Statement of Work – Request for Proposals

RFP Title: (FAC120) Mowing and Mulching of existing fire breaks within Myles Standish State Forest FY27 Commbuys Bid #: BD-27-1020-DCRFC-DC366-132725 Contract #: FAC120 Contract Category: Category 3: Tree Services Description of need Summary: This Request for Proposals (RFP) is posted by the Department of Conservation and Recreation for the procurement of a vendor to:

Mow existing fire breaks (brush, tree seedlings, and saplings) on DCR Lands within Myles Standish State Forest in accordance with FAC120 – Landscaping Services, Snow Removal, Tree Services and Related Services and the provisions of the contract as listed in the Scope of Work.

Commonwealth Eligible Entity Engaging a Vendor:

This Request for Proposals (RFP) does not commit DCR to approve a Statement of Work (SOW), pay any costs incurred in the preparation of a bidder’s response to this RFP, or to engage for products or services. DCR reserves the right to accept or reject any and all quotes received as a result of this RFP and to contract for some, all, or none of the responding vendors as a result of this RFP. DCR further reserves the right to negotiate with any or all responding vendors or to cancel this RFP, in part or in its entirety, if it is in the best interest of the agency to do so.

Estimated Duration of Project: 2-3 weeks

Estimated Value of Procurement: $40,000

Anticipated Completion of Project: April 14, 2027

The selected vendor will be responsible for the following tasks/specifications sought:

Scope of Work:

Firebreak Mowing All vegetation within the existing firebreaks shall be mowed/mulched. Widths of firebreaks are 20 feet wide or 32 feet wide (see map). Vegetation shall be mowed in place with a rotary cutter to within 1” of the ground. Stumps shall be ground down to ground level. All firebreaks shall be cleared of all debris upon completion. No material is to leave the project area.

Firebreak Mowing Section 1 – 7.7 miles Firebreak Mowing Section 2 – 8.7 miles Firebreak Mowing Section 3 – 8.3 miles Firebreak Mowing Section 4 – 2.5 miles

To have a continuous mowed area, all dead and downed trees, regardless of diameter, will be either treated or scattered at least 20 feet from the fire break for hardwood species and at least 30 feet from the fire break for conifer species. The fire breaks will be cleared of all debris upon completion. In addition, all limbs overhanging the area to be cleared will be pruned to at least 12 feet in height and mulched in place.

Resulting Mulch

· Mulch from all the activities described above shall consist of shredded, non-compacted, woody material.

· Mulch shall be as evenly dispersed as feasible and shall not exceed 3” in depth in order to minimize packing and to maintain air space to promote drying and decomposition.

· Size and structure of individual pieces of mulch produced by the Contractor shall be approved by DCR. The Contractor shall modify their mulching process as needed to create individual pieces of mulch of a size and structure acceptable to DCR.

GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS

1) Scope of Work

a) The Contractor shall provide all labor, materials, equipment, supervision, and other services and permits required to complete the work.

b) The Contractor shall meet all provisions as outlined in OSD’s Statewide Contract FAC 120.

c) Prior to performing any work the Contractor shall provide DCR a work schedule for all crews and personnel performing mowing/mulching and associated contract services.

d) Prior to the completion of all work, the Contractor and a DCR representative shall perform a site visit to ensure compliance with specifications.

2) Superintendent, Skilled Labor, and Employees

a) The Contractor shall assign a suitable superintendent to this contract for its duration; and shall provide DCR with the name and contact information of the superintendent so designated by the Contractor. The Contractor hereby warrants and represents that:

i) The superintendent is duly authorized to manage the day-to-day operations identified in this scope of service and bind the Contractor to all work associated with the timely and proper implementation of these specifications and performance standards identified in this Scope of Service.

ii) The operators and all others employed by the Contractor shall be licensed, skilled, experienced, and trained in the particular scope assigned to them.

iii) The Contractor shall comply with all applicable local, state and federal laws, including, without limitation, OSHA and any other regulations concerning the performance of this contract.

iv) Each employee assigned to perform work under this Scope of Services shall perform such work and otherwise engage with the public and state officials in a professional and competent manner.

v) All bidders must thoroughly acquaint themselves with these limitations and include in their pricing all necessary and specified materials, labor, equipment, and safety apparatus to complete the work as specified.

b) The superintendent shall be thoroughly knowledgeable and informed concerning every aspect of this work.

c) Upon request, the Contractor shall furnish DCR a copy of all resumes, licenses and credentials of all employees retained by Contractor to perform services under this Contract.

d) The Contractor shall keep accurate and complete records of all work performed under this Contract and shall make such records available to DCR for inspection.

e) The Contractor agrees to transfer any employee that DCR, by and through its DCR Monitor, has determined to engage in unprofessional conduct in contravention in subparagraph 2(a)(iv) above.

3) Night, Saturday, Sunday, or Holiday Work

a) The Contractor shall prosecute its work under the Notice to Proceed or any subsequently issued Work Order from Monday through Friday and for this contract during the hours of 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. The Contractor shall not perform any work on any weekend, duly recognized Holiday or non-standard hours unless the Contractor receives express written permission from DCR.

4) Weather Conditions

a) The Contractor shall be responsible to employ all means and measures to perform this work as assigned at all times during a calendar year. No work will be done when, in the opinion of DCR, the weather or conditions are unsuitable.

5) Change Orders Generally

a) No changes in the work shall be made in absence of a Notice to Proceed, directing the Contractor to perform such changes.

b) A request for a change in the provisions of this Contract may be submitted to DCR. The request must be made in writing and in accordance with the provisions of this Contract.

c) A Change Order may only be issued by DCR for changes in the Work within the scope of this Contract, including but not limited to, changes in: (1) the Plans and Specifications; (2) the method or manner of performance of the Work; (3) amount of furnished services; or (4) the schedule for performance of the Work.

d) The Contractor shall immediately perform any Change Order work ordered by DCR.

6) Protection of Persons and Property

a) The Contractor shall perform all work in a safe and orderly manner.

b) The Contractor shall ensure that it performs its work in such a manner to ensure no damage to property contiguous to tree cutting activities, including those public and private.

c) The Contractor is, at no additional cost to the Agency, responsible for addressing and solving any such problems it encounters during operations.

d) The Contractor shall erect and otherwise post warning signage, and/ or other approved and mandated devices to warn persons and vehicles passing and/ or moving by all work sites.

e) DCR reserves the right to require the Contractor to provide security fence and enclosures as required by job conditions to insure protection of persons, materials, and work on the site.

f) The Contractor shall safely protect the property of all public and private concerns and all adjacent property from loss or damage because of the work and shall repair or replace any damage, injury, or loss resulting from this Contract at no additional cost to DCR or property owners.

g) All machinery must carry working fire extinguishers.

7) Safety Regulations

a) The Contractor shall perform all work under this Scope of Services in strict accordance with all applicable OSHA and State safety regulations.

b) The Contractor shall assume the entire responsibility for the safety of employees and shall be responsible for all injury resulting from the failure thereof. All equipment and vehicles must have an up to date safety inspection.

8) Traffic

a) The Contractor shall perform all work covered under this Scope of Services in such a manner that maintains the safety of pedestrian, bicycle, or horse traffic on forest roads and trails.

9) Payments

a) The Contractor shall submit a final invoice, preferably electronic file, emailed to DCR for the payment of duly completed work under a duly issued Notice to Proceed.

b) DCR reserves the right to withhold payment for one or more of the following matters:

i) The Contractor fails to perform its work in a professional manner.

ii) Any claim by any third party for any work arising out of Contractor’s performance of work under this Contract.

iii) The Contractor failed to comply, in all respects with the Wetlands Protection Regulations set forth at 310 CMR 10.06(6)(a)4.

iv) The Contractor failed to make payments in a timely manner to subcontractors or for labor, material, or equipment, and/ or unsatisfactory prosecution of the work by the Contractor.

v) The Contractor has failed to comply with the cleanup standards set forth in Paragraph 13 below.

vi) Proper back up documentation not supplied

c) Before DCR withholds any payment to the Contractor under this Contract, DCR shall provide the Contractor written notice of its intent to withhold specifying the reasons for its actions. The Contractor shall be afforded ten (10) business days from date of issuance to cure DCR’s reasons for withholding payment.

10) Guarantees and Warrantees

a) The Contractor shall guarantee their workmanship for one year after completion and acceptance by DCR, and shall cure, without any cost to DCR, any defect that may occur during this period.

11) Permits, Fees, and Notices

a) The Contractor shall secure and pay all permits and governmental fees, licenses, and inspections necessary for the proper execution and completion of the work which are customarily secured after the execution of a contract, and which are legally required based on the scope of work.

12) Prevailing Wage Rates

a) Wage Rates must be in accordance with G. L. c. 149, §§26 and 27D the Prevailing Wage Rates as instructed in FAC120.

b) The awarding authority has a legal obligation to request a prevailing wage schedule from the Department of Labor Standards (DLS) at www.mass.gov/dols. In addition, bidders and proposers must agree to comply with the Prevailing Wage Law, as administered by the DLS. Questions regarding the Prevailing Wage Law may be answered by accessing the DLS website at www.mass.gov/dols or by calling the DLS Prevailing Wage Program at (617) 626-6953.

13) Project Clean Up

a) The Contractor shall leave the premises in an orderly condition approved by a DCR representative and will be responsible for any additional costs associated with unfinished cleanup work.

14) Reassignment of the Contract

a) The Contractor will not be permitted to either assign the contract, or assign either legally or equitably, any moneys hereunder or its claim thereto, without DCR’s previously written consent.

15) Price/Time Increases

a) Notwithstanding any provision of this Contract to the contrary, except as otherwise provided by law, the Contractor shall not be entitled to increase the Contract Price or to receive damages because of any hindrances or delays, avoidable or unavoidable; but if any delay is caused in DCR’s opinion, the Contractor shall be entitled to an extension of time. The length of the extension shall be sufficient in DCR’s opinion for the Contractor to complete the Work. Although no delay shall increase the Contract Price, DCR may require that any change in the date by which the Contractor must complete all or any part of the Work be processed on a standard Change Order form.

Additional Specifications

1. Mowing/mulching beyond what is specifically described is not permitted.

2. Signage must be provided on all State Forest roads and trails and other public roads warning the traveling public of operations.

3. The Contractor shall provide DCR with at least 48-hour notice of when they plan to begin work and of when they plan to end work.

4. The Contractor shall perform routine closing maintenance on permanent roads but not limited to smoothing road surfaces, remove ruts, maintain existing water diversion features to ensure they function properly and construct additional water diversion features if needed.

5. Oil-absorbent mats will be on hand in case of a fuel or hydraulic fluid spill or leak.

6. At the conclusion of the operation, the Contractor will accompany the DCR designee on a final walkthrough and evaluation of the site to ensure that all required work is completed satisfactorily.

7. The Operator shall be required to thoroughly clean all equipment before entering DCR property. Equipment will be allowed on DCR property when DCR determines that it has been cleaned and a reasonable effort has been made to remove dirt and other debris. Equipment that fails the inspection may not be unloaded onto DCR property until adequately cleaned. The Operator shall allow DCR to inspect all equipment during the regular working hours before it may be unloaded from the trailer onto DCR property. If an inspection cannot be scheduled in a timely manner, DCR may designate a location where the equipment can be left, either unloaded or still on the trailer, until the inspection can take place. If the equipment does not pass inspection, it must be removed from DCR property along with any dirt and debris that may have fallen from it. This shall be done at the contractor’s expense.

8. The contractor shall protect all known survey monuments, witness corners, reference monuments, and bearing trees against avoidable destruction, obliteration, or damage during contractor’s operations. If any known monuments, corners, or accessories are destroyed, obliterated, or damaged by contractor’s operations, contractor is required to reestablish or restore at the same location the monuments, corners, or accessories to their original status.

9. Mechanical operations will only occur from Monday to Friday.

Responsive bids must include the following to be considered:

· Identify all labor, equipment, and materials necessary to perform and complete all work required under the Specifications and Scope of Work

· List of equipment including make, model and age

· List of employees that may be deployed for this contract to include all qualifications, licenses, industry certifications and years of experience

· Completion of the included bid sheet

· Certified copies of each subcontractor’s insurance policies, which must meet the same insurance coverage levels as required under FAC 120.

· Three references (names, telephone number, and addresses) related in scope to projects similar to this contract.

Mowing and Mulching of fire breaks within Myles Standish State Forest FY27 Bid Sheet FAC120: Landscaping Services, Snow Removal, Tree Care and Related Services Work to be completed between December 1, 2026 and April 14, 2027

Firebreak Mowing Section 1 – 7.7 miles Lump Sum Bid: _________________________

Firebreak Mowing Section 2 – 8.7 miles Lump Sum Bid: _________________________

Firebreak Mowing Section 3 – 8.3 miles Lump Sum Bid: _________________________

Firebreak Mowing Section 4 – 2.5 miles Lump Sum Bid: _________________________

Company Name

Address

I understand and agree to the terms and conditions of the Tree and Brush mowing/mulching in Myles Standish State Forest prospectus and my bids reflect full execution and compliance: DCR reserves the right to evaluate all bid submissions on past similar experiences, available resources, reference checks, and costs and the award of contracts to one or more contractors.

Timeframe for work to be completed: Between December 1, 2026 and April 14, 2027

· Individual sections may not be completed due to operational needs and/or fiscal constraints.

Showing:

· Thursday – September 3, 2026, at 10:30am at Myles Standish State Forest HQ, 194 Cranberry Road in Carver, MA

· A four-wheel drive vehicle for the showing is needed.

Evaluation Criteria: Responses will be evaluated according to the following criteria

· Total Project Cost

· Qualifications and demonstrated capability

· Experience with similar public-sector infrastructure projects

· Ability to meet requirements outlined in the Scope of Work

Responses: Responses (bids/quotes) are to be submitted to DCR electronically via the “Create Quote” function contained in Commbuys system. If you are a vendor on FAC120 and have not registered on Commbuys, you are required to do so. Vendors should consult the vendor user guide at http://www.mass.gov/anf/docs/osd/commbuys/commbuys-vendor-registration.

Help is available from the Commbuys Help Desk at 617.720.3197.

Questions are Due by: September 10, 2026, at 5 pm Answers to Questions will be submitted by: via Commbuys Q&A RFP Responses are due by: September 17, 2026 at 5 pm Estimated Award Date: October 1, 2026 Contract Start Date (EST): December 1, 2026 image1.jpeg image2.jpg image3.jpg