F--Copper Hill Thinning Project, Taos Field Office, N

COPPER HILL THINNING PROJECT, BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, TAOS FIELD OFFICE, NEW MEXICO This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement and attachments constitute the only solicitation; quotes are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. Consider this solicitation (140L3723Q0103) as a Request for Quotes (RFQ). This solicitation documents incorporate provisions and clauses in effect through Federal acquisition Circular 2019-03. This solicitation is set-aside for small business. NAICS 115310 - Support Activities for Forestry - Fuels Management Services. The small business size standard is $34.0 million. Product Service Code F014 - Natural Resources / Conservation - Tree Thinning. The resulting purchase order will be a firm fixed price type contract. (SEE ATTACHMENTS FOR COMPLETE STATEMENT OF WORK, MAPS, WAGE DETERMINATIONS, AND CLAUSES / PROVISIONS.) Copper Hill - OPTION 1 150 acres x $___________ = $_____________ Copper Hill - OPTION 2 100 acres x $___________ = ______________ Copper Hill - OPTION 3 250 acres x $___________ = ______________ In accordance with the procedures in FAR Part 12 and 13, RFQ 140L3723Q0103 is available for viewing through electronic commerce via Land Management's website at https://sam.gov. The Government will award a purchase order resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer is conforming to the solicitation and is the lowest price technically acceptable. Quotes are due Monday, August 7, 2023, by 4:00 p.m. Mountain Time. Contractors submit quotes by email to contact@example.gov. Note: Any contractor to submit an acceptable quote or be awarded a government contract must be registered and active in the System for Award Management (SAM). Contractors must register at www.sam.gov. Contractor's must submit their Unique Entity ID (UEI) and CAGE code with their quote. UEI ______________________ CAGE ____________________ For further information about this requirement, offerors should contact Audrey Whetham at contact@example.gov. The provisions and clauses attached apply to this solicitation. COPPER HILL THINNING PROJECT STATEMENT OF WORK A. INTRODUCTION The Bureau of Land Management's mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. BLM manages public lands to maximize opportunities for commercial, recreational, and conservation activities. This promotes healthy and productive public lands that create jobs in local communities while supporting traditional land uses such as responsible energy development, timber harvesting, grazing, and recreation, including hunting and fishing. A.1 BLM MISSION PRIORITIES 1. Clean Energy: We will help lead the way to a clean energy future, leaving no communities behind. 2. Restoration: Nature is our planet's best engineer. As the effects of climate change increase, we will restore our lands and waters to create healthy, resilient landscapes and to allow nature to better store carbon. 3. Recreation for All: We will work to ensure that all families now and into the future have equal opportunity to hunt, camp, fish, hike and play on our public lands. 4. Conservation: As part of our multiple use and sustained yield mandate, we will address climate change and conservation in all we do. 5. Rebuild the Agency: To achieve the above and create an agency the future is relying upon; we will fix staffing shortages and build a team that represents all of America. B. BACKGROUND Pinon-juniper woodlands provide thermal and escape cover for big game, as well as some forage resources. Vegetation types typically found in pinon-juniper woodlands provide important, nutrient rich browse for wintering big game species. Over the past 150 years, fire suppression and historic overgrazing have likely contributed to an expansion of pinon and juniper trees over much of the Farmington District Office. As pinon-juniper woodlands expand, infill and age, they can reduce production of understory vegetation by depriving those species of direct sunlight and competing with them for nutrients and moisture. Gradual replacement of superior browse forager with pinyon-juniper forest reduces habitat carrying capacities for many species. Still, pinyon and juniper forest does provide important cover for wintering wildlife, as well as essential nesting and foraging substrate for a variety of bird species. Existing vegetation consists primarily of persistent pinon/juniper woodland with low density intermixed shrub and grass components. C. OBJECTIVE Clearing and thinning of pinyon-juniper forest shall be conducted in patches, to preserve intact forests and protect obligate wildlife species. In proximity to roads and other developments, forested buffers (screens) shall be retained to reduce visual exposure to wildlife. PROJECT SIZE The project shall consist of three options with different acreages. Offers will be considered for award on the following schedules, but no offer will be considered for award on only a part of the schedule. Copper Hill Option 2 and Copper Hill Option 3 will be awarded subject to the availability of funding. Requesting Office: Taos Field Office Description/Project Copper Hill - Option 1 150 Acres Copper Hill - Option 2 100 Acres Copper Hill - Option 3 250 Acres C.1 TASKS/TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS The following tasks for which the contractor shall use in the treatment of the Copper Hill Thinning Project (see attached maps): Thinning An on-site meeting with BLM personnel and on- site contractor personnel shall be held prior to the implementation of any thinning treatments. Treatment shall be done by hand-cutting (chainsaws and other hand equipment). Tree density shall be reduced to 40-80 trees/ac, on average, over the entire project area. Leave tree preference - 1st Healthy tree, 2nd Larger tree, 3rd Ponderosa or Douglas Fir, 4th Pinon Pine (Pinus edulis), 5th Juniper spp. (Juniperus Spp.) All Pinon/Juniper trees smaller than 12" DRC within 35 feet of a Ponderosa pine tree/stand shall be removed. Desired tree spacing shall be a minimum of 15 feet (drip line to drip line). Retention of small groups (approximately 6-8 trees per group) of healthy trees is acceptable, with an average spacing between groups of 60 feet. Ladder fuels growing under large diameter leave trees shall be removed. Cut stumps shall be three (3) inches or less in height with no live limbs or foliage attached. No standing, dead trees (snags) shall be cut: they are to be retained as wildlife trees. Cut and felled material shall be bucked into lengths of 3 to 6 feet. Slash from cutting operations shall be lop and scattered. Shall not delimb live branches on left trees. Slash Management Slash within the cutting area shall be lopped and scattered through-out the area and shall not exceed 18 inches in depth. Leave Trees (No Cut Trees)- The contractor shall at no time cut trees for the following: Any tree having signs or survey markers. Any tree having wildlife nests or cavities. All trees along fence lines that have fence wire attached to them. D. DELIVERABLES On Site meeting with BLM and Contractor: Determined by Contracting Officer Representative (COR) and Contracting Officer (CO) after award. Acreage Final Approval: As determined by the BLM and in consultation with the COR and CO. Onsite meeting before any Thinning is to begin: Determined by COR E. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION E.1 PLACE OF PEROFRMANCE The project lies east of Dixon, and west of the Picuris Pueblo lands. South side of Hwy 75. All project boundaries reside within BLM lands. Grid Coordinates are as follows: Township 23 N, Range 11E, Section 28, 29, The Contractor shall NOT block roadways. The Contracting Official shall at any time place certain work restrictions as necessary to the project, for the safety of general public. Any use of All Terrain Vehicles (including four-wheelers, Mules, Gators, etc.) must be approved in advance by delegated COR and in conjunction with the CO. Before any equipment is brought into the public land project area it shall be washed to remove non-native seeds or any other foreign object debris. Cleaning shall consist of the removal all dirt, grease, debris, and materials that shall harbor noxious weeds and their seeds. Cleaning shall occur away from the project site. Equipment includes Trucks, UTV's, Trailers and Hand-tools. E.2 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE Estimated start date is August 28, 2023, with performance time of completion due by April 30, 2024 (note work restrictions dates). WORK RESTRICTIONS UNDER PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE The Contractor shall abide by the following Work Restrictions: MIGRATORY BIRD: May 1 - July 31st (No prescribed treatment activity is allowed during this period, unless cleared by a BLM biologist prior to treatment. Do not assume that BLM biologist shall be available to clear treatment areas during this time. If BLM biologist is available, the maximum cleared acres by BLM biologist per day shall be 10 acres. Clearances are valid for 10 calendar days.) E.3 SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS MAPS BLM Maps shall show thinning boundaries, treatment acreage, and areas within the project boundary excluded from treatment. Geo-referenced PDF Avenza Maps of treatment polygons shall be made available by the BLM. PROJECT SITE ACCESS The contractor shall use existing roads and/or access routes that have been previously approved for vehicle use by the BLM. All access into the project shall be by existing roads or by foot. No vehicle access shall be allowed off established two track roads and must be approved for use prior to project implementation. Closest amenities (fuel; food) are approximately 5 miles; lodging 20 miles. Road Conditions may become difficult in wet conditions. BOUNDARIES OF PROJECT AREA Project area boundaries shall be provided as geo-referenced PDF maps for use in Avenza Maps. Contractor may flag project area boundaries as needed (flagging not provided by BLM). MIGRATORY BIRDS Nesting Migratory Breeding Season begins on May 1 and ends on July 31st. No prescribed treatment activity shall be allowed during this period, unless cleared by a BLM biologist prior to treatment and in coordination with the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) and Contracting Officer (CO). Do not assume that BLM biologist shall be available to clear treatment areas during this time. If BLM biologist is available, the maximum cleared acres by BLM biologist per day shall be 10 acres. Clearances are valid for 10 calendar days. If contract personnel encounter any bird nests within the acres to be thinned, they shall not cut the tree in which the nest is located or otherwise physically disturb the nest. ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES This project may pose adverse effects to unknown cultural resources within the boundaries of the area. A class III archaeological survey was conducted in this area and all known archeological sites are excluded from this project. Notify the COR of any unidentified cultural sites discovered during the implementation of the project. SAFETY AND EQUIPMENT Contract personnel shall follow and meet all federal, state, and local safety standards and requirements for this project. REMOVAL OF FOREST PRODUCTS FROM AREA Removal of any forest product from the project site is not authorized, unless a fuelwood permit is obtained from the BLM. TRASH Thinning contractor shall be responsible for removal of all trash from the project site daily through the duration of the project. E.4 GOVERNMENT FUNSIHED EQUIPMENT: None E.5 CONTRACTOR FURNISHED EQUIPMENT: The contractor shall furnish all equipment and supplies, not furnished by government as listed in the SOW, to complete associated tasks required in this SOW. E.6 INSPECTION AND MEASUREMENT Initial inspections of treated areas shall be done by a delegated BLM COR or the assigned Project Inspector (PI). Final inspections shall include interior and exterior examinations for adherence to prescription. E.7 SITE VISIT - SCHEDULED ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 1, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. MST. All Contractors are to meet at the vehicle pullout at the Intersection of New Mexico Highways 75 and 76; then travel to the site for the field visit. Information (maps and directions) will be available through the Taos Field Office, 1024 Paseo del Pueblo Sur, Taos NM 87571 at 575- 770-1617. The work site is approximately a 10 min drive from the meeting place. If you plan on attending the site visit, please contact Kyle Sahd via phone (575)-770-1617, or email contact@example.gov 48 hrs. before day of visit to confirm. This visit will be conducted outdoors. Site visit is subject to cancellation dependent upon weather and road conditions. E.8 LOWEST PRICE TECHNICALLY ACCEPTABLE REQUIREMENTS: For a Technically Acceptable quote it must include the following information. Experience: Provide 3 references for projects completed similar in scope and size. (Name of Job, Start and end dates, Location, Description of work performed, Company - Contact Information, Value of the Job) Schedule: Provide a schedule to show how work described in the SOW will be completed within the Period of Performance requirements. Technical: Provide information on how the contractor will approach the project that demonstrates a thorough knowledge and understanding of the requirements in the SOW