contractor and will not exceed 5 per acre.Non-target species shall not be sprayed in any units.The Contractor shall keep equipment in good operating condition maintaining flow rate and nozzle pressure. Application of herbicide mixture will be made with a nozzle pressure of 15 psi. The spray tip will be kept from 12 to 24 inches from the target vegetation during application.To avoid damaging nozzles the Contractor shall use a soft material, such as natural or nylon bristles, to clean the nozzles. Wire or other hard material that can enlarge the nozzle orifice, or otherwise damage the nozzle, shall not be used.The Contractor shall be responsible for washing and cleaning out all equipment at the end of each work day. The exact location for cleanup will be selected by the Contracting Officer.Under no circumstances shall sprayers, containers, clothing, personnel, or other contaminated materials be washed within 50 feet of any running or dry stream course, lake, reservoir, wet meadow, or other wet area.The Contracting Officer will use the following criteria to determine when application operations will cease:Sustained winds in excess of 5 mph.Precipitation, or a 70% or greater chance, predicted within 24 hours.Foggy weather.Excessive dew on target plants.Less than 30% relative humidityTemperature that exceeds 85 degrees FahrenheitTemperature inversions that could lead to off-site movement of the herbicide mixture.Batching of Herbicide Mix: Contractor shall do all batching of herbicide mix and conform to label instructions and safety requirements.A graduated container of at least one-half gallon in size shall be used to measure chemicals and surfactants during the batching operation.All batching of herbicide mix will be done in the presence of the Contracting Officer or their Representative at the work site. The Contractor shall use only water sources approved by the Contracting Officer.Glyphosate herbicide Mix for 100 gallons of 2% herbicide mix2 gallons of Glyphosate.¼ gallon of SYL-Tac Surfactant.¼ gallon of Hi-Light Blue Dye.Sufficient water to equal 100 gallons of mix.No-foam agent as neededBatching sequence is as follows:One half of the water for the mix shall be put in the batch tank.The herbicide and colorants shall be put in the batch tank next.Begin agitation.Add the remaining water in the batch tank while continuing agitation.The last ingredients to be added to the tank will be the surfactant, and then a no-foam agent as needed.The herbicide mix shall be under constant agitation in the batch tank to prevent separation. All mix shall be sprayed out. The mix shall not sit overnight in the batch tank or other equipment.Storing and Transporting Herbicides: All unattended herbicide concentrate shall be stored under lock and key in its original container.The Contractor shall work with the Contracting Officer to ensure a minimal amount of herbicide mix is moved between units.Disposal of Containers: The Contractor shall follow all Federal, State, and County regulations in the disposal of the empty herbicide containers.Herbicide Spills: If a spill occurs, the Contractor shall:Take action immediately to contain the spill.Notify the Contracting Officer’s Representative on site.Be under the control of the Contracting Officer during the spill clean-up.Be liable for all costs of damages, clean-up, and decontamination.Contractor-Furnished EquipmentThe Contractor shall be required to have all the following materials and equipment necessary to perform the work:Contractor shall provide the following herbicides, adjuvants, and dyes:A 53.8% active ingredient glyphosate herbicide formulation without an integrated surfactant.SYL-TAC® (CA Reg. No 2935-50167).Hi-Light® Blue dye.No-foam agentTree shields (can be not required with approval of CO unit by unit basis)All herbicides and adjuvants shall be provided in factory sealed containers no larger than 2.5 gallons each. Equivalent herbicides, adjuvants, and dye may be substituted only as approved by the Contracting Officer. Contractor shall provide clean water for the wash down packs.All required chemicals shall be provided in sufficient quantities to complete the job.Backpack sprayers: Shall have an adjustable pressure regulator or a pressure gauge mounted on the spray wand. All sprayers shall be equipped with a "TeeJet" XR80-04VS spray tip or equivalent, with a 50 mesh screen. Plastic, brass, or aluminum spray tip nozzles shall not be used.Batch tank: Shall be a mixing tank equipped with a constant agitator, a sight level in good condition to measure tank volume, and a leveling gauge which will be adequate for leveling the tank in all directions. The filler hose from the batch tank shall be equipped with a self-closing nozzle. The batch tank shall be in good condition, meeting all state requirements. The batch tank shall be mounted such that it can be moved and operated separately from the clean water tank; for example, mounted on a separate vehicle from the clean water tank, or mounted on a trailer.All valves capable of emptying herbicide from the batch tank, must be lockable.Clean water tank: Shall be a tank exclusively for water, having a back flow prevention device or proper air gap filling apparatus. The water tank and all drafting equipment must be free of pesticide and dye residue. Pesticides and dyes shall not be stored or transported in the same vehicle used to transport the clean water tank.Tree Shield: A shield or cone to protect seedlings from herbicide spray. Each applicator shall carry a shield when there are seedlings in a unit under 2 feet in height.Storage area: Locked area for herbicide and containers. This can’t be inside of the passenger area of a vehicle.Spill kit: Containing a minimum of 25 pounds of absorbent material such as kitty litter, two 30 gallon, 4 mil polyethylene garbage bags with ties, and 2 shovels.Trailer hitches: Hitches used to tow equipment and trailers shall be securely mounted directly to the vehicle frame. Bumper hitches shall not be used unless specifically designed and rated for towing heavy loads.Other: Contractor shall provide all other supplies and incidentals necessary to accomplish the required contract work while complying with herbicide label directions, pesticide application license requirements, and worker safety protection standards.Personal protection equipment for workers: All safety equipment as listed on the herbicide label and as required by State and Federal regulations shall be used. Note that the State of California requires gloves and eye protection whenever working with pesticides.Additionally, the following Forest Service requirements shall be met:Hardhats without leather or other porous headbands.Disposable or washable long-sleeve coveralls. Clean coveralls, without tears, shall be worn each day.T-shirts and long pants shall be worn under coveralls.Leather boots with socks.Individual eye wash bottle (16 ounces of water), to be carried by applicator.If the workers’ personal protective equipment (PPE) becomes sufficiently wet that spray material soaks through the PPE and under clothes, workers shall immediately change their PPE and under clothes and wash the affected skin area(s) thoroughly.Calibration and Equipment Check: Prior to and during work, the Contracting Officer reserves the right to inspect, test, and approve equipment. For example, the Contracting Officer will check for cracked hoses, worn seals, and leaks.Prior to and during work, the Contracting Officer reserves the right to test and inspect the herbicide concentrate and mixture.Prior to and during work, the Contractor shall be required to calibrate his equipment in the presence of the Contracting Officer.Government-Furnished EquipmentThe Government will provide the following item(s) of Government property to the Contractor for use in the performance of this contract. This property shall be used and maintained by the Contractor in accordance with the provisions of the “Government Property” FAR clause contained elsewhere in the contract.Maps, electronic shapefiles, and/or track logs for uploading in GPS or mobile electronic devices (smart phones, tablets, etc.).