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SERVICES\Request for Proposals—ACCEPT From Invasive Solutions Dive for Lake Sunnyside Invasive Plant Harvesting-5-3-2021
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING ENGAGEMENT OF
INVASIVE SOLUTIONS DIVE COMPANY, LLC FOR INVASIVE PLANT
HARVESTING IN CONNECTION WITH LAKE SUNNYSIDE
AQUATIC VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
RESOLUTION NO.: ,2021
INTRODUCED BY:
WHO MOVED ITS ADOPTION
SECONDED BY:
WHEREAS, by Resolution No.: 273,2012, the Queensbury Town Board adopted its Final
Order authorizing, approving and establishing the Lake Sunnyside Aquatic Plant Growth Control
District, and
WHEREAS, by Resolution No.: 68,2013, the Town Board appointed (5) persons who are
property owners within the District and/or Protective Association of Lake Sunnyside (PALS)
members, to the Lake Sunnyside Aquatic Plant Growth Control District Advisory Committee
(Committee), and
WHEREAS, by Resolution No.: 313,2020, the Town Board adopted the Lake Sunnyside
Aquatic Plant Growth Control District Benefit Tax Roll for 2021, and
WHEREAS, the Town Purchasing Agent requested proposals for Hand Harvesting and/or
Diver Assisted Suction Harvesting(DASH) of Invasive Plants on Lake Sunnyside for 2021,and
WHEREAS,the Purchasing Agent received one(1)proposal, and
WHEREAS, the Purchasing Agent and Committee have accordingly recommended that the
k
Town authorize engagement of Invasive Solutions Dive Company, LLC for such aquatic invasive
species harvesting work as delineated in Invasive Solution's Proposal presented at this meeting by
performing 40 hours of work per crew (120 field hours per week) per scheduled harvest week for
the total amount of$8,000 per one harvest week per crew, or the total amount of$16,000 for two
harvest weeks, up to a total of foam harvest weeks for a total amount of$32,000,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT
RESOLVED, that the Queensbury Town Board hereby authorizes engagement of Invasive
Solutions Dive Company, LLC for aquatic invasive species harvesting within portions of Lake
Sunnyside for 2021 as delineated in Invasive Solution's Proposal substantially in the form
presented at this meeting by performing 40 hours of work per crew (120 field hours per week) per
scheduled harvest week for the total amount of$8,000 per one harvest week per crew, or the total
amount of$16,000 for two harvest weeks, up to a total of four harvest weeks for a total amount of
$32,000, contingent upon submission of a valid certificate of insurance in form and amounts
acceptable to the Town Supei-visor and/or Town Budget Officer, and
BE IT FURTHER,
RESOLVED, that the Town Board authorizes and directs the Town Budget Officer to pay
expenses incurred from appropriations in the Lake Sunnyside Misc. Contractual Account No.:
052-8790-4400 not to exceed $32,000 and/or take any actions necessary to provide for such
payment, and
BE IT FURTHER,
RESOLVED, that the Town Board further authorizes and directs the Town Budget Officer
to take all actions to amend the Town Budget and transfer $32,000 from the Lake Sunnyside
Undesignated, Unassigned Fund Balance to the Lake Sunnyside Misc. Contractual Account No.:
052-8790-4400, and
BE IT FURTHER,
RESOLVED, that the Town Board further authorizes and directs the Town Supervisor to
sign any needed agreement with Invasive Solutions Dive Company, LLC as well as any other
needed documentation, and the Town Supervisor and/or Town Budget Officer to take any and all
action necessary to effectuate the terms of this Resolution.
Duly adopted this 3`d day of May, 2021, by the following vote:
AYES
NOES
ABSENT:
i
2021 Lake Sunnyside Aquatic Invasive
Species Harvesting Proposal
Submitted By:
INVASIVE SOLUTIONS
•F'!l
<. ► Daniel Cashin
. ` Co-founder/Operator
518-810-3470
} b T.
Kai •� R�;•,, Invasive Solutions Dive
Company, LLC
P.O. Box 389
L w Saranac Lake, NY 12983
4•
www.ISDiveCo.com
DIVE COMP 71N JL 9 LLC
Submitted in response to a request for proposal from:
Joanne Watkins,
Purchasing Agent
Town of Queensbury
742 Bay Road
Town of Queensbury, NY 12804
CZueensbury
Contents
2021 Lake Sunnyside Aquatic Invasive Species Harvesting Proposal...........................................................0
Invasive Solutions Dive Company Overview.................................................................................................2
MembersOverview...................................................................................................................................2
Members'Short Bio..................................................................................................................................3
CompanyPhilosophy.................................................................................................................................3
CompanyOrganization..............................................................................................................................4
OperationalStructure...............................................................................................................................4
Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE)goals.........................................................5
Methodsused by ISDiveCo. ..........................................................................................................................6
Training .....................................................................................................................................................7
Safety.........................................................................................................................................................7
CompanyVessels.......................................................................................................................................7
Lake Sunnyside Invasive Species Harvesting.................................................................................................8
ProjectSupervisor.....................................................................................................................................8
DiveTeam..................................................................................................................................................8
ProjectPlan for 2021.................................................................................................................................8
ProjectCosts..............................................................................................................................................8
RFP"Tasks"................................................................................................................................................8
Invasive Solutions Dive Company LLC 1
Invasive Solutions Dive Company Overview
Invasive Solutions Dive Company LLC (ISDiveCo.) was founded in 2017 by Daniel Cashin and Steven
Dvorak. Together they have over eleven years' experience in aquatic invasive species removal starting
with their former employer Aquatic Invasive Management(AIM). Throughout the years they have worked
with 17 various waterbodies, most within the Adirondacks,to include their current management projects
on Upper Saranac Lake, Schroon Lake, Fish Creek Ponds, Upper and Lower Chateaugay Lake, Mountain
View Pond, Indian Lake(Bellmont, NY), Lake Placid, Butternut Pond, and West Point.
ISDiveCo.specializes in the hand harvesting of aquatic invasive species (AIS) across a broad spectrum of
infestations that makes each harvesting project unique. ISDiveCo. works closely with the manager of a
waterbody to help develop and implement a management plan for their circumstances to achieve the
best possible outcome. ISDiveCo. utilizes a three-person dive crew who is well trained, highly mobile,
selective harvesters,who excel in harvesting large areas with low AIS densities to monocultures of AIS and
everything in between.
One thing that sets ISDiveCo.apart is their drive to not only continuously fine tune their AIS management
techniques, but also their desire to evolve the AIS management world. The members at ISDiveCo.
recognize AIS management is a fluid world with many new ideas and techniques for ways to monitor and
manage AIS coming from various outlets. ISDiveCo. has the unique position of understanding
management efforts from the field where these ideas get applied, allowing us to recognized certain
shortfalls within a method from the perspective of real-world implementation. We take the position of
using proven techniques to assure positive results while always keeping the door open to new or more
efficient techniques or methods. We rely on our years of experience to recognize the various avenues of
approach for the management of a waterbody to assure the best options are utilized for each individual
situation.
Members Overview
Steve and Dan first became involved with AIS management through their former employer AIM. Both
members started off as AIS divers and were quickly promoted to crew leaders (dive team/ day-to-day
operations manager) during their time of employment. While working as divers they developed and
honed the skills required by AIS divers,to include various harvesting techniques,how and when to employ
each technique ensuring the best harvesting practices are being implemented, underwater plant
identification, underwater navigation and communication etc. (which are still being taught to date.)
Interestingly, their time spent as AIS divers has given them a unique "diver's insight" to know and
understand both the underwater environment and harvesting operations taking place on a job site even
if they aren't underwater themselves.
During their time as crew leaders they began building their AIS management foundation which gave them
hands on experience of the greater responsibilities required for success. Some of these things included
managing a dive crew and its harvesting activities, proper time management of the harvest weeks, the
intricacies of management plans, and employing a logical and methodical approach to both the daily
harvesting operation and the overall management plan to assure the continuous forward progression of
a waterbody.
Invasive Solutions Dive Company LLC 2
Members' Short Bio
Steven Dvorak
Steve was born and raised in Hopewell, New Jersey and graduated from Hopewell Valley Central High
School in 2008. From the age of 16 Steve has been active in the workforce in a variety of fields to include
an apprentice mechanic, store manager, residential painter, general construction, and grounds keeping.
Through Steve's work career, a common theme has always been his allure to hard and detailed oriented
work requiring perseverance to achieve the task,which continues today.
In 2014 Steve got certified as a SCUBA diver, which unbeknownst at the time, would lead him to his
beloved career today. In 2015 he was hired as a diver with AIM where he put his SCUBA training,
incredible adaptability, and hard work ethics to practice, catching the attention of the company owners
who promoted him to crew leader the following year.
After learning of AIM's dissolution following the 2017 harvest season,Steve and his friend and coworker
Dan Cashin decided to move forward with their invasive management company plans. Bringing with them
skills and knowledge learned from AIM, they saw an opportunity to fine tune their techniques while
implementing new ones where they saw room for improvement. Out of passion and a strong will to
continue the noble fight against aquatic invasive species, Invasive Solutions Dive Company was born.
Daniel Cashin
Dan is a former Sergeant of the United States Marine Corp out of VMGR-452 of Newburgh, NY. After
Dan's time in service he attended Paul Smith's College to study forestry and environmental sciences.
While a student at Paul Smith's he became interested in invasive species control and seized the
opportunity to get his feet wet in invasive management as an AIS diver.
Having found a new passion in diving, Dan attended a commercial diver's academy graduating as an
internationally qualified commercial diver. Postgraduation, Dan returned to the invasive management
industry with new ideas and techniques, eventually leading to the formation of Invasive Solutions Dive
Company.
Company Philosophy
"Plan realistic, demand excellence, refuse complacency."
Steps ISDiveCo.takes to achieve their philosophy
• Proper research and planning are crucial
• Be adaptable,the AIS management industry is ever changing
• Attention to detail in every aspect of work
• Clear and concise communication is essential
• Be clear and upfront with management expectations
• Properly train all personal in all aspects of their work
Invasive Solutions Dive Company LLC 3
• Encourage innovation at all levels
• Constructive criticism is crucial for all ISDiveCo. members and employees
• Always keep gear organized and in good working order
• Always ask, how can I do this better?
• Keep the mindset that work is never done,there is always something you can do
Company Organization
Invasive Solutions Dive Company LLC is co-owned and operated by Daniel Cashin and Steven Dvorak.
Daniel Cashin Steven Dvorak
Email—dcashin@isdiveco.com Email—sdvorak@isdiveco.com
Cell—518-810-3470 Cell—518-810-1059
• Public/Client Relations • Personnel Training&Development
• Mapping/Reporting • Billing/Accounting
• Logistics/Operations • Logistics/Operations
Operational Structure
Invasive Solutions Dive Company, LLC is comprised of two members, Daniel Cashin and Steven Dvorak,
both of whom play active roles as project managers. In field operations are structured around a three-
member dive team to include one crew leader and two divers.
Crew leaders are experienced divers who are briefed weekly on the plan of action for harvesting while
ensuring they have an understanding of the overall management plan. Crew leaders are trusted to be
able to adapt the day's plan of action as needed to ensure the work is completed to the highest standard.
Crew leaders maintain open lines of communication with the company members to address any specifics,
findings,or questions which may arise while executing the plan of action during the week.
Divers are the backbone of our operations and perform the daily in water harvesting with direction from
the crew leader. All divers are trained on our various harvesting techniques and plant identification and
utilize the guidance of the crew leader to ensure they are executing the harvest to the highest efficiency
possible.
Some harvesting operations are most efficient using more than one crew to tackle a project. When crews
are combined there is a head crew leader who oversees the harvesting operation, while the other crew
leader(s)take the role of lead diver. This lead diver is responsible for overall diver coordination,ensuring
the harvesting operation stays organized,on task, and as efficient as possible.
The operational structure can be further broken down as follows:
Invasive Solutions Dive Company LLC 4
ISDiveCo. Members
Daniel Cashin &Steven Dvorak
-logistics-operations-project managers
SRI
Crew Leader
-field coordinator -time management -quality assurance
-saftey observer -data collection -onsite troubleshooter
livers
r-pMlantiderntification -AIS harvesting -subsurface
reporting -underwater communication and
co�rdinatinn
Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) goals
Invasive Solutions Dive Company is a veteran owned equal opportunity employer who strides to meet
the goals of New York State's M/WBE goals. In good faith,whether for purchasing of materials or
supplies, renting, leasing,to the hiring of employees, ISDiveCo. strides to meet or exceed the M/WBE
goals outlined by the state.
Invasive Solutions Dive Company LLC 5
Methods used by ISDiveCo.
When planning and executing hand harvesting, ISDiveCo. uses general outlines for determining the best
management approach for a waterbody's harvesting operation. ISDiveCo. uses various factors to
prioritize day-to-day activities and the overall approach as well as site-specific factors for determining the
best harvesting techniques for each harvest site.
• ISDiveCo. members consider all available data for a waterbody with consideration of the Client's
goals to develop an overall management approach
o This plan lays a foundation for how to manage the waterbody, while remaining fluid
enough to continually adapt to the ever-changing environment of the AIS management
o ISDiveCo.emphasizes leaving lines of communications open with a waterbody's manager
or point of contact to ensure all parties remain aware of harvesting progress
• ISDiveCo. uses various site-specific factors to prioritize sites for the management plan
o These factors include,but are not limited to,AIS density,life cycle,historical trends,water
flow,site traffic,time of season, substrate structure,Client needs
• Often high-density areas are managed first to reduce the possibility of fragmentation and spread
of AIS to other parts of the waterbody
• Site tracking is used to accurately reclassify sites as management practices take effect
o Site density can fall under high, medium,sparse
■ Maintenance phase-sparse,trace, not present
o The maintenance phase is the intended goal for any site. This is a phase where the site
can be quickly and effectively monitored and harvested by a dive team,greatly reducing
time spent in that area and reducing cost. Once in this phase,trends are monitored more
closely to ensure site density is decreasing or stabilized over a series of years
• During all stages of harvesting,plant and GPS data is collected to allow the tracking of site progress
and for the production of reports and maps
• Continuous management oversight from the Members to ensure harvesting is kept on schedule
as best as able
• Frequency of harvest is an important determining factor when dealing with rapidly growing AIS
to ensure there is no resurgence of growth, while time of harvest can be important due to
differences of life cycles of different AIS
• Surface observations can be a powerful tool to quickly monitor sites and identify AIS to help
allocate diver resources
Important factors to keep in mind
• Hand harvesting is highly mobile which allows for the rapid deployment and maneuverability
throughout a waterbody and its worksites,with minimal setup and break down
• Hand harvesting is a methodical approach to removing specifically targeted plants and its root
system for greater results
• Hand harvesting allows for the removal of AIS only,while leaving native plants to continue to grow
and reclaim an area
• Hand harvesting is a proven technique which has been used in most cases of successful
management of invaded waters
Invasive Solutions Dive Company LLC 6
• Although divers can be directed to specific areas for harvesting,their swim patterns can allow for
exploration outside set boundaries to ensure there are no new outliers which can populate new
areas
• AIS growth can be greatly affected by seasonal weather patterns;small changes in growth trends
up or down can be common and must be compared with other factors to better understand the
trend
• Sites that have had historical AIS should be monitored periodically to ensure the site remains
clean
• All crew members are trained to identify various AIS to ensure a new problem doesn't grow while
addressing another
Training
• All crew leaders and divers are minimum PADI (or equivalent)open water certified
• All employees undergo a yearly training/refresher course before the start of a season to address
topics like AIS and native plant identification, harvesting techniques, swim patterns, underwater
communication,crew responsibility
• Crew leaders receive additional training for their added responsibilities to include leadership
basics, onsite management,gear operation and repair etc.
• Crew leaders help with on-the-job training to continually build AIS diver skills
• At minimum,all crew leaders are CPR/first aid certified
Safety
• All ISDiveCo. boats comply with New York State boating laws
• Each boat is equipped with a first aid and 0' kit designed to handle minor injuries to more life-
threatening injuries
• Each boat is equipped with a toolbox with signal flares and an air horn in addition to required
maintenance tools
• Each boat is equipped with no less than three dive flags.
• Crew leaders are provided with a binder to assist with medical emergencies in addition to
literature to help in plant description and identification and gear troubleshooting
Company Vessels
ISDiveCo. will provide a suitable work boat (up to 24ft) to allow crews to safely and efficiently move
around the lake to various work sites. All boats are thoroughly cleaned and inspected in accordance to
ISDiveCo. standards (NYS recommendations plus a more thorough inspection and cleaning) before being
launched to ensure there is no chance of transporting AIS and are in full compliance with all applicable
boater laws.
Invasive Solutions Dive Company LLC 7
Lake Sunnyside Invasive Species Harvesting
Project Supervisor
This project supervisor will be Daniel Cashin who is a co-owner and operator of Invasive
Solutions Dive Company LLC.
The onsite supervisor will be an experienced crew leader who is capable of implementing and
supervising management plans determined by ISDiveCo. and Department prerogatives.
Dive Team
The divers employed on this project will be experienced and trained for in accordance with the
ISDiveCo.training program. They will all be certified PADI (or equivalent) Open Water SCUBA
divers. When needed, divers will rotate through surface positions to keep them fresh and in
good health while also allowing crew leaders to manage/monitor operations underwater.
Project Plan for 2021
Perform hand harvesting at the harvest sites outlined for harvesting. We will perform
harvesting the first week of June and follow-up in August for an additional harvest week.
Project Costs
The weekly rate for one dive crew consisting of two divers and one project supervisor/crew leader will
be$8,000. The total cost for a two-week AIS harvest operation will be$16,000. This rate includes
payroll, payroll overhead, insurance overhead, life support gear and other equipment/maintenance/
insurance/replacement costs,fuel,etc., profit.
RFP "Tasks"
The Qualifications of the personnel-Please see above for Company Owner qualifications. Team
members have varying experience within the AIS harvesting field. Each Crew is put together to best
address the goals of the worksite to ensure the best Crew for the job is assembled.
References. Please list at least three references: Please contact and past or present Clientele listed
above for relative experience with our company as needed.
Invasive Solutions Dive Company LLC 8
Fees and Compensation. Provide the following information:
A. Estimated total hours to complete the project: There is no background information on the
project sites, harvest goals, lake goals, overall short/long term goals,the severity of the problem etc.,
therefore I cannot provide said estimate. We would perform 40 hours of work per Crew(120 field hours
per week) per scheduled harvest week. In the case of inclement weather there would either be a
reduction on the invoice for lost hours or the Crew would work to make up lost time during that harvest
week.
B. Estimated out-of-pocket expenses: Unknown
C. The hourly rate by staff classification: Proprietary information
D. The total amount:$8,000 per harvest week per Crew. Two harvest weeks-$16,000
Invasive Solutions Dive Company LLC 9