Attachment 1 - Mechanical treatments_SOW_2026.pdf

Brookhaven Science Associates, LLC

Operator and Manager of

Brookhaven National Laboratory

Statement of Work For

Mechanical Treatments of Prescribed Burn Units and Fuel Breaks

1 October 2026

I – Purpose & Scope

Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) is a 5,265-acre multi-dimensional scientific facility which is managed by Brookhaven Science Associates (BSA). Under the Wildland Fire Management Plan, prescribed fire is one of the tools used for managing hazard fuel loads as well as management for ecological benefits.

Southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis) has decimated pitch pine trees throughout the site leaving hundreds of thousands of dead standing trees in its wake.

Forest management through thinning and prescribed fire is necessary to maintain fuel breaks and support a healthy forest ecosystem. Prescribed burn plans are expected to be developed for several areas around the site to protect both the Lab and adjacent communities, but preparation of these areas either for maintenance as fuel breaks or for prescribed fire must be conducted first. The areas of focus are north of the North Fire Break, the north and west sides of the RHIC Ring (outside the outer ring road), and the interior forested areas of RHIC (Figure 1), excluding wetland areas and the 100-foot buffer around them. The area consists mostly of white, scarlet, and black oaks, some live pitch pine, and a significant number of insect-killed pitch pine trees. The basal area ranges from 90-180 ft.2/acre and the mean DBH is approximately 12 inches. The intent is to reduce the basal area to less than 70 ft.2/acre with some trees topped to enhance habitat for birds and bats. This area covers over 400 acres and is not expected to be treated all at one time, but over a period of years as funding becomes available.

BNL is seeking a contractor with documented experience doing forestry treatments specifically for the preparation of prescribed burn units and fuel breaks and that is capable of mulching trees and snags in place. Desired equipment specifications are below:

Excavator Mulcher

• Cat 320 tracked Excavator with 350 horsepower auxiliary power unit dedicated to mulcher

• 56-inch wide Fecon Tree Mulcher

• HDT paddle style cutter system with 5 tool options

• Equipped with grapple for positioning material

• 150 gallons per minute hydraulic flow at 6000 PSI

• 5 PSI ground pressure

• 30-foot reach

• Capable of mulching any size stump or tree, standing or felled

II - Deliverables

The contractor must be able to demonstrate examples of similar forestry work completed for natural resources and prescribed fire management purposes. The contractor must be able to mulch trees in place using an excavator mulcher and material is to be distributed uniformly across the unit with no large accumulations of material anywhere in the unit, particularly along the edges.

III – Safety

The contractor shall submit a plan regarding the methods used to complete the work and an approved Health and Safety Plan describing each aspect of the work and each piece of equipment to be used.

Due to the fragility of the dead trees in these areas they are not to be pushed over as a part of this work to then cut up and chip/mulch.

To reduce wildland fire risks, trees must be mulched in place to ensure material is evenly distributed throughout the unit.

Each employee will be required to take Contractor/Vendor training.

IV – Schedule

Mechanical treatments must occur between November 1 and March 1 due to potential impacts to threatened and endangered species.

Figure 1. Map of areas targeted for mechanical treatments.