Hiawatha NF GAOA Grand Island Trails Improvement

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service is soliciting quotes for extensive trail reconstruction and deferred maintenance work on the Grand Island Trail within the Hiawatha National Forest in Michigan. The project involves reconstructing approximately 2.5 miles of linear trail across 21 locations, including clearing and brushing, tread rehabilitation, stump removal, ditching, and the installation or replacement of 14 culverts of various sizes. Contractors will be required to attend a mandatory pre-bid meeting scheduled for August 6, 2025, with two time options available at 8 am or 12 pm Eastern Daylight Time. The Forest Service will evaluate quotes using a lowest price technically acceptable approach, awarding the contract to the responsible contractor submitting the lowest acceptable price. All quotes must be submitted electronically to cassandra.potts@usda.gov by the August 14, 2025 deadline.

This opportunity is set aside exclusively for small businesses under NAICS code 237990 with a size standard of $45 million. The estimated contract value ranges between $100,000 and $250,000, with a performance period scheduled from May 2026 through October 2026. The work will be performed on Grand Island in Munising, Michigan, requiring contractors to access the remote location via ferry or barge transportation. Trail reconstruction must comply with USFS Class 4 Bicycle Design Parameters, creating a 12-foot wide trail corridor with specific environmental protection requirements including the use of weed-free materials and adherence to wildlife protection timeframes. The project is funded through the Great American Outdoors Act and includes materials such as up to 200 cubic yards of MDOT 23A material, 10 cubic yards of Class III riprap, and 200 cubic yards of screened topsoil.