SPECIFICATIONS.docx

SPECIFICATIONS AND PRICING SCHEDULE

INTRODUCTION

The Department of Natural Resources and Conservation/Missoula Unit (DNRC/MSO Unit) is soliciting bids for mechanically masticated pre-commercial thinning of 130 acres on the Missoula Unit. An award will be made to the vendor with the lowest Total Bid Price (TBP) for the following So Very Thick PCT. A 25% performance bond will be required on the project. This thinning must be completed by October 15, 2026. Approval of work will be determined by the Forest Officer.

The current stand conditions are shown in the following table:

UNIT

STR

ACRES

SLOPE

Ave. DBH (inches)*

Ave. Height (feet)*

EXISTING TREES PER ACRE

* -DBH and Height are for estimated CUT trees

The Contractor will utilize a masticator (see specifications below) and progress at a rate that indicates all required work be accomplished within the performance period. Thinning will be accomplished according to the following specifications:

(A) Boundaries:

Unit boundaries are marked with blue and pink flagging and three painted horizontal purple stripes. All unit boundaries were traversed, and acreage determined using the Global Positioning System (GPS).

(B) Equipment specifications:

Masticators must be boom mounted (on an excavator or feller buncher). No other types of masticators are acceptable on this project. Masticators must have a minimum 110 HP.

If an area is too steep to masticate hand thinning and lop and scatter of slash may be utilized upon approval by the Forest Officer.

(C) Only conifer trees taller than 2 feet in height and less than 6 inches DBH shall be cut to achieve the required target stocking. In areas where quality 6”dbh or larger trees exist in the overstory all trees will be thinned 14’ from the bole of the overstory tree or free of the dripline, whichever is greater. No “sawlog” trees will be felled under this contract.

Requirements specific to each project area are shown in Table 2.

TABLE 2 – SPACING REQUIREMENTS SPECIFIC TO THE PROJECT AREA UNITS

PROJECT

UNITS

TARGET UNDERSTORY STOCKING

TREES PER ACRE*

UNDERSTORY

AVERAGE

SPACING*

14 feet 12 foot minimum

* - The average stem spacing should vary so that the best trees are retained.

(D) Selection criteria:

The best trees of each species will be retained as leave trees in all units

1) Indicators of desirable leave trees are:

(D) Selection criteria:

The best trees of each species will be retained as leave trees in all units

1) Indicators of desirable leave trees are:

2) Indicators of undesirable trees are:

These indicators shall determine the trees to be cut; slight defects may be acceptable for a leave tree if it is the best selection within a competitive group.

(E) Species Preference:

1) When selecting between individual trees with similar indicators of quality, the following order of preference will be used to select leave trees:

a) Western larch (WL)

b) Ponderosa pine (PP)

c) Douglas-fir (DF)

d) Lodgepole Pine (LPP)

4.4 FELLING REQUIREMENTS

(A) Cut trees shall be completely severed from the stump. No “lazy straps" will be permitted.

(B) All felled trees shall be severed below the lowest live limb. NO LOWER LIVE LIMBS WILL BE PERMITTED.

(C) The maximum stump height shall be 6.5 inches above ground level, as measured on the uphill side of a tree.

(D) Cut trees shall be felled parallel to each other and not criss-crossed or jack-strawed

(E) Cut trees shall be felled away from unit boundaries, roads, established trails, wildlife trails, fencelines, established land corners, and streams. Any trees felled on such areas shall be removed.

(F) Dead standing trees of the thinning size DO NOT NEED TO BE CUT.

(G) Bearing, section-line, or trail-blazed tree shall not be cut.

(H) In areas where quality 6”dbh or larger trees exist in the overstory all trees will be thinned 14’ from the bole of the overstory tree or free of the dripline, whichever is greater.

(I) Remove all trees within 5 feet of all road prisms.

(J) Do not thin trees under powerlines.

4.5 SLASH REQUIREMENTS – NOTE THIS PROJECT CONTAINS SLASH REQUIREMENTS

(A) Thinning slash will be masticated. In areas deemed too steep to masticate by the Forest Officer, slash will be allowed to be lopped and scattered to within 18 inches of the ground throughout the thinning unit.

(B) Thinning slash shall be removed from all ephemeral and intermittent stream channels and wet areas that carry seasonal water. (This requirement includes road ditches and other road drainage features)

(C) Thinning slash shall be confined within unit boundaries.

(D) The Contract Supervisor may approve salvage of thinning slash

SO VERY THICK PCT Information

The So Very Thick PCT must be masticated (using a boom mounted masticator) to an average spacing of 14’x14’. The unit is clumpy with occasional openings. The clumps are very thick. There are some areas that were previously thinned and/or planted and young trees have grown in very thick around the desired leave trees. In areas where quality 6”dbh or larger trees exist in the overstory all trees will be thinned 14’ from the bole of the overstory tree or free of the dripline, whichever is greater. No slash is permitted outside of the unit boundaries. Masticators must meet equipment specifications that are outlined in the contact. If an area is too steep to masticate the Forest Officer may allow hand thinning and lop and scatter.

Boundary flagging is pink and blue. The painted boundary is marked with three horizontal purple stripes.

*CONTRACTOR AND OR BIDDER IS NOTIFIED THAT ESTIMATES WITHIN THIS CONTRACT WERE ESTABLISHED BY 1/100TH ACRE PLOTS AND MAY OR MAY NOT BE THE CONDITIONS OBSERVED UNIFORMLY THROUGHOUT THE THINNING UNITS. YOUR OWN WALK THROUGH IS SUGGESTED AND EXPECTED PRIOR TO BIDDING.

THINNING PROJECT SUMMARY

Unit Name: So Very THick

Date of plots: 5/14/2024 Number of plots:30 Size of plots: 1//100 ac.

Total cut / total plots Leave trees /acre Total Lv / total plots

Lodgepole Pine LPP

Sub Alpine fir spruce

*There are scattered western larch within the PCT unit. However there were none within the plots. Western larch are the preferred species to leave.