Rio Grande National Forest Tree Planting - Land Management Integrated Resources (LMIR) BPA Call

This Special Notice is a Request for Quote (RFQ) call order issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service for tree planting services on the Rio Grande National Forest in Colorado. The Notice solicits quotes from qualified contractors to hand plant approximately 28,600 containerized Engelmann spruce and Douglas-fir seedlings across approximately 129 acres of wildfire-burned sites. This is a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) call order set aside exclusively for small businesses, issued on March 26, 2026, with a response deadline of April 9, 2026. The work falls under NAICS code 115310 (Support Activities for Forestry) and PSC code F005 (Natural Resources/Conservation - Forest Tree Planting). To participate, contractors must be current BPA Award Holders with an existing Land Management Integrated Resources (LMIR) BPA that specifically includes Tree Planting Services for the Rio Grande National Forest.

The primary objective is to reforest areas damaged by the 2013 wildfire through hand planting operations that must commence no later than September 23, 2026 and be completed by September 30, 2026 to align with monsoon moisture patterns. Contractors must provide all labor, equipment, supervision, an on-site representative, a dedicated planting inspector, and transportation, with seedlings planted at 14-foot by 14-foot spacing using hoedad technique and microsite scalping specifications. The contract is structured with three separate line items priced on a per-seedling basis: base planting services and two walk-in access surcharge items for units requiring extended access distances. Eligible contractors must demonstrate technical capability and relevant tree planting experience, with evaluation criteria emphasizing past performance and lowest price among acceptable quotes. A post-award conference is mandatory within 10 days of award, to be conducted virtually followed by an on-site meeting on the first day of work. Questions must be submitted to andrea.haines@usda.gov no later than March 31, 2026 at 3:00 PM Mountain Time.