A002 Addl Questions Received NG-GSER.pdf

Additional Questions Received for the Nelder Grove IRSC

1. Can we get project shapefiles of the treatment layers and protections etc? Yes, we are working on providing this information.

2. Is LiDAR data or any associated derived products available? We are working on seeing if this information is available to be shared.

3. Is cruise data and volume available? No, no cruise was performed. See solicitation Award Item #3 sub item 14b. Volume is UNESTIMATED by species and merchantability specifications (TSA Specs).

4. Can TSA be decked in the woods, or must it be yarded and decked at roadside landings? See Appendix A, Mandatory Item 7: Mechanical Pile. We are going to ask that if a contractor agrees to remove said product it will be decked near a road. All other material will be piled per piling specs.

This is for accountability.

5. If yarding to roadside landings is required, can TSA be whole-tree skidded to roadside landings for processing and decking. It may be agreed to with additional requirements by the COR and CO on a site by site basis.

6. Are Fuel loading data/estimations available? No.

7. Can you provide a unit acreage breakout including by line item? This information will be provided in

Amendment 002.

8. Do you have a Unit specific cutting guide developed? No, cutting specifications are in Appendix A.

9. Is pre-existing cut material considered “dead and down” or “activity slash” and therefore treated according to relevant specifications? Yes.

10. Do we need to fix previously constructed piles which aren’t built to the current specifications?

Remove or relocate piles out of spec? No.

11. Can we add material to existing piles that were not created/located as required under current specifications? Yes, but you need to ensure the piles meet Appendix A Mandatory Item 7:

Mechanical Pile requirements.

12. Existing hand piles are not papered. Do we need to add paper to previously constructed piles? No.

13. What height/spec can piles in helicopter disposal areas be? See Appendix A Mandatory Item 10:

Removal & Piling Specifications for Aerial Based Operation (Units 9, 10, 11).

14. Is temp road construction an option? Where? Are there archeological or other prohibitive restrictions? No, will use existing infrastructure.

15. Can a temporary road be built into heli-landing area in unit 11? An old road/rail grade exists into the area with trees growing in the roadbed. No.

16. Would surface rock material be permitted on a temp road for localized improvements as needed? Likely not, this is based on Heritage protection needs.

17. Are ALL decay classes (DC) to be piled in mechanical areas or only DC 1 &2? Decay class 4 &5 will not be removed. For classes 1-3 we would like to see a variety left.

18. Steel tracks >9psi allowed in regular Mech area? Yes. Only restricted near monarchs? No, it is also a restriction when working in ARCH site. See solicitation bullet point 24 PROTECTION MEASURES NEEDED FOR PLANTS, ANIMALS, CULTURAL RESOURCES, AND CAVE, Restrictions for CA-1 Cultural Resources. What about Monarchs in non-mech areas, machine piling is not an option outside the 50’ areas. S e e A p p e n d i x A Mandatory Item 10: Removal & Piling Specifications for Aerial Based Operation (Units 9, 10, 11), 1a. the only place in the Aerial based operations heavy equipment will be aloud is in the disposal site. How do we handle the 16” and greater DWD. ***In unit 66 rubber tracks and suspend all skidding? That is up to the contractor to work out. See solicitation section 51-INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMISSION OF OFFERS AND OTHER INFORMATION, item 1 Technical Approach, Method, bullet point 7.

19. Can additional “openings” be enhanced or created in areas where green trees are too closely spaced to allow for appropriate pile distance from residual trees? Options are limited in many areas and longer distance relocation will add significant cost. This can be agreed to on a site-by-site biases.

20. Are root balls from fallen trees considered dead and down? Yes. Are they to be piled? Yes, unless otherwise agreed to

21. Can we create windrows of material in the burn areas? No.

22. Would aerial mulching and redistribution of ground material be acceptable or desired to eliminate jackpots of fuel and accelerate natural decomposition of material? No.

23. Historic Extent area with yellow border “Hand Piles Only No Thinning.” Is this only dead/down piling with no thinning at all? See Appendix A Mandatory Item 4a, 4b: Hand Piling (Unit 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10. 11, & 66,). Is snag felling/removal/piling still required? See Appendix A, Mandatory Item 9: Hand Felling Dead and Dying fuels Treatment (Units 9, 10, 11) and Mandatory Item 10:

Removal & Piling Specifications for Aerial Based Operation (Units 9, 10, 11). Please clarify this Rx section.

24. Will any of the speculative Helicopter Service Landings identified and asked about in the pre-bid tour be approved for use (pre-bid tour Stop 2 or either of the two locations off-site viewed at the end of the pre-bid tour?) Yes, as agreed too. There are two located just outside of the northeast corner of the project area. See update maps.

25. Will only the trees marked in teal colored paint be removed in Unit 66 or is the intent to remove others in addition following the Rx. See Appendix A Optional Item 13: Fell and Remove Hazards Fuels (Unit 66) Bullet point 1. Green trees to be cut are marked, snag to be cut are not marked.

26. What decay class is required removal from helicopter units? Currently states that material all decay classes above 12-inch diameter & 5 ft long will be removed though only Decay class 1&2 are likely able to be safely and effectively flown out. Safety is first. We will not require the contractor to fly material that is unsafe to do so.

27. What decay classes must be piled on all units? Please see answers to questions 26 & 17.

28. Can we get exemption to wildlife LOPs? No. Are surveys planned for or currently underway in anticipation of lifting associated restrictions? We have surveyed the project area and lifted all but 3 LOP areas, those will not be lifted. An updated CAM will be shared in Amendment 002.

29. Are the giant stumps mapped/counted? No. If not is there a specification for qualifying stumps of certain size for hand line construction? Yes, large historical Giant Sequoia stumps.

30. Do we need to build fire line around existing slash piles which have not been lined? Only if you add to those piles, if you do not add logs, you do not have to line them.

31. Does fire line need to be dug around all downed large monarch sized giant sequoia logs/root balls as well as the historic felled monarch relic stumps as described? No.

32. Are all monarchs marked on the maps or are others located within the grove? All Giant Monarch are marked on the map, however there are of Sequoia that require protect that are not identified on the

CAM.

33. Why are monarch giants designated in three different ways on the map? Please see CAM, Green the inter 50-foot treatment has been completed or red circles No work has been completed, and small brown dots all Giant Sequoia treatment has been completed, this just need to be protected when working adjacent to them on the east side. Please clarify what the colors mean in relation to mechanical piling when located in a helicopter unit 10? Do we treat non-colored monarchs (small brown dots in Units 66 and 11) according to the nested circle RX? Can mechanized piling occur within the outer 50 ft ring in the red and/or green circles of monarchs in Unit 110? Yes.

34. What will the process be if all fellers decline a tree? Could lead to snag retention exceeding stated requirements or were located within 150 ft of a road, trail or other improvement?

Would alternatives such as blasting be desired to ensure life safety and prescription needs are both met? Blasting is not out of the question; it would have to be approved by the CO and it would have additional requirements that would need to be agreed to.

35. Is a California Certified RPF required? No.

36. Will multiple COR’s be available daily for timely approval of operational needs and completions?

There will be one COR and multiple Inspectors.

37. What is the difference between the 15% “wildlife Cover” that can be excluded (where we assume stand structure is important) and other areas that could be considered “deferrals” (where ops are difficult rocks, slope etc?)? The contract requirement is to leave 15% untreated, this will be left up the contractor to identify.

38. What is “heavily stocked” vs “scattered.?” Can that be quantified with more detail and geographically delineated on the map? (Item 5 - #’s 5 & 6 in Appendix A, Amendment 001).

Heavily stocked refers to areas vegetated with trees 10 inches DBH and larger where average basal area exceeds 150 ft2 per acre. Scattered stocking refers to high mortality areas caused by fire or drought that are very open ground with widely spaced small clumps or individual trees generally larger than 10 inches DBH.

• How will sequoia regeneration be identified after overstory tree/snag felling prior to subsequent mastication in units 1 & 8. Will it be individual trees or area perimeters which are designated “marked” for protection? Both How will they be designated (GIS, Flagging, Colors)? Flagged and if needed they can be GPS’s.

39. Do the job titles listed in the construction wage determination (attachment 8c, WD- DBA#CA20230018 04212023) only apply to Items 11 and 12? For example, the construction wage determination lists "timber skidder" on page 18 (group 4). Would forestry skidder operators fall under the forestry wage determination (attachment 8a, Forestry Services WD- SCA#1977- 0727v69) under occupation code 08160-Forestry/Logging Heavy Equipment Operator or do they fall under the Construction wage determination (attachment 8c, WD- DBA#CA20230018 04212023), page 18 (group 4)? Construction wage requirements only apply to work items associated with item 11. All other work falls under Service Contract Act wage determination.

40. Will camping on-site be permitted? Camping onsite or near the project area may be considered. A permit may need to be issued if allowed.

41. Can you please provide the sign-in/attendance sheet from the site visit? This was posted in Amendment 001 to SAM on June 5.

42. Can you confirm that heavy equipment can access the heli landing in the northwestern corner of Unit 10? Yes, must have a track width less than or equal to 10 feet.

43. Clarification on the following previously submitted question: Will any of the speculative Helicopter Service Landings identified and asked about in the pre-bid tour be approved for use (pre-bid tour Stop 2 or either of the two locations off-site viewed at the end of the pre-bid tour?); the last stop seen at the site visit was Latitude: 37°23'50.08"N, Longitude: 119°35'44.63"W. Please see updated maps posted to SAM.gov with Amendment 001. There are two just outside the project area at 37026’43.919” N, 119034’57.369, road number 5S038.

44. Reaching the mechanical piling spec down to 3-inch diameter by 24 inch length across the 409 acre landscape is going to be difficult to achieve mechanically without significant disturbance to the landscape. Is this spec going to be strictly upheld, and if so, should handwork also be specified for this area? There could be some flexibility with this, we are considering amending the piece length 4 feet long for preexisting fuels to be piled.