Fireline mastication-sumter NF-long cane

The South Carolina Forestry Commission is soliciting bids for a fireline mastication services contract for the Sumter National Forest in the Long Cane area, spanning Edgefield, McCormick, Saluda, and Greenwood Counties. The project involves the removal of downed woody debris greater than 4 inches in diameter from approximately 9.4 miles of dozer lines impacted by Hurricane Helene. Contractors must complete work through skidding, sawing, grinding, mulching, or masticating woody debris, with chips to be spread to a maximum depth of 3 inches or removed from the site. The work must be completed by March 15, 2026, with an estimated start date of December 20, 2025. A mandatory pre-work conference is required before project initiation, and site visits can be scheduled by appointment with Jamie Atkins at 706-955-5986. Sealed offers must be submitted by December 17, 2025, at 14:00:00, with questions due by December 10, 2025, at 11:00:00. Bidders must provide a performance bond of $15,000 and maintain Commercial General Liability Insurance of at least $1,000,000.

The contract has specific environmental protection requirements, including provisions for Red-Cockaded Woodpeckers (50-foot buffer around cavity trees) and bat species protection with seasonal cutting restrictions and maternity roost buffers. Contractors must possess a South Carolina vendor number and comply with state procurement regulations, including debarment certifications, drug-free workplace requirements, and ethics certifications. The project has a maximum budget of $100,000, with pricing to be submitted on a unit price basis for the complete job. Any bid exceeding the $100,000 maximum will be rejected as non-responsive. Contractors will be evaluated based on their ability to meet the technical specifications, environmental constraints, and overall project requirements. The award is scheduled for December 19, 2025, with the contract being subject to fixed pricing and limited to the stated maximum funding amount. No specific set-aside designations or preferences for disadvantaged enterprises were mentioned in the solicitation documents.