Grassland and Shrubland Mastication and Mowing
Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
Solicitation Number AG-56A1-S-14-0006
Description The Green Mountain National Forest has a requirement to enter into a Performance Based Service Contract (PBSC) for a Forest-wide need for mowing and mastication (also called debrushing) using mechanical treatments.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 an RFQ (Request for Quotes) and the documents incorporate provisions and clauses in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-69.
This procurement is set aside for Small Business Concerns. The NAICS code is 561730 and the Small Business Size Standard is $7 million.
Work Type
Unit
Base Year
Price/acre
(August 1, 2014 – September 30, 2014)
Option Year 1 Price/acre
(October 1, 2014 – September 30, 2015)
Option Year 2 Price/acre
(October 1, 2015 – September 30, 2016)
Option Year 3 Price/acre
(October 1, 2016 – September 30, 2017)
Option Year 4 Price/acre
(October 1, 2017 – September 30, 2018)
1
Mowing
Acre
2
Mastication (debrushing)
Acre
3
Stump Removal
Acres
Base Year (2014)
Contract Line Item No.
Work Type
Unit (Acres)
Unit Price per acre
Total Price
1a
Mowing in Ripton/Goshen stands 1047101, 1086105, 1090105, 1091101, 1091110, 1091111
24
1b
Mowing in Upper White River stands 5058101, 5061101, 5060102, 5061102
24
1c
Mowing in Rochester/Pittsfield stands 50120101, 50120109, 50136102
34
1d
Mowing in Dorset, Manchester, Mt Holly, Wallingford stands 2003115, 2009101, 2015110, 2039999
30
2a
Mastication in Upper White River stands 5059101, 5059103
8
2b
Mastication in Rochester/Pittsfield stands 50120101, 50122103, 50136102
8
2c
Mastication in Wallingford, Mt Holly stands 20004104, 20005101
4
3a
Stumping in Rochester stand 50120101
2
Scope of Work
Work will be accomplished through task orders (TO) issued against an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract. It is the intent to have multiple IDIQ contractors. The Contractor shall provide all expertise, labor, supervision, services, equipment, tools, supplies, transportation, licenses, worker personal protective equipment (PPE), and incidentals to perform the work, for which the desired outcome is in strict accordance with the Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) as required in Section E.
The awarded contract and task orders (TOs) shall constitute the entire agreement including all terms and conditions applicable to the contract. TOs may or may not be further competed among the awarded IDIQ contractors.
The TOs will involve work that includes mechanical treatments of grasslands and/ or shrublands. The two vegetation treatments types differ due mainly to the size of the vegetation and the capabilities of potential equipment. Potential contractors need to have the capacity to treat vegetation as described below in grasslands and in shrublands as the vegetation treatments needs may overlap within units. For example, there may be a grassland unit that has a portion of the grassland (ex. a hedgerow) that may be out of traditional mower deck capabilities. It is expected that potential bidders will perform a site visit to familiarize themselves with the conditions of the grasslands and shrublands prior to submitting an offer. The attached location map shows each potential work area. Remember that you are offering a ceiling price now but will compete for each task order as work is identified and can offer a lower price at that time if the conditions of that particular area warrant it.
General Project Description and Specifications
This is a Forest-wide project to maintain grasslands in their grassland state; perform “catch-up” maintenance in grasslands or forest openings; create grassland structure that is favorable to upland wildlife and perform vegetation manipulation to shrublands that diversifies vertical and horizontal structure for habitat enhancement.
Grasslands - These stands comprised of continuously maintained grasslands or shrublands that have been mowed in 2011 or more recently. Some of the grasslands that will be mowed are old home sites or homesteads and may have old foundations and other rock piles dispersed across the fields. In general these areas are in a grassland-low shrub state with vegetation <48” and <2.5” diameter. There are between 450 – 500 acres of stands in this category
Shrublands- In general the vegetation in shrublands may consist of dogwood, sumac, ash, cherry, birch, aspen, pine, other shrubs and trees. This vegetation is often times out of the capacity of traditional mower decks and brush hogs. Vegetation height ranges from 5 feet to 40 feet and tree diameters are between 3.0” and 8.0” These areas may vary in shape and in size and will categorized as light or heavy cutting. Newly created forest openings that have had commercial timber harvesting within the last 6 years is an example of light cutting. Abandoned fields or newly created forest openings without maintenance in the past 7 to 15 years would be an example of heavy cutting. There are approximately 2600 acres of stands in this category.
Stumping – Areas designated for additional site work to eliminate stumps and boulders will have stumps and root collars chipped below soil surface, stumps pulled and flipped in place leaving the fine roots closest to the ground surface, or stumps pulled into piles. All boulders that are to be removed or piled will have an estimated total number.
General specifications-
The following specifications provides guidance to the mowing and mastication (debrushing) that will take place on the grasslands and/or shrublands under this contract according to Forest Service policy, the Green Mountain Forest Plan (and decision documents) and project specific design criteria. Individual task orders (TOs) will provide additional information for each individual unit (including restrictions or mitigations).
Mowing.
All sites listed on a TO will be mowed to a ~6” grass stubble height. The grasslands will be mowed as identified in the individual TOs. Individual unit maps will be provided for each TO which indicate the mowing boundaries and the mowing acres of that area. Bid rate will be based on a per acre basis. Often times the boundaries are by roads, fences, timberline or private land.
Note: for any units that are strip mowed, payment of unit will be based on the acreage mowed and not for the entirety of the unit itself.
Mastication (debrushing) of vegetation.
The mastication (debrushing) of vegetation will consist of areas within the grassland or shrubland units. The locations within the grasslands may be within hedgerows or in other areas that have been not treated for some time. Whether in grasslands or shrublands, maps will be provided indicating the unit areas and acres to treat. The bid rate will be based on a per acre basis.
Stumping and Boulder Removal
Units for stumping will be listed in the schedule of items on a task order starting with a #3 as the contract item.
The stumping is a designated area where additional work is required to prepare the ground for seeding and mowing. The elimination of trees stumps and rocks or boulders will be done to allow mowing equipment to maintain the stand in the future. Stumping treatments may be done on a portion of a larger stand or all of the stand. The bid rate will be based on a per acre basis.
All sites listed may be brush hogged, masticated, or stumping treatments. Everything woody up to 8 inches in diameter shall be cut and chipped unless otherwise noted below. The chipped/mulched pieces of vegetation shall be no larger than 8 inches in length generally and shall be scattered to lie no higher than 6 inches above ground level. All cut stumps shall be cut down to less than 3 inches in height. Some woody material may exceed 8 inches in length but shall be less than 10 percent of the item.
Contractor Acceptance Statement: By submitting the offer, the Contractor agrees to all terms, conditions, and provisions included in the solicitation and agrees to furnish any awarded items at the price set in the schedule unless otherwise excepted as follows: _______________________________________________________________.
The following FAR clauses and provisions apply to this solicitation. Those that are incorporated by reference can be viewed in full text at http://farsite.hill.af.mil/
(i) 52.222-3, Convict Labor (June 2003) (E.O. 11755).
(ii) 52.222-21, Prohibition of Segregated Facilities (Feb 1999) (E.O. 11246).
(iii) 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity (Mar 2007) (E.O. 11246).
(iv) 52.222-50, Combating Trafficking in Persons (Feb 2009) (22 U.S.C. 7104(g)).
(v) 52.225-13, Restrictions on Certain Foreign Purchases (Jun 2008) (E.o.s, proclamations, and statutes administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Department of the Treasury).
(vi) 52.233-3, Protest After Award (Aug 1996) (31 U.S.C. 3553).
(vii) 52.233-4, Applicable Law for Breach of Contract Claim (Oct 2004) (Pub. L. 108-77, 108-78).
(2) Listed below are additional clauses that apply:
(i) 52.232-1, Payments (Apr 1984).
(ii) 52.232-8, Discounts for Prompt Payment (Feb 2002).
(iii) 52.232-11, Extras (Apr 1984).
(iv) 52.232-25, Prompt Payment (Oct 2008).
(v) 52.233-1, Disputes (July 2002).
(vi) 52.244-6, Subcontracts for Commercial Items (Jan 2011).
(vii) 52.253-1, Computer Generated Forms (Jan 1991).
52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors – Commercial Items (JUL 2013)
52.212-2 Evaluation – Commercial Items (JAN 1999)
(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
Past Performance on Similar Projects
Technical Approach (Available qualified personnel, Available Equipment)
Technical and past performance, when combined, are significantly more important than 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.
52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications – Commercial Items (AUG 2013) (Offeror must complete this certification online at www.sam.gov or print this clause in full, complete the appropriate blocks, and submit with your offer)
52.222-17 Nondisplacement of Qualified Workers (JAN 2013)
52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions – Commercial Items (JUL 2013)
52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders – Commercial Items (SEP 2013)
Clauses listed in 52.212-5 that apply to this solicitation:
__________________
___________________
__________________
52.203-16 Preventing Personal Conflicts of Interest (DEC 2011)
Offers shall be submitted to: Sydney Smith, 626 E Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 300, Milwaukee, WI 53202 or [email protected]
No later than: COB, Friday, July 11, 2014
Contact Sydney Smith at (414) 297-3800 or [email protected] for more information or with questions concerning this solicitation.
Sydney Smith, Contracting Officer, Phone 4142973800, Email [email protected] - Richard J O'Neill, Contracting Officer, Phone 4142971128, Email [email protected]
