EFO-HHS-2026 Vendor Questions and Answers.pdf

EFO-HHS-2026 | Vendor Questions and Answers | Page 1

Request for Quote EFO-HHS-2026

Vendor Questions and Answers 2026 Harriet Hollister Spencer SRA Invasive Shrub Cut-Stump Herbicide Treatment

Region: Finger Lakes Designated Contact: Charlie Ippolito, Finger Lakes Regional Biologist Email / Phone: Charlie.Ippolito@parks.ny.gov | (585) 750-8943 Site Visit: September 3, 2026 Date Issued: September 9, 2026

The following questions were received from prospective bidders at the site visit held on September 3, 2026, together with clarifications OPRHP is issuing on the RFQ. Answers are provided below and are issued as part of the RFQ record for EFO-HHS-2026. Where an answer clarifies or expands on the original RFQ language, the answer below applies.

Site conditions and terrain

1. Where is invasive shrub density highest, and how many acres does the densest area cover? Is the smaller parcel as dense as the main area?

The majority of the treatment area is dense and difficult to walk through, with shrubs of varying height and size, and this is the condition to plan around. Density is not perfectly uniform, though: there are patches that are relatively open, with a fair amount of native vegetation, primarily dogwoods (see Question 7 on natives). The smaller parcel is just as dense as the main area. Shrubs are generally no taller than about 12 to 15 feet at their highest, averaging about 4 to 8 feet. Plan for the full acreage to be worked.

2. What is the average stem diameter of the shrubs?

These are multi-stemmed shrubs that branch at or near the ground. For a mixed-age stand like this one, expect most honeysuckle stems in the range of about 1 to 2.5 inches, and most autumn olive stems around 2 to 4 inches, with the oldest autumn olive and honeysuckle trunks reaching 6 inches or more. A range of smaller stems will be mixed in throughout.

3. Is there standing water or saturated ground in the treatment area?

There is no standing water at the site. The ground can be mucky and saturated, especially after heavy rain, but there should not be any standing water. As of a recent site check in early September 2026, the shrub-swamp area and the streams running through it were completely dry.

4. Are there steep slopes or other terrain challenges?

There are no steep slopes. The terrain undulates with some minor hills and grade changes, but the whole site is traversable on foot.

Target species and identification

5. Which invasive shrub is most common in the treatment area?

Primarily bush honeysuckle. Other invasives are present as well, including buckthorn and autumn olive.

EFO-HHS-2026 | Vendor Questions and Answers | Page 2

6. How should crews identify the target species in winter, once the shrubs are defoliated?

Park staff will help with this. Charlie can meet crews at the site, or host a site visit, to go over the winter diagnostic characteristics of each target shrub so crews can tell the species apart once they are defoliated.

7. How should crews handle native shrubs growing among the invasives? Are dogwoods to be cut?

During the winter identification session, staff will also point out the common native species on site so crews can tell them apart from the target shrubs. Do your best to avoid cutting natives. If a native is cut by accident it is not a major problem, but avoid it where you can. Dogwoods are native and are not on the list of species to cut. Do not cut dogwoods.

8. If crews find an invasive woody shrub that is not listed in the RFQ, should it be treated?

The invasive shrubs in this area have been mapped and are known, and the population is primarily the species listed in the RFQ. If a crew comes across a patch of another invasive shrub, treatment of that patch is left to the contractor's discretion.

Cutting and treatment methods

9. Are there size limits on which shrubs get cut? Is there a stem that is too small to bother treating?

There is no maximum size limit. All of the larger material is expected to be cut and stump-treated. Very small stems are the exception. Cut-stump treatment does not reliably control stems under about half an inch in diameter, and stems that small are difficult to cut cleanly with a brush saw, so they do not need to be cut-stumped under this contract. Park staff can address those separately. Focus the work on the stems that can be cut and treated effectively.

10. What is the maximum cut or stump height? Are there limits on stump diameter?

Roughly shin height or below is acceptable, as long as the full cut surface is treated with herbicide. There is no limit on stump diameter.

11. What cutting tools and machinery are allowed?

Chainsaws, brush cutters, brush saws, loppers, hand saws, and similar handheld cutting tools are allowed. Heavier machinery and powered equipment beyond handheld tools are not permitted.

12. Is it okay to cut foot-access lanes through the dense thickets?

Yes. Cut whatever access lanes you need to reach and work the site, as long as all of the target shrubs are dealt with.

13. What should crews do with the cut material?

Leave it as cut, or move it out of the way if it interferes with your access. There is no preference either way, and park staff will manage the material in house. This is consistent with the debris handling in the RFQ, which has material left on site and lopped flat.

14. Are there restrictions on herbicide use beyond the RFQ? What product should be used, and does the application method matter?

The site is non-jurisdictional, so there are no additional wetland or aquatic-use restrictions beyond the product label. Triclopyr is the herbicide to be used for this project, as specified in the RFQ. The herbicide does not have to be brushed or painted on only if it is acceptable and consistent with the label or any existing 2(ee). Use care to keep herbicide off the surrounding soil and off non-target plants.

EFO-HHS-2026 | Vendor Questions and Answers | Page 3

Permits, safety, and public use

15. Are wetland permits required? Has DEC been consulted?

No wetland permits are required. The site is non-jurisdictional.

16. Will hunters be present during the treatment window, and how should crews work around them?

Hunters may be present on certain days, since part of the treatment window overlaps with hunting seasons. All personnel must wear high-visibility clothing at all times on site and follow the public safety measures in the RFQ, including the tall high-visibility flag marking each active work area.

17. Who posts signage to let hunters and visitors know treatment is underway? Will neighbors be notified?

Park staff will post treatment signs at the entryways to notify the public. Coordinate with Charlie in advance so he can give the park manager a heads-up. Charlie will also notify the neighbors that cut-stump treatment is taking place.

Licensing, logistics, and access

18. Does everyone on site need a pesticide applicator license, or only the person applying herbicide?

Not everyone needs to be a certified applicator. At least one certified applicator must be coordinating the job. The rest of the crew can be technicians or apprentices. Everyone must follow DEC pesticide regulations.

19. Will daily work logs or activity reports be required?

No daily work logs are required. Coordinate directly with Charlie.

20. Can equipment, trailers, or supplies be staged on site for the length of the project?

Yes, but at your own risk. This area is vandalized fairly often. The off-season timing may reduce that somewhat, but the park cannot control how the public treats your equipment. If you stage anything on site, keep it hidden from the road and trail as much as possible.

21. Can vehicles be driven into the site? Can crews get through the access gate?

No vehicles of any kind may be driven into the woodland or wooded areas. Only handheld equipment can be carried in. You may drive a vehicle through the field up to the edge, which is next to the project site, but the field gets very wet and vehicles have gotten stuck there before. Do this at your own risk and have a plan to retrieve your vehicle. For the gate that leads to the field, coordinate with Charlie in advance. He can arrange access, including a temporary lock and code for you to open the gate.

22. Can the treatment area shapefile be shared with bidders?

Yes. A GIS shapefile of the treatment area is being provided to all prospective bidders together with this question-and-answer document, so bidders can review the mapped treatment boundary before quoting.

Project background

23. Why is the state funding this project?

EFO-HHS-2026 | Vendor Questions and Answers | Page 4

The project uses grant funding awarded in 2020. The goal is to restore this area from a dense invasive shrub thicket back to native wetland and wet meadow habitat, so that it is consistent with the surrounding native ecosystems. The overall aim is to return the site to native habitat.

Pricing and bid basis

24. Should the quote be a single lump-sum price for the whole site, or a price per acre?

Quotes must be submitted as a price per acre, not as a lump-sum price for the entire lot. As shown on the RFQ bid form, bidders quote a per-acre rate that is applied across the project acreage, and the award goes to the responsive bidder with the lowest per-acre price. Consistent with the RFQ and its Terms and Conditions, OPRHP reserves the right to purchase as much or as little of the acreage as it determines, so the number of acres actually treated may be adjusted, with payment based on the awarded per-acre rate. Please plan and price the work on a per-acre basis accordingly.

25. The RFQ lists 45.34 acres. Has the treatment area changed?

The mapped treatment area has been updated and is now approximately 48 acres, about 3 acres larger than the 45.34 acres cited in the original RFQ. It is otherwise the same treatment area; the boundary was refined after the RFQ was issued. Because the work is quoted and awarded on a per-acre basis, bidders should quote their per-acre rate, which will be applied to the final treated acreage. The updated shapefile provided with this document reflects the current treatment boundary.