RFP Amendment 1 - 55AGR-S1744 .docx

STATE OF NEVADA

DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION

Purchasing Division 515 East Musser Street, Suite 300 │ Carson City, NV 89701 Phone: 775-684-0170 │ Fax: 775-684-0188

The following shall be a part of RFP #55AGR-S1744. If a vendor has already returned a proposal and any of the information provided below changes that proposal, please submit the changes along with this amendment. You need not re-submit an entire proposal prior to the opening date and time.

Questions and Responses to RFP:

1. Does the contractor have to be done gathering cattle by September 14, 2022? The solicitation states the contractor is good from February 8, 2022 until February 7, 2023, but the gather time doesn't seem to include that full period.

Gather start date is contingent upon Nevada Board of Examiners approval on February 8, 2022, and is to be completed by February 7, 2023, as the funding contract is not available after this date.

2. Will BLM or NDA blade roads to Pine, McCullough, and road southeast of Primm (goes around the solar farm) that ties into the Willow Springs Road (this road was used in the 2017 gather)?

BLM has advised that they will grade the three main access roads in January or February of 2022. NDA will not provide for the improvements of any roads.

3. Page 4 of the RFP states that the contract will be for a period of one year beginning February 8, 2022, and ending February 7, 2023. Section 2.1.2 states the contractor will have until September 14, 2022 to complete the gather. Section 2.1.3 references rifle hunting in November to be aware of. What is the actual timeframe to perform and complete the gather?

Gather start date is contingent upon Nevada Board of Examiners approval on February 8, 2022, and is to be completed by February 7, 2023, as the funding contract is not available after this date.

4. Will we be able to remove the pipe-rail fence around Pine Spring in order to use that water source to trap cattle?

The fence on Pine Spring will remain but NDOW will work with BLM to facilitate water and a trap adjacent to the fenced off area.

5. Will the BLM or NDA blade the Sharkey Well and Highland Spring Roads?

BLM has advised that they will grade the three main access roads in January or February of 2022. NDA will not provide for the improvements of any roads.

6. Section 2.1.1 of the RFP identifies the targeted area for the gather to be Pine, McCullough, Highland and Cow Springs. More than 50% of the cattle gathered during the last gather came from the west side of McCullough Mountain (Willow Springs). The 2017 and 2019 census maps also show a significant number of cattle on the west side. Will road maintenance and access be allowed to target that area also to achieve 100% removal?

A map of the entire gather area with boundaries indicated has been provided with this response. NDA will not provide for the improvements of any roads. BLM has advised that they will grade the three main access roads in January or February or 2022. NDA will not provide for the improvements of any roads.

7. Will transfer of ownership be issued throughout the gather (e.g., weekly or bi-weekly basis) so cattle will not have to be held for the duration of the contract? Or does NDA plan to only issue one transfer of ownership at the end of the contract performance?

Excluding Friday’s, NDA staff may be requested to perform visual inspections of gathered cattle monthly, with a minimum of 48-hour notice. Following completion of the visual inspection, NDA will complete the estray advertisement process. Following the estray advertisement process, NDA will issue a brand inspection clearance certificate transferring ownership of all unclaimed estray livestock to the vendor.

8. Section 4.1 of the RFP states to clearly specify the nature of all expenses anticipated, and to submit on schedule provided in Attachment G, and no other cost formats will be accepted. Do you want a complete breakdown of all costs in addition to Attachment G, because Attachment G does not provide for the detailed nature of all anticipated expenses? Or do we just lump all anticipated expenses within the categories provided in Attachment G?

Please include the anticipated combined costs for each section and place the amount in the most appropriate section of Attachment G.

9. Section 4.3 states that payment to the contractor will be provided when NDA, NDOW and BLM have verified that all cattle have been successfully removed. How long after gather operations do you anticipate this verification to occur?

NDA is awaiting a response from BLM to determine how soon after the gather completion a census may be performed to determine 100% removal of all cattle from the gather area. It is NDA’s intention to have this census completed as soon as possible following the completion of the gather.

10. Based on the 2019 census and experience from the 2017-18 gather, there may not be 200 cattle in the area. Since we are bidding on a per head basis, is the contractor guaranteed to be paid for a minimum of 200 head? If not, will you consider a cost schedule based on a daily rate to reach 100% removal? Daily rate would include expenses plus reasonable profit.

Due to previous experience, the maximum number of animals estimated by the agency was 200 head. Therefore, the agency determined the most equitable bidding process was on a per head removed basis. The agency cannot guarantee a minimum head to be gathered, nor guarantee a minimum amount to be paid to a vendor. The RFP was released with the bidding process to be based off a per head removed amount and does not allow for differing bidding formulations.

11. Section 2.1.8 requires written request/approval by NDA to use helicopter for gather removal. Can this permission be granted at the beginning of the gather in order to accommodate an immediate need? Instances will occur that demand immediate use to ensure 100% removal without delay.

Yes, written permission to utilize a helicopter during the gather may be obtained at commencement of the gather.

12. Section 2.1.9 requires written request/approval to cull animals if gathering methods do not provide complete removal. Can this written permission be granted at the beginning of the gather to accommodate the necessity of using this method when needed, because some of the animals may be difficult to find again due to temperament/terrain, etc.?

Yes, written permission to cull animals may be obtained at commencement of the gather. Vendor to track and report number of animals culled and dates of culling.

13. Due to the limited water sources in the area, where could the contractor obtain water for the holding area?

NDOW worked with the past contractor to obtain and deliver water for the holding area. NDOW will again work with NDOT in Searchlight to deliver water.

14. Does an entity need a Nevada Business License to bid on the contract or could they obtain it if they were to be rewarded the contract.

If awarded, you will have limited time from notification of award to final execution of contract to obtain a Nevada Business License. Work under any contract cannot commence until the business license is obtained.

15. Will the contractor be paid of all animals captured or just the ones that are not branded?

The contractor will be paid for gathering the cattle which are determined to be owned/branded and claimed during the advertisement process but will not receive transfer of ownership for these animals. If the animals are not claimed during the advertisement process and deemed estray, NDA will then transfer ownership to the vendor via a brand inspection clearance certificate.

16. Is there a name and phone number of someone in the Department of Agriculture that can provide maps and more information on the gather area?

A map has been provided as a part of this amendment. If your company contacts the agency directly, your proposal will be disqualified.

17. Is the only thing required for financial information the venders Dun & Bradstreet and Tax ID number or do you want other financial information. If so does you have a form for this information?

Please see Section 3.1.10 of the RFP.

18. In this solicitation there are two different dates for the period of performance. Which one is correct?

Gather start date is contingent upon Nevada Board of Examiners approval on February 8, 2022, and is to be completed by February 7, 2023, as the funding contract is not available after this date.

19. When was the last time this area was gathered? Who did the gather and how many animals were gathered? Did they have any success water or bait trapping, or did they use a helicopter?

December 2017-January 2018 – 436 cattle were removed; estimated 20-30 cattle remaining. Most trapping was by horse/water trapping. A helicopter was also utilized during times of the previous gather.

20. The estimated number of animals in these areas is 200 head. How was this number arrived at? Has there been a census of the area completed to arrive at the estimated 200 head to be gathered? Can any census maps be provided?

a. 2017 – overflight surveys documented 150 cattle

b. 2017-2018 removal – removed 436 cattle

c. 2019 overflight – 37 cattle counted, including 7 calves

d. Given poor estimations of total numbers from 2017 overflight, a max estimate of 200 cattle was determined

Embedded below are census maps from 2017 and 2019.

21. Embedded below is a Boundary Area Map.

ALL ELSE REMAINS THE SAME FOR RFP 55AGR-S1744

Vendor must sign and return this amendment with proposal submitted.

Vendor Name:

Authorized Signature:

Title:

Date:

This document must be submitted in the “State Documents” section of vendors’ technical proposal.

Amendment # 1 RFP # 55AGR-S1744 Page 1 of 1 image3.emf

2019 Overflight Map

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Total Cattle 4 - 5 6 - 8

9 - 10

2019 Overflight Path County Boundary Area of Critical Environmental Concern BLM Wilderness Bureau of Land Management Private

0 1 20.5 Miles

2019 McCullough Cattle Overflights

No Warranty is made by the Bureau of Land Management as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of these data for individual use or aggregate use with other data.

N e v adaN e v ada Pahrump Las Vegas

June 1, 2019 image4.emf

Boundary Area Map

Cow Spring

Highland Spring

McCullough Spring

Pine Spring

Knight Ranch Road

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Calada Well Road Cresent Road

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Sharkey Well Road

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C A L I F O R N I A

N E VA D A

A R I Z O N A

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Gather Boundary image1.jpg image2.emf

CattleFlight2017Map

Nevada

California Arizona

Utah

South McCullough and WeeThump Cattle Overflights May 26 & 27, 2017

SAVE YOUR OWN COPY

No warranty is made by the Bureau of Land Management as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of these data for individual use or aggregate use with other data. Original data were compiled from various sources.This information may not meet National Map Accuracy Standards. This product was developed through digital means and may be updated without notifcation.

´ Southern Nevada District Office Bureau of Land Management

4701 North Torrey Pines Drive Las Vegas, NV 89130

Date: 6/9/2017

¬«164 Source: Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye, Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AeroGRID, IGN, and the GIS User Community

0 2 41 Miles

0 75 15037.5 Miles

Cattle Count !( 1 !( 5

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Flightlines

South McCullough Wilderness

WeeThump Wilderness