Whaleback and Huckleberry Meadow Enhancement 2024-25 Slash/Pile Project

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) is conducting an Invitation to Bid (ITB) for the Whaleback and Huckleberry Meadow Enhancement 2024-25 Slash/Pile Project, a non-commercial thinning and vegetation treatment initiative within the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. The project encompasses up to 228 acres of forest land where contractors will perform pre-commercial thinning, brush cutting, and slash treatment around historical forest openings. Specific deliverables include selecting and leaving designated trees, felling and bucking small diameter conifer trees, lopping and scattering slash, and hand-piling slash for later burning. Bidders must demonstrate expertise in forestry services, comply with fire restrictions, and avoid work during the ODFW General West Cascade Any Legal Weapon Elk hunting season. A mandatory pre-bid conference was held on October 17, 2024, with all written questions and protests due by close of business on October 28, 2024. The bid submission deadline is October 31, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. PST, with project completion required by June 30, 2025. The contract will be awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, with payment made on a per-acre basis for completed work.

The solicitation includes provisions for certified disadvantaged businesses, requiring bidders to outline their Certified Disadvantaged Business Outreach Plan and indicate potential subcontracting opportunities for certified businesses. Bidders must provide reference checks from three different firms demonstrating their past performance on similar projects within the last five years and disclose any criminal or civil charges, lawsuits, or financial distress. While no specific set-aside percentages are mentioned, the document emphasizes the importance of business inclusion and diversity. The Notice of Intent to Award indicates that Table Rock Forestry, Inc. of Medford, Oregon, was the lowest responsive bidder. The project is funded through a partnership between the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, ODFW, and several conservation organizations as part of the Stella Landscape Restoration Project. Although exact budget ranges are not specified, the Tally Sheet Template shows lump sum bids ranging from $74,100.00 to $330,600.00, suggesting a project value within that spectrum.