End of the World Long-Term Contract RFI Letter_Final.pdf

Caring for the Land and Serving People Printed on Recycled Paper

United States Department of Agriculture

Forest Service

Procurement & Property Services, National Procurement Operations, Stewardship Contracting Branch

1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250

Date: 8/6/2025

Subject: Request for Information

To: All Interested Parties and/or Offerors

The U.S. Forest Service is issuing this formal Request for Information (RFI) in connection with the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest End of the World (EOTW) Planning Area, and potentially other areas across the forest. The objectives of this initiative are to reduce the risks of insect and disease infestation, wildfires, and to restore and improve forest vegetation and water quality. A long-term 10- Year G-Z Integrated Resource Stewardship Contract is being considered to implement treatments in the planning area.

The intent of this RFI is to receive feedback from interested parties during the project development stage. Responses will inform the scope, structure, and feasibility of future solicitations. While no contract will be awarded from this RFI, feedback will directly influence project design.

Project Overview and Scope:

• Approximately 17,000 gross acres are available for treatment across the End of the World planning area. The contract term is anticipated to be up to 10 years. The net acres for treatment are expected to be less after unit layout.

• Approximately 50+ MMBF of commercial timber is anticipated to be offered over the contract life.

• Types of Service Work may include:

o Road maintenance, reconditioning, construction, gravel crushing, and decommissioning. Please note that detailed road design activities such as geometric alignment, engineering drawings, and technical specifications will not be included.

o Timber removal that will include logging operations conducted by tractor, skyline, shovel, or tethered systems and transportation.

o Timber sale preparation activities which may include harvest unit layout, GPS traversing, unit boundary marking, interior marking and cruising.

o Temporary road construction and obliteration.

o Low value stand treatment including precommercial thinning (PCT), mastication, etc.

with a volume removal option.

o Biomass removal that may include thinning non-merchantable material, slashing, chipping, transportation and other related activities.

o Slash piling, tethered piling, handline and/or mechanical line construction, and fuel break treatments.

Anticipated Terms:

• Minimum timber value estimates will be based on base rates and/or appraised rates if appropriate as determined from the Forest Service’s Timber appraisal system.

• Payment terms for service work items are anticipated to be by the acre, ton or linear foot for most treatments. Road maintenance and reconstruction activities may be priced by the mile or contract quantity.

• The projects may include both mandatory and optional service items; product value at awarded rates will be used to offset the cost-of-service work items.

• Davis-Bacon wages and certified payrolls will be required for all Road Construction requirements. Service Contract Act wages will apply towards all non-construction service work requirements.

• Road construction requirements will be subject to bonding at applicable regulatory thresholds.

Project Questionnaire: We request responses to the following questions to assist the project management team in refining the project’s scope. All responses must be submitted in writing to the contacts listed below and information will be used for project planning only and will remain confidential.

1. Is your company interested in completing this work and submitting a proposal?

2. What is your company’s current operating capacity, and what are your plans for future capacity?

3. What would your preference be for volume and frequency of commercial harvest? For example, would 10-15 MMBF every two years be acceptable?

4. For wood utilization facilities, please provide details on your facility’s product types, species handled, expected annual processing capacity, and the approximate percentage of your processing volume that is derived from National Forests. If your company is not a wood utilization facility, please provide information on the facilities that you may deliver products to.

5. Is the timeline and period of performance dates, as outlined in this RFI, feasible for your company?

6. Are the project areas, as described, accessible to your facility?

7. What potential challenges or obstacles do you foresee in executing this project, and how might they impact your operations?

8. Considering the potential for unpredictable changes, what degree of flexibility would be required by your facility, supporting services, or in coordination with agencies and landowners?

9. What benefits do you anticipate from this opportunity? If applicable, please indicate timing for these benefits and include a business plan or supporting documentation for any planned investments.

10. How would you propose pricing be structured?

11. What is your preference for timber designated on the ground? What is your experience with Designation by Prescription or Description without individual tree marking (basal area, spacing, species, etc.)?

12. Considering the potential pricing variability and long-term scope of this project, what type of contract structure would you recommend? Please address potential advantages or risks associated with using a single standalone contract versus a task order-based contract.

13. Is there anything you would like to add that could improve the project plan prior to the solicitation of proposals? We welcome any comments or suggestions that might enhance project design and execution.

Important Meeting Information

We invite interested parties to attend a virtual and in-person informational meeting and attend a site visit to prospective project area. Meeting details are below. RSVP with Kevin Hake via email if you plan to attend virtually or in-person at kevin.m.hake@usda.gov. Those who RSVP and specify that they will mailto:kevin.m.hake@usda.gov only attend virtually will be sent a MS Teams link prior to the meeting. Please respond by September 8th, 2025, at 5:00 P.M Pacific Time.

• In-Person Meeting Information: September 10th, 2025, at 09:00 A.M Pacific time. The meeting will be held at the Idaho Sheriff’s Posse Office, 155 Airport Road Grangeville, Idaho. Two hours are planned.

• A site visit will be held immediately after the in person meeting.

How to Respond to the RFI

• By September 17th, 2025 at 5:00 P.M. Pacific, interested parties are asked to submit written responses to questions included in this RFI via email to kevin.m.hake@usda.gov and matthew.daigle@usda.gov.

• Please note: Responding to this RFI is voluntary and solely for project planning purposes. Your response will not affect your eligibility for any subsequent Request for Proposals (RFP).

Sincerely, Kevin Hake Project Manager-Timber Management Assistant

Matthew Daigle Acquisition Program Support Officer

Enclosure 1: Project Overview Enclosure 2: Project Timeline and Anticipated Orders Enclosure 3: End of the World project area vicinity map Enclosure 4: End of the World project area detail map mailto:kevin.m.hake@usda.gov mailto:matthew.daigle@usda.gov

Enclosure 1: Project Overview

The End of the World Project (EOTW) project is adjacent to the community of Grangeville, Idaho, the county seat and largest city in Idaho County, Idaho. The actions associated with this project are designed to reduce the threat of catastrophic wildfires to both private residences in and adjacent to National Forest lands and to the community of Grangeville. Coupled with other projects completed by the Forest Service, The state of Idaho and private entities, the EOTW project provides substantial continuity in the overall treatment of this landscape adjacent to Grangeville.

The End of the World EIS authorizes treatment across a multititle of past harvest plantations ranging from the 1950’s-1980’s. The goal of this IRSC is to treat beyond the boundaries of traditional contracts where we often don’t treat the lower value stands or only treat small areas at a time. A long-term contract will provide the flexibility and time necessary to move the needle to restore our forest stands and reduce the impact of wildfire while providing a steady and reliable supply of forest products to markets.

Enclosure 2: Project Timeline and Anticipated Orders

Project Timeline: Subject to change

• September 2025: Request for Information

• Fall 2025: Project site visits (Weather permitting)

• Winter 2025-2026: Request for Proposals posted

• Spring 2026 Proposal evaluation and award

Table 1: The table shows expected project areas that will be included in the EOTW IRSC. The table notates the estimated timber volumes (MMBF) on each project. We expect the awardee to complete all aspects of a given project, including associated roads and service work. These projects are subject to change.

Priority Project Area Potential Treatment Acres Estimated Timber Volume

(MMBF)

1 Jungle Bird 4,218 17 2 Wooly Bully 1,189 10 3 Ski Bird 4,739 15 4 Cold Fir 4,007 15 5 Free Bird 4,166 12

End of the World Project

Project Area Silv Prescription Total Acres Cold Fir Intermediate 2,957

PCT 437

Regeneration 613

Cold Fir Total 4,007 Free Bird Intermediate 3,312

PCT 74

Regeneration 780

Free Bird Total 4,167 Jungle Bird Intermediate 3,869

PCT 281

Regeneration 68

Jungle Bird Total 4,218 Ski Bird Campground Hazard/Meadow Restoration 51 Intermediate 4,376

PCT 268

Regeneration 44

Ski Bird Total 4,739 Wooly Bully Intermediate 1,852

PCT 37

Wooly Bully Total 1,889 Total EOTW Acres 19,020