Brushing and Mowing of EZ roads

The Department of Agriculture Forest Service seeks brushing and mowing of East Zone roadside vegetation on the Superior National Forest near Grand Marais, Minnesota, with quotations due September 6, 2026. The procurement is a Total Small Business Set-Aside under NAICS 561730, with a small business size standard of $9.5 million.

Place of performance is the Gunflint and Tofte Ranger Districts in Cook and Lake counties, Minnesota. The scope covers approximately 62.62 centerline miles across ten designated roads: 29.46 miles at a four-foot clearing width and 33.16 miles at an eight-foot clearing width, measured horizontally from the road shoulder edge. Vegetation removal includes grass, brush, and small trees up to three inches in diameter, masticated to no higher than six inches. All work must occur between July 6 and August 31, with Contracting Officer's Representative approval required for work outside this window.

Equipment must reach at least 12 feet and cut brush up to three inches in diameter; boom-mounted rotary cutters on tractors or track-mounted skid steers with brush cutters are documented as effective, while flail mowers typically do not meet specifications. The contractor must remove and scatter all debris from roadsides and avoid depositing material in streams, drainage ways, or adjoining roadways. Contractor bears all costs for equipment maintenance, transportation between work areas, and repair of any damage to roads or slopes. Service Contract Act prevailing wage rates apply; wage determination 2015-4959 Revision 29 governs Minnesota counties including Cook and Lake.

Period of performance runs October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027, with firm-fixed-price quotations valid 90 days. Award will be made on lowest price technically acceptable basis, evaluated for fair and reasonable pricing, technical acceptability with adequate documentation, and past performance. Prime contractors may subcontract field work without minimum self-performance requirements. Questions are due August 23, 2026 at 11:00 PM Eastern; quotations must be submitted by September 6, 2026 at 11:00 PM Eastern to joshua.franks@usda.gov.