B08_Solicitation_Attachment1_SOW.pdf

Attachment 01 140P8524Q0099

Statement of Work Mineral King Pack Support

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

The National Park Service (NPS), Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (SEKI), has a requirement for animal packing services. These services will be in support of a trail maintenance project scheduled for the trail network including the Lost Canyon and upper Big Arroyo areas for the summer of 2024. Support of the trail work will include the transportation of camp gear, food, tools, and other material via pack string from the Mineral King valley area of Sequoia National Park. In addition to delivery of goods, the pack support will include multiple relocations of the trail crew camps from one Wilderness location to another. The duration of packing needs under this contract will be based on access to the backcountry camp locations, weekly crew needs, and project scheduling.

Due to the camp locations, overnight stays in the wilderness will be required. For each trip, the vendor must factor this into their bid. Roughly 10 mule loads will be needed for camp mobilization/moves including resupplies of food. For food-only resupply trips, 5 mule loads will be needed. All mule loads include reasonable sized/weight top-loads as necessary and could require loads to be carried on return trips. Due to the administrative nature of this work, use of administrative pasture may be made available to commercial pack stations. The Mineral King administrative corral and shed will also be made available to the successful bidder. A tentative schedule is set, but dates will need to be flexible based on the progression of work throughout the field season. The project duration will be approximately early August to end of September 2024. Trips will occur weekly and will be from 10 to 25 trail miles one-way into the Wilderness from the nearest trailhead. The tentative schedule is as follows and will be subject to change (dates are preferred arrival at destination):

Schedule:

Date of Preferred Arrival at Destination

Description Number of Mules

15-August Mobilize to Little Claire Lake with resupply 10

22-August Move Camp Little Claire to Lost Canyon with resupply 10

29-August Resupply to Lost Canyon 5

5-September Resupply to Lost Canyon 5

12-September Move camp to upper Big Arroyo from Lost Canyon with resupply 10

19-September Resupply to upper Big Arroyo 5

25-September Demobilization from upper Big Arroyo 10

The contractor is to supply all animals, tools, tack, pack equipment, veterinary and farrier care, vehicle transport, stock packing personnel (packers and assistants), livestock feed, and all other items needed for performing all the work of this contract.

Any contractors traveling through or camping in Sequoia National Park will follow the SEKI traveling and camping regulations. Specifically, SEKI group size limits, camping restrictions, and grazing regulations will apply to contractors carrying out this work. These regulations may be found at http://www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/stockuse.htm

Pack trips may be contracted to deliver loads to any location in the contract area that is legally accessible to pack trains. Delivery locations will typically be within 400 yards of the maintained trails to established camps, although deliveries may be contracted for any point along the trail.

Due to the camp location, some overnight travel will be required. The cost will reflect Two-Day round trips.

When overnight stays are required, the vendor must be able to supply their own means of bedding, food, and shelter for packers staying overnight in backcountry locations.

Grazing may or may not be available for pack stock, depending on park regulations, meadow conditions, and other grazing that has occurred in a given year. Upon scheduling, and on a trip-by-trip basis, the Contracting Officer’s Representative will inform the contractor whether stock may graze or not. If grazing is not available, extra packing will be contracted to pack feed at a rate of 15 pounds of feed per animal per night. Feed will consist of certified weed-free hay or pellets.

Stock use reporting will be the responsibility of the commercial operator following guidance set forth in their CUA.

Additional Days, alternate locations, or trips can be negotiated between the vendor and the COR dependent upon need and will follow the Per-packer Per-day/Per-animal Per-day cost agreed upon the granting of the contract and vendors availability or capability to provide additional services.

The NPS will schedule pack trips at least one week in advance. At the time of scheduling, the NPS will specify the wilderness delivery location, the number of pack strings, and the number of loads (plus or minus one load). The final number of loads will be determined by 4pm the afternoon before the pack trip is to leave.

Vendors are required to submit their bids on a per-packer-day, per-riding animal-day, and per-pack animal-day basis as a flat rate for each line item. Such as:

1 packer per day Vendor bid cost 1 pack animal per day Vendor bid cost

** Please enter pricing on Price Sheet, Attachment 03

Loads will generally consist of food, tools and equipment, fuel, and mail. The vendor will be responsible for sanitary cold storage of the perishable food, sanitary storage of dry goods, mail, tools, equipment, and fuel until it reaches its final wilderness destination.

All applicable food/goods will be stored and handled in a bear-safe manner when under the care of the commercial packer.

No single item to be packed will be longer than 5’, with the possible exceptions of shovels and telescoping pole saws, or tripod legs. No single item will be heavier than 90 lbs.

One “load” will be up to 150 pounds of material packed to the destination. Mule loads on return leg of trips may be required and “deadheading” should not be expected. Top loads may also be required.

Period of Performance:

August 12, 2024 – September 30, 2024