Seeley Lake Ranger District Aerial Herbicide Spraying

Seeley Lake Aerial Herbicide Application 1 Statement of Work SCOPE OF CONTRACT This contract is for work to be performed on the Lolo National Forest located in Powell County, in western Montana. This Statement of Work (SOW) contains specific information for this contract including location, size, timeframe, helicopter size requirements, and herbicide/adjuvant rates. Standard specifications for aerial work on the Lolo National Forest are included in the Aerial Application Standard Specifications document which contains all requirements for licensing, equipment, safety, record keeping, quality control, inspection and acceptance of work, and evaluation factors. Work under this contract consists of 720 acres of aerial herbicide application for cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), spotted knapweed (Centaurea maculosa), and other incidental invasive species in the fall of 2026. This project will support post-fire rehabilitation objectives including (1) fine fuels reduction resulting from cheatgrass and other annual grass invasion treatment, (2) big game habitat improvement and (3) restoration of native plant communities. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE AND PROGRESSION OF WORK The period of performance will be September 15, 2026, to November 15, 2026. Work must be performed when cheatgrass is susceptible to treatment (from germination up to around 1½ inches tall). Usually, work must start between mid-September and early October. Because the start date is dependent on cheatgrass growth, a notice to proceed date may be given short notice. Herbicide application is expected to be complete no later than November 1, 2026, depending on weather conditions and plant phenology. Deliverables are to be completed and delivered no later than November 15, 2026. It may be necessary to adjust the exact timeframe for completing herbicide application depending on plant phenology and weather conditions. PROJECT AREA DESCRIPTION The project area is on Lolo National Forest lands approximately 1.5-hour drive northeast of Missoula, Montana, near Seeley Lake, Montana or on Forest Service roads in the middle Monture Creek drainage near Monture Guard Station, Montana. The Cottonwood Lakes (#477) provide access to the project area (see project map). All project sites are displayed on accompanying project maps. Treatment in all units will be aerial herbicide application for control of non-native annual grasses (primarily cheatgrass), spotted knapweed, and other invasive species infestations. -- 1 of 11 -- Seeley Lake Aerial Herbicide Application 2 Terrain in the project area is mountainous with elevation ranging from 4,000 to 4,700 feet and vegetation is a mix of old wildfire scar and forested areas. Monture Creek unit of the treatment burned at varying degrees of severity in the 2017 Rice Ridge Fire. Horseshoe Hills units were prescribed burned in the spring of 2026. Environmentally sensitive areas, (e.g. streams, ponds, stands of mountain mahogany) and other exclusion zones (e.g. conifer patches) within treatment units have been removed from treatment units and the total acreage. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS Staging Areas There are a few potential staging areas for the project: In the Horseshoe Hills project, the Seeley Airport may be the ideal location. In the Monture Creek project, there are openings along road #447 between Monture and Dunham Creeks. Semi combo trucks can access this road without an issue. All units are within approximately five miles of a staging area. Water may be drafted from Monture Creek or its tributaries at various locations as long as precautions for ESA listed fish species are followed. The government may help facilitate the use of partner lands for staging areas and equipment storage (e.g. municipal, state, other federal, private lands in formal partnership with government entities, etc.) If the Contractor chooses to use non-partner private land for staging and equipment storage, any agreement the Contractor may make with such a private landowner is separate from and outside the authority of the Forest Service. The federal government is not responsible for events or activities occurring off federal lands. If the contractor chooses to use non-partner private land, the Government will require a written agreement signed by both parties prior to commencement of work on the contract. There are no exceptions to this requirement. Final decisions on the use of staging areas on NFS lands will be agreed upon by the contractor, local Forest Service officials, and the COR. Herbicide Application The Contractor shall provide all herbicides and adjuvants necessary to accomplish the work for this contract. Please price quotes accordingly. The Government presumes that mixing and loading will take place at identified staging areas. If other sites need to be identified, this must be discussed with the COR prior to commencement of work to coordinate logistics. The Contractor will receive authorization to drive support vehicles behind gated USFS, state, private partner roads, etc. as needed. -- 2 of 11 -- Seeley Lake Aerial Herbicide Application 3 • The active ingredient Imazapic will be aerially applied at a rate of 4 ounces/acre in all units as a tank mix with Aminopyralid to control infestations of invasive annual grasses and forbs, unless the COR specifies a change in active ingredient or application rate. • The active ingredient Aminopyralid will be aerially applied at a rate of 5 ounces/acre in all units as a tank mix with Imazapic to control infestations of invasive annual grasses and forbs, unless the COR specifies a change in active ingredient or application rate. • The drift control agent and MSO surfactant will be applied at label rates with the herbicides in accordance with label direction. • Herbicide shall be applied in a water/herbicide mixture at a minimum rate of 2 gallons per acre. Past Contractors and SCNF have achieved very good results at 2 gallons per acre with the specified herbicides, but we are aware …