Questions-Answers 12444726Q0031.pdf

Broadcast Herbicide IDIQ 12444726Q0031

Questions and Answers

Last Day for Questions 12 June 2026

1) Is there any incumbent/recompete or this is a brand-new project? If yes, could you please provide us with their award number or even if the customer bought similar services in the past.

Answer: Incumbent Contractor: CR TURNER ENTERPRISES, LLC IDIQ# Award Number: 12444322D0004

2) Would spray drones be allowed in place of the ground rigs?

Answer: As much as I would love to explore this as an option, we unfortunately cannot use drones for spray application at this time. It has not been cleared up for use on the Allegheny National Forest.

Drones may also be limited in the application because the application takes place in dense forested settings.

3) If so, do you have a rough estimate of the number of acres needing to be sprayed? I know one of the Excel sheets provided ranges, but I wasn't sure if you had the total amount by chance

Answer: The initial task order for August and September treatment will be 2,261 acres. The ranges are typically 2,000-2,500 acres, but there are occasions when we spray in the 2,500- 3,000-acre range.

4) Could you provide the locations and unit sizes for this work? Possibly a map if one is available.

Answer: Due to the variability from unit-to-unit, maps are not provided with the initial IDIQ.

Units range in size from less than 10 acres to slightly over 100 acres. The average block size would be 25-35 acres in size; with a typical task order comprised of around 70-90 blocks.

Terrain varies from flat to slopes up to 35%. Units are all forested but have usually had previous logging . There will be skid trail access in the units, stumps and logging slash present. These treatments are typically applied to shelterwood harvests but may occasionally be applied prior to harvest in a fully stocked stand.

5) The SOW states that the contractor must treat up to 50 acres per day. Without knowing the accessibility and terrain, that may be difficult to perform. Can we use a drone for spraying across the sites or use partial drone access for any hard-to-reach areas.

Answer: No drones can be used for application as they are not approved for use on the Allegheny National Forest at this time. As for access, most of the units have been previously logged and have truck access. If the units haven't been logged, there is still reasonable truck access and may require some short tracking by the forestry spray equipment.

6) The SOW states that the sites were recently harvested. Can you provide the timing of the harvests for the units and the density of the slash and treetops on the ground?

Answer: The units vary on harvest timeline. I would say most applications occur within 2-5 years after the post shelterwood harvest; however, there may be some outliers. As for density of slash, that is usually dependent on the logging system applied during the harvest. I would expect moderate to heavy slash on a majority of the units. Equipment must be capable of running over slash present on site.

7) What is the density of the target materials?

Answer: Variable.

Most areas have had non-commercial brush cutting less than 6" DBH performed 2-3 years prior to herbicide application; however, some units may not be prepped and may have dense 15- 20-foot-tall interference. Usually beech, birch and occasionally buckthorn.

8) Can you provide the terrain? The assumption is rolling hills with the understanding that there will be areas not accessible.

Answer: Your assumption is mostly correct; however steep units do exist. The steeper units usually have cut skid trails that can be used for application and turning equipment around.

There are rare cases in which terrain is untreatable. I would say annually this accounts for less than 5% of a typical task order acreage.

9) High pressure sprayers are suggested. UTV mounted or tracked skid steer mounted sprayers? Are we looking at boomless mounted nozzles and broadcasting the entire unit, or will there be spot treatments as well?

Answer: I would say that UTV's are not large enough or sturdy enough to carry the volume of water necessary to complete the annual acreage. I don't think a UTV would be able to handle the slash on site and would end up broken down more than it would be running. A tracked skid steer may be able to handle the slash and terrain; however, I think it would take many trips to accomplish the acreage due to spray tank size. I also know that tracked skid steers tend to throw their tracks on some of the terrain that we encounter for similar contracts.

The machinery usually used to perform these treatments are mounted to skidders or large tracked machines similar to a KMC

10) Will a site visit be available?

Answer: No formal site visits are planned; however, I have attached a copy of the vicinity units on the Marienville RD planned for fall of 2026. The map is geo refenced and you may travel to look at the units. Some units may be behind locked gates; however, there will be units to view that are on open roads. The map will show what half of a typical program looks like.