GENERALSPECIFICATIONS–The Nature Conservancy’s HEJ Preserve

Fire Breaks, brush mowing, and Herbicide treatment of autumn olive, reed canary grass, multiflora rose, and barberry.

  1. SCOPEOFWORK:

ThePennsylvaniaGameCommission,NortheastRegion, requires41 acres of mowing, 4.1 acres of tree cutting, 1.1 miles of fire breaks, and 5 acres of herbicide applicationservices.Services shall include,but not belimitedto,the furnishing of all labor, superintendence,tools,materials,andequipmentfortheherbicidetreatmentas per Attachment 1. AllPurchase Ordersrequirethecontractorto providethe equipment, herbicide,water,surfactants,dyes, anyotheradjuvants, labor,insurance,andallmiscellaneousexpensestocompletetheoperation.

Any questions concerning thetechnicalaspects ofthis bidshouldbedirected tothe

Northeast RegionWildlifeDiversity Biologist, Rich Fritsky at 570-406-6690.

  1. PROJECT LOCATION:

The HEJ Preserve is 356 acres and is located in Long Pond, Monroe County. It is accessed via Deep Lake Road and via access roads within the Bethlehem Water Authority land. These roads are behind locked gates. -75.426439, 41.046314 (75°25'35.182"W 41°2'46.731"N)

  1. CONTRACTTASKS:

Herbicide Applications – 5.0 acres (May 15 to June 30, 2018).
Treat understory with herbicideto eliminate multiflora rose, Japanese barberry, reed canary grass, and autumn olive. Rain cannot be forecasted within 48 hours after application.
  1. Spot treat Japanese Barberry and Multiflora Rose. They need to be sprayed after leaf-out (May 15 through June 30, 2018). Approximately 1 acre total.

—Low Volume Application

  1. Rodeo at 4% (5 oz./gallon of water)
  2. Surfactant (1 oz./gallon of water)
  3. Escort XP(1 gram/gallon of water)
  1. Spot treat Reed Canary Grass, a perennial, cool-season, rhizomatous grass (May 15 through June 30, 2018). . Approximately 3 acres total.
  2. Oust XP at 1 oz. /acre. (This rate of Oust works early season as well as late.)
  1. Spot treat Autumn Olive(May 15 through June 30, 2018). Approximately 1 acre total is to be treated for autumn olive with Garlon 3a or Garlon 4 Ultra. Rain cannot be forecasted within 48 hours after application.
  1. Contractorshallcomply with spray specifications provided in Attachment 1,HerbicideSpecifications.

Fire Breaks – 1.1 miles(Sept 25, 2017 to June 30, 2018)

  1. Around the outside of the mowed area, an 8’ wide 0.5 mile fire break is to be cleared of all trees and brush and mowed to ground level.
  1. 0.6 miles of two track road which borders the north and west of the mowed area need to be cleared of any trees and brush.

Tree cutting – 4.1 acres (Sept 25, 2017 to June 30, 2018)

  1. Approximately 4.1 acres of hedgerows are to be felled: specifically all trees greater than 6” DBH). All marked trees are to be retained.

Hedgerow 1: 0.3 acres

Hedgerow 2: 0.6 acres

Hedgerow 3: 1.0 acres

Hedgerow 4: 1.2 acres

Mowing – 41.0 acres (Sept 25, 2017 to June 30, 2018)

  1. Approximately 41.0 acres is to be mowed to a maximum of two (2) feet high. All trees less than 5” DBH will be felled with the exception of Pitch Pines. All pitch pines are to be retained.
  1. SITEINSPECTIONANDASSISTANCE:

Anyone interested in this project should plan on attending the site tour. The site is on private land on gated roads and it is not possible to access it any other times. The tour will be provided on October 6 at 10am. We will meet at Hauser Nature Center, 1567 Long Pond Road, Long Pond, PA 18334. Please contact Rich Fritsky at ,570-406-6690 with any questions.

  1. CONTRACTREQUIREMENTS:
  2. All work specified in Attachment 1mustbecompletedby June 30, 2018.
  3. TheContractorshallprovideproofofcurrentCommercialPesticideLicense andApplicator Certification issued bythePennsylvaniaDepartment of Agriculture. Upon completion of the project, thecontractorwill furnishPGC a copyofthechemicaluserecords log.
  4. TheContractor agrees tocomply withall attachments.TheCommissionreserves therighttoreject any orallbids
  1. RECALL TREATMENT:

Recall treatment resulting from misses and faulty application will be at the contractor’s expense. The Contractor will be required to treat, without any additional compensation, areas not treated due to skips, faulty application or equipment limitations that were not immediately readily apparent after initial application. The PGC representative will make this decision within nine (1) month of the initial application and will transmit a final written decision to the contractor with the exact locations and time frames that these areas must be retreated. Thereafter, the Contractor will be required to complete the retreatment by the date specified in the PGC representative’s letter. These areas must be treated as per the original specifications.

  1. FAILURE TO PERFORM:

The operator will be required to treat all acreage specified in the contract within the service delivery dates.

  1. TREATMENT AREA – Operator personnel are expected to know the location of treatment areas.
  2. TREATMENT QUALITY – Operator personnel are expected to know the technical requirements and application standards. Failure to apply treatment properly will result in recall treatment as listed in Item VI above. Failure to perform recall treatments or subsequent failure to adhere to application specifications may result in Performance Surety forfeiture and the Contractor being declared ineligible for future contract awards.
  1. HOLD HARMLESS:

TheContractorshallberesponsible for andagrees toindemnify and holdharmless theCommonwealthandThe Nature Conservancyfromand against damages to propertyorinjuries (includingdeath) toany persons and otherlosses, damages, expenses,claims, demands,suits,and actionsby any partyagainstthe Commonwealthinconnectionwiththework performed by thecontractor.

  1. INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS:
  1. The Contractor shall purchase and maintain at its expense the following types of insurance, issued by companies acceptable to the Commonwealth. Contractor must provide proof of insurance as specified in Items A and B for equipment owned, leased, rented, subcontracted, or otherwise utilized by the Contractor and for all personnel hired, subcontracted, or otherwise employed by the Contractor.
  2. Such policies shall name the Commonwealth as an additional insured. Prior to the commencement of work under the Purchase Order(s), Operator must provide the Commonwealth with current Certificates of Insurance. These Certificates shall contain a provision that coverage’s afforded under the policy shall not be canceled or changed until at least thirty (30) days prior written notice has been given to the Commonwealth.
  1. TheContractor willprovideWorker’s Compensationinsurancesufficienttocover allofthe employeesofcontractorworkingtofulfillthis contract.
  2. Comprehensive GeneralLiability Insurance,including bodilyinjury andproperty damageinsurance,toprotecttheCommonwealthandthecontractor fromclaims arising outoftheperformance ofthecontract.The amount ofBodily Injury Insuranceshallnotbeless than $300,000.00forinjury to ordeathof persons per occurrence.The amount ofPropertyDamage Insuranceshallnotbeless than $300,000.00 per occurrence.
  1. BIDAWARD:

Bidsmustbereceivedby 2p.m.on October 16, 2017. Vendors must be able to accept payment via credit card.

ALLVENDORSWHO CONDUCTBUSINESSWITHTHEPENNSYLVANIAGAME COMMISSION MUSTHAVEAVENDOR NUMBERASSIGNED TOTHEMIN ORDER TORECEIVEPAYMENTFROMTHECOMMONWEALTH.

Vendors may access thewebsite phone(877)435-7363 or(717) 346-2676 oremail rassistancetoregister asa newvendor or,ifyouare anexistingvendor,tochangeamain orremitto address.This is aDepartment ofGeneralServices(DGS)websitesoyouneedtocontactthem directlyifyouhave anyproblemswith thewebsite.

Thebidas aperacrepriceshallincludealllabor,supervision,tools, equipment, herbicide,surfactants, dyes,adjuvants,water,insurance andall miscellaneousexpenses necessary forthecompletion oftheproject.

TheContractor shallbepaidfor thecompletedprojectattheunit price bid forACTUAL acres treated, not to exceed those in thecontractspecifications (Attachment 1) andas determinedbyaPGC representative.

  1. PERFORMANCE BOND:
  1. As further guarantee of faithful performance of the conditions set forth in this Contract, the successful bidder hereby agrees to furnish the Commission with Certified Check, Savings Account, Irrevocable Letter of Credit, or other security acceptable to the Pennsylvania Game Commission as bond in the amount of$2,000.00. Bond must be paid to the Commission before commencement of work.

ANY SECURITY POSTED MUST HAVE AN EXPIRATION DATE A MINIMUM OF ONE YEAR BEYOND THE EXPIRATION DATE OF THE CONTRACT.

  1. It is further agreed that any performance bond guarantees the complete and faithful performance of this contract and full compliance with the conditions set forth herein, particularly as to construction repairs, restorations or other conditions to be performed and the Principal and Surety shall in no way be released or either of them, their executors, administrators, successors or assigns from their liability hereunder, notice to the Surety or Sureties of any such repair involving construction restoration and conditions to be performed, and extension or forbearance hereof being hereby waived.
  1. Failure to comply with any of the conditions of the contract herein mentioned shall result in cancellation of the agreement and forfeiture of the performance bond to cover damages sustained by the Commission and the Commission may declare the Contractor ineligible to bid on future contracts.
  1. CONTRACT TERM:

Thecontracttermshallcommence uponcontractor’s receipt ofa bid award notice from the PA Game Commission thatincludesa noticeto proceed. The Commonwealth may terminate this contract for its convenience if the Commonwealth determines termination to be in its best interest. Operator shall be paid for work completed.

  1. PAYMENT TERMS:

Paymentshallbe onareimbursement basis for actual acres treatedpursuantto these contractspecificationsasdeterminedby aPGC representativefollowingfinalsite inspection.

ATTACHMENT1:HERBICIDESPECIFICATIONS

  1. DELINEATION OF TREATMENT AREA
  1. Efforts have been made to clearly delineate all project areas, but it is the responsibility of the contractor to be certain of the location and intended treatment for all areas specified under this contract before and during performance of work.
  1. IMPLEMENTATION REQUIREMENTS

A.Timeline and location for spraying:

All Units will be sprayed between May 15 and June 30, 2018.Application cannot occur until 24 hours after a rainfall event. Application cannot occur if rain is forecasted within 48 hours of application.

B.Herbicide to be used and location:

1.Spot treat Japanese Barberry and Multiflora Rose. They need to be sprayed after leaf-out (May 15 through June 30, 2018). Approximately 1 acre total.

—Low Volume Application

a.Rodeo at 4% (5 oz. /gallon of water)

b.Surfactant (1 oz. /gallon of water)

c.Escort XP (1 gram/gallon of water)

2.Spot treat Reed Canary Grass, a perennial, cool-season, rhizomatous grass. Approximately 3 acres total. (May 15 through June 30, 2018).

a.Oust XP at 1 oz. /acre. (This rate of Oust works early season as well as late.)

3.Spot treat Autumn Olive (May 15 through June 30, 2018). Approximately 1 acre total is to be treated for autumn olive with Garlon 3a or Garlon 4 Ultra. Rain cannot be forecasted within 48 hours after application.

C.Application method:

  1. Backpack ormist blowersare acceptable.

D.Fire breaks can be cleared using any combination of brush hog, hand felling, or bulldozing as long as an 8’ wide path is cleared of all vegetation down to the soil.

E.Fuel and brush mowing can be done with a brush hog, hydro axe, or similar tracked machine. Leave no more than two (2) feet standing. All trees and brush less than 5” DBH will be felled with the exception of Pitch Pines. All pitch pines are to be retained.

F.Felling larger trees (greater than 6” DBH) in hedgerow will require hand felling or harvester. Be careful not to damage retained trees which have been painted. All felled trees are to be left in place.

  1. OTHER REQUIREMENTS
  1. The operatormust guaranteecomplete andaccuratecoverage ofthe project areas.Ifany project areais missed orimproperlytreated,itwillbere-treated atthe contractor’s expense.Afinal inspectionwillbeconductedby PGC personnelwithinone monthafter thecompletionoftheprojectto ensuresatisfactoryresults.
  1. All herbicide applicationmust beconductedbetween dawn and dusk (i.e.,during daylight hours). Caremust be taken to avoid damage toandspraying oftreesmarkedwith paint or nearby hardwood seedlings. All spray materialwillremainwithin designated block boundariesand away from sensitiveareasincludingopenwater. Application cannot occur when the vegetation is wet from dew or rain.
  1. An emergency spill kit must be available at all times during active operations on the project site. If the contractor does not have access to a spill kit, one will be loaned to them for the duration of the project.
  1. Contractors will not remove flora or fauna from the property, including fuel wood.The contractor will remove all trash and garbage, personal and otherwise, generated from the completion of this contract.
  1. The contractor will notify the PGC (Rich Fritsky) three days (72 hours) prior to beginning work on the project. The contractor may work at times other than the schedule of the PGC representative. However, questions or other relevant concerns needing to be addressed on site will only occur on weekdays from 9:00 am to no later than 2:00 p.m.
  1. Thecontractormay be presentduring thefinal inspection and willfurnishPGC acopy ofthechemicaluserecordslog atthe completionoftheproject.

*Mentionoftradenames, brands, orregisteredproductsdoesnotimplyorconstituteendorsementbythePGC