F--MN BIG STONE NWR WOODY VEG and TREE REMOVAL

The contract seeks a small business to perform woody vegetation and tree removal services at the Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge in Yellow Bank Township, Big Stone County, Minnesota, under a total small business set-aside designated by NAICS code 115310 with a size standard of $34.0 million. Work is to be completed in two primary phases: Phase 1 involves cutting and treating targeted woody species across Zones 1 and 2 using hand tools and heavy equipment—excluding granite outcrops—with a completion deadline of December 15, 2026, and Phase 2 requires foliar herbicide retreatments between June 1 and June 30, 2027, for smaller vegetation under two inches in diameter or three feet in height. Debris removal over two inches in diameter and two feet in length is optional but must be fully completed if selected. All stumps must be cut to no more than two inches in height, herbicides must be applied only via handheld or backpack equipment using Triclopyr 4 when wind speeds are 10 mph or less, and contractors must hold a valid Minnesota Pesticide Applicator License. Environmental protections are strictly enforced: equipment must be cleaned before and after site access to prevent invasive species spread, disturbed areas must be smoothed and leveled with no ruts or holes, and work must occur only under freeze-up or dry conditions to preserve native prairie and wetlands. The contractor is responsible for all labor, equipment, transportation, fuel, and supplies needed to perform the work. Daily operations must be coordinated with the USFWS Project Manager, and work may not begin without a 48-hour advance notification to USFWS. Heavy equipment access requires prior clearance from USFWS staff based on soil conditions, and the agency retains the authority to halt operations if sod damage is imminent. The contract’s period of performance runs from August 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, with work potentially beginning immediately upon execution. The contract is governed under the Federal Acquisition Regulation with key clauses including 52.212-4 for commercial services terms, 52.219-6 for the small business set-aside (with a JAN 2026 deviation), 52.222-50 for combating human trafficking, 52.233-1 for disputes, and 52.232-