A001_B-H IRSC_QandA.pdf

BH Fuels Reduction Stewardship IRSC

Project Questions, Responses and Amendment 001:

• Is there a due date for questions?

o All questions must be submitted via email by Friday, July 10th, 2026 to

Matthew.Daigle@usda.gov and Ingrid.Anderson@usda.gov.

• Question- Item 4 – Helicopter Yarding- All Products – How will payment be figured.

Will it be from Helicopter weight scales or will it be from load count.

o Item 4 will be paid per weights from Helicopter flight records. Daily flight reports are currently stated to be provided per the solicitation. We recognize that hauled volume per Item 6 (Hauling of Timber Products) will be slightly different as processing occurs at landing. Item 6 payments will be based off of load count (25 or 17 tons per load depending on truck configurations).

• Question about Stewardship Credits and when payments could occur?

o After enough credits have been earned to cover the estimated timber value, payments could occur for rest of service work.

CO Clarification:

o Stewardship credits will be tied to specific work activities at time of award.

When these work activities are completed and accepted, credits will be established on account to cover stumpage costs so that down payment for timber isn’t required.

o If credits are not established in the amount necessary to cover a given units stumpage, then the Contractor will be billed for that value and required to make payment. Once there are enough credits earned through completion of work, this payment can be refunded.

o Similarly, cash payments are also tied to specific work activities at time of award. Cash payments will be made for this work as completed and accepted (and invoiced via IPP).

• Question about whether alternative proposals would be acceptable? Specifically, around disposing of forest products other than at sawmills.

o Alternate proposals may be considered. In order to submit an alternate proposal for consideration, one must provide a proposal for the contract as proposed- that includes both a technical and price proposal.

mailto:Matthew.Daigle@usda.gov mailto:Ingrid.Anderson@usda.gov

• Can tethered logging be considered in place of helicopter yarding?

o No, NEPA does not support the use of tethered logging or ground-based systems and is not an option. As an aside, current road systems don’t support either of these either.

• Question about slash treatment.

o No slash treatment required within the units. There will be slash treatment at the landings that will need to be completed at time of landing closure.

• What needs to be submitted for an acceptable offer?

o Attachment 1-Price documentation:

o Completed schedule of items (pgs. 1-3 of attachment C04a_1a) and

Enclosure 1 self-certifications (pgs. 34-35) o Attachment 2- Technical Proposal that is responsive to the factors in the instructions section of the solicitation.

• According to solicitation, my understanding or interpretation is the per unit items will be paid as such and percentages of completion will be paid per unit as well, even for the felling. I just want to confirm.

o Refer to payment terms in Appendix A, partial payments may be agreed to.

• On page 25 of the solicitation, section a, item 6, under Submission of Offers. Are you looking for just a general statement saying we agree to the terms set forth in the solicitation and any amendments?

o Yes, this can be a separate affirmation or included in technical proposals

• Does the Forest Service have an IGE (Independent Government Estimate)or budget number for this contract and are funds available?

o The IGE cannot be released nor can the available budget, however, if you refer to the Schedule of Items in the solicitation the items that are listed as mandatory (Items 1-9) are the items the government believes they have the funding to award.

• How were volumes determined for Buck-Helene IRSC?

o The compartments in this project are on steep slopes with minimum accessibility. Given the size of the project and the impacts to the wood, the district requested, and was approved, the use of comparison cruising as the most efficient way to estimate the volume.

Utilizing two salvage sales that were completed in the area (Spivey Gap and Shope Creek Salvage Sales), an average of 59 tons/acre for sawtimber and 25 tons/acre for pulpwood were removed, assuming 84 tons/acre total. This average volume per acre for each product was applied across project acres of BH IRSC to determine the estimated volume of products offered.

• Request for Geospatial Data:

o A zip folder titled “A001_Buck_Helene_Fuels_IRSC_Export.gdb.zip” has been attached to the posted documents.

• Does the Government have an estimate of what percentage of timber is merchantable, have any mills committed to accepting the anticipated timber volume?

o Salvage timber volume estimates that meet utilization stands have been accepted by mills. The estimated volume in the contract is considered merchantable. No market for pulpwood exists, however, disposal sites are available to use and are identified on page 4 of Appendix A under Items 6/14.

• Will additional damaged timber that is identified during operations be added to the contract via modification?

o Additional timber may be identified and added to the contract via a bi-lateral modification.

• Season 1 may only have 75 days remaining by the time this contract is awarded, how will this impact the schedule, should we expect a 3rd Season?

o It is believed that this project can be completed by the Period of Performance date of 9.13.2028. However, if unforeseen circumstances and acts of God were to occur that delay performance, an extension can be considered. Of note, wood deterioration and fire risk are of concern so completing this project as soon as possible is in the best interest of all.

• How many helicopters were factored into the IGE? What is the production rate expected per day?

o One helicopter operating 8 hours per day.

• Are there updated maps that show how to access each of the sites?

o There are no additional maps.

• Does the contractor select the locations of the logging decks and landing areas? Or are there location maps for these?

o The Contractor will be responsible for selecting and identifying locations if awarded the contract as part of the submitted logging plan (Item 1a); these locations are not required as part of their proposal. However, proposals shall speak to HOW these locations will be identified.

o The Forest Service has not identified these and does not have maps for these.

• Appendix B revisions: (attached- changes in RED) o Division A.2 Volume Estimate and Utilization Standards revised o C2.11# Timber Subject to Agreement: Roundwood added to table

• Solicitation revisions: (attached- changes in RED) o Revise volume tables o Remove reference to aerial seeding

Strike from Solicitation, pg 20: How aerial seeding will meet end results based on adequacy, effectiveness, and feasibility of the proposed methods to achieve the specific vegetation cover for soil stabilization.