Q_A_-_Mad_Max_0003.pdf

United States Department of the Interior

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

Fire and Aviation 3833 S Development Ave

Boise, Idaho 83705-5354

SOLICITATION Q&A April 10, 2024

Mad Max Mastication Thinning Solicitation Number 140L3724Q0070

CONTRACTOR QUESTIONS GOVERNMENT RESPONSE

1. Why are your specs of no more than 5lbs pre inch track pressure and the rubber tracks?

1. The less than 5 lbs. per square inch ground pressure and rubber tracks requirement is due to archaeology / cultural resource concerns.

2. What type of machine did the other contractor use?

2. The previous machine was a bobcat skid steer with rubber tracks and a Fecon Bobcat forestry head and was unable to gain enough traction to negotiate the steep slopes during dry conditions, and unable to side slope due to rollover concerns.

3. What was the previous contract number and award amount?

3. There was no previous award, all work was attempted internally using BLM equipment.

4. In regard to the stems per acre, is there any better info as to which units have how many stems per acre. the attachments only state that it varies greatly.

4. There are scattered areas within units that regenerated in a patchy manner, leaving some acres with few trees and less work necessary.

However, the units are generally similar regarding stems per acre, and most of the acres in this contract are densely regenerated with thousands of stems per acre.

5. If the stems per acre are very thick can we harvest the material to reduce the overall costs of the project?

5. The contractor may harvest the material if desired, however, it is unlikely to be economically feasible due to the type of material and distance to forest products industries.

6. How adamant is the rubber tracks and 5lbs per square inch for equipment rule?

6. It is a requirement due to archaeological concerns.

7. Is there a minimum recommended HP for equipment to be utilized on this project?

7. Equipment should have enough HP to masticate trees that are up to 10 – 12” inches at root collar.

8. Since machinery access will be limited on some slopes, could you please clarify your preferred method for handling slash (chipped wood and debris) in these areas? Can we leave the slash on the project site, if yes then where is the preferred designated area.

8. Chips and debris would remain scattered where they fall on the ground on the project site.

9. To facilitate efficient planning, could you provide the exact coordinates for each of the seven units mentioned in the solicitation?

9.

Unit 1 42.3593, -107.7547 Unit 2 42.3595, -107.7507 Unit 3 42.3591, -107.7033 Unit 4 42.3504, -107.7041 Unit 5 42.3532, -107.6887 Unit 6 42.3428, -107.6718 Unit 7 42.3222, -107.6899

10. Will there be existing boundary survey stakes in place to delineate the work areas within each unit?

10. The boundaries are not staked, flagged, painted, or marked. Instead, the contractor is provided with shapefiles that will need to be entered into a mapping program such as Avenza to determine the location of the boundaries on the ground.

11. If applicable, could you share how much of Unit 3 was completed by the previous contractor?

11. Approximately one acre.

12. Can better maps be provided? 12. Yes, see attachments for larger maps. If you are still unable to view the maps, please email Linda Neely at lneely@blm.gov to get a direct email with maps, before the closing date of the solicitation.

mailto:lneely@blm.gov