Ashby mastication PCT

The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC), specifically the Southwest Land Office, is seeking a contractor to perform mechanically masticated pre-commercial thinning (PCT) on approximately 75 acres within the Missoula Unit. This limited solicitation (DNRC-LIMTSOL-2025-1131) requires a qualified vendor to complete comprehensive forest management services, including understory tree removal with specific technical specifications for cutting, piling, and clearing. The project demands precise adherence to forest fire regulations, bear habitat safety protocols, and prevailing wage requirements for nonconstruction services. Contractors must demonstrate expertise in forest-related services, specifically logging, cutting, and thinning operations. The solicitation requires bidders to examine the project area before submission and provides specific technical requirements for tree removal, including spacing, pile creation, and road prism clearing. Responses are due by March 17, 2025, at 2:00 PM MDT, with all questions to be submitted through the eMACS Q&A board. The project must be completed by October 15, 2026, with final work approval determined by the Forest Officer.

While no specific set-aside designations are explicitly stated, the solicitation suggests a competitive bidding process open to qualified forest service providers. The contract will be awarded to the vendor submitting the lowest Total Bid Price (TBP) for the Ashby PCT project. Contractors must comply with Montana's prevailing wage regulations, which include detailed wage rates for various service categories and require payment of base wages and fringe benefits. The project includes additional compliance requirements such as maintaining specific firefighting equipment, adhering to bear habitat safety protocols, and following forest fire regulations during the legal fire season (May 1st to September 30th). Although a specific budget range is not disclosed, the comprehensive requirements suggest a substantial contract value. Interested bidders can obtain additional information by contacting William Allen at the Missoula Unit DNRC at (406)542-5808 or Bryant Gauthier at (406) 444-6743, with the primary point of contact being bryant.gauthier@mt.gov. The commodity code for this work is 2105 - Forest Related Services - Logging/Cutting/Thinning.