HELENA/BEAVERHEAD NATIONAL FORESTS-Aerial Weed Spraying IDIQ

Period of Award: Base year = is from time of award through May 31, 2013 Option year 1 = June 1, 2013 through May 31, 2014 Option year 2 = June 1, 2014 through May 31, 2015 AGAR 452.216-73 MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNTS (FEB 1988) During the period specified in FAR clause 52.216-18, ORDERING, the Government shall place orders totaling a minimum of $2500.00, but not in excess of 500,000 for the duration of the contract. Herbicide Applications: Contractor shall furnish all materials, herbicides, equipment, labor, supervision, transportation, operating supplies, and incidentals necessary to safely apply herbicides using aerial spraying apparatus (Helicopter) in accordance with the contract specifications, terms, conditions specified on the herbicide label(s), and State of Montana regulations. This includes fuel, fuel truck, and driver; water for mixing; and any other supplies necessary unless the contract states they will be furnished by the Government. Specific tasks to be performed by the Contractor include: a) review of treatment plan and specific prescription; b) acquisition of herbicides; c) mobilization; d) application or treatment of the target species with an approved herbicide; e) mix and clean-up of herbicides; f) documentation including a Quality Control Plan (includes safety and spill plans); g) Contractor Quality Inspection Records, h) completing Daily Herbicide Application Record (enclosed in this package), and (i) provide the government a map displaying GPS lines of what was sprayed on each swath. C.2 Description of Work The areas scheduled for aerial herbicide treatment on the Helena and Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forests consist of both linear features (such as roads) and polygons (such as rangelands, big game winter ranges, burned areas and general forest areas) on all three ranger districts of the Helena National Forest (Townsend, Helena, and Lincoln) and all seven ranger districts of the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest( Pintler, Butte, Jefferson, Madison, Dillon, Wisdom, Wise River). The topography varies from open rolling hills to steep, high elevation mountain sides. Overstory canopy varies and there may be areas with too dense of forest canopy to aerially spray within the polygons to be treated. All the roads and polygons may have live streams running in or adjacent to them. Closed timber overstory areas and live water are not to be sprayed. Sensitive areas, such as, plants and/or water will have 300 foot buffers around these sensitive sites. The Helena National Forest will establish drift transects around sensitive areas to monitor the application to determine if these 300 foot buffers can be reduced to 100 foot buffers. Mix and loading sites will be identified and discussed with the Contractor prior to treatment date and will be accessible by road. The Contractor will receive authorization to drive mix and support vehicles behind gated forest roads as needed. The Contractor may be asked to time treatment to avoid conflicts with other users in particular treatment areas (e.g. periods of high public recreation), or to stop treatment if people are found to have somehow entered the treatment area during treatment. Based on experience, such treatment stoppage is anticipated to be the exception and not the rule, but can happen. The Contractor shall apply the herbicides at as low an elevation as possible subject to vegetation, terrain and safety considerations. Herbicide amounts per acre shall be applied in a water / herbicide mixture at rate of 2 gallons per acre unless otherwise specified. Additionally, the Contractor shall provide: - Make, model, and type of aircraft offered. If multiple aircraft are offered, a separate price schedule can be provided for each type of aircraft. Copies of any Forest Service issued aircraft and pilot cards for equipment and operator that will perform work under this contract. Type of air-to-ground communication equipment. Aerial Spray Navigation System offered, include capabilities of the equipment. Other accessories or application methods that are available and may be used for this contract. The Government is particularly interested in practices or equipment to minimize drift. Copy of Montana Pesticide Applicators License. A Complete Solicitation Package Will Be Available By June 8, 2012.