ALB Tree Removal South Carolina   2

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), is seeking award a single 4.5 year fixed price indefinite delivery indefinite quantity (IDIQ) type service contract for performing tree removal services as well as restoration work and deregulate (chip/grind) woody debris resultant from tree removal operations in support of eradication of Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) from Hollywood, Charleston County, South Carolina. The goal of the South Carolina ALB Program is to eradicate ALB from all known infested areas and to prevent the spread of the insect to uninfested areas through the survey and removal of infested and high risk host trees. This requirement will cover tree removal services in the various housing developments within the infested area. Work performed on public and private properties will require that the Contractor meet with the property owner or other approved point of contact to discuss the removal operations prior to starting the work.

Work will be ordered through the issuance of individual Task Orders as the requirements for removal of trees are defined. Each Task Order will include the specific requirements related to the work covered by the Task Order, and delivery or performance requirements. A Task Order may contain multiple properties where removals will take place. Task Order prices will be in accordance with the fixed rates established in Section 1.1 Price Schedule. Task Orders shall be issued by the Contracting Office via email. All quantities in the pricing schedule are estimates only and are not guaranteed.

This contract will have a 6-month base period, followed by four one-year option periods, for a total period of performance of 4.5 years.

Work will involve, but is not limited to, providing all personnel, labor, supervision, supplies, equipment, and materials required to remove ALB infested and/or high-risk host trees, the stump grinding of all landscaped removed trees, the stump grinding of woodlot trees, the application of approved herbicide on stumps, the disposal of all removed trees and woody debris, and the restoration of properties where removal work has been completed. Tree removal activities will be completed on public and/or private property in both landscaped/maintained settings and non-maintained areas. The Contractor will be required to service multiple sites simultaneously and must have the capacity to expand to 5 crews for removal of up to approximately 200 trees per week. Contractor personnel must include a full time arborist with current certification from the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) or equivalent organization.

Deregulation of woody debris must be performed same day at the removal site. If Contractor cannot deregulate woody debris at the removal site, the Contractor shall have an agreement in place with a vendor that is capable of deregulating woody debris resultant from ALB program tree removals. All material taken to the deregulation vendor must meet deregulation requirements within 48 hours. Deregulation of woody debris is achieved when material is ground/chipped down to pieces no larger than 1 inch in two dimensions, or via incineration. Alternative deregulation methods may be considered if supported by scientific evidence and approved by the USDA and Clemson DPI. It is the Contractor's responsibility to ensure that all woody debris is deregulated at the worksite via onsite chipping or disposed of at the approved deregulation vendor within a reasonable distance from the Removal Site.

The equipment necessary to perform the work may include, but is not limited to: chainsaws, bucket truck, wood chipper, swamp mats/plywood, skid steer, crane, boat, tub grinder, horizontal chippers/grinders (up to 15 diameter capacity), incinerator, bucket/grapple trucks, chainsaws sufficient for any size tree, and transport equipment (e.g., tractor trailer 18 wheeled for hauling, or dump trucks, grapple skidder, forwarded, clam bunk).

The contract will require a performance bond (Standard Form 25) in the penal amount of $500,000.00 prior to commencement of work. The solicitation will be issued as unrestricted allowing both small and large businesses to compete. Large Businesses contractors will be required to comply with requirements of clause 52.219 8 "Utilization of Small Business Concerns," 52.219 9 "Small Business Subcontracting Plan", and FAR 19.704.

Attached is the solicitation package. Please read through the Submission Requirements Document for instructions on what to sumbit as well as read thoroughly through the statement of work. It is the responsibility of interested parties to monitor this site for responses to questions and amendments to the solicitation package. All questions must be submitted via email to Kim Yen Tu at kimyen.n.tu@usda.gov no later than five (5) days prior to the solicitation closing date. Responses will not be provided to telephonic inquiries.

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UPDATE: Attachment - Past Experience Questionaire posted on 1/12/2022

UPDATE: Changes to the SOW. Please see SC ALB Tree Removal SOW - Rev. 1. Please also sign and subment 12639522R0013 Amendment 1 with proposal. Solicitation Q&A's posted. The Q&A document will be updated as more questions are submitted. 1/19/2022

UPDATE: 12639522R0013 Amendment 2 - Extends the solicitation due date to 2/07/2022 at 10am Central Time . 1/27/2022

UPDATE: 12639522R0013 Amendment 3. The purpose of this Amendment is to extend the response time and date to 11:00 a.m. (central) on May 4, 2022 and to update the SCA wage rates. Firms that have been notified their proposals are within the competitive range are provided an opportunity to submit a revised proposal. The Government intends to make award without obtaining further revisions. Responses must include a cover letter with a description of the changes being made, referencing page number(s), or a statement that no changes are being made to the quotation.

UPDATE: To upload Amendment 3 document of the solicitation. 5/3/2022