Request for Proposal

Request for Proposal Intent: The State of New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Division of Parks and Forestry, Forest Service (NJFS) has been awarded a grant under the federal American Recovery and Reimbursement Act (ARRA), also referred to as the Stimulus Bill, for a Hazard Tree Assessment and Removal project. The project has two components: 1) Hazard Tree Assessment - for the identification and marking of hazard trees within selected State Forests and Parks, and 2) Hazard Tree Removal - for the removal of the marked hazard trees. It is the intent of the New Jersey Forest Service, through this Agency Request for Proposal (RFP), to execute contract(s) for the implementation of the Hazard Tree Removal component of the grant. This work will be conducted in selected High-Human Use Areas within one Stateholding: Wharton State Forest (http://www.nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/parks/wharton.html ) Definitions: Blazed= the marking of a tree with paint indicating the tree is to be removed. Contractor= the person, company, or other entity holding an executed contract issued pursuant to this RFP for the removal of trees in one or more tree removal areas. Date of issuance= July 15, 2011. Hazard tree= A tree that a trained and experienced professional has concluded is a potential hazard to person(s) or property within or around a NJFS determined high-human use area. All such trees determined for removal will be blazed. High-human use area= a NJFS determined area within a State-holding that is designed or designated for use by the public or employees, such as campsites, buildings and their surrounding landscaped grounds, parking lots, office buildings, workshops, historicales, or other developed areas; and the built infrastructure serving such locations, such as roads, picnic areas. This term shall not include any undeveloped area. Historical area= a NJFS determined high-human use area within a State-holding that has been, or is anticipated to be, designed or designated as having historical significance. Such areas will be clearly indicated with an H just after its tree removal area ID number, e.g., WH-01-H. NJFS= the New Jersey Forest Service within the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Satisfactory completion= with respect to a contract, proper completion of all work required under the contract plus submission of correctly and fully completed payment documents and reports, as required for the project. Such documents and reports shall include a State of New Jersey 1

payment voucher, a vendor invoice, and the Vendor Report required by the NJFS for ARRA reporting purposes (see Sections B through G). Slash= the non-trunk residue that remains after trees are felled and their trunks bucked and lopped, e.g., treetops, branches, and limbs. Tree removal area= an area that encompasses or is located near one or more potential target areas and that has been selected by the NJFS for hazard tree assessment and removal under the Hazard Tree Assessment and Removal project. Tree removal area ID number= the unique identification number assigned by the NJFS for each tree removal area. It will be displayed on the tree removal area map and is to be used to reference the area. Tree removal areas list= the listing of the areas within the State-holding(s) where tree removal work is to be conducted under contract(s) executed pursuant to this RFP. For each tree removal area the list provides both its assigned tree removal ID number and number of trees to be removed. Tree removal area map= a map generated by the NJFS for a tree removal area, delineating both the estimated boundaries of the tree removal area, number of trees to be removed, and if possible, the approximate location within the areas of the trees to be removed. Treetop= the upper portion of a tree, beginning at the point that the tree trunk narrows to a diameter of four (4) inches and including all parts of the tree above that point. Undeveloped area= an area within a State-holding that has been left in its natural state, including any wild or wilderness area. This term shall not include any high-human use area, including any lands adjacent to such areas that are mowed, landscaped, or otherwise actively maintained. Week= a period of seven successive days, beginning with Sunday and ending with Saturday. Work-day= shall consist of any calendar day Monday through Sunday. A work-day shall consist of no longer than 11.5-hours, including a 30-minute lunch break. A work-day shall start no earlier than 7 am and end no later than 6:30 PM, unless the work-hour is amendment. However, no work-day amendment shall allow for a work-day longer than 11.5 hours or exclude a 30- minute lunch break. This term shall not include any day that is a State Holiday. Work-day, amendment= a day that is not a regular work-day, such as a State holiday, but which the NJFS and the Contactor have mutually agreed, in writing, per section 3-E, to be accepted as a work-day under a Contract issued pursuant to this RFP. Work-hour= any hour from 7:00 AM to 6:30 PM on a work-day. 2

Work-hour, amendment= an hour outside the period of 7:00 AM to 6:30 PM, such as 6:30 to 7:30 PM, but which the NJFS and the Contactor have mutually agreed, in writing, per section 3- E, to be accepted as a work-hour under the Contract. Work-week=shall consist of the eligible work-days, per a tree removal area, during which work shall be conducted. The eligible work-days, per tree removal area, will be listed in the tree removal area list (see last page). Minimum Equipment List: Two forestry bucket trucks, with an aerial lift bucket that has a minimum reach of no less than fifty (50) feet; Two wood chippers; Two dump trucks, each equipped with chipper canopy or equivalent; At least four (4) chain saws; Skidder; Loader; Crane; Such additional equipment or incidental tools as are required and/or necessary to carry out and complete the work; and Safety devices and personal protective equipment for crew personnel and equipment that meet or exceed the current American National Standards Institute (ANSI), American National Standard for Arboricultural Operations: Safety Requirement (Z1331.1) shall be utilized by all personnel when on the job site. Any additional standards or requirements applicable under federal, State or local law shall be complied and utilized with during the contract period. A: NJFS s Responsibility: Specifications and Guidelines: 1-A NJFS shall assign a NJFS Project Manager who shall be tasked with oversight of the project on behalf of the NJFS and with communication with the Contractor to facilitate project work. The NJFS Project Manager shall serve as a single point of liaison between the State, including its managers, employees and agents (including those in the NJ State Park Service, the NJ State Park Police, NJ State Forest Service, and any other State program with responsibilities with respect to the project) and the Contractor, including its managers, employees, and agents. 2-A The NJFS Project Manager shall take the lead and responsibility on behalf of the State for all project-related matters. The NJFS Project Manager shall also be responsible for communication and coordination with and among other State personnel, both to keep them appropriately informed about the project and to make any arrangements as may be necessary to support the implementation of the project. 3

3-A NJFS Project Manager will supply his or her and any designee s contact information to the Contractor s Project Coordinator, see Section C. 4-A At the time of contract award, the NJFS will supply the Contractor with a listing of the tree removal area(s) at the State-holding(s) at which hazard tree removal work is to be performed by the Contractor. Before the tree removal work is to begin on-site, NJFS will also supply the Contractor with a copy of the tree removal area map for each tree removal area. This map will be labeled with the tree removal area s ID number and the number of blazed hazard trees to be removed from the area shall be stated. When possible, the approximate location of the marked hazard trees shall be indicated on the map. 5-A The NJFS Project Manager will arrange a site visit for the Contractor s Project Coordinator of the tree removal area prior to the commencement of the work. The NJFS Project Manager and the Contractor s Project Coordinator may also invite others to be involved in project implementation to attend as well. 6-A The NJFS may conduct inspections at any time before, during, and after the period that the Contractor is carrying out tree removal work. Discovery or determination of substandard work, unsafe conditions left at end of work-day, uncorrected or uncorrectable problems, or failure to conform with the requirements of the contract can, at the discretion of the State Forester, be cause for issuance by the NJFS of a stop work order, which may be followed by termination of the contact. 7-A The NJFS Project Manager will conduct a final inspection for each tree removal area on its respective last work-day. This will be the official inspection of the Contractor s work in the respective tree removal area. Satisfactory work will be indicated by the NJFS Project Manger signing the associated tree removal area map. This approval is necessary for the Contractor to be eligible for payment of work conducted in the respective tree removal area (see Section G). 8-A The NJFS Project Manager will receive and process Contractor submitted payment documents and reports, including payment vouchers, vendor invoices, and the Vendor Reports required by the NJFS for ARRA reporting purposes, (see Section G); and once the properly completed documents are submitted will, if feasible, facilitate the conveyance of payment to the Contractor. 9-A Should a State of Emergency or other such event result in an unanticipated/emergency closing of the State-holding, or should any Act of God take place that adversely affects the Contractor s ability to access or exit the tree removal area, and/or complete the work required under the Contract within the contracted time frame, the NJFS Project Manager will, in such a case, work with the Contractor to establish a revised deadline, that is later than the original deadline but as close to the original deadline as practical, and authorize the Contractor to proceed with the work and complete it in accordance with the adjusted timeframe. However, under no circumstance shall any work be performed for payment under this Contract after September 30, 2011, which is the end of the grant period for the Hazard Tree Assessment and Removal project. 4

B: Bidder s Responsibility: 1-B The Bidder is subject to New Jersey Department of Treasury s Standard Terms and Conditions (see: http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/purchase/forms/wtermss.pdf). 2-B Bids must be submitted and received by 5 PM Eastern Standard Time (EST), on Thursday, July 21, 2011 to the NJFS Contract Manager. Also, questions concerning bids and the bid process should be directed to the NJFS Contract Manager. The NJFS Contract Manager is Jada S. Jackson and contact information is: State of New Jersey Mail Code 501-04 Attn: Jada S. Jackson DEP-Division of Parks and Forestry PO Box 420 Trenton, NJ 08625-0420 609-777-4248 (phone)/ 609-984-0378 (fax) jada.jackson@dep.state.nj.us 3-B An original of each of the following State required Vendor Forms, correctly completed and signed, must be submitted as part of a bid submittal (see attached). All signatures on these forms must be in blue ink: Valid Vendor State of New Jersey Business Registration Certificate Waivered Terms and Conditions for Services Ownership Disclosure Form and Disclosure of Investigations and Actions Involving Bidders Valid State of New Jersey Affirmative Action Certification or Affirmative Action Employee Information Report MacBride Principles Form Vendor Certification under Public Law 2005, Chapter 271 Chapter 51/EO 134/EO 117 Form (note that if Box A is checked only one Certification is required for the company) EO 129, Source Disclosure Form State of New Jersey W-9 Form Properly completed Agency Request for Proposal and State of New Jersey Terms and Conditions* * For the Agency Request for Proposal and State of New Jersey Terms and Conditions form two types of bids are being requested: 1) for the hazard tree removal work per the RFP and 2) a per hour rate for additional hazard tree removal work beyond this RFP in the State-holding. The following items shall be defined as: 5

For the hazard tree removal work per the RFP: Item No = place, Hazard Tree Removal. Quantity = Number of blazed trees for the respective tree removal area, as listed in the tree removal area list (see last page). Unit =Total Number of Work-day(s), per tree removal area. This must be in accordance with the defined work-week for the respective tree removal area, as listed in the tree removal area list (see last page). The smallest time unit is a work-day; e.g., no half work-days. Description = Hazard Tree Removal, the respective tree removal area ID #. Unit Price = Price per day, per tree removal area. Amount = Bid price, per tree removal area. For the per hour rate for additional hazard tree removal work beyond this RFP in the named State-holding(s): Item No = place, Hazard Tree Removal. Quantity = Leave blank Unit = place, Each Description = place, Additional hazard tree removal work Unit Price = place, Price per hour Amount = Bid price 4-B The following documents shall also be provided as part of a bid submittal: Proof of Workman s Compensation, per the New Jersey Division of Purchase and Property Waivered Services Contracts Standard Terms and Conditions. Proof of insurance, per the New Jersey Division of Purchase and Property Waivered Services Contracts Standard Terms and Conditions. A letter verifying ownership of or access to the equipment listed in the Minimum Equipment List (see above). 5-B Bid offers are to be based on the requirements and terms set forth under Contractor s Responsibility (see Section C). A bid shall consist of a separate bid price for each respective tree removal area, and a total bid price for all the listed tree removal areas. Bids consisting of one or some of the individual tree removal areas will be accepted. 6-B Acceptable bids must contain all of the four following components: 1) A preliminary work schedule, listing each tree removal area by its tree removal map ID number.; 2) Specify a cumulative total number of work-days and daily rate ($/hr) for each tree removal area clearly referencing the tree removal map ID.; 3) Clearly specify a per hour rate to remove additional trees than are listed in this bid. This work would be to address any on-site concerns that arise after the bid is awarded, e.g., hazard tree created due to wind and/or storm damage. Please note, this per hour rate bid price will only be used as a tie-breaker in the bid selection process (See 10-B). Work 6

done under this bid price is at the discretion of and requires the request of the NJFS Project Manger to the Contractor. Such work will require a separate invoice from the Contractor. The information required in 6-B-2 and 6-B-3, is to be submitted on the Agency Request for Proposal and State of New Jersey Terms and Conditions form, see Section 3-B; and 4) Complete submission of items and information in Section B. 7-B Visitation to and examination of the tree removal areas of possible interest before submitting a bid is strongly recommended. It is the Bidder s responsibility to ensure all costs of executing and completing contract obligations for a tree removal area have been considered in making the bid. 8-B All bids quoted must be valid from the date submitted through the end of the grant project period September 30, 2011, the maximum time period during which work may be conducted pursuant to the ARRA grant. 9-B Work Start and Completion Dates: All work may begin as early as the work start date and must be completed by end-of-business of the work completion date, per the listed tree removal area, as stated in the tree removal area list (see last page). 10-B Contracts will be awarded based on the lowest total eligible bidder method. All bids from eligible bidders will be ranked by total bid amount, lowest to highest cost. A contract will be offered to the bidder that is the lowest-cost eligible bidder, as determined by the Contractor s rank. If upon receipt of this offer, the lowest-cost eligible bidder declines the contract offered, a contract will then be offered to the bidder who is the next lowest-cost eligible bidder, as determined by the Contractor s rank. If this next bidder declines the contract, the contract award process will continue down the eligible bidder ranking list until a bidder agrees to enter into a contract. Please be aware, in cases where a removal time frame requires restricted work-days to decrease limitation of public access to an area, then the lowest eligible bidder method will also consider number of work-days. The per hour rate to remove additional trees then are listed in this RFP will not be used in the bid selection process, unless there is a tie in the submitted bid prices. In such a case, the bidders will be ranked between each other according to the lowest per hour rate to remove additional trees then are listed in this RFP. 11-B Bidders who do not have the ability to schedule and complete tree removal work at any or all of the tree removal area(s) in accordance with a work schedule established in accordance with E or the tree removal area list, both below, or other aspects of this RFP, should not submit bids. 12-B Work to be Conducted: See Sections C through G. C: Contractor s Responsibility: 7

1-C The Contractor shall assign a Project Coordinator who shall be tasked with oversight of the project on behalf of the Contractor and with communication with the NJFS to facilitate project work and to report on the status of the work. The Contractor s Project Coordinator shall serve as single point of liaison between the Contractor, including its managers, employees, and agents, and the State, including its managers, employees and agents. No informal communication directly between any agent of the Contactor and any employee of the State, including any staff member of the NJ State Park Service, the State Park Police, or NJ State Forest Service may be the basis for any revision to the terms of this contract or of directions given by the NJFS Project Manager. 2-C The Contractor s Project Coordinator or other designee shall take the lead and responsibility on behalf of the Contractor for all project-related matters. The Contractor s Project Coordinator shall also be responsible for communication and coordination with and among other Contractor personnel, both to keep them appropriately informed about the project and to make any arrangements as may be necessary to support the implementation of the project. 3-C The Contractor s Project Coordinator or other designee holding the responsibilities listed in 2-C, will supply his or her contact information to the NJFS Project Manager. 4-C The Contractor s Project Coordinator or other designee and the NJFS Project Manager will participate in the site visit arranged by the NJFS Project Manager of the tree removal area that is to occur prior to the commencement of the work. This meeting could occur the same day work is to begin. The Contractor s Project Coordinator may also arrange for other Contractor managers, employees, or agents who will be involved in project implementation to attend as well. 5-C Contractor s work shall be scheduled and performed in accordance with the Work-day and Timeframe provisions given in section E below. The Contractor s Project Coordinator shall, for each week that work is to be performed at a tree removal area, prepare a final weekly Contractor s schedule showing the work to be performed each day that week. Such schedules shall be delivered by fax or email to NJFS Project Manager for his/her receipt no later than the Friday preceding the week the work is to be performed. 6-C The Contractor s Project Coordinator shall ensure that Contractor s crew(s) check-in and check-out each work-day with the NJFS Project Manager, per section 2-D. 7-C The Contractor shall carry out the tree removal work in accordance with the Removal Specifications given in section D below. 8-C The Contractor is responsible for keeping for no less than three (3) years after receipt of payment the following records: 1) Individual employees work hours per day per bid 2) Total number of employees working per day per bid 3) Original copy of any submitted HTA Vendor form & invoices 4) Copies of all NJSF HTA associated payment checks 8

5) Copies of all submitted invoices 9-C The Contractor will complete, sign, and forward to the NJSF Project Manager the ARRA Vendor Job Creation report on or before Monday, September 5, 2011. 10-C The Contractor will remove all Contractor and job related trash and debris from the site on a daily basis. 11-C The Contractor is responsible to ensure a safe employee work-day and work-week length. No aspect of this contract shall be deemed to allow for the violation of the maximum total number of work-hours and/or in work-week as defined, regulated, and/or recommended in the current American National Standards Institute (ANSI), American National Standard for Arboricultural Operations: Safety Requirement (Z1331.1) and/ or federal, State or local law. D: Removal Procedure and Specifications: 1-D All hazard trees determined for removal will be blazed prior to commencement of the removal work. Contractor will be given a marked tree removal area map(s) showing the locations and numbers of hazard trees for removal before work is to begin. Only blazed trees, as indicated in the tree removal area list (see last page), within the tree removal area(s) are to be felled, unless otherwise directed by the NJFS Project Manager. Method of removal, see 4-D, per-tree removal area will be directed by the NJFS Project Manager. 2-D The Contractor will call the NJFS Project Manager, or if instructed their designee, before entering, at the start of a work-day, and exiting, at the end of the work-day, the contracted State-holding for each work-day worked. This will be done by phone. The Contractor will supply how many are in that s day s crew, and confirm which tree removal areas are scheduled for removal work that day, by supplying the tree removal area ID number. If the NJFS Project Manager is unable to answer the phone, this information will be left on the voice mail. 3-D Once work has begun at tree removal area, the work must be completed within the bid work-days before moving to another tree removal area. Under no circumstances shall work be left uncompleted to work on another tree removal area. 4-D On the last work-day in each tree removal area, a final inspection will be conducted by the NJFS Project Manager. This will be the official inspection of the work and satisfactory work will be indicated by the NJFS Project Manger signing the respective tree removal area map. This approval is necessary for the Contractor to be eligible for payment of work conducted in the respective tree removal area. 9

5-D Tree Removal Process: 1) Fell all blazed hazard trees, a) In all locations felling is the primary task, all trees should be felled as quickly as possible; and b) Cut as close to ground level as practical and in no case shall such cut be higher than 12 inches above the ground. 2) Work area priorities, a) Work must proceed by the alphabetical order of the work areas, as indicated on the tree removal map (A, B, C & D). Work must start in work area A as indicated on the tree removal area map; b) Work must be completed in a work area before starting work in another work area; and c) Work may need to be adjusted in the case when an active nesting birds assessment indicates an need to adjusted the work schedule. In such cases, the contractor will not be held responsible for any delay in work. 3) All trees to be felled east of Tylertown Road (roadside without fence), a) These trees shall be felled into the undeveloped area outside of the perimeter of the designed project area, per the tree removal area map (ie, outside the soldline of the yellow hashed area); b) The treetops or slash (including branches and limbs) on that associated tree be shall be placed as brush piles or left in place in the undeveloped area, provided that the height of the brush piles or left limbs shall not exceed 3-feet from ground level to prevent it from becoming a forest fire hazard and the material is clear of any throughway (including trails and roadway shoulder); and c) The limbed trunk shall be bucked to a length of 8-feet, left on the ground along the roadway or in the undeveloped area, clear of any throughway (including trails and roadway shoulder). 4) All trees to be felled within the historical area (all other locations, except as indicated in 5-D-3, above), a) Whole tree removal is required. No trunks, treetops, or slash (including branches and limbs) shall be left in on-site; and 10

b) If the Contractor wishes, this material can be chipped. Disposal of these trees, in their entirety, chipped or not, within pertinent State and federal laws and regulations is the Contractor s responsibility. 5) Under no circumstances shall a work area be left in unsafe conditions. At the end of each work-day the following must be addressed: a) Under no circumstances shall emergency vehicles be denied access along or through main road(s) entering and/or exiting a tree removal area. The main access road(s) entering and/or exiting a tree removal area must be cleared to allow for access by emergency vehicles at the end of each work-day. b) Under no circumstances shall hangers, spring poles, and/or leaners, as they occur, be left on-site. All hangers, spring poles, and/or leaners, or any other falling hazard, must be completely felled before the end of each work-day. c) Under no circumstances shall partially cut trees be left on-site. All trees which have been cut, even partials or minor cuts, must be felled before the end of each work-day. E: Work-day & Time Frame: 1-E A regular work-day under this contract(s) shall not begin before 7:00 AM and shall end no later than 6:30 PM. No employee or agent of the Contractor shall carry out any work at a tree removal area pursuant to this procurement, unless the Contractor s Project Manager obtains written approval in advance from the NJFS Project Coordinator for work to begin earlier or end later. In no case may any person work more than 9-hours in any 24-hour period. 2-E Under this contract, regular a work-day shall be on any day Sunday through Saturday, except any day that is a State Holiday. 3-E If the Contractor needs any of its employees to work at a time that is not on a regular work-day, or at a time that is on a regular work-day but falls outside regular work-hours, the Contractor s Project Coordinator must submit to the NJFS Project Manager, in advance, a written request for approval. The request shall include justification for conducting work outside the regular work-hours and shall be signed by both parities. Such requests may be submitted by e-mail or by fax. The NJFS Project Manager will review the request and will return a response by fax to the Contractor s Project Coordinator indicating whether or not the request is approved. Receipt of an approval, signed by the NJFS Project Manager shall constitute the NJFS s official agreement with the proposed workday and/or work-hour adjustment and the Contractor may thereupon commence to implement the adjusted work schedule. Under no case shall any work-day and/or workhour adjustments be implemented until such official approval has been obtained. 11

4-E All Contractor s employees and agents working four (4) or more hours on-site in any given 24-hour period are required to have, at minimum, a 30-minute lunch break. This lunch break time shall not be compensated under this contract. 5-E Once a tree removal schedule is finalized, it will not be changed, except in case of failure to perform by the persons carrying out the Hazard Tree Assessment work, in case of compelling justification by the tree removal Contractor, or as outlined in section F. 6-E In no case shall a work-day, work-hour, or any other amendment influence the per-hour rate or per-day rate or make the Contractor eligible for additional compensation. In no case shall an adjustment to the working hour, amended start and/or end time, cause a work-day longer than 11.5-hours, within 24-hours. In no case, shall the uncompensated lunch time for an employee working four (4) or more hours on-site in any given 24-hour period be revoked. 7-E The Contractor must complete work within the total number of work-day(s), per the bid award, for the respective tree removal area. The work-days must conform to the eligible work-week as outlined in the tree removal area list (see last page). 8-E If the work is not completed within one additional work-day to the number of work-days per the submitted bid, the Contractor will receive a docking matrix. 9-E Use of the docking matrix option is at the discretion of the State Forester or her designee. In cases where increasing the number of limited public access days beyond the bid total work-day(s), is not acceptable it will be deemed unsatisfactory work. Under such cases, the docking matrix option may be invoked and the contract terminated. 10-E The docking matrix engages on the 2 nd work-day beyond the bid total work-day(s). For each additional work-day, beginning with the 2 nd and no greater than the 4 th, the Contractor will be docked a work-day s pay per additional work-day over the bid submitted total work-day(s), see docking matrix example below. Approval of the docking matrix per additional work-day, not to exceed 4 work-days, is at the discretion of the State Forester or her designee. Bid Work-days Docking Matrix Example: Actual Docking Matrix Work-days Maximum Eligible Workdays to be Paid 7 7 none 7 Work-days 7 8 none 7 Work-days 7 9 1 Work-day 6 Work-days 7 10 2 Work-days 5 Work-days 7 11 3 Work-days 4 Work-days * bid could be released 12

11-E If work is not completed by the end of the 4 th additional work-day of the bid total workdays (1 additional and 3 docked work-days, Section 9-E), as defined in the awarded bid, then the Contractor may be released from the bid and the work will be re-opened for rebidding using the lowest bidder method, see 10-B. In such cases, notification to the Contractor of termination of contract will occur via fax and/or email. The released bidder will not be eligible to rebid on the released bid. F: Emergency Closings and Acts of God 1-F Provision will be made only in the case of an Act of God, to be determined by NJ Forest Service; unanticipated/emergency closing of the contracted State-holding; or enactment of a State of Emergency that directly affects the Contractor s ability to access, regress, and/or complete the work and/or the work within the contract time frame. In all such cases, notification will be made to the impacted Contractor(s) by fax or phone. 2-F In these rare cases, the NJFS Project Manager will work directly with the Contractor to make the adjustments necessary to complete the work as closely to the contract as possible and within the life of the project, ending September 30, 2011. G: Payment G-1 Payments cannot be authorized until the New Jersey Department of Treasury has approved the Hazard Tree Removal Waiver documents. Once the Department of Treasury has granted approval payment will only be processed upon receipt of the below listed correctly and fully completed documents. All signatures must be in blue ink. Tree Removal Area Map(s), completed and signed by Contractor and NJFS Project Manager s signature indicating approval of satisfactory work. All ARRA forms, completed and signed State of New Jersey Payment Voucher, completed Vendor Invoice These are to be provided at the end of the job per tree removal area. Payment will be for the satisfactorily completed project. No partial payments will be allowed. The completed forms can be submitted by fax or scanned and emailed to the NJFS Project Manager. The Contractor is responsible for keeping the original copy for their records per 8-C. Failure to fully or correctly complete the forms will result in delays in payment. G-2 Materials & Additional Expenses: Materials, travel, supplies, equipment, support for record keeping or any other expenses will not be separately compensated. 13

G-3 Payment is allowed under the contract only for on-site work. Travel time and lunch breaks are not eligible for compensation. G-4 Payment can occur at satisfactory completion of the work as awarded for the entire Stateholding(s) or for completed tree removal areas. Payment for partial or incomplete completion of work within a tree removal area will be considered a partial payment and will not be issued. Payment for unsatisfactory work within a tree removal area will also not be issued. The State of New Jersey, Division of Parks and Forestry, Forest Service, reserves the right to reject any bid. By signing below, I agree to carry out the Hazard Tree Assessment Project in accordance with the above specifications and requirements in any and all tree removal areas listed in the RFP for which I am determined to be the bid winner and I willingly accept the contract award. I also acknowledge that notification of the contract award will occur by email and/or fax. Signature: Date: Contractor Contractor s email address: Contractor s fax number: 14

Tree Removal Area List Wharton State Forest: Atlantic, Burlington and Camden Counties http://www.nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/parks/wharton.html Tree Removal Area ID # Description List of Attached Tree Removal Area Maps # of Blazed Tree to be Felled (+/- 10) Work Start Date Work Completio n Date ** Blaze Pattern Eligible Work- Week WH 01-H Basto Village, Main Complex + 403--Blazed Trees 15 Est. Max #, directly adjacent to office, in parking lot and along parking lot s driveway ** = 418 Total Trees July 23, 2011 August 17, 2011 * One Large Blue Blaze on Two Sides Monday- Sunday * Work Completion Date runs until end of business of the noted day at 6:30 PM EST. This is to be considered a firm date. **Trees will be blazed the morning of the work start date. 15