Mower Timber Stand Improvement Project

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service is soliciting quotations for pre-commercial thinning (PCT) timber stand improvement removal services on the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia. The contractor must furnish all labor, materials, equipment, supervision, and transportation necessary to fell trees and thin 131 acres of dense timber stands to increase growth of remaining trees, with all cut trees left on site to support timber production objectives. Key requirements include employing a qualified Project Manager, adhering to crop tree thinning guidelines (10-12 feet spacing for red spruce), removing cut slash from trails and roads, and preventing damage to untreated trees. Awards will be made on a firm-fixed-price basis to the lowest-priced, technically acceptable offer, with evaluation criteria including technical acceptability (addressing specified PWS sections), past performance, and price fairness under FAR 12.204. Critical deadlines include a mandatory pre-quote site visit on April 1, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM CST, submission of questions by April 10, 2026, at 12:00 PM Eastern Time, and quotation submission by April 13, 2026, at 5:00 PM Eastern Time.

This solicitation is designated as a Total Small Business set-aside under NAICS code 115310 (Support Activities for Forestry) with a small business size standard of $34 million. No incumbent contractor information is provided in the solicitation documents. The contract will be awarded on a firm-fixed-price basis with payment based on 90 percent satisfactory work sampling, with applicable wage rates per Service Contract Act wage determination WD 1981-1254 (Rev. 71) of $17.18 per hour for brush/precommercial thinners plus fringe benefits. The project encompasses 131 acres of pre-commercial thinning work, with a contract period extending one year from the date of award and delivery required by May 10, 2027. Performance will occur in Bartow, West Virginia 24920, near Circleville, with the Monongahela National Forest - Greenbrier Ranger District Office serving as the project meeting location.