Questions_and_Answers.pdf

Beaver Creek Fire BAER Ground Cover Application

AG-84N8-S-14-0003

Amendment #2

The following changes have been made to the solicitation for the above named project.

Please incorporate the following information into your proposal.

Questions and Answers

Q1: What is the difference between the performance period and the contract time as indicated on page 48 of the original solicitation?

A1: The period of performance is the time period where the Government may issue a Notice to Proceed which will start the contract time of 15 days for the delivery of services. The performance period will occur upon award to August st , 2014. The 15 calendar days does not start until the Notice to Proceed is issued. The Notice to Proceed may be issued soon after the prework meeting if the weather conditions are suitable but also may be delayed until next spring/summer if weather conditions do not permit the work to occur this fall.

There is also the possibility that a portion of the work could occur this fall with a suspension of work and then completion of the services next spring/fall. As indicated on page 2 of the original solicitation pricing shall reflect the possibility of a fall work suspension after some work has been completed this fall and a resumption of work the next spring/summer.

Q2: What is the deal with the BLM option #004 on the bid schedule of page 2 of the original solicitation? What are the chances of award and when will it be awarded?

A2: The item is included as an option item and will be awarded, as long as funding is sufficient, when an agreement is finalized between the U.S. Forest

Service and the Bureau of Land Management. The Bureau of Land Management has received funding for the work but an agreement is necessary to expend the funds through a Forest Service contract. Good progress is being made on the agreement but it is unknown at this time when it will be finalized.

Q3: Will barley straw be allowed?

A3: Yes, barley straw will be allowed but the same performance based coverage requirements shall be met as indicated for the wheat straw. The solicitation is amended where references to wheat straw are mentioned as an allowable material to also include barley straw as an allowable material.

Q4: Will the Government perform testing on the straw for presence/absence of weed seed?

A4: The intent of the solicitation on page 6 of the original solicitation is that the

Forest Service will inspect the field and the bales prior to shipment of the product for the project. If the Forest Service discovers questionable fields or bales where the conditions indicate any presence of noxious weed seed and/or presence of cheatgrass above 0.5% the Government reserves the right to test prior to approval of shipment of the straw for the project. It is hoped that those fields/bales that may be deemed questionable during Forest Service inspection that the Contractor may present more suitable material for replacement and inspection. The desire is to speed up the process to eliminate the need to send samples to the lab for testing. If testing is required the Contractor shall plan for 2-3 day’s time for the testing and results to come back. If a disagreement occurs on what is suitable and what is not suitable the Forest Service will perform the sampling and send to an independent lab for testing.

Q5: Will moisture testing on bales be performed?

A5: In short the answer is no. The specifications are performance based where the ground application condition standards are indicated on page 7 of the original solicitation. Straw that is wet may make it more difficult to meet those standards but the Contractor may be able to use other means to condition wet straw to be able to meet the performance based standards.

Q6: Where is the potential Limekiln staging area and is it on private land or not?

A6: The potential Limekiln staging area is approximately a ¼ mile off Greenhorn road. The pavement ends a100 yards or so off the Greenhorn road at which time there is some flagging and a notice of the road being closed. The dirt road leads to some corrals which is the approximate location of the potential staging area.

The staging area may be on both BLM and FS land as the boundary between the two agencies is in close proximity to the staging area. Permission by the BLM has been granted for use of their land in the immediate area as a potential staging area.

Q7: Will the Forest Service provide a key for the lock to the gate for the Deer

Creek road?

A7: The Forest Service will provide a few keys (2-3) for the lock during the course of the project. Upon completion of the project the keys shall be returned to the Forest Service.

Q8: Who will be responsible to upgrade the road to allow trucks/trailers to haul hay into the Deer Creek staging area, maintain the road during the course of the project, and to perform the snowplowing if necessary?

A8: The Forest Service will perform the upgrades to the road to allow a 40 foot trailer to access the potential staging area. The Forest Service will perform maintenance and snowplowing during the course of the project.

Q9: Will transit certificates be required for all loads of straw that are transported to the staging areas?

A9: Yes. The Idaho State Department of Agriculture has been contacted and they have indicated that they will provide transit certificates for all shipments.

The key appears to ensure that these inspections occur between Monday morning and Thursday afternoon as inspectors work four ten hour days.

Q10: Will staging/service areas on private land or other Non-Federal land be allowed?

A10: Staging/service areas will be allowed on private and/or Non-Federal land but it is up to contractor to negotiate those terms/conditions with the private land owners or respective entities.

Q11: What areas are available for potential staging areas for the seeding portion of the contract?

A11: The contract is amended so that those areas indicated as potential staging areas for the mulching portion of the contract are also potential staging areas for the seeding portion of the contract. If multiple awards are made coordination shall occur between two contractors. If conflicts occur with staging areas the

Forest Service may also entertain alternative staging areas for the seeding portion of the work.

Q12: When the proposals are prepared may alternate staging areas be presented as part of the proposal?

A12: The straw staging areas shall be private/Non-Federal land or potential staging areas on Federal land that are indicated in the solicitation. Seeding proposals shall prepare a base proposal/bid based on the same potential staging areas indicated for the straw staging areas but may submit alternate proposals as well indicating alternate staging areas. Alternate proposal requirements are indicated on page 48 of the original solicitation. There may be additional reasons to submit an alternate proposal than just alternate staging areas. Alternate proposals will be evaluated as indicated on page 48. Alternate proposals that include potential staging areas that have cultural sites, hazardous waste sites, or safety concerns from future debris flow will not be further evaluated.

Q13: Bluebunch Wheatgrass is very difficult to impossible to get cheatgrass seed free. What does the Forest Service want to do?

A13: The solicitation is amended to allow up to 0.25% cheatgrass in the

Bluebunch Wheatgrass seed.

Q14: What is the preference as far as fixed wing or rotor wing for seeding application?

A14: No preference. The solicitation requirements are performance based and mentioned on several pages in the solicitation. As long as the performance based requirements are met as far as seed requirements, density of seeding, and within the timelines indicated in the solicitation the method of application is not of importance to the Government.

Q15: In the event the project is shut down due to snow (weather), can the awarded contractor receive payment for the seed and straw this winter?

A15: Yes, on condition that the contractor submits with the invoice proof of payment for materials and certifies that the materials will be used for this contract.

The Government will inspect the materials at the storage location prior to payment.

Q16: Under what ground and/or weather conditions will the Government issue a suspension of work this fall?

A16: The current ground conditions plus forecasted weather conditions will both factor into the decision when a suspension of work will be issued. In general mulching can occur in up to approximately 6 inches of snow but the forecast of future snow or warmer temperatures will factor into the decision to issue a suspension of work for winter shut-down. Seeding suspension in those areas to receive mulch will occur when mulching is no longer possible. Seeding suspension in those areas to just receive seed (no mulch) may occur when the snow depth is approximately 2 inches but the forecast of future snow or warmer temperatures will factor into the decision to issue a suspension of work for winter shut-down.

Q17: If we are snowed out will the contract pay a remobilization and demobilization if we cannot finish the job this winter?

A17: From page 2 of the solicitation: “Contractor pricing shall reflect the possibility of a suspension of work this fall that may occur during the course of implementation of the project and a resumption of work next June. If this occurs, extra expense will likely be associated with a second mobilization, increases in fuel costs, and protection of straw that may be stored on Forest over the winter.

Pricing on the Schedule of Items shall reflect the possibilities of these costs.”

In other words, the Forest Service will not modify the contract should remobilization occur due to weather. Offerors should build this potential cost into their price quote.

Q18: Will color-coded twine be allowed and does the contractor need to submit 5 bale tags per load?

A18: Bales with color-coded twine or bales tags indicating the straw is free from

Idaho State Noxious Weeds and North American Noxious Weeds are permitted.

If bale tags are present 5 bale tags per load shall be submitted as indicated in the solicitation. Allowing color-coded twine bales does not relieve the contractor of providing other certificates (inspection, transit, etc) and documentation indicated in the solicitation. Color-coded twine bales shall consist of the color-coded twine that is continuous in nature.