25-021 IFB Jackson Creek Forest Restoration.pdf

DOUGLAS COUNTY GOVERNMENT

Finance Department ~ Purchasing Division

100 Third Street, Suite 130

Castle Rock, Colorado 80104

Telephone: 720-673-4135 www.douglas.co.us

INVITATION FOR BID (IFB)

NO. 021-25

JACKSON CREEK FOREST RESTORATION PROJECT

YOUR BID RESPONSE MUST BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN

AUGUST 19, 2025 @ 4:00 PM

BIDDER'S CERTIFICATION

We offer to provide to Douglas County the materials, supplies, products and/or services requested in accordance with the specifications and subject to the terms and conditions of the purchase(s) described herein:

BIDDER:

ADDRESS:

CITY: STATE: ZIP:

TELEPHONE NUMBER: FAX NUMBER:

EMAIL:

BY:

(Printed or Typed Name)

(Signature)

TAXPAYER I.D. NUMBER:

Signature constitutes acceptance of all terms and conditions listed on this form and all documents attached.

Bids shall be received ELECTRONICALLY ONLY through the Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing/BidNet System website at (www.bidnetdirect.com/colorado/douglas-county-government). All bid responses should consist of one (1)

PDF document, without password protection. It is the sole responsibility of the bidder to ensure that their bid response is received on time. Bids will not be considered which are received after the time stated.

Douglas County distributes solicitation documents through the Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing/BidNet System only.

Copies of solicitations obtained from other sources are not considered official copies and the County cannot attest to their accuracy. All BidNet System questions must be addressed with BidNet Vendor Support at 800-835-4603.

Douglas County Government reserves the right to reject any or all bids, to waive formalities, informalities, or irregularities contained in the said bid and furthermore, to award an agreement/contract for items herein, either in whole or in part, if it is deemed to be in the best interest of the County to do so. Additionally, the County reserves the right to negotiate optional items and/or services with the successful bidder.

http://www.douglas.co.us/ http://www.bidnetdirect.com/colorado/douglas-county-government

OVERVIEW:

Through this Invitation for Bid (IFB), the Department of Open Space and Natural Resources of Douglas County

Government, hereinafter referred to as the County, respectfully requests bids from responsible and highly-qualified contractors for the provision of services for the Jackson Creek Forest Restoration Project, as specified.

The initial agreement/contract, issued as a result of this IFB, will be for a period of 16 months, beginning approximately September 1, 2025 to and including December 31, 2026. All pricing shall be firm and fixed for the initial agreement/contract period. This agreement/contract and any extension to the original period of a subject agreement/contract shall be contingent upon annual funding being appropriated, budgeted, and otherwise made available for such purposes and subject to the County’s unanimous satisfaction with the products and services received during the preceding agreement/contract period.

MANDATORY SITE VISIT:

ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 2025 AT 10:00 A.M. THERE WILL BE A MANDATORY SITE VISIT

RELATED TO THIS PROJECT. THE MANDATORY SITE VISIT WILL PROVIDE ALL

INTERESTED PARTIES THE OPPORTUNITY TO VIEW THE SITES AND TASKS RELATED TO

THE SCOPE OF WORK. THE MANDATORY SITE VISIT WILL TAKE PLACE AT 435 NORTH

PERRY PARK RD, SEDALIA, CO 80135. ONLY THOSE PROSPECTIVE BIDDERS ATTENDING

THE MANDATORY SITE VISIT WILL BE ALLOWED TO SUBMIT A BID FOR THIS PROJECT.

(Please bring a business card, as sign-in sheets will not be passed around)

TIME REQUIREMENTS / TENTATIVE IFB CALENDAR:

July 25, 2025 Invitation for Bid (IFB), posted on RME-Purchasing System

August 7, 2025 MANDATORY SITE VISIT (please see above)

August 11, 2025 Deadline for the Submission of Questions

August 15, 2025 Questions/Answers Posted on the Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System

August 19, 2025 Invitation for Bid (IFB) Due Date, Bids due before 4:00pm

August 2025 Interview of Finalists (if necessary)

September 2025 Contract Award / Start Date

MANDATORY INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN BID RESPONSE:

All bid responses must address each of the following. Do not exclude any major or minor items of information not specifically mentioned, but which would normally and reasonably be provided. Please be advised that the greater the degree of specificity, the more likely it will be for the County to review your response favorably.

1.) Provide a complete description of your company to include the number of years you have been doing business in the State of Colorado and the prior experience your company has had with similar projects.

2.) Explain why your company would stand out above all others and why your firm would be a valuable resource to the County.

3.) Explain the partnership that you would envision with Douglas County Open Space & Natural Resources as well as the Colorado State Forest Service.

4.) Provide a copy of your “Mission Statement” and “Standard of Quality Statement”.

5.) All bidders must submit written disclosure of any known potential conflicts of interest that may result during the course of performance of the services listed herein.

6.) List any and all legal disputes, mediations, arbitrations, and/or lawsuits in which you or your firm has been involved in the last ten (10) years, include details related to the current status and/or outcome.

GENERAL BID CONDITIONS AND PROVISIONS:

All bids must be submitted on the forms provided and in accordance with all terms, conditions, specifications, and stipulations contained herein. Bidders shall carefully read and be familiar with all terms, conditions, specifications, and stipulations contained in this IFB, which shall become part of the final agreement/contract.

All bids must be signed by a duly-authorized official of the company. The completed and signed bidder certification page (together with all required attachments) must be uploaded to the Rocky Mountain E-

Purchasing/BidNet System before the due date and time shown on page one (1).

All participating bidders, by their signature on the certification page, shall agree to comply with all terms, conditions, specifications, and stipulations of this IFB as stated or implied herein. Any alteration, erasure or interlineation by the bidder in this IFB shall constitute cause for rejection by the County. Exceptions or deviations to this IFB must not be added to the IFB pages and must be on company letterhead and accompany the bid response.

Bid, Performance, and Payments Bonds will be submitted on Douglas County Bond forms, as provided.

All bidders are required to complete all of the information requested in this IFB. Failure to do so may result in the disqualification of your bid response. When omitting a bid on an item, please insert the words “NO BID”.

Prices stated must be in the units specified. In the case of a discrepancy between the unit price and extension price, the unit price shall be considered correct. Minor details omitted by oversight will not constitute an excuse for their omission.

Bid pricing shall be fixed and subject to acceptance or rejection within ninety (90) days of the bid due date.

The County will not be responsible for any goods delivered and/or services performed without its purchase order, signed by an authorized representative of the County’s Purchasing Division.

The successful bidder will be required to provide proof of and the required limits of liability insurance, including

Workers’ Compensation. This proof of insurance must be in the form of a “Certificate of Insurance” and must show coverage in the amounts specified by the laws of the State of Colorado for the duration of any agreement/contract issued as a result of this IFB. Additionally, the County must be notified of any changes occurring in this coverage and the successful bidder must demonstrate to the County that such changes do not, in any way, affect the minimum liability insurance required for this bid.

All information submitted in response to this IFB may be subject to disclosure under the Colorado Open Records

Act. Bidders are discouraged from providing information that they consider confidential and/or privileged as part of their response to this IFB. If any portion of your response is identified as proprietary and/or confidential, a redacted copy must be uploaded to the Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing/BidNet System with your original/complete response.

The successful bidder may be required, as a provision of this IFB, to submit proof of compliance with governmental health and safety codes, regulations and standards, as appropriate.

The successful bidder shall be in complete compliance with all terms, conditions, specifications, and stipulations of this IFB as outlined herein. The County shall have the right to inspect the facilities and equipment of the successful bidder to ensure such compliance.

No bid shall be accepted from, and no agreement/contract will be awarded to, any person, firm or corporation that is in arrears to the County, upon debt or contract, or that is a defaulter, as surety or otherwise, upon any obligation to the County, or that has failed to attain or demonstrate compliance with any law, ordinance, regulation, or agreement/contract term or condition as may be provided for or required in any County agreement/contract, or that may be deemed irresponsible or unreliable by the County. Bidders may be required to submit satisfactory evidence that they have a practical knowledge of the particular work bid upon and that they have the necessary financial resources to perform and complete the work outlined in this IFB.

All bidders agree to abide by all of the laws, regulations, and administrative rulings of the United States, the State of Colorado, and the County of Douglas, securing all necessary licenses/permits in connection with this IFB.

All materials furnished or services performed under the terms of this agreement/contract issued as a result of this

IFB shall comply with the requirements and standards specified in the Williams-Steiger Occupational Safety and

Health Act (OSHA) of 1970 (Public Law 91-596), as well as with other applicable federal, state, and local codes.

In the event that this IFB requires a formal contract to be prepared by the County, the successful bidder will properly sign and furnish any bonds, insurance, Workers’ Compensation, etc. as may be required by the County within ten (10) days (unless a longer period is allowed by the County) from the date of receipt of the formal contract forms.

All bidders must take into consideration that only the County’s documents will be used in the finalization of any contract issued as a result of this IFB. Bidders are responsible for reviewing such documents prior to submitting their bid response.

ETHICAL STANDARDS:

It shall be a breach of ethical standards for any person to offer, give, or agree to give any employee or former employee, or for any employee or former employee to solicit, demand, accept, or agree to accept from another person, a gratuity or an offer of employment in connection with any decision, approval, disapproval, recommendation, preparation of any part of a program requirement or purchase request, influencing the content of any specification or procurement standard, rendering of advice, investigation, auditing, or in any other capacity in any proceeding of application, request for ruling, determination, claim or controversy, or other particular matter, pertaining to any program requirement or an agreement/contract or subcontract, or to any solicitation or

IFB, therefore.

It shall be a breach of ethical standards for any payment, gratuity, or offer of employment to be made by or on behalf of a subcontractor under an agreement/contract to the prime contractor or higher tier subcontractor or any person associated therewith, as an inducement for the award of a subcontract or order.

In the event that any gratuities or kickbacks are offered or tendered to any County employee or representative, the bid response shall be disqualified and shall not be reinstated.

ETHICSPOINT/NAVEX GLOBAL:

Douglas County is committed to an environment where open, honest communication is the expectation, not the exception. Douglas County has implemented a phone and Internet-based reporting system called

EthicsPoint/Navex Global. The reporting system allows employees to report issues or concerns that they may have in an anonymous and confidential manner. We consider it a critical component in providing a safe, secure, and ethical workplace.

An option within the system allows vendors to also report an issue. As a vendor, you are in a position to observe not only questionable or unethical behavior by our employees but also identify areas that you would like to make a suggestion for change. By calling 1-888-337-3094 or logging-in on the Internet to www.ethicspoint.com and entering Douglas County Government, you can file a report, offer a suggestion or voice a concern. Online instructions are available on how to use the system. The EthicsPoint/Navex Global system also offers a follow-up/response mechanism. You can be assured that this is a fast, easy, and confidential system.

NON-COLLUSIVE BIDDING CERTIFICATION:

By the submission of your bid response, the bidder certifies that:

1) The bid has been arrived at by the bidder independently and has been submitted without collusion with any other bidder.

2) The contents of the bid have not been communicated by the bidder; nor, to the best of their knowledge and belief, by any of their employees or agents, to any person not an employee or agent of the bidder or the surety on any bond furnished herewith, and will not be communicated to any such person prior to the official http://www.ethicspoint.com/ opening of this bid.

3) No bidder shall submit more than one (1) bid, to include an alternate bid or bids, for this purchase.

NON-DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT:

In connection with the performance of the work under an agreement/contract issued as a result of this IFB, the successful bidder must agree not to refuse to hire, discharge, promote or demote, or to discriminate in matters of compensation against any person otherwise qualified, solely because of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, military status, sexual orientation, marital status, or physical or mental disability. The successful bidder must further agree to insert the foregoing provision in all subcontracts.

INDEMNIFICATION:

The County cannot and by this agreement/contract does not agree to indemnify, hold harmless, exonerate or assume the defense of the contractor or any other person or entity whatsoever, for any purpose whatsoever. The contractor shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless the County, its commissioners, officials, officers, directors, agents, and employees from any and all claims, demands, suits, actions or proceedings of any kind or nature whatsoever, including Workers’ Compensation claims, in any way resulting from or arising from the services rendered under this agreement/contract; provided, however, that the contractor need not indemnify or save harmless the County, its officers, agents and employees from damages resulting from the sole negligence of the

County’s commissioners, officials, officers, directors, agents, and employees.

INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR:

The contractor is an Independent Contractor and is free to perform services for other clients. Notwithstanding any provision of this agreement/contract, all personnel assigned by the contractor to perform work under this agreement/contract shall be, and remain at all times, employees of the contractor for all purposes. The County shall have no responsibility for any federal and state taxes and contributions for Social Security, unemployment insurance, income withholding tax, and other taxes measured by wages paid to employees of the contractor and/or its designated agents. The contractor acknowledges that it and its employees are not entitled to Workers’

Compensation benefits or Unemployment Insurance benefits from the County, unless the contractor or a third party provides such coverage, and that the County does not pay for or otherwise provide such coverage. The contractor shall provide and keep in force Workers’ Compensation (and provide proof of such insurance when requested by the County) and Unemployment Compensation insurance in the amounts required by law, and shall be solely responsible for its own actions, its employees and agents.

ASSIGNMENT OF PURCHASE ORDER OR CONTRACT:

The successful bidder may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations under any purchase order or agreement/contract made and entered into pursuant to the County IFB without the prior written approval of the County Purchasing Division.

CANCELLATION:

The County reserves the right to cancel the whole or any part of an agreement/contract issued as a result of this

IFB due to the failure of the successful bidder to carry out any term, promise or condition of the agreement/contract. The County will issue a written notice of default to the successful bidder for failing to act in compliance with the terms and conditions of such an agreement/contract.

EXAMINATION OF RECORDS:

The successful bidder agrees that the County shall, until the expiration of three (3) years after the final payment under an agreement/contract issued as a result of this IFB, have access to and the right to examine any directly pertinent books, documents, papers, and records of the bidder involving transactions of such agreement/contract.

PRICE, PAYMENT, AND DELIVERY:

1) All prices shall be firm and fixed for the specified time frame.

2) All payment terms shall be “Net 30”; consideration will be given to any discounts offered for payments made earlier than “Net 30”, please explain.

3) In an effort to improve efficiency, Douglas County encourages the use of purchasing cards to make payments.

Under this method, payments are made after the verification of the receipt of the goods and services and following the receipt of a proper invoice. Please confirm if this would be an acceptable payment option.

4) All deliveries will be “F.O.B. ~ Destination”

TAXES:

All pricing shall reflect all applicable tax exemptions for Douglas County:

1) Federal Registration Number: 84-6000761

2) State Registration Number: 98-04428

COOPERATIVE PURCHASING:

Douglas County encourages cooperative purchasing in an effort to assist other agencies to reduce their cost of bidding and to make better use of taxpayer dollars through volume purchasing. Vendors may, at their discretion, agree to extend the prices and/or terms of the resulting award to other state or local government agencies, school districts, or political subdivisions in the event they would have a need for the same product/service. Usage by any entity shall not have a negative impact on Douglas County in the current term or in any future terms. The vendor must deal directly with any governmental agency concerning the placement of purchase orders/agreements, freight/delivery charges, contractual disputes, invoices, and payments. Douglas County shall not be liable for any costs or damages incurred by any other entity.

QUESTIONS/INQUIRIES/ADDENDUMS:

All questions related to this IFB must be submitted ELECTRONICALLY ONLY through the Rocky Mountain

E-Purchasing/BidNet System website at (www.bidnetdirect.com/colorado/douglas-county-government). Please enter only one (1) question per line.

Questions will be received until 5:00 p.m MDT on Monday, August 11, 2025. Responses to all questions will be posted on the Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing/BidNet System no-later-than Friday, August 15, 2025.

If it becomes necessary to revise any part of this IFB or if additional data is necessary to enable an exact interpretation of the provisions of this request, an addendum will be issued. It is the responsibility of the potential bidder to ensure that they have received all addendums prior to submitting their IFB response.

EXHIBITS:

1) Exhibit “A” ~ Standard Public Contract for Services (for information only)

2) Exhibit “B” ~ Standard Bid Bond Form (to be completed and returned with your IFB response)

3) Exhibit “C” ~ Performance and Payment Bond Forms (for information only) http://www.bidnetdirect.com/colorado/douglas-county-government

INVITATION FOR BID (IFB) #021-25

DOUGLAS COUNTY

INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS

SCOPE OF WORK:

PURPOSE:

• Reduce wildland fire hazard and realign the forest with historical conditions by decreasing tree densities, removing ladder fuels, modifying stand structure and creating openings in the forest canopy.

• Improve overall forest health by increasing tree crown spacing, reducing resource competition, and improving growing space for residual trees and oak.

• Lower the threat of insect and disease outbreaks by reducing stand densities.

• Protect watershed integrity and riparian habitat through moderating potential wildland fire severity and minimizing adverse post-fire impacts.

LOCATION AND GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF WORK:

• The Jackson Creek Forest Restoration Project is located in Sections 16-20 and 29-31 of Township 8S, Range 68W, in Douglas County, Colorado. The project area is primarily located off of Jackson Creek

Road, approximately 13 miles west of the Town of Castle Rock.

• Work involves fuels reduction and forest stand improvements in a mixed conifer forest with a Gambel oak understory. Treatments will be implemented via a combination of mechanical harvesting, hand felling, and mastication. A site inspection is required for this project.

• Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS) will be the Project Administrator in accordance with service agreements with Douglas County and private landowners.

PROJECT AREA DESCRIPTION:

• The project covers 9 private properties and 1 County-owned property, with the potential for additional private properties to be added on depending on treatment costs. The total treatment area has a gross acreage of approximately 510 acres, with the potential to add additional acreage.

• The project area lies within a gradient of forest types. The eastern end is dominated by open grown

Gambel oak with minimal tree cover. This transitions into ponderosa pine dominant stands and then dense mixed conifer forests further to the west.

• The terrain in the project area is highly variable. Some areas are relatively flat with good operability, whereas many other areas are characterized by steep draws and ridges where mechanical treatment will be significantly limited. Multiple creeks run through the project area with very steep slopes on either side. As such, a significant portion of the project (~40%) is expected to be hand treatment or other treatment methods.

o Due to the complex terrain, the contractor will be paid out based on acres completed as measured via GPS by the project administrator. If any acres are left untreated, they will be excluded from payment.

o Other steep-ground treatment methods may be considered depending on treatment costs, including helicopter logging or spider mastication in high priority areas.

• The project area is shown on the attached maps and further described in the following tables.

TREATMENT TIMELINE:

Property Type Acreage Treatment Period

1. DCOS 172 September 1, 2025 – March 31, 2026, July 16, 2026 – December 31, 2026

2. Private 338 September 1, 2025-December 31, 2026

TOTAL ACRES 510

SLOPE DISTRIBUTION:

The following numbers are estimates based on 10-meter DEM data.

0-10% 11-20% 21-30% 31-40% 40+% TOTAL:

Acres: 25 85 106 102 192 510

TREATMENT TYPE:

Mechanical Treatment Hand Treatment TOTAL

Acres 294 216 510

* Approximate acreage figures based on slope maps.

PROJECT MARKING:

Type Color

Treatment Boundary Pink Flagging (N,S,E,W)

Stream Buffers (SMZ, RCZ, etc.) Yellow Flagging

Hazards (barbed wire, rebar, etc.) Orange Flagging

Habitat trees, isolated seedlings and saplings (retain) Orange Flagging

Photo Points Yellow and Black Striped Flagging

Removal Trees (>5in. DBH) Blue Paint

FOREST MANAGEMENT TREATMENTS OVERVIEW:

• The project will involve performing forest stand improvement and fuels mitigation treatments. The desire is to ultimately develop stand structure to reduce the risk of severe wildland fire behavior, improve forest health, and protect the integrity of local watersheds and riparian habitats. This will primarily be achieved through the removal of ladder fuels via mastication, and increasing overstory tree crown spacing via mechanical harvesting.

• Use of equipment that is comparable in performance to a rubber tracked or tire Bobcat or skid steer sized equipment with a fecon masticating head and a feller-buncher head for harvesting is specified for this project. Equipment must have the capabilities to move/skid whole trees and haul logs off-site. Crew members capable of using chainsaws to safely hand fell large diameter trees with minimal damage to residual trees are required.

• Handwork is required for this project. In areas that are mechanically inoperable, inaccessible, or otherwise designated as a handwork zone (SMZ TRH, RCZ), separate handwork prescriptions will be applied. See handwork prescriptions below for further information.

• Harvestable trees (>8in. DBH) that are marked for removal will be placed in log decks. Log deck locations will be identified by the Project Administrator before project work begins. Removal of all mechanically harvested trees will be required on some properties. On other properties, decked logs will be left on site per landowner request. Refer to the Harvest Inventory Summary below for further information on projected harvest statistics and wood volumes.

o Due to limited space, contractors must begin hauling operations as soon as adequate volumes are present to reduce disturbance and log deck size.

• The following rehabilitation requirements will apply for skid trails, landings, log decks, and any other heavily disturbed areas. Rehabilitation efforts will be implemented as directed by CSFS:

o Mastication of any residual slash and removal of all unutilized wood (ex. butt ends).

o Smoothing and shaping to remove ruts, berms and other surface disturbances; and to provide for drainage.

o Waterbar construction, placed at natural areas of drainage but at no less than the minimum spacing determined by the formula: Spacing = 1,000/% Slope.

o Re-seeding with a local grass seed mixture if deemed necessary by the project administrator.

• CSFS Best Management Practices shall be adhered to as outlined in the 2023 Forestry Best Management

Practices to Protect Water Quality in Colorado publication. Only hand treatment will occur within a minimum of 75ft from all riparian vegetation to avoid soil disturbances and subsequent impacts to water quality and riparian habitat.

• Due to nesting bird season restrictions on Douglas County Open Space lands. Treatments on the

DCOS property can only be completed annually between January 1st – March 31st, and July 16th

– December 31st.

PRESCRIPTIONS

• Mechanical Treatment Prescription o Target residual basal area of 40-60 for ponderosa pine dominant stands, and 70-80 for

Douglas fir dominant stands. Target crown spacing of 10-20ft for individual trees, and 20-

30+ft for groups of trees.

▪ Trees will be identified for removal by CSFS utilizing a combination of thin from below and free thinning silvicultural methods. This will remove ladder fuels, I&D trees, and selected large trees to increase canopy spacing, retain a healthy mature overstory, and promote age diversity.

▪ Trees >5in. DBH that are identified for removal will be marked with blue paint by

CSFS prior to the work commencing in the treatment area. Trees will be marked blue on at least two sides. Trees < 5 in. DBH will be unmarked, aside from keep trees marked with orange flagging.

o Masticate whole trees concentrating on sizes of 7 inches and less dbh that are acting as ladder fuels and that are overtopped, poorly formed (bent, broken topped, forked), damaged, diseased

(bark beetle, mistletoe) and excessive (dense clumps).Chips and chunks will be well distributed across the project area with a desired average chip depth of 3-inches or less. All mechanically accessible tops and slash must be processed within the treatment blocks via mastication.

o Trees greater than 8 inches in diameter that are marked for removal will be harvested for firewood or sawlogs, and placed in specific deck locations to be hauled off-site.

▪ The trees will be felled, limbed, and slash masticated in the treatment block.

o All healthy single standing ponderosa pine will be retained in the 6 inch and less diameter range to maintain diversity and age structure if they are not considered a ladder fuel and are located

30 feet (stem spacing) from residual trees. These trees will be identified with orange flagging.

o Retain 2-3 snags per acre with a minimum diameter of 8 inches for cavity nesting birds.

Vegetation with nests will be retained and left undisturbed. The CSFS will flag these with orange flagging when encountered. The contractor is expected to be observant for nest sites during treatment and avoid those when discovered.

o All tree stumps will be 4 inches or less in height as measured on the uphill side. All Gambel oak must be processed to ground level. Mastication debris will have an average chip depth of

3 inches or less.

o All down and dead, damaged, poor formed and wind thrown trees that are on the ground which are within the diameter limit (7 inches and less dbh) will be treated via mastication.

▪ Downed trees already present within the unit that are greater than 8 inches in dbh will be left on site for habitat.

o Gambel oak treatment will focus on removing all vegetation that is within 15 feet of the dripline

(the end of the farthest branch) of residual trees, isolating healthy clumps in large contiguous oak stands, and eliminating dead and declining oak via mechanical mastication. Gambel oak will be treated using the following guidelines:

▪ Remove all oak from underneath residual trees and within 15 feet of the dripline of residual trees.

▪ Target old, dead, declining patches, especially those with significant top kill.

▪ In open areas, break up large continuous oak stands into a mosaic pattern of clumps with spacing at least 2.5 times the height of the remaining clumps.

▪ Any healthy free-standing clumps (not underneath or near ponderosa pine) will be retained if it does not act as a ladder fuel. These clumps will be at least 15 feet away from residual trees.

• Upland Hand Treatment Prescription o Upland hand treatment will concentrate on the removal of coniferous trees 8 inches and less in diameter.

o Hand treatment will utilize the “lop and scatter” method.

▪ Trees will be felled via chainsaw. Tree limbs will be cut from the bole and scattered across the ground.

▪ The scattered limbs and debris will be well distributed with a height of 18” or less.

▪ Felled tree boles will be laid parallel to the slope aspect to minimize rolling hazards.

o Hand treatments will primarily target trees acting as ladder fuels via the removal of all trees within the specified size class that are within 10 feet of the dripline of any mature residual trees.

Additionally, trees that are overtopped, poorly formed (bent, broken topped, forked), damaged, diseased (bark beetle, mistletoe) and excessive (dense clumps) will also be targeted for removal.

o All tree stumps will be 4 inches or less in height as measured on the uphill side.

o Gambel oak will not be treated within the hand treatment zones.

• DCOS Riparian Hand Treatment Prescription o This prescription only applies to the riparian hand treatment zone on the DCOS property.

o Riparian hand treatment will only remove ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, and Rocky Mountain juniper that are 6 inches and less in diameter.

o Hand treatment will utilize the “lop and scatter” method.

▪ Trees will be felled via chainsaw, and removed from the riparian vegetation zone. Tree limbs will be cut from the bole and scattered across the ground outside of the riparian vegetation zone.

▪ The scattered limbs and debris will be well distributed with a height of 18” or less.

▪ Felled tree boles will be laid parallel to the slope aspect to minimize rolling hazards.

o All tree stumps will be 4 inches or less in height as measured on the uphill side.

o All other vegetation will not be treated within the riparian hand treatment zone.

o All logs, slash, and debris from felled trees in the riparian hand treatment area will be removed from the riparian vegetation zone and scattered in the adjacent upland forests.

CONTRACT PERIOD AND OPERATIONAL PERIOD:

• Hours of operation are limited to daylight hours of 7:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.; six days a week (Monday-

Saturday).

• The startup of chainsaws and mechanized equipment is not allowed before 7:00 a.m.

• No work on holidays unless approved by the Project Administrator.

• Target treatment timeline is September 1, 2025 (dependent on contractor’s availability) - December 31, 2026.

ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCE STANDARDS:

• Contractor will be responsible for posting signs along trails/roads when working in close proximity to the trails/roads. Any material masticated on the trails/roads will be removed at the end of each day. All access roads will be kept passable at all times. Care needs to be taken to minimize damage to the road/trails. Any damage to the road/trail will be repaired by the Contractor at the Project Administrator’s discretion.

• Camping will not be allowed on the project.

• Parking of trucks and equipment will be determined beforehand and will be agreed upon with the

Contractor and Project Administrator before any work occurs.

• Trash and litter will not be left by the Contractor on the property. Daily hauling of any trash generated by the Contractor or crew is the Contractor’s responsibility.

• Roads/trails and other improvements will be repaired to the same condition as found prior to the start of work. Prior to final acceptance of completion of the project all roads and trails will be inspected and in working condition. If deemed necessary by the Project Administrator roads will be graded and waterbars installed. If deemed necessary by the project administrator, side trails and roads created by the contractor will be rehabilitated by raking and or slashing into the trails/roads. If deemed necessary they may have to be re-seeded with a local grass seed mix.

• In areas where machines have used a path repeatedly waterbars will be installed if the Project

Administrator determines necessary.

• Gates, fences, or signs damaged by the Contractor will be repaired to a like or better condition, or replaced by the Contractor, at the discretion of the Project Administrator and landowner.

• The Project Administrator may suspend or limit operations if excess damage is occurring due to mud, snow, extreme fire danger, etc. or due to the following situation(s): failure to meet contract specifications.

• The Contractor will wash the undercarriage of all trucks and equipment when moving equipment on-site or relocating equipment to another section of the project to reduce the spread of noxious weeds.

• Any soil contaminated by loss of fuel, oil, grease, hydraulic fluid, coolant or other fluids shall be removed and placed in covered drums or other acceptable containers for proper disposal by the contractor.

• Areas with excessive rutting caused by the turning of tracked equipment, as determined by the Project

Administrator, shall be raked smooth to the original slope of the ground.

• Smoking will only be allowed in vehicles. Each vehicle must have a properly serviced Class A, 10 pound fire extinguisher and a minimum of one fire tool per crew member. All vehicles must utilize effective manufacturer-certified spark arresters and muffler systems.

• The work site will be left in a safe manner at the end of every work day:

o Equipment properly and safely stored, ignition keys removed from machinery o All vehicles and equipment left on site will be safely parked on level ground with the wheels chocked o Chainsaws, gasoline, and oil will be stored and locked inside a vehicle or secured in a locked metal box at the end of each work day

▪ All subcontractors must be approved by the Project Administrator in writing prior to contract signing and bid approval.

DAMAGE PENALTIES:

• A damage deposit of $2,000 will be required prior to the project commencing. Excessive damage to the remaining forest stand or the removal of undesignated products will be paid for at the rate of $50.00 for each significantly-damaged tree that is 6 inches dbh or greater, this penalty will come out of the initial damage deposit provided by the Contractor. If excessive penalties cause the damage deposit to fall below $1,000 prior to the completion of the project the contractor will provide additional funds to bring the damage deposit back to the original $2,000 amount. Determination of damage is at the sole discretion of the Project Administrator.

PLAN OF OPERATIONS:

• The Contractor will submit a Plan of Operations with the bid for this project. The Plan of Operations will include: the projected start and end date for the project; the type of equipment to be used for mechanical felling, skidding, loaders and log trucks (include brand name and specific model type for each piece of equipment); also include the number of crew members.

HARVEST INVENTORY SUMMARY – JACKSON CREEK FOREST RESTORATION PROJECT:

The following data is derived from a limited sample size, and all numbers are provided solely as estimates.

Actual forest conditions and harvest metrics may differ from what is listed below. The data does not include seedlings and saplings under 3.6 inches in diameter.

HARVEST STATISTICS (PER ACRE):

Forested, Mechanically

Operable Areas

Trees Per Acre 93

Basal Area 21

Quadratic Mean Diameter 6.1

Cubic Feet 262.4

Merchantable Cubic Feet 180.3

Board Feet 277.6

FIGURES:

MAPS:

• Project maps are attached on the following pages.

INVITATION FOR BID (IFB) #021-25

DOUGLAS COUNTY

REQUIRED COST AND PROJECT INFORMATION SCHEDULE

ALL BIDDERS MUST SUBMIT THIS SCHEDULE:

BID FOR IMPLEMENTING PRESCRIPTIONS AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

Mechanical Treatment

Acreage: 294 acres

Cost per acre: ________________________

TOTAL COST: ________________________

Hand Treatment

Acreage: 216 acres

Other Treatment (Optional)

Acreage: ________________________

TOTAL COST OF BID: __________________________________________

PLAN OF OPERATIONS:

Please attach an operations strategy to your bid that details how the treatment goals set forth in the

Scope of Work will be achieved. This Plan of Operations must also include a utilization plan for all wood products (sawlogs and firewood) that will be removed from the project area. Include proposed wood utilization businesses that will be utilized (include company names). Limit your description to no more than 2 pages.

CREW SIZE & EQUIPMENT TO BE USED:

Please attach a memo to your bid detailing:

1.) The type(s) of equipment that will be used for this project. Be sure to clearly address the specified equipment in the attached Scope of Work. A complete listing of equipment to be used is required.

2.) The full crew to be employed. Please include experience and background information of each crew member.

3.) Any subcontractors to be used. Subcontractors must be included in the bid submission. Attach a description of the work to be performed by each subcontractor, including items 1 and 2 listed in this section (Crew Size & Equipment).

TIMING:

Enter your estimated Start and Ending dates below. (Project Administrators have specified when the contractor may begin work, acceptable operational periods, and the project end date during the site inspection and within the scope of work. When determining the start/end dates, please allow 2-4 weeks to allow time for contractor selection and to prepare and then sign the contract. Please refer to the scope of work for any other special circumstances.)

Note: Emphasis in contractor selection, in addition to total project cost and experience, will also take into account the proposed start and end dates for project implementation and completion.

START DATE: ______________________________

END DATE: _____________________________

REFERENCES:

All bids shall include a list of three (3) current references. All references shall include name, title, address, telephone number, and e-mail address for which you are currently furnishing or have in the past furnished services on a same or similar contract or agreement. The failure to include references and/or the inability to contact the references shall be ample cause for rejection of your bid.

Reference #1

Reference #2

Reference #3