Q_and_A_Preproposal.pdf

Questions and Answers

Solicitation AG-82AT-S-13-0008

1) Regarding price quotes on the Schedule of Items for the base and four additional years? I'm assuming these are for pricing range only and that we'll be able to submit new quotes for each future task order.

Prices included on the schedule of items for the base and optional years are “capped” prices.

This means that when developing the price for future task orders the price for the same line item cannot exceed what was provided for the base and optional years. The Government expects that prices on Task Orders will be lower. Companies awarded the contract will be able to compete for the work offered in a task order. Task Orders will be awarded to the company that is available to perform the work and has the lowest price.

The work requested in Task Orders will be based on the line items and specifications listed in the parent contract.

When developing the capped price for a line item it is important to consider the worst case scenario including all labor, transportation, housing, equipment and overhead costs and desired profits.

If an awarded contractor finds that a task order exceeds their capped price they can elect not to bid on the task order. A contractor who is not responsive to task orders however is at risk of not being granted optional years.

2) Do you anticipate work on all 3 NFs each year or will they be just one Forest per year?

Task Orders may be issued to cover work on any forest each year. Currently it is uncertain how much work is needed per year per forest.

3) Will future CFLR plots be installed on all 3 National Forests or just the Arapaho /

Roosevelt National Forest?

Currently only the Arapaho/Roosevelt National Forest has projects and monitoring needs associated with the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program (additional information about this program is available at: http://www.fs.fed.us/restoration/CFLRP/index.shtml/. It is not known at this time whether CFLR projects will be initiated on the White River or the Medicine

Bow Routt National Forests. In addition, each project may have different monitoring requirements and it is uncertain whether the Arapaho/Roosevelt CFLR monitoring protocols would be adopted and used on the other forests.

4) The Initial Magic Sky 1 Task Order has all of the plots in a small area, should we assume that future task orders will be for smaller areas for CFLR’s and larger forest wide areas for CSEs?

The task order for Magic Sky 1 is fairly typical for CFLR projects. CSE may be completed anywhere on the National Forest except in Wilderness and Roadless Areas. The following language will be added to C1.1 Scope of Contract “Work may take place anywhere on these

National Forests except in wilderness or Roadless areas.”

http://www.fs.fed.us/restoration/CFLRP/index.shtml/

5) Will CFLR supplies (stakes, aluminum nails and tags) be supplied by Government or the contractor?

These items will be provided by the Government.

item # Item Description Where, When, How

3.17 Rebar 1 foot long metal rebar used to

permanently mark plot center on

CFLR plots

Provided at prework conference

3.18 Aluminum Nails

and Metal Tree

Tags

Nails and metal tags used to establish bearing trees to assist in relocating plot center on CFLR plots.

Provided at prework conference.

6) For the IDIQ and Magic Sky, since the plots will be re-measured at a later date after treatment, will we be able to get paid for the initial install after completion?

Contractors will be requested to provide two prices per plot for Stage 1 and Stage 2 for the

CFLR plots.

Option B*

CFLR Stand Exam Services

Stage 1 data collection

Stage 2 data collection

Plot

Plot

Payments will be based on the following: “Payments for the first stage of acceptable CFLR plots (initial location and measurement) will be for 100% of the Stage 1 unit price. Upon successful relocation and acceptable re-measurement, 100% of the Stage 2 unit price will be paid to the Contractor. “

7) Do the CFLR plots require only one variable size plot to be measured at each plot location?

One variable size plot will be measured at each plot location using a 10 BAF for both stage

1 and stage 2 inventories.

8) To determine IDIQ pricing can other basal area factors be used?

The following is applicable for Common Stand Exam plots: “The Contractor shall determine which BAF to use. To determine the BAF to use, a minimum of 5.0 trees per plot (greater than 5.0 inches DBH/DRC) average must be obtained on the variable plots in the stand. For

BAF, allowable factors are 10, 15, 20, 30 and 40.”

9) With the Magic Sky 1 Task Order, Both CSE and CLFR pricing is requested? Which is the preferred for this Task Order?

Pricing for the Magic Sky 1 Task Order is requested for Option B CFLR stage 1 and stage 2 plots. Pricing for Option A - CSE will not be requested.

10) With CLFR plots, can we assume that all re-measures will be conducted the following year or would the opportunity be available to complete in the same year as install?

What's the probability that re-measure will need to be conducted the 2nd field season after initial install.

As stated in the contract “The second stage of data collection will involve re-measurement after the vegetation treatments are complete.” Vegetation treatments generally occur within one year of award but completion is contingent on a number of variables. It is uncertain as to the length of time between the completion of the stage 1 inventory and when the stage 2 inventory can begin.

Generally the time between stage 1 and stage 2 inventories will be one year but may be as long as three years. It is very unlikely that both stage 1 and stage 2 inventories could occur in the same year.

11) With the CLFR initial installs, where the requirement of a GPS with sub-meter accuracy is needed. Will we be required to visit each plot and take coordinates then check for accuracy of placement before actually installing the plot at a future date (2 trips per plot)? In other words is the submeter accuracy for the initial install or for the assurance that we'll be dead on for the re-measurement after treatment?

The contractor will be required to use a mapping or resource grade GPS unit that is capable of real-time differential corrections. Visiting the plot center twice should not be required.

The desired accuracy is not necessarily for the placement of the initial plot center but for the contractor to relocate the plot center when completing the stage 2 inventory. Accuracy of

≤10’ (or approximately 3 meters) will be required. When completing inspections for the

Magic Sky 1 Task Order a Trimble GeoExplorer 6000 XH will be used. Using Factory defaults the inspector will collect a minimum of 300 points on the waypoint then measure the difference from that location to where the contractor set the stake for plot center.

12) Will photos and veg plots be required for CSE?

Only if specified and requested in the task order.

13) There are two separate specifications listed for the veg forms: section C.4.4.5 page 16 and section C.4.4.15 page 24 are we doing both for the Magic Sky task order or just the second one?

The plot size specified in C.4.4.5 for Common Stand Exams has been changed. The plot size that will be used will be specified in the task order. The plot size specified in C.4.4.15 is specific to the CFLR monitoring plot inventory. This specification was changed to the following:

Vegetation composition forms 3 and 4 will be collected on five – 1/1000 acre subplots (3.7 foot radius), the data from which shall be summed for each plot and entered as data for one

1/200 th acre plot. Since each of the five subplots represents 20% of the total 1/200 th acre being sampled, the maximum total cover of any given layer on one of the 1/1000 th acre subplots would be 20%. The subplots shall be distributed around plot center as described in the appropriate Task Order.

14) In Regards to the length of the contract is that for the initial install and then another

45 days for the revisit?

The contractor will be provided 45 days to complete stage 1 and 45 days to complete stage

2.

15) Will cover boards be used to measure horizontal cover?

The CSE and CLFR inventories do not address measurements of horizontal cover.

16) Will CFLR plots be used to collect data in areas where prescribed burns are scheduled?

The monitoring protocols for CFLR projects in prescribed burn areas have not been determined at this time. This contract will not be used to collect Stage 1 or Stage 2 data in prescribed burn areas.

17) Will Site Tree and growth tree information be collected on CFLR plots?

Site tree and growth tree information will be collected for CFLR plots. However this information will be collected in the first stage of the inventory and will not be required when returning and completing the second stage of the exams.

18) How many Site/Growth Trees are required and can these trees be selected from the

Variable or fixed plots?

A minimum of three (3) site trees will be sampled per stand. Site trees species selected shall be representative of the species comprising the cover type of the stand. Acceptable site tree species are listed in each Task Order -- List of Acceptable Site Tree Species. Specific criteria for selecting site trees is listed in the Common Stand Exam Field Guide. If none of the trees on the plot meet the desired criteria then the contractor can select the nearest off-plot tree that does meet the criteria.

Growth sample trees (GST) information will be collected in the CFLR exams. Two large

(≥3” DBH) GST’s and two small (<3” DBH) GST’s will be measured on each plot. The first live standing tree, both large and small of each species encountered moving clockwise from north, will be measured until two trees of different species are assessed i.e. four total per plot. GST information can be collected on the variable radius plot or large fixed radius plot or small fixed radius plot.