ATTACHMENT_008_QUESTIONS_0002.docx

1. Since pricing is required per road mile or acre, can the NPS provide historical hazard-tree counts, removal reports, debris quantities, grapple-truck loads, or other production information from recent contracts for these locations?

No. The bid is to be made by an assessment by the company interested in submitting a bid.

2. Does each firm-fixed-price road-mile item include the actual number of qualifying hazard trees encountered within the specified clearing limits without an estimated maximum quantity?

It is price per mile.

3. May three comparable private-sector tree-removal or land-clearing projects be submitted to satisfy the past-performance requirement? How will an offeror without previous federal past performance be evaluated?

Offerors may submit private sector past performance. The solicitation requires descriptions of at least three similar projects, identification of the roles performed by the proposed key personnel, and client points of contact to serve as references; it does not limit acceptable past performance to federal contracts.

4. Must the primary and alternate ISA Board Certified Master Arborists and the licensed pesticide applicator be identified with the quotation, or may their certifications be submitted after award but before work begins under Section 4.8?

It must be identified prior to award.

5. Will progress invoices be permitted for completed and accepted locations, line items, or monthly work, or will payment only be made after completion of the entire contract?

Payments will be made after completion of each line item, after review and satisfaction of the COR.

6. Is a North Carolina pesticide applicator license also required for herbicide work performed on the North Carolina side of the park?

No.

7. SAM.gov and the SF-18 identify the solicitation as 140P5326Q0019, while portions of the RFQ identify it as 140P5426Q0019. Please confirm which number should appear on the quotation and email subject line.

140P5326Q0019

8. Must Amendment 0001 be acknowledged on a signed SF-30, or may written acknowledgment be included with the quotation?

Amendments must be signed and submitted with quote.

9. We can find no corresponding line item in Attachment 004. The only campground reference is "Cades Cove Campground Entrance Road," which describes where Option Item 4 terminates. Could you confirm whether developed-area and Deep Creek waterway work is within the scope of this contract? If it is, please identify the pay item under which it should be priced, the specific areas included, and their quantities. If it is not, please confirm that SOW Section 3.4 does not apply to this year's requirement.

There is no developed-area and Deep Creek waterway work in this contract.

10. Could the Government release the FY26_Roads and FY26_Contract_Vistas layers as a shapefile, geodatabase, or KMZ? If that is not possible, could you confirm the start and end points of each numbered road segment, particularly Base Items 4 and 5?

No

11. The solicitation cites WD 2015-4643 (Rev. 31) and WD 2015-4667 (Rev. 32) for Tennessee statewide, and WD 2015-4417 (Rev. 31) for North Carolina statewide, none of which is attached. Could you confirm which Tennessee determination governs, and whether the determinations will be incorporated into the resulting contract by attachment?

As this project stretches throughout several states/counties, they all apply.

12. The SF-18 and continuation sheet identify this action as 140P5326Q0019, while the body of the combined synopsis/solicitation, the questions instruction, and the quote submission instruction use 140P5426Q0019. Please confirm which number should appear in our quote email subject line.

140P5326Q0019

13. SOW Section 4.8 lists Tennessee certification for herbicide applicators. Given that the work includes Swain County, North Carolina, please confirm whether North Carolina applicator licensure is also required.

No for 13.

14. Are the mileage quantities shown in the Price Schedule based on centerline miles or shoulder/roadside miles?

Not sure what they are asking. It’d be based on road miles.

15. Are tracked machines and wheel loaders generally permitted within the designated work areas? We understand vehicular equipment is not permitted beyond the edge of the forest and roadside equipment is subject to approval.

Yes

16. For bidding purposes, must contractors price the entire Base Proposal Schedule, or may individual areas/mileage segments be bid separately?

There is line item pricing with a bid total for the base bid and the options.

17. May the required herbicide application be performed by a properly licensed subcontractor as part of the contractor's overall scope?

Yes

18. Is this requirement on the AbilityOne Procurement List?

Not to my knowledge.

19. Is there a current incumbent on this work?

No

20. Will you accept a subcontractor's past performance in place of AGE's own?

Prime Contractor must provide past performance not the subcontractor's past performance.

21. The solicitation number is inconsistent between documents: the SF-18 header and page 3 show '140P5326Q0019' while the body text (pages 3-4, 11) repeatedly refers to '140P5426Q0019' — worth confirming the correct number with the CO.

140P5326Q0019

22. The SOW performance period (approx. September 2026 through September 2027) and the SF-18 'DELIVER BY' date of 09/27/2027 and Period of Performance (09/28/2026 to 09/27/2027) appear consistent, but the RFQ deadline of 09/1/2026 leaves only about 4 weeks before the stated contract start of 09/28/2026 — worth confirming award timeline feasibility.

Period of performance start date could possibly be adjusted accordingly depending award date.

23. COR is listed as 'TBD' in the SOW — worth confirming who will serve as COR and when that will be designated.

This information will be determined at time of award.

24. 1. SOW Section 4.4 requires an ISA Board Certified Master Arborist on-site at all times during tree work. We understand this is a very limited credential statewide. Would the Government accept an ISA Certified Arborist in this role, or is the Board Certified Master Arborist credential a firm requirement for the on-site arborist? If a Master Arborist is required, may that individual serve in an oversight capacity with an ISA Certified Arborist performing on-site identification day to day?

A Master Arborist is required to bid on the contract and must be onsite, an alternate certified arborist is acceptable onsite when the primary master arborist is offsite.

25. 2. Please confirm that Attachment 007, the updated Price Schedule Sheet uploaded under Amendment 0001, is the current and only valid pricing schedule, and that Attachment 004 is superseded in full.

Yes attachment 007 is the current and only valid pricing schedule.