V -- Tow US Forest Service Steelhead Barge from Port Refugio on Suemez Island to Ketchikan AK.

REQUEST FOR QUOTES: This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for a commercial item prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6 as supplemented with additional information included in this announcement. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotes are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. SET-ASIDE: This acquisition is totally set-aside for small business concerns, NAICS 488330. The small business size standard for this acquisition is $6.5 million. Submission of a quote constitutes a representation that the contractor is a small business. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Tow the Steelhead Barge from Port Refugio, Suemez Island, AK to Ketchikan AK. Successful quoter will complete this project as soon weather conditions allow for controlled safe towing. No insurance is required for the barge, anchor gear, or floats, Forest Service will assume liability for Forest Service owned equipment. Steelhead Barge Consists of: * One barge 32 ft x 85 ft * Four anchors with cable and chain, the anchors range in size from 500 lbs to 1500 lbs * Four shore lines that consist of cable and rope with 250 lb anchor midway to shore on each. * Three floats that are 20 ft x 24 ft floats Government anticipates selecting one of the following Requirement Proposals for award. Quote one price to complete each of the following three Requirement Proposals. For clarification you should submit three prices, one for Requirement Proposal One, one for Requirement Proposal Two, and one for Requirement Proposal Three. Requirement Proposal One: 1. Load all four anchors and gear onto the three floats, distributing the weight as evenly as possible and secured for transport. The four anchor cables are to be wound onto the barge anchor winches. 2. Retrieve the four shore lines and shore line anchors. Store lines in the barge hold. Load shore line anchors onto floats, or store in the barge hold and secured for transport. 3. Tow the Steelhead Barge, anchor gear and floats from Port Refugio, Suemez Island, AK to Ketchikan AK. 4. Secure barge and floats to berth #4 or designated dock as directed by Forest Service and harbor personnel. Requirement Proposal Two: 1. Assist in disconnecting anchor and shore lines. Leave anchors in place. 2. Tow the Steelhead Barge and floats from Port Refugio, Suemez Island, AK to Ketchikan AK. 3. Secure barge and floats to berth #4 or designated dock as directed by Forest Service and harbor personnel. Requirement Proposal Three: 1. Assist in disconnecting anchor and shore lines. Leave anchors in place. 2. Secure and leave floats at current location. 3. Tow the Steelhead Barge from Port Refugio, Suemez Island, AK to Ketchikan AK. 4. Secure barge to berth #4 or designated dock as directed by Forest Service and harbor personnel. EVALUATION FACTORS: Government anticipates selecting the lowest price quote to accomplish one of the Requirement Proposals. SUBMISSION FOR QUOTES Quotes may be submitted on vendor letterhead stationary and may be mailed or faxed to: USDA Forest Service ATTN: Kim Toland Tongass NF- Purchasing PO Box 309 Petersburg, AK 99833-0309 FAX: +1 (555) 000-0000 Please reference the solicitation no. AG-0112-S-08-0012 Quotes must be submitted no later than 5:00 pm (Alaska Time) on January 29, 2008. Quotes must include DUNS Number and Tax Identification Number. APPLICABLE CLAUSES: The following Federal Acquisition Regulation clauses are incorporated by reference: 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items; 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items; 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders Commercial Items (AUG 2007) the following clauses are checked as included: 52.219-6, 52.219-28, 52.222-3, 52.222-21, 52.222-26, 52.222-36, 52.222-50, 52.225-13, 52.247-64, 52.247-64 Alternate I, 52.222-41, 52.222-42. Specifically, the following clauses cited are applicable to this solicitation: FAR 52.232-33, Payment by Electronic Funds-Central Contractor Registration and FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications Commercial Items. All contractors must be registered in the Central Contractor Registration database (CCR) and include a copy of their representations and certifications (ORCA) with their quote unless they have been completed online. All contractors must be registered in the CCR database and provide evidence of compliance with 52.212-3 (ORCA) to be considered for award. CCR and ORCA may be accessed electronically at https://orca.bpn.gov/. This solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-23 REGISTER OF WAGE DETERMINATIONS UNDER | U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR THE SERVICE CONTRACT ACT | EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS ADMINISTRATION By direction of the Secretary of Labor | WAGE AND HOUR DIVISION | WASHINGTON D.C. 20210 | | Wage Determination No.: 2005-2017 William W.Gross Division of | Revision No.: 5 Director Wage Determinations| Date Of Last Revision: 07/05/2007 _______________________________________|_______________________________________ State: Alaska Area: Alaska Statewide ___________________________________________________________________________ **Fringe Benefits Required Follow the Occupational Listing** OCCUPATION CODE - TITLE MINIMUM WAGE RATE 01000 - Administrative Support And Clerical Occupations 01011 - Accounting Clerk I 13.46 01012 - Accounting Clerk II 16.97 01013 - Accounting Clerk III 19.02 01020 - Administrative Assistant 21.89 01051 - Data Entry Operator I 12.28 01052 - Data Entry Operator II 17.14 01060 - Dispatcher, Motor Vehicle 19.51 01070 - Document Preparation Clerk 15.39 01090 - Duplicating Machine Operator 13.38 01111 - General Clerk I 14.80 01112 - General Clerk II 15.56 01113 - General Clerk III 17.51 01191 - Order Clerk I 13.94 01192 - Order Clerk II 15.73 01261 - Personnel Assistant (Employment) I 17.25 01262 - Personnel Assistant (Employment) II 19.28 01263 - Personnel Assistant (Employment) III 22.38 01270 - Production Control Clerk 21.31 01280 - Receptionist 13.00 01290 - Rental Clerk 15.70 01300 - Scheduler, Maintenance 16.01 01311 - Secretary I 16.01 01312 - Secretary II 17.92 01313 - Secretary III 18.57 01320 - Service Order Dispatcher 15.87 01410 - Supply Technician 21.89 01420 - Survey Worker 17.07 05000 - Automotive Service Occupations 05070 - Automotive Worker 20.51 05110 - Mobile Equipment Servicer 18.40 05130 - Motor Equipment Metal Mechanic 22.47 05160 - Motor Equipment Metal Worker 20.51 05190 - Motor Vehicle Mechanic 22.47 05220 - Motor Vehicle Mechanic Helper 17.38 05310 - Painter, Automotive 21.44 05340 - Radiator Repair Specialist 20.51 05400 - Transmission Repair Specialist 22.47 19000 - Machine Tool Operation And Repair Occupations 19010 - Machine-Tool Operator (Tool Room) 23.33 19040 - Tool And Die Maker 29.04 21000 - Materials Handling And Packing Occupations 21020 - Forklift Operator 17.80 21030 - Material Coordinator 21.31 21040 - Material Expediter 21.31 21050 - Material Handling Laborer 16.29 21071 - Order Filler 15.20 21080 - Production Line Worker (Food Processing) 17.80 21110 - Shipping Packer 17.20 21130 - Shipping/Receiving Clerk 17.20 21140 - Store Worker I 13.66 21150 - Stock Clerk 18.50 21210 - Tools And Parts Attendant 19.16 21410 - Warehouse Specialist 17.80 23000 - Mechanics And Maintenance And Repair Occupations 23110 - Appliance Mechanic 23.05 23125 - Cable Splicer 31.61 23130 - Carpenter, Maintenance 25.56 23160 - Electrician, Maintenance 28.36 23311 - Fuel Distribution System Mechanic 28.42 23312 - Fuel Distribution System Operator 24.75 23370 - General Maintenance Worker 20.43 23380 - Ground Support Equipment Mechanic 26.11 23381 - Ground Support Equipment Servicer 22.87 23382 - Ground Support Equipment Worker 24.05 23430 - Heavy Equipment Mechanic 27.63 23440 - Heavy Equipment Operator 27.85 23460 - Instrument Mechanic 25.73 23465 - Laboratory/Shelter Mechanic 24.23 23470 - Laborer 13.72 23530 - Machinery Maintenance Mechanic 27.44 23550 - Machinist, Maintenance 24.38 23580 - Maintenance Trades Helper 17.38 23640 - Millwright 26.23 23710 - Office Appliance Repairer 23.24 23760 - Painter, Maintenance 22.67 23790 - Pipefitter, Maintenance 29.33 23810 - Plumber, Maintenance 28.00 23820 - Pneudraulic Systems Mechanic 25.73 23850 - Rigger 25.73 23870 - Scale Mechanic 22.75 23890 - Sheet-Metal Worker, Maintenance 27.48 23910 - Small Engine Mechanic 22.75 23931 - Telecommunications Mechanic I 25.47 23932 - Telecommunications Mechanic II 29.10 23950 - Telephone Lineman 28.33 23960 - Welder, Combination, Maintenance 24.35 23965 - Well Driller 25.73 23970 - Woodcraft Worker 25.73 23980 - Woodworker 20.12 27000 - Protective Service Occupations 27101 - Guard I 14.00 27102 - Guard II 17.17 29000 - Stevedoring/Longshoremen Occupational Services 29010 - Blocker And Bracer 24.08 29020 - Hatch Tender 24.08 29030 - Line Handler 24.08 29041 - Stevedore I 27.49 29042 - Stevedore II 30.43 31000 - Transportation/Mobile Equipment Operation Occupations 31043 - Driver Courier 17.79 31361 - Truckdriver, Light 17.89 31362 - Truckdriver, Medium 19.85 31363 - Truckdriver, Heavy 20.84 31364 - Truckdriver, Tractor-Trailer 20.84 99000 - Miscellaneous Occupations 99030 - Cashier 12.27 99050 - Desk Clerk 14.09 99810 - Sales Clerk 13.82 ______________________________________________________________________________ ALL OCCUPATIONS LISTED ABOVE RECEIVE THE FOLLOWING BENEFITS: HEALTH & WELFARE: $3.16 per hour or $126.40 per week or $547.73 per month VACATION: 2 weeks paid vacation after 1 year of service with a contractor or successor; 3 weeks after 5 years, and 4 weeks after 15 years. Length of service includes the whole span of continuous service with the present contractor or successor, wherever employed, and with the predecessor contractors in the performance of similar work at the same Federal facility. (Reg. 29 CFR 4.173) HOLIDAYS: A minimum of eleven paid holidays per year: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr's Birthday, Washington's Birthday, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans' Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. A contractor may substitute for any of the named holidays another day off with pay in accordance with a plan communicated to the employees involved.) (See 29 CFR 4.174) THE OCCUPATIONS WHICH HAVE PARENTHESES AFTER THEM RECEIVE THE FOLLOWING BENEFITS (as numbered): 1) Does not apply to employees employed in a bona fide executive, administrative, or professional capacity as defined and delineated in 29 CFR 541. (See CFR 4.156) 2) AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS AND WEATHER OBSERVERS - NIGHT PAY & SUNDAY PAY: If you work at night as part of a regular tour of duty, you will earn a night differential and receive an additional 10% of basic pay for any hours worked between 6pm and 6am. If you are a full-time employed (40 hours a week) and Sunday is part of your regularly scheduled workweek, you are paid at your rate of basic pay plus a Sunday premium of 25% of your basic rate for each hour of Sunday work which is not overtime (i.e. occasional work on Sunday outside the normal tour of duty is considered overtime work). HAZARDOUS PAY DIFFERENTIAL: An 8 percent differential is applicable to employees employed in a position that represents a high degree of hazard when working with or in close proximity to ordinance, explosives, and incendiary materials. This includes work such as screening, blending, dying, mixing, and pressing of sensitive ordance, explosives, and pyrotechnic compositions such as lead azide, black powder and photoflash powder. All dry-house activities involving propellants or explosives. Demilitarization, modification, renovation, demolition, and maintenance operations on sensitive ordnance, explosives and incendiary materials. All operations involving regrading and cleaning of artillery ranges. A 4 percent differential is applicable to employees employed in a position that represents a low degree of hazard when working with, or in close proximity to ordance, (or employees possibly adjacent to) explosives and incendiary materials which involves potential injury such as laceration of hands, face, or arms of the employee engaged in the operation, irritation of the skin, minor burns and the like; minimal damage to immediate or adjacent work area or equipment being used. All operations involving, unloading, storage, and hauling of ordance, explosive, and incendiary ordnance material other than small arms ammunition. These differentials are only applicable to work that has been specifically designated by the agency for ordance, explosives, and incendiary material differential pay. ** UNIFORM ALLOWANCE ** If employees are required to wear uniforms in the performance of this contract (either by the terms of the Government contract, by the employer, by the state or local law, etc.), the cost of furnishing such uniforms and maintaining (by laundering or dry cleaning) such uniforms is an expense that may not be borne by an employee where such cost reduces the hourly rate below that required by the wage determination. The Department of Labor will accept payment in accordance with the following standards as compliance: The contractor or subcontractor is required to furnish all employees with an adequate number of uniforms without cost or to reimburse employees for the actual cost of the uniforms. In addition, where uniform cleaning and maintenance is made the responsibility of the employee, all contractors and subcontractors subject to this wage determination shall (in the absence of a bona fide collective bargaining agreement providing for a different amount, or the furnishing of contrary affirmative proof as to the actual cost), reimburse all employees for such cleaning and maintenance at a rate of $3.35 per week (or $.67 cents per day). However, in those instances where the uniforms furnished are made of "wash and wear" materials, may be routinely washed and dried with other personal garments, and do not require any special treatment such as dry cleaning, daily washing, or commercial laundering in order to meet the cleanliness or appearance standards set by the terms of the Government contract, by the contractor, by law, or by the nature of the work, there is no requirement that employees be reimbursed for uniform maintenance costs. The duties of employees under job titles listed are those described in the "Service Contract Act Directory of Occupations", Fifth Edition, April 2006, unless otherwise indicated. Copies of the Directory are available on the Internet. A links to the Directory may be found on the WHD home page at http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/ or through the Wage Determinations On-Line (WDOL) Web site at http://wdol.gov/. REQUEST FOR AUTHORIZATION OF ADDITIONAL CLASSIFICATION AND WAGE RATE {Standard Form 1444 (SF 1444)} Conformance Process: The contracting officer shall require that any class of service employee which is not listed herein and which is to be employed under the contract (i.e., the work to be performed is not performed by any classification listed in the wage determination), be classified by the contractor so as to provide a reasonable relationship (i.e., appropriate level of skill comparison) between such unlisted classifications and the classifications listed in the wage determination. Such conformed classes of employees shall be paid the monetary wages and furnished the fringe benefits as are determined. Such conforming process shall be initiated by the contractor prior to the performance of contract work by such unlisted class(es) of employees. The conformed classification, wage rate, and/or fringe benefits shall be retroactive to the commencement date of the contract. {See Section 4.6 (C)(vi)} When multiple wage determinations are included in a contract, a separate SF 1444 should be prepared for each wage determination to which a class(es) is to be conformed. The process for preparing a conformance request is as follows: 1) When preparing the bid, the contractor identifies the need for a conformed occupation(s) and computes a proposed rate(s). 2) After contract award, the contractor prepares a written report listing in order proposed classification title(s), a Federal grade equivalency (FGE) for each proposed classification(s), job description(s), and rationale for proposed wage rate(s), including information regarding the agreement or disagreement of the authorized representative of the employees involved, or where there is no authorized representative, the employees themselves. This report should be submitted to the contracting officer no later than 30 days after such unlisted class(es) of employees performs any contract work. 3) The contracting officer reviews the proposed action and promptly submits a report of the action, together with the agency's recommendations and pertinent information including the position of the contractor and the employees, to the Wage and Hour Division, Employment Standards Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, for review. (See section 4.6(b)(2) of Regulations 29 CFR Part 4). 4) Within 30 days of receipt, the Wage and Hour Division approves, modifies, or disapproves the action via transmittal to the agency contracting officer, or notifies the contracting officer that additional time will be required to process the request. 5) The contracting officer transmits the Wage and Hour decision to the contractor. 6) The contractor informs the affected employees. Information required by the Regulations must be submitted on SF 1444 or bond paper. When preparing a conformance request, the "Service Contract Act Directory of Occupations" (the Directory) should be used to compare job definitions to insure that duties requested are not performed by a classification already listed in the wage determination. Remember, it is not the job title, but the required tasks that determine whether a class is included in an established wage determination. Conformances may not be used to artificially split, combine, or subdivide classifications listed in the wage determination. The USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.