Grasshopper Aerial Pesticide Aerial Application

1 GENERAL STATEMENT OF WORK 1.1 Scope This Statement of Work (SOW) establishes the requirements for providing aerial application services in support of the USDA-APHIS Rangeland Grasshopper and Mormon Cricket (GH-MC) Suppression Program. The Contractor shall furnish all personnel, aircraft, equipment, materials, permits, and operational capability necessary to conduct safe, accurate, and compliant aerial application of pesticides or bait formulations on designated treatment areas. Work performed under this SOW supports federal, tribal, state, and local partners in suppressing economically significant outbreaks while adhering to all environmental, safety, and programmatic requirements. 1.2 Definitions Contracting Officer (CO) – The CO has the authority to enter into, administer, and/or terminate contracts and make related determinations and findings. The CO is responsible for ensuring performance of all necessary actions for effective contracting, ensuring compliance with the terms of the contract, and safeguarding the interests of the United States in its contractual relationships. Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) – The Contracting Officer will designate an individual to serve as the COR. The COR will be the Contracting Officer’s Representative with delegated authority to monitor the performance, evaluate work as it progresses, and inspect/accept completed work on behalf of the Government. Aerial Treatment Manager (ATM) (also known as Aerial Program Manager (APM)) – The COR may designate an individual to serve as the ATM and report directly to the COR. The ATM is responsible for the overall daily activities during an aerial application program. Contractor’s Representative (CR) –The CR has full authority to make decisions for the Contractor and direct the Contractor’s operations. Airport, as used in this Statement of Work (SOW) and in each solicitation, means any airport, airstrip, or work site where the Contractor will load the aircraft during contract operations. Reporting airport means the airport to which the Contractor shall deliver the aircraft for inspection and acceptance to the contract. A job is defined as the total gallons or lbs. requested at one time to be applied within the treatment location. Additional work is considered a new job. The treatment location is defined as the geographical area identified in the solicitation (frequently a county is the geographic area). Day, as used in this SOW, means calendar day. Operations may be conducted 7 days per week and may include holidays. Operational hours are defined as those hours during a day when the COR has cleared the aircraft for application operations. Total swath width is defined as the total width of the discharged material in one swath run of an aircraft; the distance between opposing, i.e., leftmost and rightmost, measured deposits. Effective swath width is defined as the width of the discharged material in one swath run of an aircraft at which the measured application rate exceeds 50% of the target application rate; additionally defined for this Statement of Work as being approximately 75 percent of the total swath width. Assigned swath width is defined as the width used for calibration of the application equipment. For more details, see Tables 1 and 2. 1.3 Contract Description -- 1 of 25 -- 2 Rangeland Grasshopper/Mormon Cricket Treatment will be a Full-Service Contract where the Contractor will provide all aircraft, insecticide, and diluents (including oil, water (with a pH of 7 or less for liquid Carbaryl), etc.) personnel, facilitating equipment, and service. The type of insecticide and reporting date will be stated in the solicitation. The chemical treatment will be applied to rangeland. Offeror Schedule Offeror to furnish all Aircraft, Personnel, Facilitating Equipment, and services that fully comply with all terms and conditions of the contract. Aircraft Categories The Aircraft Categories (Tables 1A-C, 2A-C, and 3A&B) have been established to facilitate program planning for desired aircraft based on the insect life cycle, timing of application, support personnel, adequate airport space, required aircraft performance, length and strength of runways, taxiways and ramps, and the elevation and type of terrain to be treated. Traditional Uniform Coverage Tables 1A-C and 3A&B list aircraft by category, the assigned swath width for traditional uniform coverage treatments with Diflubenzuron, Chlorantraniliprole, Malathion, liquid Carbaryl, and Carbaryl in bait form, and the stainless steel (SS) flat fan spray tip size required for the liquid insecticide used. Reduced Agent and Area Treatments (RAATs) Tables 2A-C list aircraft by category, the assigned swath widths for RAATs treatments with Diflubenzuron, Chlorantraniliprole, Malathion, and liquid Carbaryl, and the stainless steel (SS) flat fan spray tip size required for the liquid insecticide used. Reduced Agent and Area Treatments (RAATs) was developed to help reduce the cost of materials and application when managing grasshoppers and Mormon crickets on rangeland habitats and is expected to yield percent population reductions that are relatively similar to traditional uniform coverage applications. Historically, RAATs spacing was based on using the assigned RAATs swath widths in Tables 2A-C and then utilizing skip swaths (non-directly treated area) of no more than 100 feet (Diflubenzuron, Chlorantraniliprole, and liquid Carbaryl) and 25 feet (Malathion). When these recommended skip swaths are used, the resulting percent population reduction is about 2-15% lower compared to traditional uniform coverage treatments. Examples: based on Tables 2 A&B, when using a Category C fixed-wing aircraft and Diflubenzuron, Chlorantraniliprole, or liquid Carbaryl, it will be calibrated for an assigned swath width of 150 feet and a skip swath of 100 feet, yielding a total spacing of 250 feet. Based on Table 2B, when using Malathion and the same category of fixed-wing aircraft …