Mechanical Site Prep – Drum Chopping
Open Solicitation Posted
- Solicitation number
- 12444726Q0069
- Agency
-
Forest Service
Department of Agriculture
- Responses due
- Set-aside
- Total Small Business
Opportunity facts
- NAICS code
- 115310 Support Activities for Forestry
- Place of performance
- Silver Springs, Florida 34488, United States
Notice details come from SAM.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The Department of Agriculture Forest Service seeks mechanical site preparation using double drum choppers on the Ocala National Forest, with proposals due October 27, 2026 and questions due October 19, 2026. This is a total small business set-aside (NAICS 115310).
Place of performance is Silver Springs, Florida (Lake, Putnam, and Marion Counties). The contract runs November 16, 2026 through February 26, 2027. Scope comprises 1,572 acres of required work across 17 areas (1,175 acres single chop, 397 acres double chop) plus an optional 715 acres of additional single chopping. Contractors must provide all equipment, labor, supervision, transportation, and materials, and maintain a minimum production rate of 50 acres per day. Double chop areas must be completed within a minimum of three weeks after initial chopping. Equipment must be a Marden B-7 or equivalent double drum offset chopper with minimum 24,000-pound gross weight, no wider than 8 feet unless approved, capable of 3 miles per hour minimum average speed, and meeting specified blade configurations. Work includes chopping vegetation up to 6 inches in diameter, leaving designated snags over 11 inches diameter, and incorporating "sloppy chop" exclusion zones (3–5 percent unchopped) around snags, green trees, gopher tortoise burrows, and sensitive features. Contractors must maintain a 35-foot buffer from wetlands (700-foot for mapped wetlands), 75-foot buffer from sinkholes, and 25-foot exclusion around gopher tortoise burrows. Service Contract Labor Standards apply with a Forestry Technician wage of $33.65 base plus $14.13 fringe benefits per hour. The Government intends one award based on technical approach, price reasonableness, and past performance. Offerors must price all line items to be considered responsive and maintain pricing firm for 90 calendar days. Solicitation Amendment 0001 moved the offer due date from October 26 to October 27, 2026.
Notice text
2 versions
Update #2 · Latest ·
Amendment 0001 has been issued for Solicitation 12444726Q0069. Please review the following updates:
- The updated solicitation document titled C05_Sol12444726Q0069_SAM RFQ_V1 has been posted.
• The Offers Due date has been changed from 26 October to 27 October 2026 (ET).
• Block 10 of the SF1449 has been updated to reflect a 100% Small Business Set‑Aside.
• On page 8, under Service Contract Labor Standards, the location has been corrected from Green Mountain & Finger Lakes National Forest to Ocala National Forest (Lake, Putnam, and Marion Counties).
• All changes in the solicitation are highlighted in yellow.
Reminders:
• The last day to submit questions is Monday, October 19, 2026.
• Quotes are due Tuesday, October 27, 2026, before 11:59 PM ET.
All other documents remain unchanged.
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This requirement is for Mechanical Site Preparation using a double drum chopper on the Ocala National Forest. Work includes single and double chopping treatments to prepare timber harvest areas and support vegetation management objectives. Contractors must provide all equipment, labor, supervision, transportation, and materials needed to meet performance standards, including the ability to chop approximately 50 acres per day. Equipment must meet specified weight, speed, and blade requirements, and the Government may require replacement of unsatisfactory equipment. Treatment includes chopping vegetation up to 6 inches in diameter, leaving designated snags, and incorporating “sloppy chop” exclusion zones. Roads within treatment areas not shown on maps must also be chopped. Please review the attached Statement of Work for full specifications and requirements.
Update #1 ·
This requirement is for Mechanical Site Preparation using a double drum chopper on the Ocala National Forest. Work includes single and double chopping treatments to prepare timber harvest areas and support vegetation management objectives. Contractors must provide all equipment, labor, supervision, transportation, and materials needed to meet performance standards, including the ability to chop approximately 50 acres per day. Equipment must meet specified weight, speed, and blade requirements, and the Government may require replacement of unsatisfactory equipment. Treatment includes chopping vegetation up to 6 inches in diameter, leaving designated snags, and incorporating “sloppy chop” exclusion zones. Roads within treatment areas not shown on maps must also be chopped. Please review the attached Statement of Work for full specifications and requirements.
Files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| C05 12444726Q0069 SAM RFQ_v1.pdf | ||
| C04-Attachment 2_Mech Site Prep Drum Chopping_SOW.pdf | ||
| C04 12444726Q0069 SAM RFQ.pdf | ||
| C04-Attachment 1-12444726Q0069 SOI.xlsx | XLSX spreadsheet | |
| C04-Attachment 3 FY26_Maps_Drum Chopping.pdf | ||
| C04-Attachment 4-12444726Q0069 WD.pdf |
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