RIVERS PROJECT OFFICE TREE PLANTING INDUSTRY DAY

Please note the corrected email address to RSVP is : contact@example.gov If you have RSVP please do it again to the correct email address listed above. Thanks Please review the Tree Planting Performance Work Statement (PWS) & Technical Specifications that are attached. Also if you have any questions after reviewing the specifications please bring questions to RPO Tree Planting Industry Day on March 29, 2017 - Time 8:00am to 2:00pm. Don't forget to RSVP. RIVERS PROJECT OFFICE TREE PLANTING INDUSTRY DAY The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Louis District will host a Tree Planting Industry Day event on Wednesday, March 29, 2017, for interested 8(A) Contractors within the Regions V, and VII for the General Project Description listed below. The Rivers Project Office Tree Planting Industry Day event will be held at the Rivers Project Office, 301 Riverlands Way, West Alton, MO 63386-1704. The event is free of charge. To register, please return the attached Registration Form by email to: contact@example.gov no later than March 27, 2017. Pre-registration is required due to potential space limitations. Attendance is limited to two (2) representatives per company. RIVERS PROJECT OFFFICE TREE PLANTING INDUSTRY DAY - March 29, 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The Tree Planting Industry Day event provides an opportunity to learn about this project and assist in the improvement of the Plans and Specifications. This event provides 8(A) contractors an opportunity to take a critical look at how the project features are proposed to be laid out and allows for feedback that could result in a reduction in cost, improve and reduce schedule risk, and provide firsthand experience on best practice methods. General Project Description Location of the work to be performed shall be within the St. Louis District of the Mississippi Valley Division, US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), which extends from Saverton, MO to Cairo, IL along the Mississippi River and from LaGrange Lock & Dam south of Beardstown, IL to Grafton, IL along the Illinois River. Site conditions where will work will be performed is ridge-swale floodplain bottoms that are dissected by multiple sloughs and other water bodies. Most of the work sites will be in remote locations where access is limited to small trails or by water craft. Regardless of terrain limitations and access, contractor will be expected to perform all of the major components listed below, to include, tree planting, mowing, herbicide application, site preparation, wood shredding, on remote sites where marine transport may be the only option. The event will also include a question and answer workshop and one-on-one private sessions with a Government team. Questions to Industry: The Government is seeking industry feedback on the project information which will be discussed on March 29, 2017. 8(A) Contractors within the Regions V, and VII, regardless of event attendance, are encouraged to voluntarily submit written responses, constructive input, or additional questions. Responses may be submitted prior to, during or after the event. Please send advance responses to: contact@example.gov responses are intended to initiate discussion during a facilitated, group question and answer session. Work Statement: Work covered by this contract and respective task orders against this contract shall consist of furnishing all labor, equipment, operators, supervision/site superintendent, supplies and materials necessary to perform tree planting, forestry, restoration, and maintenance activities. This work includes seven (7) major components: One-on-one Sessions: Please indicate on the Registration Form if you would like to sign up for a one-on-one session. Please be prepared to discuss the questions below, which will be used to guide the discussions. 1. Tree planting projects vary in size from site to site. Most are rather small (less than 10 acres, 1000 three-gallon container trees), however some are large and involve planting 100 or more acres and over 10,000 three-gallon container trees. Do you think planting that many acres could be achieved in a 30 day time period and would digging holes by hand be a problem? Funding constraints and project requirements will cause significant variation in trees planted, along with all contract items, from year to year. How far in advance would you anticipate needing to know about planting projects to be able to provide the necessary materials and labor to complete the work? 2. Do you foresee any issues completing Timber Stand Improvements (TSI) on islands in the Mississippi and Illinois rivers? What type of equipment would you anticipate for this type of work and do you feel that this is adequately provided for in the specifications? 3. Timber surveying typically requires multiple 2 person teams with knowledge of floodplain forests communities, timber surveying techniques, GIS, and GPS navigation. Do you anticipate any problems finding multiple team members to do this work and what seasonal time constraints do you foresee with other projects you are managing and weather related issues? 4. Pesticide application and mowing is required for this contract. Is there a minimum size of either that is best? What equipment/methods do you have available and anticipate using on this contract? Do you have qualified pesticide operators available and how would you manage daily oversight to ensure non-target areas are avoided with both pesticide application and mowing? What is the minimum width you could mow in between rows of trees? 5. Restoration site preparation often includes removal of flood debris like trees and logs and also includes clearing early successional woody vegetation. What equipment/methods do you have available and anticipate using on this contract? Do you foresee any issues with the government's specification? 6. Boundary maintenance and survey requires inspecting and maintaining miles of project property boundary lines. What equipment/methods do you have available and anticipate using on this contract? Missing official boundary monuments or changes in boundary require the services of a licensed surveyor in either Missouri or Illinois, please describe how you would accomplish this work? Are there any constraints to maintenance or survey activities you see that might come up as part of this work? 7. Prescribed burning requires the use of trained crews with some equipment to assist the government with burns. Do you foresee any issues with providing trained crews? Will you be able to provide the same crew members throughout a burn season? 8. What other feedback would you like to provide for consideration to improve the services of this contract? Capability Statements: 8(A) Interested parties within the Regions V and VII, regardless of event attendance, are invited to submit capability statements for market research purposes and acquisition strategy planning (5-page limit). A recommended outline is attached. Please submit capability statements to Corps Contracting Division Representatives at the event, by email to: contact@example.gov or mail to: Contracting Division, Attn: Barrietta Killiebrew, USACE -Rivers Project Office, 301 Riverlands Way, West Alton, IL 63386-1704. This notice does not constitute a solicitation. This announcement and the Tree Planting Industry Day event are for planning purposes only. The acquisition strategy for this proposed project has not yet been developed. Response to this notice is strictly voluntary. The Government will not reimburse any party attending or participating for costs incurred for this event or marketing efforts. DISCLOSURE NOTIFICATION AND PROCEDURES Please do not submit proprietary information. Any information provided may be incorporated into the design of the project. Information submitted in response to this notice is subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge or provide feedback with respect to any information submitted under this notice. - Industry Day Session: The responses from the public questions and answers session will be transcribed and the transcript will be posted to the website following the event. - One on One Sessions: The government will not reveal or post information discussed during the one-on-one sessions. To ensure bid fairness, the government will not reveal or post proprietary data, company identification and trade secrets.