Tree Topping (Snag) - Huron National Forest - Mio, Michigan

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. This solicitation is issued as a Request for Quote (RFQ) and the documents incorporate provisions and clauses in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2020-01. This procurement is a total small-business set aside. The NAICS code is 115310 and the Small Business Size Standard is $8M. Description of Requirement: The Huron-Manistee National Forests announces an opportunity to top up to 1,418 live pine trees using equipment as indicated by marked reference trees and additional cut trees. Most trees are red pine with the occasional jack pine or white pine. This project is being carried out to provide snags for wildlife habitat. The work will require cutting and removing all limbs and tops of marked trees at a minimum height of 25 feet above ground level. The work may involve sawyers climbing trees with ladders or climbing equipment and/or using mechanical equipment (examples: an aerial lift platform or vehicle; boom-mounted saw; aerial trimmer, etc.) to accomplish the work. Tops are to be left at the site, lying flat on the ground, and scattered. They may not be suspended from, or supported by, any tree in any way. DUE TO LACK OF EQUIPMENT ACCESS, THE PERRY CREEK UNITS MUST BE ACCOMPLISHED BY CLIMBING OR LADDERS. The Noontime and Chickadee units may be accomplished by either climbing and/or mechanical equipment. The contractor shall furnish all labor, supervision, transportation, equipment, supplies and incidentals necessary to complete the required services, in accordance with the attached Statement of Work, for the Mio Ranger District of the Huron-Manistee National Forests. See detailed requirements described in the attached Statement of Work, Map Packet, and Reference Tree Spreadsheet. The project areas are located on the Huron-Manistee National Forests: Oscoda and Crawford Counties, Michigan. Delivery Details/Period of Performance: Estimated award date is 01/06/2020. The start date will be on/or about January 13, 2020 to April 12, 2020 and will resume August 2, 2020 to October 30, 2020. Schedule of Items: (See OFFER SUMBISSION PACKAGE attachment for Schedule of Items to be completed for offer submission as well as other requirements.) ITEM NO. DESCRIPTION QUANTITY AMOUNT/TREE TOTAL AMOUNT 1. Top Red Pine - Perry Creek Units 561 TREES $ $ 2. Top Red Pine - Noontime Units 442 TREES $ $ 3. Top Red Pine - Chickadee Units (OPTION)415 TREES $ $ Vendors must be registered in Systems for Award Management (SAM) prior to receiving a government contract (formerly Central Contractors Registration or CCR). See www.sam.gov for details - this may take up to 2 weeks and requires a DUNS number, so it is highly recommended that interested parties register immediately in order to avoid any delays in award. All invoices are to be submitted via the electronic Invoice Processing Platform. This is a mandatory requirement initiated by the U.S. Department of Treasury and you can find more information at this website https://www.ipp.gov/index.htm. Please make sure that your company has registered at https://www.ipp.gov/vendors/enrollment-vendors.htm to establish your account. The "Submit Invoice-to" address for USDA orders is the Department of Treasury's Invoice Processing Platform (IPP). The contractor must follow the instructions on how to register and submit invoices via IPP. ALL QUESTIONS MUST BE IN WRITING. Please submit all questions to Erin Garcia at erin.garcia@usda.gov. Questions and answers will be posted to betaSAM.gov and is the contractor's responsibility to remain up to date on all Q&As as well as any potential resulting amendments. All questions must be received not later than three days prior to the solicitation close date, or the government is under no obligation to review and/or address the questions. Further provisions, clauses, and addenda including, but not limited to, commercial provisions 52.212-1, 52.212-2, 52.212-3 and commercial clauses 52212-4, 52.212-5 are incorporated in the attached solicitation. Those that are incorporated by reference can be viewed in full text at https://www.acquisition.gov/far. 52.212-2 Evaluation - Commercial Items (OCT 2014) (a) The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers: Past Performance; Experience; Capability to meet the government requirement; Biobased Purchasing; and Price and overall cost the the government Technical and past performance factors, when combined, are equal to price. (b) Options. The Government will evaluate offers for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement. The Government may determine that an offer is unacceptable if the option prices are significantly unbalanced. Evaluation of options shall not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s). (c) A written notice of award or acceptance of an offer, mailed or otherwise furnished to the successful offeror within the time for acceptance specified in the offer, shall result in a binding contract without further action by either party. Before the offer's specified expiration time, the Government may accept an offer (or part of an offer), whether or not there are negotiations after its receipt, unless a written notice of withdrawal is received before award. Offer Submission Information: The Government may issue an order to other than the lowest quoter, waive minor informalities or irregularities in quotes received, or elect not to award at all. If necessary, the Government may conduct discussions with any or all quoters. It is in the quoter's best interest to fully respond to the Experience Questionnaire since an order may be issued on the basis of information received, without further discussion. Award will be made on Best Value basis to the responsive and responsible offeror. Offers shall at a minimum, contain the items described in this section. Each offer shall contain sufficient information to enable a thorough evaluation. To Be Considered Responsive, contractor must submit the following with offer: (1) Completed Schedule of Items, with pricing for base and option line items. Include Offeror name, address, DUNS number, telephone number and name of contact person. Offers for less than the total item will not be considered; (2) Offeror must respond to the other factors as described under FAR 52.212-2 Evaluation - Commercial Items (OCT 2014). Award will be made on the best value for the Government. Optional Experience Questionnaire is included to help facilitate the evaluation criteria. Evaluation of options shall not obligate the Government to exercise the options. It is the Governments intent to make one contract award; (3) Offeror must submit representations in FAR 52.209.11; (4) Workforce Certification; (5) FAR 52.204-24 Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services; and (6) Offerors shall include a completed copy of the provision at 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications -- Commercial Items, with its offer. An offeror shall complete only paragraphs (b) of this provision if the offeror has completed the annual representations and certificates electronically via the System for Award Management (SAM) online at www.sam.gov. All offers must be received by 4:00 pm Eastern on December 27, 2019. Please submit one complete copy of the above information to: USDA Forest Service - 12569R20Q0003 Erin Garcia, LSAT Contracting Officer 412 Red Apple Road Manistee, MI 49660 Offers may be submitted electronically to erin.garcia@usda.gov, SUBJ: 12569R20Q0003 If submitting via email please note file size limitations, formatting or other problems may hamper receipt so please verify that the contracting officer has received your quote. No facsimile offers will be considered per (c)(1) of FAR clause 52.215-1 Instructions to Offerors -- Competitive Acquisition. (Jan 2004). Incomplete offers will not be accepted. Contact Erin Garcia at erin.garcia@usda.gov or (231) 723-2211 with administrative questions concerning this solicitation. Contact Dana Smith at dana.l.smith@usda.gov or 989-826-3252 with technical questions concerning this solicitation. See Combined Synopsis-Solicitation and attachments for further information.