Ft Collins Soil Amendment Contract

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EXHIBIT A 1. Scope of Services The primary objective of this Project will be to determine the actual water saving benefits of adding commercial compost as a soil amendment prior to landscaping. "Real life" water practices will be encouraged and monitored. A secondary objective of the study will be to determine the approximate percentage of new-construction-homeowners that actually their soil with commercial compost or other organic materials prior to landscaping. Participating homeowners will be recruited through public service announcements, local newspaper articles, and/or direct mailing to developers, builders and landscape contractors. The homeowners will be selected from a list compiled with the assistance of the City Building Department, developers, builders and landscape contractors. In this Project landscape water use will be compared between 50 new homeowners (Group 1) that have amended their soil with commercial compost, and 50 new homeowners (Group 2) that have not amended their soil. All homes will be metered and all homeowners will receive the same educational literature on efficient landscape watering. A rebate of $100 per home for Group 1 will be offered as an incentive to solicit the Group 1 subjects to add the material to their soil. A rebate of $25 per home for Group 2 will be offered as an incentive to participate in a 2-3 hour survey process. The survey process will provide the Project with a control group that is similar to Group 1. The survey results along with an analysis of how the rebate affected the overall project will be included in the final report. Water use records will be obtained for all 100 homes for the period of December 1, 1992 to October 31, 1994. This information will be available from the water utility. Daily evapotranspiration and precipitation data will be gathered for the study period, in order to detennine the amount of required irrigation. 1bis information is routinely collected by the water utility. Landscaping water use will be calculated by subtracting the indoor water use (as determined by average monthly winter use) from the total use during the watering season. Group 1 homeowners will need to verify the fact that they purchased and inco1p.)rated commercial compost This will be accomplished by showing receipts, signing a contract attesting to the compliance, and possibly field verification. An approved list of commercial compost products win be developed, and included in the homeowner participant information packet. These homeowners will receive their rebate via mail, following verification. There are several possible variables related to the amount of landscape water use. Data on these variables will be gathered and considered in the study. The variables include; location, lot size, construction costs of the home, landscape water requirements and type of irrigation system. The water use of the two groups will be analyzed with the appropriate statistical measures in order to determine the water savings resulting from the addition of organic material and its associated statistical significance. All of the Project literature will be developed by water utility staff. Photocopying and/or printing services will be done by a local vendor; homeowner participant solicitation literature, lawn water information, homeowner participant jnformation packet and contract. The Contractor will be publicized the Project results on a national, statewide and local level. Publicity will include: write and submit a journal article in an appropriate trade journal or newspaper, and/or give a presentation at a national water conservation or xeriscape conference; provide a report to the State Office of Water Conservation; include the results in all pertinent aspects of local public education, including xeriscape and water conservation literature and presentations; include the results as part of the promotion of any soil amendment rebate program that may result from these findings. The final report will include complete and clear documentation of the Project. It will include the Project's goals, methods, results and conclusions. 2. Proiect Time of Perfonnance The Project will commence on September 1, 1992, or upon full and pcoper execution of this Contract. The Project will be completed on or before November 20, 1994. However, the Project time of completion may be extended subject to the mutual agreement of the State and Contractor. A written request for extension shall be submitted to the State by the Contractor at least thirty (30) days prior to November 20, 1994 and shall include a full justification for the extension request. Page 1 of 2