1, 440 Acres of Hand Thinning Prescott National Forest

THIS NOTICE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, REQUEST FOR QUOTE, OR AN INVITATION FOR BID. NO ADDITIONAL SPECIFICATIONS OR DRAWINGS ARE AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. NO CONTRACT OR PURCHASE ORDER WILL BE AWARDED FROM THIS NOTICE. THIS MARKET RESEARCH IS TO GAIN KNOWLEDGE OF INTEREST, CAPABILITIES, AND QUALIFICATIONS OF INTERESTED VENDORS AND WILL BE USED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO SHAPE THE ACQUISITION STRATEGY IN DEVELOPING A COMPETITIVE REQUIREMENT.  

The United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Special Projects Operations Center – Southwest Region intends to issue a solicitation for a Standalone contract for Turkey Tank Timber Stand Improvement (TSI) in Prescott National Forest. Services will need to be provided in the Prescott National Forest; west-central Arizona; 28 miles east of Prescott. The Forest Service cannot provide personnel nor equipment to complete the requirements; therefore, the awarded contractor(s) must provide all management, supervision, labor, and supplies. The contractor(s) personnel must have necessary expertise, qualifications, and experience to assure performance of the work in accordance with sound, safe, and efficient management practices. The Contractor must be registered with the ­­­­­­Department of Labor under the Migrant and Seasonal Workers Protection Act.  Sources are being sought for entities with a North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 115310, Support Activities for Forestry, with a Small Business Size Standard of $10 Million Dollars. We are requesting information on business sizes and categories listed in Item #2 below. Responses are requested with the following information:  

1. Vendor’s name, address, UEI, points of contact with telephone number(s) and e-mail address(es); 

1. Business size/classification to include any and all business types and sizes.

1. Description of capability to perform any or all of the following services:  

1. Activity I: The purpose of this contract is to secure services to implement a combination of treatments for wildlife habitat enhancement as well as for fuels reduction. TheTurkey Tank TSI covers a total of 1,440 acres of hand thinning. After material is cut on 427 acres, the material will be lopped and scattered. For the remaining 1,013 acres, materials will be manually piled. In the treatment units, 9.44 miles of constructed handline are required (see attached map). These treatments have proven to be an effective hazardous fuels management tool by rearranging/reducing ladder and canopy fuels to the surface to reduce the risk of crown fire, and to increase defensible space for fire line control operations. This work will increase habitat opportunities for Merriam’s Turkeys while at the same time helping to protect private inholdings and increase the successfulness and safety of prescribed fire treatments implemented on Forest Service land to improve forest health and protect natural resources and property.

Interested vendors can email their capabilities statement to Anjelica Weddington at anjelica.weddington@usda.gov. Responses must be received by 1500 Pacific Standard Time, Thursday, March 2, 2023.

Questions will NOT be responded to, however, notification that your capabilities statement was received will be sent. This Sources Sought is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government, nor will the Government pay for any information provided.