Attachment 3 - Technical Proposal Submission Requirements 7.11.2026.docx

Attachment 3 Technical Proposal Submission Requirements

Offerors shall submit a Technical Proposal that fully addresses each evaluation factor and subfactor described in this attachment. The information must be complete, accurate, and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to evaluate the proposal in accordance with FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation—Commercial Products and Commercial Services.

Offerors shall organize and clearly label their Technical Proposal by factor and subfactor, using the exact titles and numbering provided in this attachment. Each section of the proposal shall begin with a heading identifying the Factor and Subfactor being addressed. Information that is not clearly labeled may not be evaluated. Page limits apply as stated for each subfactors.

1. Evaluation Factor: Project Management Submittal Requirements: Project Management includes the following significant subfactors: Management Plan, Quality Assurance/Quality Control Plan, and Key Personnel. Offerors shall submit the information specified for each subfactor. Offerors shall submit the information specified for each subfactor listed below.

Evaluation: The Project Management factor will receive an overall adjectival rating based on its entirety. The rating will take into account the relative strengths, deficiencies, significant weaknesses, and risks identified for each significant subfactor and rating for each subfactor. Each subfactor will be rated using the same adjectival ratings below.

a. Subfactor #1: Management Plan Submittal Requirements (10 pages max.)

Offers shall include a narrative description of how the offeror plans to utilize resources to execute and manage the project. The Government will evaluate the extent to which the proposed Management demonstrates how the offeror will utilize adequate resources to successfully execute and manage the project. The Management Plan shall, at minimum, address the following:

1) A clear and detailed description and list of the equipment and personnel that will be used to complete the requirements of this contract.

2) An explanation of how the contractor would mobilize personnel and equipment to establish at least five (5) crews working at 5-10 properties per day and removing 200-600 trees per week.

3) A detailed description of the distribution of work being performed by the Offeror and its subcontractors.

4) Offerors shall provide the names of major subcontractors that will perform a significant portion of the tree removal and restoration work. Major subcontractors are defined as members of an offeror’s overall team who are expected to perform ten (10) percent or more of the proposed effort.

5) An explanation of how the contractor will provide South Carolina State Certified Commercial Pesticide Applicators as necessary to directly supervise trained service persons for the application of contractually approved herbicide agents to stumps not ground below grade in accordance with the requirements of the contract.

6) An explanation for how the contractor plans to conduct work in sensitive wetland areas that are subject to regulations set forth by the Clean Water Act that do not allow for soil disturbance.

7) A graphical representation (organization charts) and a written description of the lines of authority and supervision, including who will directly manage and control the labor force and all other aspects of work performed under this contract on a daily basis.

b. Subfactor #2: Quality Assurance/Control Plan Submittal Requirements (5 pages max.)

Offerors shall include a detailed plan explaining how they will conduct quality assurance for all the requirements listed in the solicitation, including, but not limited to: contractor surveillance, inspection, deficiency identification and correction, communication/documentation, and personnel roles/responsibilities related to managing the contractor’s quality control plan.

The offeror shall address how they will implement corrective measures if they fail to adequately fulfill obligations of the contract. This plan should include but not be limited to: what information they will communicate, employee training protocols, self-documentation, and the means by which the contractor will address issues to improve and meet contractual obligations.

The Government will assess the offeror’s Quality Assurance/Control Plan based on how well it outlines inspection and communication processes, documentation practices, and internal controls. The evaluation will consider the contractor’s ability to identify, prevent, and correct deficiencies, the clarity of assigned roles and responsibilities, and the effectiveness of proposed corrective action measures to reduce performance risk.

c. Subfactor #3: Key Personnel Submittal Requirements (5 pages max.)

1) Resumes. Offers shall include resumes for Key Personnel displaying the qualifications and experience of key personnel who will work on the project. Key Personnel are defined as the Project Manager and Project Arborist.

Project Manager. The Project Manager must have a minimum of three years’ experience overseeing a minimum of three (3) crews working simultaneously on projects. Resume must show that the proposed Project Manager has experience specifically overseeing tree removal work and providing customer service to private landowners.

Project Arborist. The Project Arborist shall have a current certificate from the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) or equivalent. Submit copy of certificate with proposal.

2) Evidence of personnel with current electrical line clearance tree trimmer certifications or ability to obtain them in accordance with OSHA 1910.269 and 1910.331.

2. Evaluation Factor: Technical Capability

Submittal Requirements: Technical Capability includes the following significant subfactors: Technical Approach, Deregulation Plan, and Specialized Experience. Offerors shall submit the information specified for each subfactor.

Evaluation: The Technical Capability factor will receive an overall adjectival rating based on its entirety. The Government will assess the offerors Technical Approach, Deregulation Plan, and Specialized Experience. The rating will take into account the relative strengths, deficiencies, significant weaknesses, and risks identified for each significant subfactor and rating for each subfactor. Each subfactor will be rated using the same adjectival ratings below other than specialized experience.

a. Subfactor #1: Technical Approach Submittal Requirements (10 pages max.)

Offerors shall provide detailed proposed technical approaches for removing trees in a variety of situations including:

1) Wetlands

2) Trees located on islands in the middle of a body of water

3) Around energized lines

4) In deep woodlots with limited to no road access

5) Trees located adjacent to/overhanging residences.

The Government will evaluate the degree to which the proposed approach demonstrates capability to safely and effectively perform tree removal services under these varied and complex field conditions.

b. Subfactor #2: Deregulation Plan (5 pages max.)

Offerors shall provide a detailed plan describing how they plan to meet woody debris deregulation requirements. All woody material must be chipped on site using an approved chipper equipped with an auto-reverse tachometer controller set to no less than 200 RPMs below the factory specification. Material can also be chipped to 1” by 1” in two dimensions with any type of chipper, but will be subject to inspection by USDA staff prior to leaving the Quarantine. If the Offeror cannot complete deregulation services on site, Offerors shall identify a suitable location and equipment to be used for deregulation services. Deregulation services must happen within the current SC ALB Regulated Area (see Appendix B), and within 48 hours of trees being removed.

The Deregulation Plan shall, at a minimum, contain:

1) The Offeror’s planned deregulation method (chipping onsite with approved chipper, chipping to less than 1” by 1” in two dimensions, chipping offsite at an approved location, or a combination).

a) If chipping on-site with approved chipper, Offerors shall provide the specifications for the chippers to be used showing proof that they are equipped with auto-reverse tachometer controller and can be set to no less than 200 RPMs below the factory specification. Auto-reverse tachometer controllers are recognized under various trade names relative to equipment manufacturer (e.g. AutoFeed Plus – Bandit; SmartFeed – Vermeer; AutoSense – Morbark).

b) If chipping on-site to 1” by 1” in two dimensions, Offers shall provide a detailed description of how they intend to meet the 1” by 1” in two dimensions standard with their current equipment. Offers shall also outline their quality assurance measures to ensure chips are less than 1” by 1” in two dimensions, and communication plan for notifying USDA when an inspection is needed to transport chips out of the Quarantine.

c) If chipping off-site, Offerors shall provide a detailed description of where deregulations services will occur and by whom. If subcontracting, Offeror shall provide the specific subcontractor that will be utilized to provide deregulation services. This plan must include:

· The precise location within the current SC ALB Regulated Area where deregulation services will occur

· How the Offeror plans to manage material at the offsite deregulation location so that it is ground within 48 hours of being removed

2) How and where the Offeror plans to dispose of chipped/deregulated material.

The Government will evaluate the technical adequacy of the proposed deregulation methods and the extent to which the method reduces operational, regulatory, and schedule risk.

c. Subfactor #3: Specialized Experience Submittal Requirements The Government will assess the extent to which the Offeror and major subcontractors demonstrate experience performing similar tree removal and restoration work in comparable environments.

Offerors shall provide information to demonstrate the specialized project experience of the offeror and major subcontractors that will perform tree removal work. Specialized project experience is defined as similar tree removal and restoration work, performed in residential/commercial landscaped and/or residential/commercial wooded lots and wetlands and/or sensitive wetlands, that is similar in scope and complexity. Work that exclusively involves land clearing and/or logging is not considered specialized. Major subcontractors are defined as members of an offeror’s overall team who are expected to perform 25 percent or more of the proposed effort.

The Specialized Experience Questionnaire (Attachment 6) included in the solicitation is provided for the offeror to submit to the client for each specialized project the offeror includes in its proposal for this subfactor.

The offeror shall submit a completed Questionnaire (Attachment 6) for each project submitted as an example of specialized experience. The Prime contractor shall submit a minimum of three (3) and a maximum of five (5) projects totals for itself and a minimum of one (1) Relevant Experience Questionnaire for each major subcontractor being used. The Specialized Experience Questionnaire shall be submitted with the Offer for work performed within the last five (5) years from the release date of this solicitation. Projects must be at least 75% complete.

All points of contact, phone numbers, and email addresses should be verified by the Offeror prior to submission. Points of contact must have first-hand knowledge of the project from a contractual, managerial, and technical perspective. Offerors should follow-up with clients/references to ensure timely submittal of questionnaires. If the offeror is unable to obtain a completed Specialized Experience Questionnaire form from a client for a project(s) before the proposal closing date, the offeror should complete and submit with the proposal the first page of the Questionnaire, which will provide contract and client information for the respective project(s).

Evaluation:

Somewhat Specialized Projects involved some of the same or similar scope, magnitude of effort and complexities this solicitation requires.

Not Specialized Projects did not meaningfully involve the same or similar scope, any magnitude of effort and complexities this solicitation required.

Note:

The Government will not assign a neutral rating for lack of specialized experience. Failure to demonstrate adequate specialized experience may be considered a significant weakness or deficiency.

3. Evaluation Factor: Past Performance

Past performance is a measure of the degree to which an Offeror was successful on previous projects, as measured by the level of past customer satisfaction. It is also a measure of the degree to which an Offeror has complied with Federal, State, and local laws and regulations. Past performance information is one indicator of an Offeror’s ability to perform the contract successfully.

The Government’s assessment of past performance will focus mainly on the quality of the Offeror’s and major subcontractors’ past performance, considering reputations with customers and other sources. The Government may use information provided by the offeror in its proposal and information obtained from other sources for projects performed within the past five (5) years. Past performance does not determine whether experience is specialized as that determination occurs under the Technical Capability subfactor for Specialized Experience.

There are no separate submittal requirements for this evaluation factor.

The Government will consider the currency of past performance information, source of the information, context of the data as a basis for evaluating performance quality, and general trends in the contractor’s and major subcontractors’ performance. The Government may contact any or all of the past performance references provided by the Offeror in response to this solicitation, including those provided on the Specialized Experience Forms, and may also use information obtained from any other sources, including Government files or data obtained through interviews with personnel familiar with the contractor/subcontractor and their current and past performance under previous contracts performed within the past five years. While the Government may elect to consider data from other sources, the burden of providing detailed, current, accurate and complete past performance rests with the Offeror.

In the case of an offeror without a record of relevant past performance or for whom information on past performance is not available, the offeror will not be evaluated favorably or unfavorably provided the offeror certifies that past performance information is not available and provides an acceptable explanation as to why past performance is not available.

Evaluation: The Past Performance factor will receive an overall adjectival rating based on its entirety. The rating will take into account the relative strengths, deficiencies, significant weaknesses, and risks identified. This factor will be rated using the same adjectival ratings: