Z02a_Site Visit_Draft SOI_12363N27Q4000.docx

This is a draft Statement of Interest (SOI) document for a site visit related to a forest stewardship contracting opportunity in the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. The USDA Forest Service is seeking qualified vendors capable of conducting forest thinning and vegetation treatments across 205 acres burned by the Caldor Fire, utilizing Stewardship Authority for contract award. The project requires Cut-to-Length (CTL) harvesting as the mandatory logging mechanism, which involves harvesters cutting and processing trees at the stump while forwarders transport material to designated landing locations over slash mats.

The scope of work includes cutting and processing standing dead conifer trees, forwarding biomass to landings or piles across three units, mechanically masticating dead and down material with project-generated slash and brush, removing slash and large dead and down material to meet fuels treatment specifications, and removing biomass and cull logs from landings to off-forest disposal sites. A temporary road construction is also required to facilitate thinning treatments. The government issued this Sources Sought/RFI for market research and planning purposes to gather vendor capability statements and invite prospective contractors to an organized site visit scheduled for November 3, 2026, before snow limits access. The purpose is to reduce hazardous fuels and reestablish forested landscapes in accordance with the approved NEPA decision. Vendors should note that this is a pre-solicitation phase and the government will not reimburse accompanying costs; however, draft documents are provided to help vendors assess their interest in pursuing this opportunity.