Posted: May 2, 2023, 8:55 a.m. EDT
Update 3/27/2023: The Goverment received a question about this requirement. The question and provided answer are posted here for all interested parties to read.
Q: Do we need to be certified pesticide applicators in Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri and Illinois to bid on the upcoming Solicitation and when do we have to be certified? I anticipate that herbicide application will be included in at least the Task Order Category of Invasive Species Treatments and possibly Timber Stand Improvements.
A: In order to award each contractor must have at least one employee that is holding a pesticide applicator license in at least one of the four states. Contractors in this line of work will have staff that are licensed and if they don't, they don't perform the type of work we want to hire them for. Also, the process of obtaining an initial pesticide applicator license is lengthy, sometimes takes up to a year to be officially recorded (once obtained, last for 3 years). The process of reciprocity is much faster and more of a formality meaning if an employee is already a pesticide applicator in IL, then they just file the paperwork to obtain a reciprocal applicator license in whichever state the work is to be performed (i.e. IA, or WI, or MO)
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The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Rock Island District plans to issue a solicitation for Forest Services on approximately March 31, 2023. This is notice of its intent and IS NOT a solicitation for proposals. A list of tentative projects for this requirement is attached below for informational purposes only and does not constitute a guarantee of awarding any task orders for them.
Statement of Work (selected paragraphs)
Overview: This multiple award task order contract (MATOC) is to assist the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) with forest management prescriptions and associated vegetative maintenance services for projects. Work covered by this MATOC and its respective task orders shall consist of furnishing all necessary: labor, operators, supervision, licenses, equipment, vessels (able to transport people and equipment), transportation, supplies and materials necessary to perform work identified in MATOC sections including: Supplying Planting Materials; Direct Seeding; Herbaceous, Shrub, and Tree Planting; Site Preparation; Rough Cut Mowing; Herbicide Supply and Application; Hand Crew Chainsaw Cutting; and Forestry Mulching on islands or areas accessible by land. All work activities performed under this MATOC shall be in accordance with the requirements contained herein, the Contractor's approved work plan, and task orders. All work shall be completed to the satisfaction of the Contracting Officer.
MATOC Area: Work areas will be located within one or more of the following counties: Crawford and Grant in the state of Wisconsin; Allamakee, Boone, Clinton, Clayton, Dallas, Des Moines, Dubuque, Iowa, Jackson, Jasper, Johnson, Lee, Linn, Louisa, Muscatine, Polk, Scott, Warren in the state of Iowa; Jo Daviess, Carroll, Whiteside, Rock Island, Mercer, Henderson, Hancock, Adams, Pike, Calhoun, Brown, Schuyler, Fulton, Peoria, Putnam, Bureau, La Salle, Grundy, Marshall, Woodford, Tazewell, Mason, Cass, and Morgan in the state of Illinois; Clark, Lewis, Marion, and Ralls in the state of Missouri. See Figure 1 for reference to the extent of the general work area. The actual work areas may or may not be accessible by land (some may be on islands or other floodplain areas accessible only by vessel). Specific work limits may be identified through maps, description, GPS coordinates, flagging, and/or site visit as identified in the specific task order for work.
Work Locations: Work sites are widely scattered and vary in topography, vegetative cover, and access for equipment. Several work sites may be contained within the same delivery task order, providing for efficiency and economy of scale. However, travel time between sites should also be considered and bid accordingly. Include mobilization in CLIN bid price. Actual delivery work order may include multiple sites with same vicinity. General location sites are indicated on the Figure 1 map in the 2023_MVR_Forest_Services_MATOC (attached below). All delivery task orders shall include fieldwork site locations with accompanying maps and description of each area.
MATOC Period. The period of performance for this shall be for five years commencing from the date of award.
Task Orders. Task order(s) on this MATOC is (are) to be exercised at the discretion of the Government only. The allowable and/or required performance period shall be specified in the task order including any required start date.
Required Insurance. As required by the contract clause entitled Insurance-Work on a Government Installation , the Contactor shall, furnish to the Contracting Officer, in response to the MATOC listing and for each task order, a certificate or written statement as evidence of the minimum insurance listed below. The Contractor shall procure and maintain such types and amounts of insurance during the entire period of his performance under each task order.
- Workmen's compensation Amounts required by applicable jurisdictional statutes.
- Employer's Liability Insurance - $100,000
- Comprehensive General Liability Insurance (No property damage liability is required)
- Bodily Injury - $500,000 per occurrence
- Comprehensive Automobile / Vessel Insurance
- Bodily Injury - $250,000 each person, $500,000 each accident
- Property Damage- $20,000 each accident
Safety. The Contractor shall perform all work in accordance with safety requirements set forth in Corps of Engineers' Manual, EM 385-1-1, entitled Safety and Health Requirements Manual , NOV 2014 copies and any updates which are available for review at: https://www.publications.usace.army.mil/Portals/76/Publications/EngineerManuals/EM_385-1-1.pdf .
The Contractor shall submit all documents as required by EM 385-1-1 for each individual task order such as the Contractor's Accident Prevention Program. An accident constitutes an incident or act involving the Contractor that caused damage to persons or property. All accidents shall be reported to the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) within 24 hours of the occurrence. Any serious accidents (those resulting in death or injury requiring medical attention) shall be reported immediately.
Pesticide Application. The Contractor and subcontractors shall possess the necessary valid state commercial herbicide applicator's licenses for the state in which work is being performed with appropriate categories as identified in the task order. The Contractor is responsible for obtaining and observing all necessary local, state, and federal permits associated with the execution of the contract. The Contractor shall follow all pesticide label directions.
