Green Mountain National Forest Dutton Brook II Oak/Chestnut Release

The Department of Agriculture Forest Service R9-Eastern Region is soliciting midstory removal services for the Green Mountain National Forest Dutton Brook II Oak/Chestnut Release project. The procurement involves vegetation management across 66.7 acres located in three Dutton Brook Units (Units 10, 12, and 13) within the Rochester/Middlebury Ranger District of Rutland and Addison Counties, Vermont. The contractor must perform two specific herbicide treatment methods: cut stump treatment for American beech trees 4-10 inches in diameter (approximately 70 trees per acre at 25-foot intervals) and hack and squirt treatment for red maple trees in the same diameter range using glyphosate or triclopyr herbicides. Contractors must be Vermont-certified pesticide applicators and provide all necessary tools and equipment while following strict safety and environmental protection guidelines. The government will evaluate offers based on past performance and technical capability, which are considered more important than price. The solicitation was posted on August 4, 2025, with responses due by August 25, 2025.

This opportunity is designated as a Total Small Business set-aside under NAICS code 115310 (Support Activities for Forestry) with a size standard of $11.5 million. No current contractors or incumbents are identified in the solicitation materials. While no specific contract value is disclosed, the procurement will be awarded as a firm fixed-price contract with a single award requiring all line items to be priced for consideration. The contract performance period runs from September 15, 2025, through September 14, 2026, though actual felling and herbicide application is restricted to the period between June 1 and October 1. The work will be performed in Rutland, Vermont, specifically across the 66.7-acre project area within the Green Mountain National Forest. The Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan includes performance standards requiring 95% compliance, with potential 2% financial disincentives for non-compliance with specified work standards.