Updated Contractor Questions.pdf

Contractor Q&A

1) Is chainsaw work cutting trees to be able to remove the fence considered to be classified under forestry work? Yes it is classified under one of the following

• 08190 Forestry Technician

• 08190 Forestry Tech

• 08250 General Forestry Laborer

• 08250 Forestry Laborer

• 08250 Forestry Laborer

• 238990 All Other Specialty Trade Contractors

2) Is a chainsaw worker cutting trees under MSPA? H2B workers being migrant workers would be covered under the MSPA which protects migrant and seasonal agricultural workers by establishing employment standards related to wages, housing, transportation, disclosures and recordkeeping.

3) Does the Government anticipate using Aliens that have been allowed to enter the US illegally by the President? Only DOL H2B approved employees will be allowed to work on any Federal Project.

4) Does an employer from another state other than PA need to obtain Workers Compensation Insurance for employees from a licensed PA Insurance Carrier to be able to work them in PA? Any contract awarded by the Federal Government required that all contractors comply with all Federal, State, and Local laws and requirements.

5) Does an employer from another state that will be using non-immigrant Aliens need to be H2B and MSPA certified in the state of PA to be eligible for an award?

They will be required to be H2B Certified through the Department of labor.

6) Will an H2B Employer be eligible for award if they don't post job Openings for local unemployed US citizens at the State Workforce Agency in Pa? This is a requirement of the H2B program and if the awardee requires additional positions to complete the work they should be first looking into the local community to employee unemployed US Citizens.

7) Was this year’s fence removal posted on Fiscal Year 2022 Procurement Forecast?

This project did not make it to the Procurement Forecast because it was not anticipated at the time the Forecast was submitted.

8) Will you post these questions and your answers on SAM.GOV? If the Solicitation was posted to SAM then yes these Q&A’s will be posted.

9) Since there is no pricing sheet, how would you like the proposal submitted?

If you look on page 4, there is a schedule of items. You will fill that out.

10) What other documents do I need to submit in my proposal.

You may submit past performances, if you have them.

11) Are you able to give an estimated start date, since there is none in the documents provided.? Start day will be when the contract is awarded. End date will be December 16,

12) Question: Is a bond required FS: Don’t believe it is

13) Question: Is the 1’ of fence below ground buried for wildlife or straight down FS: Buried for wildlife

14) Question: Is a small skid steer acceptable FS: Yes, depending upon the size of the machine

15) Question: Is it OK to chainsaw, brush-hog, etc. the vegetation around the fence FS: Usually all that is required is to cut the saplings around the fence before removal

16) Question: Do all fence posts need to be removed FS: Unless otherwise specified in the contract, all fence posts (steel and wooden) must be removed from site

17) Question: Is there any way to expedite the SAM registration process FS: No

The 2022 Allegheny NF Fence Removal Contract is similar to the contract you completed in 2020 (technical specifications).

This year’s contract is similar to last year’s, except there are more perimeter fences to remove (13 new removals + 19 from 2021 + 2 on the Marienville District = 34 total).

Due to the variety of the new removals, it would be difficult to give much specific information. You can expect conditions that you have encountered on past fence removals.

The new fences (spread across the forest) are similar to the fences in last years contract and there are no new “blow-down” fences that I am aware of.

Also, nine total wildlife areas are in the contract with two or three new ones added to last year’s areas.

All that was completed last year was one Wildlife fence removal and a part of a blow-down fence (the work stopped once the actual blow-down was encountered).

The contracting office for the Forest Service has changed the work-flow process, which has resulted in contracts advertised later than usual.

The large size of the contract is due to the addition of the “left-over” fences from 2021 paired with the new 2022 targeted fences.