Archie Briggs Fire Fuels Reduction Project

The Bend Park and Recreation District, in coordination with the City of Bend, Oregon, is seeking proposals for the Archie Briggs Fire Fuels Reduction Project, a comprehensive forest health and fuels reduction initiative. The project encompasses approximately 24.5 acres in the Archie Briggs Canyon Natural Area, with the primary objectives of improving forest resiliency, reducing wildfire risk, and restoring ecological balance. Proposed services include slashing and hand-piling trees and vegetation under 8 inches in diameter, cutting marked trees over 8 inches in diameter with core wood removal, and burning piles during fall/winter 2027. Proposers must provide detailed unit costs for each task and submit a lump sum pricing proposal that accounts for labor, materials, overhead, and profit. The Request for Proposals (RFP) requires a mandatory pre-proposal meeting on November 20, 2025, at 10:00 AM, with technical questions due by December 4, 2025, at 5:00 PM. Proposals are due December 11, 2025, at 2:00 PM Pacific time. The evaluation will be conducted on a 100-point scale, with points allocated across experience and qualifications (15 points), project understanding (15 points), project scope (20 points), equipment (10 points), key staff (5 points), completeness (5 points), and price proposal (30 points).

The RFP does not explicitly indicate specific set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises. Proposers must currently be providing fuel reduction and fire services at the time of proposal submission and must obtain specific insurance coverage, including $2,000,000 per occurrence general liability insurance, $1,000,000 automobile liability coverage, and statutory workers' compensation insurance. The District reserves the right to waive minor informalities, reject any or all proposals, and negotiate contract terms. While no incumbent vendors are mentioned, the contract anticipates signing in January 2026, with the first phase of work beginning in fall/winter 2026 and pile burning in fall/winter 2027. The Notice of Intent to Award is expected on or about January 5, 2026. Though a specific budget range is not explicitly stated, the comprehensive nature of the project and the detailed insurance and service requirements suggest a substantial contract value commensurate with the extensive forest health and fuels reduction work across nearly 25 acres of challenging terrain.