Palisades_RFP.docx

Request for Proposal - L15PS00094

SCHEDULE OF ITEMS – PALISADES FLAT WILDFIRE REHABILITATION

Task 1—Palisades Flat Fire Suppression Dozer-line Rehabilitation

1H Road Decommission/Obliteration __3.3__ Miles $______ $________

1E Mechanical/Hand Seeding __4__ Acres $______ $________

Item 1 Total: $________

Task 2—Palisades Flat Fire Burned Area Treatments

1E Mechanical/Hand Seeding (Method 1) ____ Acres $______ $________

1E Mechanical/Hand Seeding (Method 2) ____ Acres $______ $________ (If proposing >2 methods, add additional lines) Item 2 Total: 812 Acres Cost Total $________

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREPARATION OF PRICE PROPOSAL

Offerors shall submit a price proposal using the format shown in the Schedule of Items, with activities (sub-items) for each item shown separately. The offeror shall identify each seeding method described in the technical proposal as a sub-item to Task 2, Item 1E (more sub-item lines may be added as necessary). Include quantity, unit price and total price for each identified line item (Task 2, Item 1E must total 812 acres). The total price for all line items represents the total cost of the Offeror’s proposed Treatment Plan.

1.H Road Decommissioning/Obliteration/Soil De-compaction. Provide services to de-compact soils, decommission, obliterate, enhance, re-contour and/or shape roads, source and waste areas, landings, skid-trails, temporary roads, etc., pull culverts, improve drainage, restore hydrologic function, create barriers to discourage further use, etc. Work may involve transporting (on and off-highway), placing materials such as soil, rock, logs, slash, etc. to and/or from the site and disposal. The Government may provide if requested by the contractor an implement for road decommissioning/de-compaction that effectively rips, seeds and harrows in one pass. The implement is towed with a contractor provided dozer (minimum horse power may apply) and is attached via the tool bar. Vertical ripping depth is controlled by the dozers hydraulics while the seeder is electrically powered, with seed rate/density controlled by the operator. Additional services may include whole tree removal (tree-tipping), transport, and placement.

1.E Mechanical/Hand Seeding. Provide equipment (tractors, quads, etc.) and capabilities appropriate for the ecological setting (seed drills, mounted broadcast seeders and sprayers, hand seeders, backpack sprayers, etc.) including site and seedbed preparation and maintenance equipment (discs, harrows, rippers, rakes, sprayers, etc.)

ELECTRONIC INVOICING AND PAYMENT REQUIREMENTS – (APR 2013)

INVOICE PROCESSING PLATFORM (IPP)

Electronic Invoicing and Payment Requirements - Internet Payment Platform (IPP) (February 2011)

Payment requests must be submitted electronically through the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Invoice Processing Platform System (IPP).

“Payment request” means any request for contract financing payment or invoice payment by the Contractor. To constitute a proper invoice, the payment request must comply with the requirements identified in the applicable Prompt Payment clause included in the contract, or the clause 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions – Commercial Items included in commercial item contracts. The IPP website address is: https://www.ipp.gov.

Under this contract, the following documents are required to be submitted as an attachment to the IPP invoice:

1. Copy of Company Invoice.

The Contractor must use the IPP website to register, access and use IPP for submitting requests for payment. The Contractor Government Business Point of Contact (as listed in SAM) will receive enrollment instructions via email from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston (FRBB)prior to the award date, but no more than 3-5 business days of the contract award date. Contractor assistance with enrollment can be obtained by contacting the IPP Production Helpdesk via email ippgroup@bos.frb.org or phone (866) 973-3131.

If the Contractor is unable to comply with the requirement to use IPP for submitting invoices for payment, the Contractor must submit a waiver request in writing to the Contracting Officer with its proposal or quotation.

Statement of Work 2015 Douglas County Wildfire Rehabilitation

1.0 GENERAL

The Palisades Flat wildfire of 2014 burned approximately 1,000 acres consisting of private property and lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Washington Department of Natural Resources (WDNR). The area consists of shrub-steppe habitat that is important for greater sage-grouse and a wide variety of other shrub-steppe associated species, as well as livestock foraging. Partnership opportunities were identified among land owners, and Sikes Act and Wyden Amendment Authorities will be used to complete project work across ownerships within the burned area, including BLM, WDNR and private property.

1.1 Description of Work

The goal of this project is to obliterate and re-seed approximately 3 miles of dozer lines created by fire suppression efforts, and to re-seed approximately 800 acres of the burned area with native grass and forb species.

1.2 Location of Work

The project area is located approximately 20 miles east of Wenatchee, Washington near the county line in southern Douglas/northern Grant counties. The legal description is Township 22 North, Range 24 East, Sections 1, 2, 3, 11 and 12 (Attachment 1: Maps).

1.3 Access

The project area has reasonable road access, including paved roads nearly to the site, and maintained dirt roads through most of the burned area. A portion of one access road is a two-track dirt road that was used heavily during fire suppression efforts and is somewhat rutted and may be loose or muddy during project implementation. Staging areas for equipment are available at several locations to access different portions of the project area. The contractor will need to coordinate parking and staging areas with the BLM during project implementation.

1.4 Site Conditions

Soil based Ecological Sites as defined by the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) within the burned area consist of various loamy sites (approximately 60%), stony sites (20%) and very shallow sites (20%, Attachment 1D). Areas proposed for seeding are relatively level (generally less than 15% slope); although some small areas and access between areas may have steeper slopes. Treatment areas are suitable for operation of machinery and all-terrain vehicles. Vegetation within the burned area consisted of sagebrush with grasses and forbs; some of the sagebrush has been killed, but some has survived. Surviving sagebrush must be left intact during seeding treatment. Grasses and forbs have begun to regrow, and the treatment objective is to inter-seed into the existing vegetation.

Cultural resource sites have been identified within the proposed treatment area; these sites are marked with flagging and must be avoided during project implementation. If additional cultural resources are found during project implementation, the contractor must notify the BLM immediately so that the need for protection of the site can be assessed.

Offerors or quoters are urged and expected to inspect the site where services are to be performed and to satisfy themselves regarding all general and local conditions that may affect the cost of contract performance, to the extent that the information is reasonably obtainable. In no event shall failure to inspect the site constitute grounds for a claim after contract award.

A site visit is scheduled for February 9, 2015. Interested bidders can contact Erik Ellis (contracting officer’s representative) at 509-665-2141 or edellis@blm.gov and a meeting location will be arranged based on where interested parties are traveling from.

2.0 DEFINITIONS - None

3.0 CONTRACTOR-FURNISHED ITEMS

The Contractor shall furnish all personnel, equipment, supervision, transportation, supplies, and incidentals, except those indicated as government-furnished, to perform all work necessary for successful completion of the work.

4.0 GOVERNMENT-FURNISHED ITEMS

· Native plant seed to complete seeding treatment.

· Maps and GIS data of treatment areas

· Landowner contact and access information

· Thumb-drive for document transfer

5.0 DESCRIPTION OF WORK

This project is divided into two separate tasks:

1) Palisades Flat Fire Suppression Dozer-line Rehabilitation,

2) Palisades Flat Fire Burned Area Treatments.

These items have different funding sources and must be billed to separate line items. Therefore, the Contractor shall distinguish between these items in the Schedule of Items and in all invoices.

5.1 Task 1 – Palisades Flat Fire Suppression Dozer-line Rehabilitation

Task 1 applies only to mechanically created fire breaks that were a result of the fire suppression effort (Attachment 1B). These areas total approximately 3 miles.

Fire break treatments include obliteration/berm-removal, water-barring to reduce run-off erosion, and seeding with native species (provided by BLM). The offeror shall propose methods (equipment to be used) to accomplish these treatments, including description of the need for and approximate number of water bars to be installed.

5.2 Task 2 – Palisades Flat Fire Burned Area Seeding

Task 2 applies only to areas burned by the Palisades Flat fire excluding areas where suppression dozer-line was created (Attachments 1C, 1D). Treatment areas within Task 2 total approximately 812 acres.

The offeror shall propose methods (equipment to be used) to accomplish seeding based on site conditions such as ecological site, soil depth, rockiness, etc. The contractor’s proposal shall indicate approximate acreage to be seeded using each seeding method and provide brief rational for the methodology.

The BLM will provide all necessary seed and will prescribe seed mixes and seeding rates (pounds per acre) based on contractor proposed seeding methods.

5.3 Schedule

5.3.1 Work Schedule – The estimated start work date is February 23, 2015, but the actual start date will depend on ground conditions at the site. All work on this project must be completed no later than March 23, 2015. This date may be extended if spring weather conditions prohibit start of work.

5.3.2 Payment Schedule – Payment will be made at project completion for work that has been inspected and accepted.

6.0 INSPECTION

Inspections will be performed by BLM in order to assure conformance with the described Items. Inspection may include, but is not limited to:

· Inspection of equipment and/or supplies to ensure use of proper equipment/materials identified in the contract or work plan, such as seed application rates, planting depths, etc.

· Inspections of performance of treatments identified in the contract or work plan, such as proper planting techniques including depth and timing, or evidence of mechanical work such as harrow and drill rows.

· Inspection of coverage of treatment areas and units of treatments, such as acres of mechanical treatment.

7.0 SAFETY

7.1 Restoration services for the project may involve various types of equipment operating in varying terrain, possibly in adverse conditions. Individuals performing diverse jobs may be working throughout the project at any given time.

7.2 The Government has identified the following hazards when performing complex restoration activities over a large project area. Contractor shall provide a job-specific safety plan addressing these hazards as well as any other hazards the Contractor has encountered in this type of work.

· Job-specific Personal Protective Equipment for all individuals on the job site, safety vests, glasses, hardhats, foot wear, hearing protection, etc.

· Job and equipment specific first-aid kits, spill kits for fuel, hydraulic fluid, and herbicides, etc.

· Evacuation plan in case of injury.

· Work around heavy equipment and trucks, blind spots, backing, visibility, etc.

8.0 CONTRACTING OFFICER’S REPRESENTATIVE

8.1 A qualified BLM COR or designated Project Inspector will be on site or available by phone during all phases of the project, providing technical support and ensuring that project objectives are met.

8.2 The COR is the on-the-ground administrator for the Contracting Officer.

8.3 Responsibilities of the COR - The COR’s authorities and responsibilities are defined in the COR Designation Letter. The COR is authorized to clarify technical requirements, and to review and approve work which is clearly within the scope of work. The COR is NOT authorized to issue changes pursuant to the changes clause or to in any other way modify the scope of work.

9.0 NOTICE TO PROCEED

The Contractor shall perform no preliminary work prior to receipt of this notification.

52.222-42 STATEMENT OF EQUIVALENT RATES FOR FEDERAL HIRES (MAY 2014)

In compliance with the Service Contract Labor Standards statute and the regulations of the Secretary of Labor (29 CFR part 4), this clause identifies the classes of service employees expected to be employed under the contract and states the wages and fringe benefits payable to each if they were employed by the contracting agency subject to the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 5341 or 5332.

This Statement is for Information Only:

It is not a Wage Determination

*FRINGE BENEFITS: Life, Accident and Health Insurance and Sick Leave Programs - 5.1 percent of basic hourly rate.

Paid Holidays - 10 per year: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr's Birthday, Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day Vacation - 13 days paid vacation per year up to 3 years of service, 20 days after 3 years of service, and 26 after 15 years of service. Retirement - 7 percent basic hourly rate.

LIST OF ATTACHMENTS

The following attachments are made a part of this solicitation and any resultant award.

1. Maps……………………………………..…………….…………………...5 Pages

2. Wage Determination No : 2005-2565, Rev 15 12/22/2014…..……..……10 Pages

Evaluation for Task Order Award

The Government will award this task order to the responsible offeror whose offer will be most advantageous to the Government. All proposal submissions will be evaluated on the basis of the following selection criteria with maximum point values as identified:

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREPARATION OF PRICE PROPOSAL

Offerors shall submit a price proposal using the format shown in the Schedule of Items, with activities (sub-items) for each item shown separately. The offeror shall identify each seeding method described in the technical proposal as a sub-item to Task 2, Item 1E (more sub-item lines may be added as necessary). Include quantity, unit price and total price for each identified line item (Task 2, Item 1E must total 812 acres). The total price for all line items represents the total cost of the Offeror’s proposed Treatment Plan.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREPARATION OF TECHNICAL PROPOSAL

Offerors shall submit a technical proposal addressing the specific approach the Contractor would take to accomplish the objectives of the contract as specified herein. Specifically, the proposal must describe equipment proposed for seeding and the corresponding acreage to be treated with each seeding method. All proposed work shall fit within the scope of the US Forest Service’s Restoration Services contracts awarded from Solicitation No. AG-04M3-S-14-0016.

PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS

This is a Request for Proposal (RFP) on a prospective task order and, therefore, no public opening will be held. The results will not be made public prior to task order award. As offers are considered confidential, the name of the Contractor and the amount of the order will be disclosed only after task order award. Use one of the following methods to submit your quote.

Electronic Submittal - Electronic offers are not currently acceptable through www.fedconnect.net.

In accordance with FAR 4.1201, representations and certifications shall be entered through www.sam.gov updated annually.

Hard Copy Submittal - When submitting a proposal, each envelope (including express mail pouches) must be sealed, marked with the solicitation number and addressed as follows:

Mail proposal to:

Bureau of Land Management 915 Walla Walla Ave.

Wenatchee, WA 98801 Hand carry proposal to:

Bureau of Land Management 915 Walla Walla Ave.

Wenatchee, WA 98801