Tehama Mendocino Fuel Reduction Partnership (Phase 3)

The Tehama Mendocino Fuels Reduction Partnership Phase 3 is a landscape-scale post-fire restoration project targeting 1,142 acres of fire-damaged federal lands within the Mendocino National Forest in Tehama County, California, impacted by the 2020 August Complex Fire. The project, led by the Resource Conservation District of Tehama County in partnership with the Mendocino National Forest, aims to restore fire-adapted ecosystems through mechanical thinning of 571 acres, manual reforestation of another 571 acres, fuel reduction, and on-site biochar production from processed woody debris. Work must be completed by March 30, 2030, with specific operational standards requiring retained tree spacing of 25°–35°, stump heights not exceeding six inches, and protection of hardwoods over eight inches in diameter. Biochar must be redistributed across treatment areas using compost spreaders to enhance soil health and carbon sequestration. The project is funded by $6,996,578.38 from the CAL FIRE Forest Health Program under California Climate Investments, with payments processed through the California Department of Fish and Wildlife using form DFW 753.5a and receipt number 52-08212025-030. Environmental and cultural compliance is central to the project’s execution. It operates under a CEQA exemption claimed under Public Resources Code § 4799.05(d)(1), supported by prior NEPA review, and requires adherence to California Code of Regulations Title 14 Section 936.5 for riparian zone protection. The Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians are contractually engaged to monitor cultural resources during all field activities, ensuring tribal consultation requirements are met. No standard federal contractual clauses or FAR provisions are formally incorporated, and there are no specified evaluation factors, award methodology, or contract type such as FFP or IDIQ. The project is identified as a forecast under NAICS code 115310, with no small business or socioeconomic set-asides, and the lead agency is a local public entity rather than a commercial contractor. Deliverables occur entirely on-site on federal forestlands, with no traditional packaging, marking, or shipping requirements beyond ecological preservation goals. All administrative and reporting obligations are coordinated through the Resource Conservation District of Tehama County, with Seronica Biggs designated as the primary point of contact for project oversight.