Mill Creek Reforestation Tree Planting

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service is soliciting proposals for the Mill Creek Reforestation tree planting project, which involves hand planting approximately 125,300 container stock seedlings across 384 acres in the San Juan National Forest on the Pagosa Ranger District in Colorado. The contractor will be required to use a Hoedad or similar tool for planting, scalp a 24-inch square area around each planting spot, microsite trees in shaded locations, and maintain an average spacing of 12' x 11' with allowable variability. Prior to contract commencement, the contractor must provide a Quality Control plan, Work plan, Camping plan, and Safety plan, and the government will conduct a 2% area sample inspection during planting operations with potential financial penalties for failing to meet the 90% planting quality standard. The solicitation was posted on July 23, 2025, with proposals due by August 4, 2025. The anticipated performance period runs from September 22, 2025, through October 14, 2025.

This procurement 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, though the specific contract value is not disclosed in the solicitation materials. The project encompasses both spring and fall planting phases covering the full 384 acres of reforestation area. The work will be performed in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, requiring the contractor to handle all aspects of tree handling, planting, and micro-siting operations. No incumbent contractor or current service provider is identified in the solicitation documentation. The Forest Service's quality requirements include maintaining high planting standards with government oversight throughout the performance period.