Allegheny National Forest - Bradford Ranger District-Mastication

The contract pertains to the manual and mechanical mastication of mountain laurel and other undesirable vegetation under six inches in diameter at breast height within specified areas of the Allegheny National Forest’s Bradford Ranger District. Contractors must evaluate on-site vegetation density to determine the appropriate method of treatment, using mechanized equipment where feasible and resorting to manual methods in sensitive or inaccessible areas such as intermittent stream buffers, dry drainages, and steep terrain. All work must occur within officially designated units, which are marked with orange “2026 Mastication” tags that contractors are required to locate, initial, and date before commencing operations. Access to treatment areas is primarily via forest roads, though alternate routes require prior written approval from the Contracting Officer’s Representative. Georeferenced PDF maps define the virtual boundaries of each unit, with shapefiles available upon request to aid in precise location and documentation. This procurement is issued under solicitation number 12444726Q0050 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service through its CSA East 8 office in Atlanta, Georgia, with performance centered in Bradford, Pennsylvania. The opportunity is a Small Business Set Aside, classified under NAICS code 115310 for forestry and logging support services, and is intended exclusively for small business entities. Proposals are due by August 18, 2026, and interested parties must submit responses through the SAM.gov platform. Primary point of contact for inquiries is Laniece Nixon, with secondary support available from Shannon Wrobel, both reachable via official USDA email addresses. The contract aims to improve forest health and reduce fuel loads through targeted vegetation control while ensuring environmental safeguards and compliance with designated operational boundaries.