Questions and Answers.pdf

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Clarifications:

Offer Due Date is 22 Aug 2024 @5PM EST, and the Period of Performance is 1 Sept 2024 – 31 Dec

Q. Page 18 of the RFQ, Project Location, states “General vicinity maps with infestation locations are below.” The RFQ does not appear to include these maps. Can Ocala National Forest provide the maps?

A. Oversight Error. See attached Maps.

Q. Tables 2 through 8 of the RFQ indicate that “other assorted species” will require treatment. Has Ocala National Forest observed any other invasive species near the treatment areas?

A. Other assorted species is listed by zone and can be found on the individual zone maps in the table with their acres.

Q. Page 25 of the RFQ, Project Access, states “The vast majority of treatment locations are accessible by 4-wheel drive vehicle.” and “Off-road or cross-country vehicle travel is strictly prohibited.” Will Ocala National Forest allow the off-road use of ATVs/UTVs to access the treatment areas and perform the treatments?

A. Contractors will be allowed to lightly traverse the forest as needed with a UTV. ATVs are not allowed. Cross-country travel with UTV should be minimal. If access via UTV has been found to be abused by contractors, future access via UTV will be denied.

Q. Page 28 - NNIS Treatment Inspection states “the Contractor shall be responsible for the systematic/methodical treatment of 100% of the target vegetation identified in the contract Scope-of-Work. A dead plant does not resprout from an original root/rhizome system. All parts of the plant must be dead, not simply defoliated” “If 100% of the area is not treated and/or a 95% kill rate is not achieved for any project area after one to six months post-treatment, one additional thorough treatment will be the Contractor's responsibility at no cost to Ocala National Forest or contracting entities.” If a post-treatment inspection is performed 6 months after treatment, what method will Ocala National Forest use to determine that a plant has re-sprouted from the original root/rhizome system as opposed to sprouting from the seed/spore bank?

A. Ocala staff will inspect treated areas regularly, up to 6 months after treatment. We understand if there is an infested site where a few plants survive a treatment. On the other hand, if there are several sites with evidence of “no treatment” and GPS tracks show an area that was skipped altogether, we reserve the right to recall the contractor at their expense.

Q. During post-treatment inspections, what consideration will Ocala National Forest give to invasive species such as cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica) that are known to require repeat treatments to control?

A. A single herbicide application for cogongrass is expected to cover 100% of the plant. If an infested area has been found with no evidence of any treatment and a lack of tracts covering the area, that will be considered a fail and grounds to recall the contractor at their expense. Another contract is planned for two treatments within the same year starting in spring 2025 and an additional treatment in fall 2025.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q. Will Ocala National Forest allow the use of broad-spectrum herbicides with long soil residency times, which will provide a higher kill rate but also damage desirable vegetation?

A. Any infestation within Sandhills ecosystem consisting of longleaf pines (Pinus palustris) or wiregrass (Aristida stricta) will NOT be allowed to use soil active herbicides.

Any infestation within the Sand pine Scrub ecosystem with sand pine (Pinus clausa) and various scrub oak species will be allowed to use soil-active herbicide causing collateral damage.

Q. Has Ocala National Forest considered including retreatment phases in each contract Item?

A. Future contracts will include two treatments within the same year and advertised earlier in the year.