Specifications.docx

SPECIFICATIONS/DESCRIPTIONS – ELM CREEK NE HAY ACQUISITION

1. BACKGROUND

This acquisition is intended to procure quality hay products for the feeding of wild horses and burros (WH&B) at the National WH&B Facility in Elm Creek (EC), NE. The National Wild Horse and Burro Program (WH&BP) is an integral part of the management of Federal lands in the western United States. Every year WH&Bs that are determined to be excess on the public lands are removed and placed in the Adopt-A-Horse program. This program places WH&Bs into private homes around the country. The WH&B at EC is charged with caring for these animals on their journey to private adopted homes. A good feeding program is an integral part to the care the animals receive while on the facility.

2. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

Good quality alfalfa hay helps ensure the good care of WH&Bs at the facility. The contract will ensure the procurement of high quality hay for the feeding of 300-500 WH&Bs per day throughout the year. This will require the delivery of alfalfa hay to feed up to 5.25 tons of hay per day. All deliveries shall be coordinated with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Contracting Officer Representative (COR), and the EC Feeding contractor. The hay Contractor will unload all the small square bales into the BLM’s hay shed and the EC feeding Contractor will unload the round bales with the feeding contractor’s provided on-site tractor. This is why the hay contractor must coordinate round bale load deliveries with the COR and EC Feeding Contractor.

3.SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

The primary, large volume feeding of alfalfa hay is through the use of large round bales. This will be the largest amount of hay needed to be supplied by the hay contractor. EC also feeds animals in the smaller load pens and sick pens using small square bales. Small square requirement may be up to 150 bales per month with an average weight of 60 lbs. per bale. A total of up to 2200 tons will be needed for the base year 12 month period from February 1, 2023 to January 31, 2024. A total of 1000 ton will be needed for the option period of February 1, 2024 to June 30, 2024.

Bale Requirement -Protein level 16% or higher -Relative Feed Value 125 or higher -Weed level less than 5% -Grass level less than 5% -Moisture content of less than 18% -Hay test available upon request within 10 days of delivery Weigh ticket for each load to verify weight delivered All hay delivered will be free of dust, mold and heating. All deliveries will be inspected by the on-site COR/PI, and will be subject to their approval and acceptance or rejection (in the event of non-compliant hay). Inspection shall be completed prior to the unloading of product unless otherwise approved by the COR/PI. Deliveries will be during normal business hours, Monday-Friday 8 a.m-4 p.m., and coordinated with the COR and EC Feeding contractor. Weekend deliveries will only be allowed after approval by the COR and coordinated with the EC Feeding Contractor. Weigh tickets will be provided to the COR when the loads are delivered to the EC facility.

c. Special circumstances There may be periods that the contractor will be unable to gain access to the EC facility due to inclement weather. It is the goal of the EC facility to maintain supplies of hay to allow for periods of weather in the form of snow or muddy conditions which may conflict with a Hay Contractors ability to get hay out of a field for delivery to the EC facility. It is the goal of the EC facility to have hay on-site at all times to maintain a 3-5 day feeding supply on-hand in cases of severe snow or mud conditions which would impact a contractors ability to retrieve hay from a field to deliver to the EC facility. This will insure the facility has a backup supply of hay at all times in the case of delivery problems such as snow and mud conditions or any other unforeseen conflicts occur.