Chewelah A-Z Stewardship BPA   2

This solicitation and any resultant blanket purchase agreement is a stewardship project in accordance with Section 8205 of Public Law 113-79, the Agricultural Act of 2014 and the 2018 omnibus budget bill, in Division O, Title II, Sections 204-207, which amended the stewardship contracting authority. Section 207 extends the maximum duration of stewardship contracts and agreements in areas where the majority of Federal lands are in Fire Regime Groups I, II, and III up to 20 years and allows the agency to give a procurement preference for innovative use of forest products. This grants the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management authority to enter into stewardship contracting projects for up to 20 years with private persons or public or private entities, by contract or by agreement, to perform services to achieve land management goals for the national forests or public lands that meet local and rural community needs. Section 8205 supersedes the authority granted to the Forest Service in Section 347. This is a commercial item acquisition that has been tailored to fit the Government's method of trading goods for services.

DESCRIPTION: The Chewelah A to Z Stewardship Project will result in multiple-award blanket purchase agreements (also known as a BPA with subsequent Call Orders), performance based service spanning approximately fifteen (15) years. The Government intends to make multiple awards to companies/businesses with no minimum guarantees. The intent of these blanket purchase agreements is to reduce the potential of high intensity wildfire by removing and/or rearranging the existing fuel loading on selected project areas located on Colville National Forest. It is anticipated that both commercial and non-commercial logging methods may be utilized, but not limited to other complex logging operations and activities. The resultant contracts will be IRTC, IRSC or service call order services with provisions for timber removal.

The Colville National Forest has a need to treat thousands of acres of forest in order to preclude large scale catastrophic fire and/or restore forest woodlands to meet other resource objectives. The community wants to increase the number of acres treated and examine recreational opportunities, but Forest personnel are at capacity with other priority work. This contract will allow the project landscape to be evaluated in accordance with procedures outlined in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for work activities outlined in the Statement of Work. The Forest Service will retain all decisional authority, and will select the alternative to be utilized in landscape treatments. The contractor will then prepare and perform all land treatment activities as ordered by the Contracting Officer. The Forest Service will inspect all work prior to commencement of the next activity. The Stewardship End Result Contracting Projects Act was enacted in order to allow the trading of goods for services so overall treatment costs could be reduced to an affordable level. This project looks to treat unspecified acres in the Chewelah A to Z Stewardship Project area up to a 15 year period at low cost. For treatments this large there is no in-house capability or alternative to contracting out this work.

The Awardees shall furnish all labor, materials, equipment, supervision, tools, transportation, operating supplies, and incidentals necessary to perform the work in accordance with the specifications and provisions and clauses of the contract. The BPA and call orders issued under this contract may require Service Contract Act wage rates or Davis-Bacon Wage rates or both depending on the specific activities within individual call orders.

Work may include, but is not limited to, meeting requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), unit layout, cruising, marking, road and trail maintenance; work to improve soil productivity, habitat for wildlife or fisheries, or other resource values; prescribed fire support; removing vegetation to promote healthy forest stands, reduce fire hazards, or achieve other land management objectives; restore and maintain wildlife and fish habitat; and control noxious and exotic weeds and reestablish native plant species. Work to be performed will depend upon identified need through project development, product value and available funding.

The Forest Service maintains all inherently governmental functions such as selecting the preferred alternative. No payment shall be made for NEPA services and no stewardship credits shall be accrued for NEPA work. In the event that the preferred alternative is a no action decision, the Contractor will not receive any payment for performing NEPA services. The risk for performing NEPA and pre-treatment services lies with the Contractor.
PROJECT LOCATION: The project areas that are included in this solicitation are: Colville National Forest, Three Rivers Ranger District.

A pre-proposal conference will be scheduled. It is anticipated this conference will be held January 22, 2020 in Colville, WA (Amendment 001). Time and location designated (Amendment 002) at Three Rivers Ranger District Office, 255, W. 11th Street, Kettle Falls, WA, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM (PST). See Amendment 003 for conference line phone number to to call in to pre-proposal conference.

Administrative point of contact is Ingrid Anderson at (541) 549-7731 or Ingrid.Anderson@usda.gov, or Carl Ericksen (509) 664-9316 or Carl.Ericksen@usda.gov.

NAICS: 113310/115310 SIZE STD: 500 Emp. or $8M or $20.5M depending on work activity. Stewardship authorities permit the Government to solicit this requirement as Full and Open competition.