C05m_A003 B-H IRSC_QandA_3v2.pdf

BH Fuels Reduction Stewardship IRSC Solicitation 12363N26R4012

Amendment 003 Questions and Answers

Q.1 Would the use of a Menzi Muck spider excavator be considered?

a. No, due to the NEPA clearance for helicopter units no ground-based equipment would be considered.

Q.2 If a portion of a unit is unsafe, can it be dropped?

a. The entire contract area has areas of storm damage with blown over timber and small slides. Areas of concern may be considered on a case-by-case basis. If the Forest Service concurs that an area is unsafe it would be removed from the contract via a bilateral modification.

Q.3 A high KV powerline runs right through one of the units, are aerial hazards mapped and can that information be shared?

a. Unit 2, Central Poplar has 1 transmission line that runs through it. Not aware of any other units with mapped aerial hazards, refer to project spatial data for known powerlines issued via A001. Attached is a PDF map showing the transmission line.

Q.4 The IGE basis is one helicopter operating eight hours per day according to an answer provided in Amendment 001. With the Period of Performance (PoP) running from award to 2028-09-13, does the Government anticipate performance across the full PoP window including a partial 2026 season, a full 2027 season, and a partial 2028 season? or does it expect the mandatory work to be completed within two operating seasons? and since the Schedule of Items prices helicopter mobilization for two seasons only (Items 3a and 3b), how should offerors treat mobilization if performance extends into a third (2028) operating season?

a. A third mobilization is added to the schedule as an option item.

Q.5 Solicitation-number discrepancy. Attachment 1b (Supplemental Stewardship Requirements) and Attachment 1c (BioPreferred Products) reference solicitation 12363N26R4009, while the SF1449 and main IRSC reference 12363N26R4012. Please confirm that 12363N26R4012 governs and that these attachments apply to this procurement.

a. This is a typo in Attachment 1c. 12363N26R4012 is the governing solicitation number. Corrected in Amendment 003.

Q.6 Mandatory Item 1a prices "13 Each" logging plans, while Appendix A names 14 geographic areas (including "1a Unaka Mountain West"). How many logging plans are required and priced, and how should offerors reconcile the count with the 14 named areas?

a. Units 1 and 1a are to be included in the same logging plan.

Q.7 Submission mechanism and format. By what method should offers be submitted (specific email address, SAM.gov, or a portal), how many copies are required, and are there any format requirements (font, margins, page size) beyond the stated page limits?

a. Proposals are to be emailed to Matt Daigle at matthew.daigle@usda.gov and Ingrid Anderson at ingrid.anderson@usda.gov. There are no formatting requirements or page limits.

Q.8 Alternate-proposal format. The Q&A notes that alternate proposals may be considered if a compliant base proposal is also submitted. For an alternate that diverts non-sawmill mailto:matthew.daigle@usda.gov mailto:ingrid.anderson@usda.gov

Amendment 003 Questions and Answers forest products to beneficial reuse, how would the Government prefer the alternate be presented (a clearly labeled separate section or separate volume), and will it be evaluated under the same factors as the base proposal?

a. Alternate proposals should be clearly labeled and be separate documents.

Alternate proposals will be evaluated in accordance with the solicitation evaluation criteria.

Q.9 Amendment 001 provided geospatial data (file geodatabase) for the helicopter yarding units (Units 1–13 and Unit 1a). The geodatabase does not include boundary or road data for the tractor-ground areas: Vineyard (Unit 14), Chunky Gal, and Davenport. Please provide the same data layers for those three areas — treatment unit boundaries, applicable road network segments, and any other relevant constraint layers — so offerors can plan and price those work items with the same accuracy as the other helicopter units.

a. Additional spatial date is shared in amendment 003.

Q.10 Please confirm whether the existing NEPA decision and project-level environmental analysis covers ground-disturbing activities associated with helicopter log landing construction, service landing preparation, and temporary access road construction or improvement to and from these sites. If any activities require further review, please identify which and the applicable process.

a. All landings and roads listed in contract are covered by existing NEPA. The COR may agree to temporary roads.

Q.11 The Supplemental Stewardship Requirements state that Stewardship Credits will be established on a monthly basis as work is accepted, and that the Forest Products Financial System produces a Statement of Accounts monthly when harvesting is underway. Please clarify:

i. Is the Contractor required to submit invoices on a monthly basis, or may invoices be submitted at a different interval (e.g., upon unit completion or quarterly)?

a. Invoices may be submitted at agreed to intervals or as units are accepted.

ii. What is the monthly cutoff date by which completed and accepted work must be documented in order to be included in that month's Statement of Accounts?

a. Last day of the month

iii. The Supplemental notes that acceptance may be for "all, or a reasonable portion of, any specific activity." Please confirm whether partial unit acceptance — and the corresponding invoice — may be submitted prior to full unit completion.

a. Partial payments may be agreed to in accordance with Appendix A section V payment terms.

Q.12 Please confirm whether there is a limit on the number of active and established landing zones that may be open at any one time. If so, specify the maximum number permitted, the rationale for this limit, and the procedures for managing additional landing zones when operational demands exceed the limit.

a. There is no limit to the number that can be open at the same time. Contractor is responsible for keeping erosion control and seeding up to date for all open landings.

Amendment 003 Questions and Answers Q.13 Does the Forest Service require a helicopter congestion area plan if multiple helicopters are operating within the same work area or neighboring units? If so, please describe the planning requirements and approval process.

a. These would be required as part of an operational and safety plan.

Q.14 Will heliports be permitted for transporting sawyers within the defined work areas? If so, describe the conditions under which they may be used and any operational restrictions.

a. They would be allowed , however no clearing would be permitted in the units, and no structures would be allowed to remain after the closing of the unit.

Q.15 Please describe the Forest Service's policies and procedures for limiting or suspending helicopter and Sawyer operations. Are operational thresholds for adverse weather, wildfire activity outside the work area, and other hazards determined by the pilots / ground crew or Forest Service. Is the Forest Service responsible for authorizing shutdowns and resumptions; and explain how these decisions are communicated to all affected personnel

a. Operational thresholds will be determined by the Contractor with the exception that the Forest Service may temporarily restrict operations in the event of a wildfire or other Agency mission. The Contractor is expected to stay informed of all NOTAMs posted within the airspace and to deconflict operations within the airspace with other commercial operators. The Contracting Officer will provide written notification to the Contractors’ representative if a temporary suspension is ordered by the requiring activity. The Contracting Officer’s Representative may also order an immediate suspension when needed to protect life or public safety. Authorization to resume operations will be issued by the Forest Service using the same notification channels.

Q.16 Has the Forest Service preidentified any areas for helicopter service landings?

a. No areas have been preidentified.

Q.17 How did the Forest Service estimate the volume of timber to be removed

a. Answered in amendment 001.

Q.18 Would a teaming arrangement be acceptable to accomplish solicitation requirements? Is a formal plan with subcontracting goals required?

a. Yes, teaming arrangements would be acceptable. No formal requirements or subcontracting goals are required.

Q.19 Addendum 2 Q&A states in the response to question B – 4 that page limits are stricken and no longer apply, but the response to question C – 5 implies that there is a 1 page limit for the Timing portion of the Proposed Operation Plan. Please clarify if there are page limitations for the subsections required in the Proposed Operation Plan.

a. All page limits have been removed from proposal requirements. All references to page limits have been struck from the instructions section in the amended solicitation documents.

Q.20 Please confirm a bid bond is not required at the time of submittal.

a. No bonding is required for this solicitation, therefore there is no requirement for a bid bond.

Amendment 003 Questions and Answers Q.21 Enclosure 1 (Employment of Eligible Workers – Workforce Certification) states

“Subcontractors are bound by the same requirements for licenses and permits under this contract. If a Prime Contractor identifies a Subcontractor as part of their workforce to accomplish the work under this solicitation, the Prime Contractor will submit the Subcontractor's signed certification with their response to the solicitation.” However, the solicitation only includes a single Enclosure 1 certification form and does not provide a separate subcontractor certification form.

i. Please confirm if each proposed subcontractor is expected to complete and sign a separate copy of Enclosure 1.

a. Yes

ii. Please confirm if the reference to the subcontractor's "signed certification" is intended to mean submission of copies of the subcontractor's applicable licenses, permits, or other certifications (such as FLC/MSPA or H-2B documentation), rather than a separate signed Enclosure 1.

a. Yes, subcontractors will be required to submit workforce certifications.

Q.22 Section 52.212-1(a)(5) requires offerors to submit "Responses to provisions that require Offeror completion of information, representations, and certifications (other than those collected via the System for Award Management (SAM))." Are there specific representations and certifications expected to be submitted with the proposal?

a. All specific representations and certifications have been included in Enclosure 1.