Loren Data's SAM Daily™

FBO DAILY ISSUE OF JULY 27, 2011 FBO #3532
SOLICITATION NOTICE

S -- Weed Spraying - Blanco Ranger District - Rio Blanco Wage Determination - MAP

Notice Date

7/25/2011
 

Notice Type

Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
 

NAICS

561990 — All Other Support Services
 

Contracting Office

Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, R-2 Arapaho Roosevelt National Forests, Pawnee National Grassland, 2150 Centre Avenue, Bldg E, Fort Collins, Colorado, 80526
 

ZIP Code

80526
 

Solicitation Number

AG-82X9-S-11-0164
 

Point of Contact

Richard Mizell, Phone: (970)945-3249
 

E-Mail Address

rwmizell@fs.fed.us
(rwmizell@fs.fed.us)
 

Small Business Set-Aside

Total Small Business
 

Description

Location Map Area Wage determination This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and written solicitation will not be issued. This solicitation is issued as Request for Quotation (RFQ) No. AG-82X9-S-11-0164. The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through the Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2005-15. The North American Industry Classification System Code (NAICS) for this acquisition is 561990 with a size standard of $7.0 million. The proposed contract is 100 percent set aside for small business. CONTRACT LINE ITEM N UMBER: 0001: Weed Spraying Services for the Blanco Ranger District, White River National Forest Glenwood springs, CO. Line Item 0001 QTY: 60 Acres, UNIT PRICE: tiny_mce_marker_____________, EXTENDED PRICE: tiny_mce_marker________________. Period of Performance: 07 August 2011 through 30 September 2011. Option Line Item 0002 QTY: 60 Acres, UNIT PRICE: tiny_mce_marker_____________, EXTENDED PRICE: tiny_mce_marker________________. Period of Performance: 20 July 2012 through 30 September 2012. Option Line Item 0003 QTY: 60 Acres, UNIT PRICE: tiny_mce_marker_____________, EXTENDED PRICE: tiny_mce_marker________________. Period of Performance: 20 July 2013 through 30 September 2013 Offerors shall include prices and descriptive literature containing sufficient technical documentation to establish a bona fide capability to meet this requirement. Only written responses will be considered. Weed Spraying Contract Blanco Ranger District Description/Specifications Scope of the contract: The services covered in this contract are for furnishing all labor, equipment, supervision, transportation, and livestock (as needed) to spray approximately 60 acres of noxious weeds in the specified project (bid) area of the Blanco Ranger District in compliance with terms, specifications, conditions and provisions contained herein. Weed species include downy brome, yellow toadflax, Canada thistle, houndstongue and any other State Listed noxious weed species found while in the performance of this contract. This contract may be extended 2 years beyond the 2011 season, pending budget, to include 2012 and 2013. 60 acres of treatments is anticipated each year however no specific quantity of work is guaranteed nor implied. Fewer acres may be treated depending upon weather, severity of weed infestation, topography or other conditions. Actual acreage treated in the option years may reduce as treatments are successful. Work will be determined at a per "calibrated acre treated" basis. (see item 4. e) Payment) The successful bidder will conduct the work according to these specifications, following a pre-work meeting with the District Noxious Weed Program Manager and/or the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR), clarifying the terms and conditions of the specifications. The COR may base contract selections on bid cost, contractor familiarity with similar type projects, reasonable assurance to commit to a three year project, and contractors past proven ability to perform. Location and Description of Project Area: Hill Creek Weed Management Project: This project includes herbicide treatment of downy brome, yellow toadflax, Canada thistle and houndstongue along the Hill Creek and lower Fowler Creek drainages on the Blanco Ranger District. The project area is approximately 1,450 acres in size with an estimated 200-250 acres of weed infestations. Approximately 60 acres of herbicide weed treatments are to be expected each year. For efficient completion of this project, the contractor can base out of the Hill Creek campground which is located within the western edge of the project boundary. With exception of the campground area, this project is only accessible by foot or horseback. Horse/mule mounted spray equipment is anticipated for the execution of this project. For completion of this project, contractors may anticipate 20-25 person/horse-days. (Approximately 2.5 to 3 acres per day.) Each person-day would include a horse and rider/operator and one pack animal for a 10-hour period. If the contractor chooses to utilize backpack sprayers instead of horse mounted equipment, it will take several operators. Approximately 40 to 50 four-gallon backpack loads per day. If the contractor were to choose backpacks, they would need to show an adequate workforce to complete the project in the allotted timeframe. The project area is shown on the attached map. The terrain within the project areas varies, but is primarily a scattered gamble oak, aspen, and mountain shrub community. Moderate to steep slope with water for refilling available in Hill Creek. The majority of applications will need to be completed with a hand gun applicator as boom spraying will not be appropriate in some areas. No boom spraying will be allowed within 100 feet of live water. Technical Specifications 1. Equipment: Due to the roadless nature of the treatment area, the project will be completed by foot or horseback. All horse-mounted treatments will be conducted using a "Saddle-Light" Horseback Weed Sprayer, available through the White River Soil Conservation District, or an equivalent method. The District Weed Program Manager, prior to contract approval, will approve any application method other than the Saddle-Light sprayer. 2. Spraying Specifications: a) Herbicide shall be applied in accordance with manufacturer's and EPA label instructions and specifications. A minimum of 20 gallons of water per acre must be applied with the recommended acre rate of herbicide. It is the contractor's responsibility to comply with all requirements of the Pesticide Applicator's Act (Sec.35-10-101 et seq. C.R.S.). The contractor shall comply with all federal, state, and local rules, regulations, and laws pertaining to the work required by this contract. Herbicide choices and application rates for treatment will be determined by the District Weed Program Manager, prior to start of work. b) Timing of application will be consistent with factors such as target species, growth stage, product formulation, and weather. Most treatments will be conducted between July 20 and September 30. Treatments for downy brome will fall from mid September through October, or as frost and other weather conditions dictate. c) Weeds will be treated by spot spraying. Spraying must be done in a site-specific manner to minimize impacts on non-target vegetation and address any environmental concerns. The application rate will be at a minimum 20 gallons of spray mix per acre. Boom nozzle apparatuses will not be used within 100 feet of live water. d) Cleaning of all spray equipment and disposal of herbicide containers shall be done in accordance with State and Federal law. e) Herbicides to be used under this contract include only EPA approved products and those specified and furnished by the COR. These may include, but are not limited to; Telar XP, Landmark, Tordon 22K, and 2,4-D. f) Surfactant will be utilized in all applications, and added to the mix at the rate of no less than.25% by volume. Surfactant for yellow toadflax will be @.5% by volume. Surfactant will be furnished by the COR. g) Dye will be added into all mixtures to insure uniform treatment and also to minimize the number of patches of weeds that could be accidentally missed. Dye will be furnished by the COR. h) To enable follow-up monitoring by the contracting officers representative, the Contractor shall accurately mark the areas which were treated on topographic maps provided by the COR, collect GPS coordinates, if applicable, and submit these with billing statements. i) If the spray system of choice utilizes CO2, it may be furnished by the COR. 3. Reporting Requirements The contractor shall maintain daily records and logs containing all applicable information as required by the State of Colorado, and shall provide a copy of the daily application record for the District Weed Program Managers review and records at time of invoice. Blank daily pesticide application record sheets will be supplied by the COR (see copy attached). Only Forest Service application records will be accepted unless otherwise agreed upon with the District Program Manager and the Contractor at the pre-work meeting. Application record forms shall be completed in full, along with mapped treatment locations, as specified under clause 2(h.) This information, along with a field inspection, will be the basis of payment. Treatment acreage will be determined on a total gallon per acre (GPA) rate of herbicide mixture used. Example attachment enclosed. 4. Other Requirements a) Weed-free Equipment: The contractor shall ensure all camp equipment, tack, blankets and stock hooves will be checked for weed seeds prior to entering the Forest. b) Livestock Use 1. Any authorization to graze livestock is temporary and will not establish a priority for future use of the range. Any grazing that occurs must be authorized by the COR in the pre-work meeting. 2. The contractor shall comply with grazing instructions as issued by the Forest Service and shall require all employees to do likewise. Illegal grazing of livestock used in conjunction with this contract will be grounds for termination of the contract. 3. Grazing utilization will be determined by stubble height of the grasses and sedges. Dry, upland sites above 10,000 ft elevation must not be grazed below a 3-inch stubble height. Uplands below 10,000 ft. can only be grazed to a 4-inch forage stubble height. This is because of different grass species predominant in each location. Note: Measurements are average of plant heights within grazed area. Once maximum utilization has been reached, the stock will need to be moved or fed certified weed free hay or pellets. Any new grazing location must be approved by the District Range Staff or the COR. 4. The contractor shall not allow horses to run at large. Unless grazing, horses shall be tied to a high line or kept in a corral/pasture when being fed and watered or when not being used. Animals will be tied to removable hitch racks, or other holding devices rather than tied to individual trees. Any tying to trees will be for very short time durations only and done in a manner so that no tree damage occurs. All corral locations and materials must be approved in advance by the COR. Any corral/pasture will be constructed out of temporary electic fence or other approved material. Animals being picketed must be routinely moved to avoid excessive grazing use. The use of hobbles or electric fences is preferred. Stubble height utilization applies in all cases. 5. In a wet meadow or riparian locations there must be at least a 6-inch forage stubble height remaining. Grazing of wet meadows is discouraged. Note: Measurements are of plant heights. 6. In all cases once grazing use has reached the maximum amount, you must find a new area to allow your stock to graze. 7. No authorization for grazing use will be approved which results in overuse of the grazing resource. 8. The contractor is responsible for tracking and complying with the allowable forage use levels. 9. Numbers of livestock in excess of that needed to reasonably complete the contract will not be allowed (usually two per sprayer, one saddle and one pack animal). Upper limits may be established by the District Weed Program Manager in accordance with the available forage of the sites. 10. Pack and unridden saddle stock must be led and controlled while using trails except where conditions make this practice unsafe. The purpose is to protect trails, people, and livestock. 11. Manure will be routinely raked and spread to reduce odors, flies, resource damage, and unsightly conditions. 12. Livestock, owned or controlled by the contractor, that die on NFS lands, shall be removed or otherwise disposed of in a manner acceptable to the COR. 13. All public lands within the State of Colorado require the use of certified weed free hay, mulch or straw. Inside Wilderness, only processed feed may be used. This would include certified weed free cubed or pelleted hay, and rolled or ground grain. The Hill Creek Project is not within designated Wilderness. 14. Livestock will be secured a minimum of 100 feet from all lakes, streams, and trails, unless otherwise restricted by local regulations. 15. When salt is provided for livestock, it shall be in block form and contained to prevent soil contamination. c) Licensing: It will be the responsibility of the contractor to obtain the proper certification and or licensing by the State of Colorado. It is the contractor's responsibility to comply with all requirements of the Pesticide Applicator's Act (Sec.35-10-101 et seq. C.R.S.). d) Liability/Safety: The Forest Service is not responsible for the safety of the Contractor or any of their employees. The Forest Service is not liable for damage to adjacent crops, water aquifers or human and animal contamination. The Forest Service is not responsible for damage to equipment or livestock provided by the contractor, or for damage caused to property or individuals as a result of negligence of the contractor or damage caused by his animals. e) Payment: Payment will be on a per calibrated acre treated basis, per a voucher to be submitted by the contractor, along with daily application records, as specified under item 2(h) above. Following a field inspection by the COR, and review of records kept as specified above, payments will be made according to the calibrated acres treated.   Daily Pesticide Application Record Ranger District: ______________________ Date: _______________ Location of Application Drainage: _________________________ Specific Location: _____________________ Township: ________ Range: ______ Section(s): ____________________________ Township: ________ Range: ______ Section(s): ____________________________ Township: ________ Range: ______ Section(s): ____________________________ Land Ownership: FS___BLM___State___PVT___Other___________ Job Code: _______________ Application Information Time: Start _______ End _______ Start _______ End _______ Initial Treatment _____ Re-treatment _____ Weather Conditions: Clear _____ Cloudy ______ Partly Cloudy _____ Wind Speed: ________mph, from __________ Temperature _________ Target Weeds (List most abundant weed first) _____________________________________________________________ Stage of Growth: Bud _____ Flowering _____Seeding _____ Site of Application: Rangeland___ Campground___ Trailhead___ Right of Way___ Other______________ Herbicides Used: Name: __________________ EPA number: _________________ Rate (AI) per acre: _______ Name: __________________ EPA number: _________________ Rate (AI) per acre: _______ Name: __________________ EPA number: _________________ Rate (AI) per acre: _______ Name: __________________ EPA number: _________________ Rate (AI) per acre: _______ Name: __________________ EPA number: _________________ Rate (AI) per acre: _______ Name: __________________ EPA number: _________________ Rate (AI) per acre: _______ Dilutant Used:________ Gallons per Acre:______ Total Gallons Mix applied:______ Application Method: ____________________Calibrated Acres Treated: __________ Empty Containers Triple Rinsed: Yes _____ No _____ Disposal Site: ________________________________ Affected Acres Treated:________ Acreage Justification/Comments:_____________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Applicator's Signature: _________________________________________________ Certified Applicator's Signature: __________________________________________ SPRAYER CALIBRATION MADE EASY (No-Math Version) Step 1. Establish a calibration plot that is exactly 18.5 feet wide by 18.5 feet long. Note: This is 1/128 acre and there are 128 ounces in a gallon Step 2. Spray calibration plot uniformly with water. Note number of seconds required. Time Required = ____________Seconds Step 3. Spray into bucket or other container for the same number of seconds. Step 4. Measure the number of ounces of water collected in the bucket. Volume Sprayed=____________Ounces Step 5. Ounces collected equals the number of gallons per acre the sprayer is delivering. Gallons Per Acre =____________ Note: Each individual's spraying habits will be enough different that everyone's Gallons Per Acre (GPA) will be slightly different. This makes it imperative that each person using the sprayer must calibrate individually, in order to determine the proper rate of herbicide in the spray mixture. Tank Mix Based on Calibrated Application Volume Procedure: Determine the ratio of total spray volume for 1 acre of land. (Amount of herbicide: gallons of spray per acre) Example 1: An herbicide label says to apply 2 quarts of product per acre. Through the 18.5 square feet calibration method you have determined how many gallons per acre (GPA) you apply with this sprayer. Note: Each individual will be different for each apparatus. This is why it is extremely important for everyone to calibrate on every piece of spray equipment they use. For our example we'll say you apply 40 GPA. This means for every 40 gallons of total spray solution you apply, you need 2 qt. (64 oz.) in that mix. Our sprayer utilizes four 5-gallon canisters. 5 divided by 40 equals.125 acres per can. You need 64 oz. per acre times.125 acres per can equals 8 ounces of herbicide in each 5-gallon can. Thus you put 8 oz. of herbicide in your 5 gallon can and then top it off with surfactant and water. Example 2: One commonly used mix for Leafy Spurge is 2 qt. Tordon 22K, and 1 lb. 2,4-D Low Vol. per acre. Surfactant at.25% by volume (32 oz/100 gal or.32 oz/gal) This would come out on a per canister basis at 40 GPA as follows: 64 oz (2 qt) Tordon times.125 equals 8 oz. 21.3 oz. (1 lb) 2,4-D times.125 equals 2.7 oz..32 oz. Surfactant times 5 equals 1.6 oz. Total amount of product for each 5 gallons of spray: 12.3oz. You should check your calibration periodically as the season progresses to make sure your spraying habits have not changed, thus throwing off your application rate. Fluid Measure Conversion Table 1/6 fluid ounce = 1 teaspoon (tsp.) 1/2 fluid ounce = 1 tablespoon (tbs.) = 3 teaspoons 1 fluid ounce = 2 tablespoons = 1/8 cup 8 fluid ounces = 1 cup = 1/2 pint 16 fluid ounces = 2 cups = 1 pint 32 fluid ounces = 4 cups = 2 pints = 1 quart 64 fluid ounces = 8 cups = 4 pints = 2 quarts = 1/2 gallon 128 fluid ounces = 16 cups = 8 pints = 4 quarts = 1 gallon The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer, conforming to the solicitation; will be the most advantageous to the Government in accordance with the requirement. Only those offerors determined to be in compliance with the requirements as stated in this solicitation will be considered for award. If additional information is required to support price reasonableness, each offeror may be required to provide a hard copy of their price break-down. Non-conformance with this requirement may result in the offerors quote being determined unacceptable. FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representatives and Certifications-Commercial Items applies to this acquisition and off eror(s) must include, a completed copy with its offer. FAR 52.212-3 can be obtained from http://farsite.hill.af.mil or from http://orca.bpn.gov if registered in ORCA (Online Representation and Certifications application). FAR CLAUSES: The clause at 52.212- 4 applies to this acquisition are as follows: 52.212-1, 52.209-6, 52.217-5, 52.217-8, 52.222-4, 52.223-2, 52.223-5, 52.223-6, 52.232-1, 52.232-8, 52.232-11, 52.232-23, 52.232-25, 52.233-1, 52.237-2, 52.245-1, 52.253-1, AGAR 452.236-72, AGAR 452.237-70.1, AGAR 452-237-75, 52.204-9, AGAR 452.204-71, 52.212-3, 52.212-5, 52.217-9, 52.222-42 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items, including the following sub-clauses, 52.219-6, 52.222-3, 52.222-21, 52-222-22, 52.222-25, 52.222-26, 52.222-36, 52.223-5, 52.232-33 apply to this acquisition. To be eligible for an award, contractor must be registered in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database. A contractor can contact the CCR by calling 1-888-227-2423 or e-mail at http://www.ccr.gov. NO EXCEPTIONS. A DUNS (Dun and Bradstreet) number is required in order to register. All invoices shall be submitted through Wide Area Work Flow. You can register at https://wawf.ef.mil/index.html. All responses must be received by 5:00 P.M. Mountain Standard Time (EDT) on 01 August 2011. Quotes can be Emailed to Contracting Officer (Attn: Richard Mizell) rwmizell@fs.fed.us. An official authorized to bind your company shall sign the quote. Questions concerning this solicitation should be addressed to Richard Mizell, E-mailed to rwmizell@fs.fed.us, all questions or inquires must be submitted in writing. POINT OF CONTACT: Richard Mizell, Phone (970) 945-3249, Fax (719) 434-2864.
 

Web Link

FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/USDA/FS/R2FtCollins/AG-82X9-S-11-0164/listing.html)
 

Place of Performance

Address: Blanco Ranger District, Meeker, Colorado, 81641, United States

Zip Code: 81641
 

Record

SN02509151-W 20110727/110725234607-0301775a147b4907ca825b7a4777ca5d (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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