2122-026 RFQ Vegetation Management Services 2023.pdf

SUWANNEE RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

RFQ NO. 21/22-026

FISCAL YEAR 2023 PRESCRIBED FIRE/VEGETATION

MANAGEMENT SERVICES

Table of Contents

Section Title Page 1 Introduction 1 2 Proposed Schedule 1 3 Instructions to

Respondents

4 Key Points 3 5 Scope of Work 6 6 Proposal Response

Forms

Suwannee River Water Management District

9225 CR 49

Live Oak, FL 32060 386.362.1001

386.362.1056 (Fax)

800.226.1066 (Florida only) www.mysuwanneeriver.com

SECTION 1 –INTRODUCTION

The Suwannee River Water Management District (District) is seeking qualifications from firms that can provide turn-key prescribed fire management, mechanical vegetation management, and fireline services on District lands. Prescribed burning, roller chopping, woods mowing, and fire line services will be done to facilitate natural community restoration and maintenance, and to reduce the threat and severity of wildfires. It is the District’s goal to conduct these services in the most productive, efficient, and safe way possible.

SECTION 2 - PROPOSED SCHEDULE

August 22, 2022 Release of Request for Qualifications (RFQ) August 31, 2022 Mandatory pre-submittal meeting at 10:00 a.m.* September 6, 2022 Request for Qualifications due prior to 10:00 a.m. Opening will occur at this time. *

September 15, 2022 RFQ Selection Committee Meeting at 10:00 a.m.*

October 11, 2022 Request for Governing Board authorization of contracts*

October 24, 2022 Anticipated start date.

* Denotes a public meeting. All meetings will be held at District Headquarters in Live Oak, Florida, and all times denote local time.

SECTION 3 - INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPONDENTS

Delivery of Submittals: Respondents may submit in one of two ways.

1. Electronically through DemandStar.

https://www.demandstar.com/app/agencies/florida/suwannee-river-water-management-district/procurement

2. Hard Copy submittals in sealed envelopes delivered to the District Office.

Respondents are encouraged to submit electronically through DemandStar. If submitting hard copy respondents are required to complete and submit one (1) digital copy (USB pdf format preferred, Microsoft Office 2013 or newer, and confirm documents are not encrypted), one (1) printed original, and one (1) copy of the Response Forms included in Sections 6.

Response forms shall be sent in one envelope to:

Suwannee River Water Management District

Attn: Pennie Flickinger 9225 County Road 49 Live Oak, FL 32060

Submission packages being submitted via hard copy are due at the above address by 10 a.m. September 6, 2022. Submissions received after this time, for any reason, will be rejected. All submissions shall be submitted electronically or in hard copy in sealed envelopes with the following clearly marked in large, bold and/or colored lettering.

https://www.demandstar.com/app/agencies/florida/suwannee-river-water-management-district/procurement https://www.demandstar.com/app/agencies/florida/suwannee-river-water-management-district/procurement

RFQ 21/22-026

Bid Opening September 6, 2022

10:00 a.m.

Submission packages delivered in an envelope not properly marked with the RFQ number, opening date and time that are inadvertently opened by District personnel will not be considered. The package shall be submitted electronically, hand-delivered, or mailed.

Proposers should be aware that no common carrier guarantees next-day delivery to District headquarters.

Submissions through DemandStar are to be uploaded to the platform no later than 10:00 a.m. September 6, 2022.

1. Additional Information: Additional packages may be obtained by logging on to www.srwmd.state.fl.us/bids.aspx. RFQ packages will also be available at the mandatory pre-qualification meeting.

QUALIFICATIONS OF FIRMS

Each firm shall submit the following documentation listed under Paragraphs ‘a’ - ‘e’ with the Submittal package. Failure on the part of the firm to include this information with the Submittal shall render the firm non-responsive. Only responsive firms will be considered by District for these services.

2. The minimum requirements necessary to meet the qualifications for this submission are as follows:

a) Firms are required to fill out the SUBMITTAL RESPONSE forms, provided in SECTION 6 of this document for all proposed services.

b) Firms are required to complete the SIMILAR PROJECTS form in SECTION 6 to document the Firm’s work experience completing similar services as those proposed.

Information included on this form should be as extensive as possible to help reviewers fully document similar work experiences in Florida. Contacts included on this form will also be used as work references.

c) The following personnel requirements/work experience should be documented on the

SIMILAR PROJECTS form and the PERSONNEL - EQUIPMENT INFORMATION forms in SECTION 6:

• Firms should currently employ burn crews (burn managers, burn technicians, tractor plow operators, engine operators, equipment operators, etc.) who have experience conducting prescribed burning and vegetation management in the state of Florida under conditions and fuels levels similar to those found in the project areas; The District prefers that Firms provide burn crews that have experience working together.

• Firms must currently employ Florida Certified Burn Manager(s) whose certifications are current and have individually or collectively obtained burn authorizations and burned a minimum of 3,000 - 5,000 acres in the state of Florida over the past three years. Firms that show the ability to burn more acreage/year may be assigned larger-sized project areas.

https://www.mysuwanneeriver.com/26/Bids-Contracts

d) Firms are required to complete the three (3) PERSONNEL - EQUIPMENT INFORMATION forms in SECTION 6 to document personnel experience and equipment availability.

e) Firms are required to complete the SUB-CONTRACTOR DOCUMENTATION Form in

SECTION 6 if they plan to use sub-contractors.

3. Mandatory Pre-Submittal Meeting: A mandatory pre-submittal meeting will be conducted on

August 31, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. at District Headquarters in Live Oak.

ADA Compliance: For all electronic deliverables due under the contract resulting from this Contract Vendor must ensure that those deliverables and all supporting documents are accessible according to 282.603 Florida Statutes and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 relating to the creation and use of electronic documents. This requirement applies to editable formats, such as Microsoft Word, as well as portable document formats (PDF).

SECTION 4 – KEY POINTS

Certification/Training Requirements: Personnel responsible for writing burn plans, requesting burn authorizations from the Florida Forest Service (FFS), and managing prescribed burns must possess a current Florida Prescribed Burn Manager Certification. All crew members must have completed S-130/S-190 Introduction to Firefighting and Fire Behavior. Crew members used as tractor-plow operators or those used to operate machinery for any vegetation management of fireline-related work must also complete Florida Silviculture Best Management Practices Training. If training has not been completed, such training shall be completed within one year.

Training is provided by FFS on a periodic basis and may also be provided by the District.

Selection of Contractor: The District’s goal is to complete all fiscal year vegetation management projects in the most productive, efficient, and safe way possible. Many of the District’s natural community restoration and vegetation management objectives will benefit from working with contractors that can complete assigned work quickly, efficiently, and safely. These benefits may include: 1) additional funding for additional projects can be pursued the sooner assigned work is complete, 2) projects can be aggregated and treated together during optimal conditions to help increase overall quality and safety, 3) fewer days will be needed to complete work which will decrease the potential for disruptions in recreational use and potential impacts from smoke and other hazards.

To help achieve this goal, the District is seeking firms that can provide all the staff/equipment needed to complete turn-key prescribed fire, mechanical vegetation management, and fireline services. Based on the information requested in this document, Firms will have the opportunity to pre-qualify themselves for various types of work based on their overall credentials including:

1) work experience in Florida completing similar types of projects under similar conditions, 2) the number/types of equipment they have available to complete work, 3) and the number of properly trained/experienced personnel currently employed to complete assigned work.

When work is assigned each year, preference will be given to firms that best demonstrate the ability to meet the criteria listed below. Firms that meet these criteria will receive an increased volume of work assignments and may also receive additional money through grant funding that becomes available.

• Firms must be able to provide complete turn-key vegetation management services and demonstrate their ability to have multiple crews working on multiple projects simultaneously (prescribed fire, mechanical vegetation management, fireline services, etc.

• Firms must agree to dedicate multiple crews and equipment to work on District lands for extended periods of time throughout the year and keep them mobilized on District lands until assigned projects are complete.

• Firms must classify all work with the District as a top priority and successfully complete this work when conditions are optimal and within specified project timeframes.

The District prefers firms that meet these criteria without the use of subcontractors but understands that some types of mechanical treatments (mulching, etc.) require specialized equipment which may warrant the use of sub-contractors. Although submitted bid prices can be used as a factor when assigning work, these prices will not exclusively be used for this purpose.

Work assignments may also be based on: 1) a contractor’s capacity to complete multiple projects at one time in a region, 2) their short vs. long-term availability to actually conduct work,

3) their productivity in completing assigned projects and ability to safely burn large acreage tracts using the fewest number of burn days possible, weather-related issues that may require contractors to be moved around between regions, 5) the type of equipment a contractor has and whether it is currently available 6) and other efficiency/logistical factors.

In general, submittals will be evaluated to help identify/pre-qualify firms that will best meet the District’s overall project goals and objectives. Should successful firms be unable at any time to accomplish the work they have been assigned or meet any of the requirements or standards listed in this RFQ and Scope of Work, other firms, who are pre-qualified to provide the same service, will be contacted to complete the required work.

Challenge of Solicitation Process: If a potential respondent protests any provisions of this RFQ, a notice of intent to protest shall be filed with the District in writing within 72 hours after the posting of the Request for Proposal on the District’s website. “Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed in Section 120.57(3), Florida Statutes shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120 of Florida Statutes.”

Challenge of District’s Intent to Award Contract: If a respondent intends to protest District’s intent to award contract, the notice of intent to protest must be filed in writing within 72 hours after posting of a notice of intent to award contract and the respondent shall file a formal written protest within ten (10) days after filing of notice of intent to protest. Any respondent who files a formal written protest pursuant to Chapter 28-110, Florida Administrative Code, and Section 120.57(3), Florida Statutes, shall post with the District at the time of filing the formal written protest, a bond pursuant to Section 287.042(2)(c), Florida Statutes (2014).

Failure to file a notice of intent to protest or failure to file a formal written protest within the time prescribed in Chapter 28-110, Florida Administrative Code, and Section 120.57(3), Florida Statutes, or failure to post the bond or other security required by law within the time allowed for filing a bond shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120, Florida Statutes. More specifically, “Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed in Section 120.57(3) Florida Statutes shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120 of Florida Statutes.”

Americans with Disabilities Act: The District does not discriminate upon the basis of any individual’s disability status. This nondiscrimination policy involves every aspect of the District’s functions including one’s access to, participation, employment, or treatment in its programs or activities. Anyone requiring reasonable accommodation as provided for in the Americans with Disabilities Act should contact Sharon Hingson, Contracts & Procurement Coordinator, at

386.362.1001 or 800.226.1066 (Florida only). The District’s fax number is 386.362.1056.

Minority Business Enterprises: The District recognizes fair and open competition as a basic tenet of public procurement. Respondents doing business with the District are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, handicap, age, or sex. The District encourages participation by minority business enterprises. Whenever two or more service providers are ranked equally, a minority business enterprise shall be given preference in the award process.

Veteran’s Preference: In the absence of minority business enterprise, whenever two or more service providers are ranked equally by the Selection Committee, a veteran-owned business enterprise shall be given preference in the award process.

Drug Free Workplace Act: The selected firm shall certify that it has established a drug free workplace.

Public Entity Crime: Section 287.133(2)(a), Florida Statutes, states “A person or affiliate who has been placed on the convicted vendor list following a conviction for a public entity crime may not submit a bid on a contract to provide any goods or services to a public entity, may not submit a bid on a contract with a public entity for the construction or repair of a public building or public work, may not submit bids on leases of real property to a public entity, may not be awarded or perform work as a contractor, supplier, subcontractor, or consultant under a contract with any public entity, and may not transact business with any public entity in excess of the threshold amount provided in s.287.017 for CATEGORY TWO for a period of 36 months from the date of being placed on the convicted vendor list.”

Scrutinized Company: Section 287.135, Florida Statutes, states “A company is ineligible to, and may not, bid on, submit a proposal for, or enter into or renew a contract with an agency or local governmental entity for goods or services of:

a. Any amount if, at the time of bidding on, submitting a proposal for, or entering into or renewing such contract, the company is on the Scrutinized Companies that Boycott Israel List, created pursuant to s. 215.4725, or is engaged in a boycott of Israel; or

b. One million dollars or more if, at the time of bidding on, submitting a proposal for, or entering into or renewing such contract, the company:

c. Is on the Scrutinized Companies with Activities in Sudan List or the Scrutinized Companies with Activities in the Iran Petroleum Energy Sector List, created pursuant to

s. 215.473; or

d. Is engaged in business operations in Cuba or Syria.”

Insurance Requirements: If awarded, firm shall represent and guarantee that all employees, agents, servants or representatives of the respondent, and all employees, agents, servants, or representatives of subcontractors are covered by workers' compensation insurance. Prior to entering into contract with the District, respondent agrees to furnish the District certificates of insurance on all insurance, naming District as additional insured for items 2 and 3 below, providing evidence that respondent has in full force and effect the following minimum insurance with insurers authorized to do business in the State of Florida:

1) Workers' compensation insurance as required above;

2) Motor vehicular liability insurance with limits of not less than $1,000,000 combined single limit which insurance shall be applicable to any and all vehicles utilized by respondent to provide the services requested by the District.

3) General liability insurance for all services rendered by respondent for the requested services with a minimum of $1,000,000 personal and advertising injury and $1,000,000 general aggregate.

The certificate of insurance shall also provide that District shall be notified in writing by the carrier at least 30 days prior to any cancellation of said insurance.

Rejection of Responses: The District reserves the right to reject any and all submittals or other submittals submitted in response to District invitation. District also reserves the right to waive any minor deviations in an otherwise valid proposal.

Respondents to this solicitation or persons acting on their behalf may not contact, between the release of the solicitation and the end of the 72-business hour period following the agency posting the notice of intended award, any employee or officer of the District concerning any aspect of this solicitation, except in writing as indicated above. Violation of this provision may be grounds for rejecting a response.

Renewal of Contract: The initial contract shall be for a period of three years with the potential for two subsequent one-year renewals based upon Contractor performance, the District’s availability of funding, the same terms and conditions or terms more favorable to the District, and mutual agreement of the District and the Contractor. Billable rates during the first year of the contract will be based on rates identified in the contract Fee Schedule. Rates may increase after this point by no more than 5% annually as determined by the District in its sole discretion.

The contractor shall provide a written request for any increase and such request shall be subject to the District’s written approval in accordance with the District’s Signature Authority. Any changes to this Fee Schedule, including any increases to the billable rates, must be approved through a formal written contract amendment signed by both parties.

SECTION 5 - SCOPE OF WORK

GENERAL

Firms providing submittals will show that they can provide turn-key prescribed fire management, mechanical vegetation management, and fireline services as specified by the District. Firms shall provide all labor, incidental materials, equipment, tools, transportation, and supplies required to complete the work. Services include but are not limited to, prescribed fire planning and implementation, mechanical vegetation treatments (roller chopping, woods mowing, mulching, etc.), fireline establishment, maintenance and rehabilitation, and post-burn mop-up and monitoring. Firms must be able to provide their own equipment and not be dependent on FFS standby. Prescribed Burner Certification by the State of Florida Forest Service and compliance with Certified Burner Statutes are required.

Firms must have a local presence and be available to promptly respond to any issues/needs that arise after the firm’s prescribed burn is complete. These could include smoke management issues, mop-up work, post-burn monitoring needs, or addressing escapes or re-burn situations.

This response must occur within the same day of contact by FFS or District employees, and must include the appropriate personnel, equipment, or contingency measures.

Come clean, leave clean: Invasive, exotic plant (IEPP) infestations are found throughout the United States. Contractors working on behalf of the District may unknowingly import noxious weed material from outside areas or take weed material off District lands and infest other locales. All equipment used on District lands, including tractors, ATV, discs, roller-choppers, etc. needs to be free of IEPP material. District Project Managers are required to inspect each piece of equipment before it enters District managed lands. If contractors are to perform work within 30 meters of an IEPP infestation, the District Project Manager is required to inspect the vehicle before it leaves District property. District staff will designate cleaning areas on each tract for contractors to clean their equipment; staff is responsible for monitoring the cleaning areas for new infestations.

PRESCRIBED FIRE PROJECT AREAS:

District lands are spread out within several river basins each containing separate tracts with many fragmented burn units. Travel time from the western side of the District to work areas on the east/southeastern side may take 2-3 hours. Burn units contain variable fuel loading conditions. Based on vegetation characteristics and general accessibility, some burn units will require hand burning with fire-pots to successfully meet burn objectives. Because of the location and layout of District ownership, the average number of acres burned per day is highly variable and ranges around 80–3,000. If firms are not familiar with District lands, they are strongly encouraged to conduct site visits before submitting submittals.

1) River Basins

In SECTION 6 firms will be able to submit bids for prescribed fire work located within several river basins throughout the District. There are nine (9) river basins that contain acreage targeted for rotational prescribed fire work; each basin contains several tracts and burn units. Within each basin, firms will be able to submit bids for large, small, and smoke-sensitive work areas.

The following guidelines apply when submitting bids for this work:

• If submitting a bid for work within a basin, firms are required to 1) bid on all 3 types of work areas listed below (large, small, smoke sensitive) and 2) submit bids even though the work area may not have been assigned acreage for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023. This is required so rates are available for upcoming years or to cover potential changes in weather or scopes of work.

• Because the District is seeking submittals from firms that can provide turn-key services, Firms are strongly encouraged to also bid on Vegetation Management work in section 3.

WORK AREA DESCRIPTIONS:

Large Areas:

• Areas contain more than 100 acres;

• Acreage may be located entirely within a single unit, split between contiguous units, or within close enough proximity to safely and effectively burn under one burn authorization.

• The goal within these areas is to safely and effectively burn as many acres as possible at one time to take advantage of favorable burning conditions and limit the number of burn days needed.

Small Areas:

• Areas contain less than 100 acres;

• Acreage may be located entirely within a single unit, split between contiguous units, or within close enough proximity to safely and effectively burn under one burn authorization.

Smoke Sensitive Areas:

• These areas have no acreage designations.

• All or part of the acreage is located within a designated FFS smoke-sensitive area.

• These areas will require an increased level of planning and monitoring to address potential smoke management issues.

• The District’s expectation is that all precautions will be taken to significantly reduce the risk of smoke management issues within these areas.

• Contractors will be paid hourly personnel/equipment rates to conduct mop-up activities as needed.

• The level of post-burn mop-up needed will be discussed with and approved by District staff before areas are burned.

Information regarding targeted FY 2023 burn acreage can be found in the bid tables located in SECTION 6. Although FY 2023 targeted acreage will receive priority in the planning, budgeting, and implementation process, District staff may move Contractors to other areas within a basin or to other basins because of weather-related issues or other changes in planning priorities. The District will issue task work assignments that provide information about where and when work is to be conducted throughout the fiscal year. Contractors may also be required to submit bi-weekly work plans that identify and clarify what they intend to accomplish during the bi-weekly period. If work plans are required, the District will provide contractors with a standardized form they can submit that will outline all required information.

Although many units within these basins have been burned once over the last 2-5 years, fuel levels within individual stands may be highly variable. Pine-dominated stands may include both natural and planted timber with varying age differences. Prescribed burns will be scheduled for both the dormant and growing season with the majority occurring between January and May. On average, the District burns approximately 6,000–12,000 acres per year within these basins.

General location maps indicating FY 2023 prescribed fire work areas are included as attachments. Firms can find the location of individual tracts within basins by going to the District’s website at the following link: http://mysuwanneeriver.com/index.aspx?nid=59. The website links to regions are located on the bottom left of this web page. Using the region information at the top of the bid tables in SECTION 6, select the appropriate link to locate http://mysuwanneeriver.com/index.aspx?nid=59 directions to individual tracts. Maps of tracts not found on the website can be provided by the District Project Manager.

2) Mallory Swamp Tract

In SECTION 6 firms will be able to submit bids for various types of work within the Mallory Swamp Tract. Firms submitting bids in this area should be aware of the following information:

A. Approximately 3,000 – 5,000 acres/year are typically targeted for burning in this area.

Mallory Swamp is located in the southwest region of the upper Steinhatchee Conservation Area.

B. Mallory Swamp contains many areas of volatile fuels that contain high levels of waxy leafed shrub species including swamp titi, wax myrtle, palmetto/gallberry, etc.; minimum burn-block size is approximately 300 acres and the maximum burn-block size is approximately 2,000 acres, with few opportunities to divide into smaller areas.

C. The large block size and wet nature of the tract limit internal access for firing purposes. It is the District’s goal to apply fire across the entire burn blocks whenever possible. Many areas are extremely difficult to access by foot or ATV and will often contain a thick layer of roller-chopped vegetation. Firms who bid on ground-ignition services must have an alternative method in place that will be effective in applying fire to hard-to-reach areas. Acceptable alternatives include Flare guns, 4-wheel drive tractors, skidders, etc. properly equipped to effectively traverse wet areas and properly equipped to both apply and suppress fire. Please provide examples of this equipment on the Equipment List in SECTION 6.

D. The preferable time to conduct burning operations is from late February through May.

However, because of variable weather conditions, burns may be scheduled at any time during the year to coincide with favorable burning conditions. Firms must be able to mobilize quickly to take advantage of optimal weather conditions.

E. Mallory Swamp is subject to extreme wet and dry cycles that may limit the number of available burn days. During extreme conditions (both wet and dry), burning operations for an entire season may be canceled.

F. Some acreage may need mechanical treatment (roller-chopping) for vegetative management purposes before burning is possible; this work will be coordinated separately by the District Project Manager.

G. Helicopter dip sites within Mallory Swamp may need periodic maintenance to help maintain their effectiveness and usability in wildfire situations. Prescribed fire contractors can conduct this work and will be compensated based on hourly equipment rates submitted in the Proposal. Equipment needed to maintain these sites may include excavators (with jaws), large backhoes, 4-wheel drive tractors with heavy-duty side-arm mowers (maximum capacity 4-5” dia.) with a 15’ to 20’ reach, etc.

H. Firebreaks are often limited to roads, ditches, and canal edges; Contractor should be prepared to burn from these features. Additional opportunities for establishing new firelines within burn units are limited and must be authorized by the District’s Project Manager.

I. The cost of establishing new firelines within burn units will be paid using hourly equipment rates submitted in the Proposal. Equipment used in the past for fireline establishment work includes D-6/JD 750 or larger LGP dozers with winches, single-drum roller choppers (5’ diameter, 10’ wide), forestry or site-prep harrows, and mulching machines (approximately 200 horsepower or greater).

J. The cost of refreshing existing firelines that occur within burn units and the cost of harrowing road edges will be included in the unit (acre or daily) rate.

K. The cost of mowing roads/ditch edges as a method for establishing firebreaks will be paid using hourly equipment rates submitted in the Vegetation Management section of this Proposal. Equipment used in the past for this work includes: 4-wheel drive tractors with heavy-duty side-arm mowers (maximum capacity 4-5” dia.) with a 15’ to 20’ reach.

L. Firms bidding on prescribed fire work in Mallory Swamp must provide bids for all Mallory Swamp prescribed fire rate types listed in SECTION 6 (acre rates, daily rates, etc.).

ROLLER CHOPPING (Mallory Swamp Tract):

Roller chopping in Mallory Swamp will be conducted to help reduce/consolidate areas of heavy fuel located within selected burn units. This process will help facilitate the effective/safe use of prescribed fire, especially in units located along property boundaries. Firms will also be responsible for installing firelines within these units.

Because work in Mallory Swamp is often funded through various types of grants, Proposer’s will be asked to register as a state vendor at www.MyFloridaMarketplace.com.

This registration may be required as part of the grant requirements.

Firms submitting bids for roller chopping in Mallory Swamp should be aware of the following information:

A. Approximately 500 – 1,200 acres are scheduled for roller chopping work on an annual basis; payment for roller chopping and burning will be made based on submitted acre rates.

B. Primary work areas consist of ridges of higher ground located between wetlands; the edges of work areas are irregular, and production is often low. In the past contractors have been able to chop approximately 15-20 acres per day per dozer/skidder. As conditions dry out within work areas, roller chopping activities may also extend further into previously wetter communities.

C. Roller chopping equipment requirements include two (2) LGP dozers with the following specs: minimum 140 horsepower; D6/JD 750-850 equivalent; must have winch mounted chopper capabilities. A skidder can be used as a substitute for one dozer unit only when conditions are drier and rutting potential is low. Skidders should be at least 200 horsepower and should have the correct tire size to handle wetland-type terrain.

Contractors will be required to have two (2) LGP dozers or one dozer and one (1) skidder on-site during roller chopping operations.

http://www.myfloridamarketplace.com/

D. The District encourages Firms to bid on roller chopping work and submit a bid in SECTION 6 for ground ignition burning of the roller chopped areas. Firms bidding on ground ignition work must meet all prescribed fire qualifications and experience requirements listed in this document.

E. Roller chopped areas must be burned within six (6) weeks following completion of chopping operations.

F. The size of roller chopper drums must be at least 5-6 feet in diameter and 10 feet in length.

G. Individual chopper blades must be at least five (5) inches in height and the cutting edge of the blades must be spaced not more than 18 inches apart.

H. Water ballast may be required to provide optimum penetration and efficiency of blades.

I. All trees less than 8” dbh, brush, woody vegetation, and ground debris within treatment units must be chopped. No streaks or stringers should remain.

J. Firelines will be a minimum of 15 feet wide on units located along property boundaries.

M. Equipment used in the past to install new firelines in Mallory Swamp include D-6/JD 750 or larger LGP dozers with winches, single-drum roller choppers (5’ diameter, 10’ wide), forestry or site-prep harrows, and mulching machines (200 horsepower or greater).

N. New fireline installation work will be paid using hourly-equipment rates submitted in the Proposal.

O. All fireline work will be conducted following the guidelines listed in both the District’s Fireline Standard (APPENDIX–B), and the most current edition of the FFS Silvicultural Best Management Practices manual.

P. Before work is conducted, District will provide Contractor with GIS shapefiles or maps of areas to be roller chopped. After work is complete, Contractor must submit an accurate shapefile indicating the areas that were actually treated. These shapefiles must be included with each invoice. To receive payment, the acreage identified in shapefiles must be identical to the acreage listed on the invoice to the nearest 1/10 acre.

Shapefiles will be in accordance with the following metadata standards:

NAD_1983_HARN_StatePlane_Florida_North, Feet.

Q. The District will field verify acreage and make payment based on this verified acreage within 30 days of receiving an invoice.

3) Vegetation Management

In SECTION 6 Firms will be able to submit bids for various types of mechanical vegetation management work on District lands. This work will be done to help meet natural community restoration/maintenance goals, facilitate the use of prescribed fire, and help reduce fuel levels to protect public resources from the damaging effects of wildfire.

Because the District is seeking submittals from firms that can provide turn-key services, firms are encouraged to also bid on prescribed fire work in Section 1 for both general river basins and Mallory Swamp. Firms bidding on prescribed fire work must meet all prescribed fire qualifications and experience requirements listed in this Proposal.

Mechanical vegetation management work will be conducted year-round, and timing will depend on the specific project area and objective. The size of fiscal year treatment areas is variable and may range from approximately 500 – 1,500 acres a year for roller chopping and woods mowing. The District will issue task work assignments that provide information about where and when work is to be conducted throughout the fiscal year.

District staff and contractors will work together to determine what types of equipment will be needed to complete mechanical vegetation management work. Because the scope of projects may change within a fiscal year, firms are strongly encouraged to provide rates for as many different types of vegetation management equipment they have at their disposal. Any additional equipment and rates not specifically requested in this document should be listed in the Equipment Rates table in SECTION 6. For bids to be considered, firms must provide both hourly and unit rates as requested.

Before a project begins, District staff will provide Contractors with GIS shapefiles or maps of areas where vegetation management work will occur. After work is complete, Contractor must submit an accurate shapefile indicating the areas that were actually treated. These shapefiles must be included with each invoice. To receive payment, the acreage identified in shapefiles must be identical to the acreage listed on the invoice to the nearest 1/10 acre. Shapefiles will be in accordance with the following metadata standards NAD_1983_HARN_ State Plane_Florida_North, Feet.

The District will field verify acreage and make payment based on this verified acreage within 30 days of receiving an invoice.

Mechanical vegetation management work will follow all applicable guidelines listed in the most current edition of the FFS Silvicultural Best Management Practices manual. Mechanical vegetation work will not adversely impact listed plant or animal species, archeological resources, public use facilities such as bike or hiking trails, or enable the spread of exotic plant infestations. Operators are required to avoid gopher tortoise burrows when conducting work.

District staff will provide maps and/or ground location points of any areas to be avoided. These areas may contain historical resources, threatened and endangered plant or animal locations, public use facilities, or exotic plant infestations.

Firms submitting bids for mechanical vegetation management work should be aware of the following information:

ROLLER CHOPPING:

In SECTION 6 Firms will be asked to provide both hourly and unit rates for roller chopping work on all District lands other than the Mallory Swamp Tract. Bid rates will depend on the type of equipment that will be used.

A. If work areas are located on upland sites or work is initiated while soil conditions are dry, skidders can be used to complete roller chopping work; if rutting becomes an issue, contractors will be required to complete work using an LGP bulldozer; LGP bulldozers will be required on all sites containing wetland or highly erodible soils. For timber stand improvement (TSI) projects within densely planted pine stands, a small dozer or 4-wheel drive tractor coupled with a small roller-chopper can be used.

B. Equipment requirements include: one (1) large LGP dozer minimum 140 horsepower;

D6/JD 750 equivalent to pull a large chopper. One (1) skidder to be used on dry sites when rutting potential is low. Skidders should be in the 200-horsepower range and have the correct tire size to handle wetland terrain. One (1) small LGP dozer Class 4-5 (70-90 HP) to pull a small roller chopper for TSI work.

C. Roller choppers used in large open areas with low-density pine timber should be 5-6’ in diameter and 10’ wide, these choppers should have blades that are at least 5” in height and spaced at least 18” apart along the drum; roller-choppers for TSI work should be 3-4’ diameter and 6-7’ wide.

D. In larger, open areas, all trees less than 8” dbh, woody vegetation, and ground debris must be chopped. For TSI work, all trees less than 5” dbh, woody vegetation, and ground debris must be chopped. No streaks or stringers should remain after work is complete.

E. Roller chopped areas should be burned within six (6) weeks following completion of chopping operations.

WOODS MOWING:

In SECTION 6 firms will be asked to provide both hourly and unit rates for woods mowing in areas containing the two vegetation classes listed below. Representative pictures of these two classes can be found in APPENDIX C. Before work commences, District staff and contractors will mutually agree upon which vegetation class will be used for billing purposes. For bids to be considered, firms must provide both hourly and unit rates as requested. Unit rates will be used on most projects;

hourly rates will only be used in areas that require additional time to meet project objectives.

• Class 1 - Work areas contain greater than 50% of woody vegetation in the 3”-5” diameter class; vegetation height is approximately 8’ to 12’; vegetation may be located in uniform sections, clumps, or strips; areas may contain pine timber in various size classes that should be avoided. See pictures 1-4 in APPENDIX C.

• Class 2 - Work areas contain woody vegetation in the 1”-2” diameter class or smaller; vegetation height is approximately 3’- 5’ feet; These include areas that have already been mechanically treated in the last 1-3 years; vegetation may be in uniform sections, clumps, or strips; the area may contain pine timber in various size classes that should be avoided. See pictures 5-8 in APPENDIX C.

A. Most woods mowing work will require heavy-duty rotary mowers that are capable of processing 4”-5” diameter material for several hours a day. Rotary mowers are preferred over mulchers because they better facilitate the use of prescribed fire. Rotary mowers may be front mounted on skidders or skid-steers, or rear mounted behind 4-wheel drive tractors.

B. Wheeled tractors used for this work must be fully caged, 4-wheel drive, and have optimal horsepower (100 HP or greater) to successfully run attachments; mounted skid plates will also be beneficial in areas of heavier vegetation.

C. Heavy-duty rotary mowers/tree cutters should have a 6-7’ foot deck and be designed to mow 4”-5” diameter (maximum) for several hours a day.

D. Skid steer mowers/mulchers must be track driven, enclosed, and 100 HP or greater.

Mowing/Mulching heads should be 6’ wide or larger and designed to treat up to 4” diameter material.

E. Large skidder or track machines that are equipped with front-mounted mowers/mulchers must be in the 200-horsepower range and able to continuously process vegetation with a maximum diameter size of 6” or greater.

F. All targeted vegetation will be mowed to a height no more than 8” above the ground; no patches, streaks, or stringers should remain after work is completed.

G. All treatment areas must be burned within 6 weeks following completion of mowing operations if requested by District staff.

4) PILE BURNING

The District may periodically need pile burning services completed to help meet overall vegetation management or timber management goals. These services will be paid using hourly equipment and personnel rates submitted in this proposal. Firms are encouraged to list all potential equipment/personnel needed to conduct this work on the Personnel and Equipment List in SECTION 6. Mobilization rates should also be included. It is preferred, but not required, that Burn Managers who conduct this work obtain a Pile Burning Certification from the FFS as described in F.A.C 5I-2.006(8)(c). Details about how to obtain this Certification can be found on the FFS website at:

Certified Pile Burner / Education / Forest & Wildfire / Home - Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (fdacs.gov)

5) FIRELINE WORK

All fireline work will be conducted following both the guidelines listed in the District’s Fireline Standard (APPENDIX–B), and the most current edition of the FFS Silvicultural Best Management Practices manual.

Because old firelines already exist on many burn units, the cost of preparing existing lines before ignition will be included in the Contractor’s unit rate (acre or day). Harrowing road edges in Mallory Swamp for fireline establishment purposes will also be included in the Contractor’s acre/daily rate. District staff will work with Contractor to identify the location and method for line preparation before burns are conducted. This may include providing Contractor with shapefiles or hard copy maps.

Other separate, stand-alone fireline projects such as the annual maintenance of existing lines, the establishment of new lines, or rehabilitation of plowed/pushed lines from wildfires, will be paid based on hourly-equipment rates submitted in the Proposal. This work will be invoiced or itemized separately. On average, the District budgets $5,000 - $15,000 per year for separate fireline projects.

https://www.fdacs.gov/Forest-Wildfire/Education/Certified-Pile-Burner https://www.fdacs.gov/Forest-Wildfire/Education/Certified-Pile-Burner

Fireline establishment will be conducted in areas where the land has not been cleared and no previous lines have been installed. Equipment used in the past to conduct this work has included:

bulldozers, front-end loaders (with rakes), excavators, heavy-duty rotary mowers/mulchers, fireplows and forestry harrows.

Fireline maintenance and rehabilitation will be conducted in areas where lines have been previously installed or maintained, or where lines were installed during a wildfire.

• Maintenance equipment may include forestry harrows, medium-duty harrows, or medium-duty rotary mowers or mulchers. In some areas, roads will be used as firelines and may need to be graded using a motor grader.

• Rehabilitation equipment may include bulldozers, excavators, forestry harrows, or re-work harrows.

WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION AND ESCAPED PRESCRIBED FIRES:

Wildfire Suppression: Contractor can be assigned wildfire suppression work orders on District property; compensation will be based on personnel and equipment hourly rates submitted in the Proposal. Wildfire suppression charges must be authorized in advance by the District’s Project Manager. Contractor can be compensated if the wildfire is not related to a prescribed fire they originally ignited. FFS has full authority under Florida Statutes, section 590.02, to manage these incidents and may direct Contractor as needed.

Escaped Prescribed Fires or Re-Burn Incidents: In the event of an escaped prescribed fire or re-burn incident that requires suppression and was originally ignited by the Contractor, Contractors will: 1) initiate suppression, 2) contact FFS as needed, 3) notify the District’s Project Manager or the District’s Land Management Chief and 4) contact directly affected parties. In general, the District’s Project Manager will lead all discussions with affected parties. The Burn Manager responsible for conducting the burn should document the conditions using photos, GPS data, maps, and a written narrative describing the incident including any adverse results and any lessons learned or measures that could be taken in the future to prevent another incident. Any involvement from FFS or other agencies or contractors to suppress the fire should also be documented. Written or email communication outlining the general details of the incident shall be sent to the District’s Project Manager within 48 hours. A full incident report documenting all the above information should be submitted to the District within 10 days following the incident.

In these situations, if the FFS is involved to help with suppression, Contractors will be responsible for coordinating with and working under the direction of the FFS on containment, mop-up, and monitoring until the fire is called out by FFS. Contractors will also be responsible for paying all damages and suppression costs associated with the incident and will be required to conduct work and/or provide assistance without compensation by the District.

After the escaped prescribed fire or re-burn incident has been properly contained/suppressed, District personnel will review all the circumstances of the incident including required incident reports from the Contractor and incident reports from FFS. At the discretion of the District, Contractors may have the opportunity to seek partial or full reimbursement for suppression costs if the District determines none of the following issues have occurred: 1) a lack of due diligence and planning occurred before ignition began, 2) procedures were not taken to properly conduct mop-up operations after burning was complete, 3) procedures were not taken to properly secure or monitor the fire after burning operations were completed.

LONG-TERM MOP-UP, SMOKE MANAGEMENT AND RE-BURN SITUATIONS:

Contractors will be responsible for conducting all mop-up, monitoring, and long-term smoke management procedures. On sites where smoke management issues arise from re-burn situations, organic soil ignition, or long-term fuel smoldering, Contractors will be responsible for completely mopping up these areas to limit impacts from smoke or potential mortality to pine timber or other desirable species. Within the first two (2) days (48 hours) following a prescribed fire, Contractors will be required to conduct this work as a part of normal burning operations and all costs will be included in submitted unit rates. Also, within this two-day period, Contractors will be responsible for paying for any damages or additional suppression or mop-up charges generated by the FFS or any other agency personnel or contractors who have to be mobilized to help address the issue.

After this two-day period, Contractors can be reimbursed for suppression charges or directly compensated for additional time needed to mop up, manage, or monitor long-term smoke and re-burn issues. Reimbursement and compensation must be authorized by the District’s Project Manager. Direct compensation will be based on hourly personnel and equipment rates submitted in this Proposal.

Reimbursement and compensation will not be provided if District personnel determine: 1) a lack of due diligence and planning occurred before ignition began, 2) procedures were not taken within the first 48 hours to properly conduct mop up operations after burning was complete, 3) procedures were not taken to properly secure or monitor the fire after burning operations were completed. If any of these determinations are made, Contractors will be responsible for all suppression, mop-up, and monitoring costs after the initial two-day period.

PLANNING/IMPLEMENTATION REQUIREMENTS:

Prescribed Burn Manager Requirements: All prescribed fires on District land must be planned and managed by a Florida Certified Prescribed Burn Manager with a current Florida certification number. The certified Burn Manager who requests the burn authorization and signs the burn plan must be on-site at all times during burn and mop-up operations. A copy of the Burn Manager’s current certification status card, provided annually by FFS, must be provided to District’s Project Manager prior to ignition. All required personnel, equipment, firebreaks, and permits as established by law must also be accounted for prior to ignition.

Prescribed Burn Plans: Burn plans must be developed by a Florida “Certified Burner” prior to the proposed burn date.