SOW - TOUMEY NURSERY SEEDLING SHIPPING R9 2025 - FINAL.pdf

JW Toumey Nursery Seedling Shipment for R9 Forests

Description/Specifications/Statement of Work

The JW Toumey Nursery (“the Nursery”) is seeking quotes for the pick-up, transportation, and delivery of tree seedlings from the nursery in Watersmeet, MI to various tree cooler sites throughout Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan during April to May 2025.

The first four truckloads are estimated to be transported on or about Mid April 2025, prior to seedling lifting operations. The remaining loads are estimated to begin mid to late April, 2025, but could be sooner or later, depending on weather events.

Unless cancelled by the nursery, one trailer must be ready for loading each morning once seedling lifting has begun (estimated April 15, 2025). Sometimes an additional truck may be requested in the afternoon as well. This means that multiple trucks will need to be ‘in rotation’ to service all the stops once lifting begins.

As the season approaches, tentative dates, truckloads, and drop points will be adjusted depending on the availability of the tree seedlings and the planting crew needs. The schedule of truckloads and drop points will all become firm once these factors are known. A variation of one day in either direction from the final date that the Nursery requests the seedlings be delivered may sometimes be negotiable.

Bidder must supply information about carrier(s) to be used in bid proposal. Truck and driver must be determined 3 days prior to arrival, and this information must be supplied to the nursery at this time.

Due to likely weather variations, flexibility in the delivery schedules will be an important factor in evaluating bid proposals, in addition to price.

Trailer Specifications/Conditions:

The seedlings must be transported in refrigerated trailers with the capability of maintaining constant internal temperatures between 33 to 37 degrees Fahrenheit. Refrigerated trailers must operate within this temperature range prior to loading seedlings, during the entire transportation route, and maintained until all the seedlings have been unloaded.

The trailers must be a full 53’ long refrigerated trailer, capable of hauling up to 800,000 seedlings per load in bags/boxes. One heavy-duty bag/box holds between 100 to 1,000 seedlings, depending on species and seedling size class. Seedlings are typically packed in either paper bags: 32”x33”x10”, or cardboard boxes: 27”x17.5”x11”. Average weight per bag/box typically varies from 30 to 60 pounds.

Total weight of seedlings per truckload will not exceed 42,000 pounds.

In addition, trailers must not have been previously used to transport chemicals or other hazardous substances that would contaminate the seedlings and must be free of debris from previous shipments.

Loading/Unloading:

Government personnel will be available to load seedlings at the nursery and unload seedlings at delivery locations. Loading at the Nurseries will be with loading dock and forklift and unloading at cooler locations will be by hand.

Loading of the tree seedlings at the nursery must begin between 0400 – 1000 CT for the morning truckload, and between 1100 – 1300 CT for any requested afternoon truckloads. It is likely there will be stand-by time at the Nursery of 2 – 5 hours per trip, as the driver waits to have the truck loaded.

Unloading of the tree seedlings at District sites must begin and conclude during office hours: 0800 – 1630 local time. Changes to the above requirement may be granted if arranged in advance with contract person(s) (e.g. weekend deliveries or after hour deliveries). 24 hours prior to delivery, notify the Forests so they can prepare for the delivery. It is likely there will be stand-by time during the unloading process of 2 – 3 hours per drop.

NOTE: In order to meet the loading, delivery, and unloading during office hours, most trailers may need to be loaded the day before at the nursery and parked overnight near the first stop location. Be sure this is included in your cost proposal. Trailer temperature must be monitored to ensure temperatures are always within the specified range.

Truckload Details:

Approximately 20-24 separate one-way truckloads are anticipated with 1 day (or less) intervals between the majority of those deliveries. Weather delays and weekends will spread out the deliveries. The schedule of deliveries will vary based on individual Forest’s needs but will likely rotate between each of the 5 Forests. Actual number of deliveries will vary based on number of seedlings packaged, but a good estimate is listed below.

ESTIMATED Truckload List:

The following tentative list of truckloads for the base year and option years 1-4 is presented for your consideration. Pease NOTE: the number of truckloads, drop-off order and locations below are just estimates and are subject to change:

Spring 2025-2029 ESTIMATED Truckloads (NOT in order by delivery dates):

**Pick up all loads from the JW Toumey Nursery EXCEPT see below:

J.W. Toumey Nursery E23985 Old U.S. Highway 2 Watersmeet, MI 49969 906-358-4523 or 906-367-2238

***One load may be picked up or dropped off at Badoura State Nursery:

Badoura State Nursery

13885 MN-64

Akeley, MN 56433 612-393-2192

****Deliver loads to the following drop point locations:

CHIPPEWA NF: Eric Taylor (Eric.S.Taylor@usda.gov; 423-241-5826)

Deer River Ranger District 1235 Division Street Deer River, MN 56636 218-244-0537 – office number (Travis Jones)

Blackduck Ranger District 417 Forestry Drive Blackduck, MN 56630 218-308-4236 office number (Audrey Gustafson)

Walker Ranger District (cooler not located at the District Office) 08097 Sautbine Rd NW Walker, MN 56484 218-308-4236 office number (Audrey Gustafson)

SUPERIOR NF: Kathy McTighe (Kathleen.McTighe@usda.gov)

Laurentian Ranger Station 318 Forestry Road Aurora, MN 55705 (Kelvin Tryon)

Sand Lake Guard Station 7362 Hwy 53 Britt, MN 55710 (Kelvin Tryon)

LaCroix Ranger Station

320 US 53

Cook, MN 55723 218-343-0322 (Paul Valento) mailto:Eric.S.Taylor@usda.gov mailto:Kathleen.McTighe@usda.gov

Kawishiwi Ranger Station 1393 Hwy 169 Ely, MN 55731 763-360-3887 (Scott Swanson)

Tofte Ranger Station

7355 MN 61

Tofte, MN 55615 218-370-0140 (Isaac Heruth)

Isabella Workstation 3989 Forest Service Drive Isabella, MN 55607 218-370-0140 (Isaac Heruth)

Gunflint Ranger Station

2020 W. Highway 61

Grand Marais, MN 55604

218-370-8410 (Patrick Carlson)

Lake County Forestry 419 Airport Rd Two Harbors, MN 55616

218-370-8410 (Patrick Carlson)

HURON-MANISTEE NF: Carol Young (Carol.Young@usda.gov; 231-942-4945) Glennie tree cooler M-65 Glennie, MI 48737 **0.25 miles north of Glennie on the east side of M-65

CHEQUAMEGON-NICOLET NF: Dan Hinson (daniel.hinson@usda.gov; 715-292-8672)

Washburn Ranger District 113 East Bayfield Street Washburn, WI 54891

Guard Station (USFS) 61770 State Hwy 77 Clam Lake, WI 54517

Laona Ranger District 4978 US Hwy 8 Laona, WI 54541 mailto:Carol.Young@usda.gov mailto:daniel.hinson@usda.gov

Lakewood Ranger District 15085 State Hwy 32 Lakewood, WI 5413

HIAWATHA NF: Jerry Jordan (Jerry.Jordan@usda.gov; 906-428-5854) Rapid River Tree Cooler 8181 US Hwy 2 Rapid River, MI 49878

Raco Tree Cooler 9200 South Ranger Rd.

Brimley, MI 49715

If you are interested in bidding on this work, please provide:

1. A bid to cover costs associated for each truck load.

o Note that you may bid on part of the truckload list (i.e. Superior NF only, etc…) o Include costs for excess wait times o Include cost for drop-trailers (include any additional information on cost breakdown or available options or requirements in technical proposal)

2. A statement on the flexibility that you can provide in the delivery schedule along with carrier(s) that may be used. Preference will be given to proposals that can show they can provide flexibility and guarantee trucks will be available to meet determine timelines.

mailto:Jerry.Jordan@usda.gov