F--Deer Flat Hazardous Fuels Reduction Product

Deer Flat NWR Hazardous Fuels Reduction Contractor is to provide all labor and materials to chip approximately 65 large Russian olive slash piles at Deer Flat NWR. Equipment needed to accomplish the slash pile chipping project would be a tub grinder and excavator with a thumb attachment for loading slash into the grinder. The slash piles are adjacent to a dirt road on the north shore of Lake Lowell. While the pile sizes vary, the average pile is fifteen feet wide by ten feet tall. Piles contain whole trees up to eighteen inches in diameter with root wads attached. The primary objective will be to chip slash piles in place, producing wood chips smaller than four square inches. Approximately five slash piles will need to be moved to another location to be chipped, (large dump truck will be needed for this task). Some piles will be left for wildlife habitat and will not be chipped. These piles will be marked. The desired treatment time will be August or September 2004. Due to the location of the slash piles, a per hour bid for the machinery is preferred. ADDITIONAL SPECIFICATIONS: -Chipper will be a tub grinder capable of chipping a whole tree two foot in diameter with root wad attached. -Excavator minimum size, 30 ton class with a 25 foot reach. -Per hour price (with operator) for tub grinder and excavator. -Per hour price (with operator) for dump truck to transfer slash. -All equipment used shall meet OSHA requirements. -Refuge staff will mark slash piles to be left un-chipped. -Hours of operation may be restricted during times of high temperature, low humidity and/or high winds. -Project will be completed by September 30, 2004. THIS IS A NOTICE OF INTENT, NOT A SOLICITATION.