Background: The Windy Helicopters Stewardship IRSC shall be awarded under the following authority.
Stewardship Authority: Section 604 (16 USC 6591c) of Public Law 108-148 as amended by Section 8205 of Public Law 113-79, the Agricultural Act of 2014—Grants the U.S. Forest Service (Government) permanent authority to enter into stewardship contracts or agreements to achieve land management goals for the National Forests or public lands that meet local and rural community needs. Section 8205 supersedes the temporary authority granted to the Forest Service (Government) in section 347 of Public Law 105-277, the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Appropriations Act, 1999.
Project Location. The project area is located on the Salmon River Ranger District of the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest near the town of Riggins, Idaho, T23N R1E Sec. 30,31,32 T24N R1W Sec. 25 T23N R1W Sec. 2. The project is divided geographically into two separate areas: ‘White Bird Ridge Road’ FSR 624 and ‘Seven Devils Road’ FSR 517. Both roads area accessed from Highway 95. See maps included as attachments to the solicitation.
Description of work. Windy Helicopters Stewardship IRSC shall reduce the risk of, or increase resilience to, insect or disease infestations in the project area and to reduce the wildfire risk to the local communities and surrounding federal lands. The Windy Helicopters project is located within the Lower Salmon Wildfire Crisis Strategy Landscape.
Contractor shall cut and remove included timber from 169 acres (4 units) of helicopter logging units. Timber to be cut shall be designated by description and in general is classified as a commercial thin and regeneration harvest. Minimum sawlog specifications will be 7.0” DBH/8’ piece for sawlog and 5.0” DBH/16’ piece for non-saw. Haul roads shall be maintained commensurate with use. The haul roads include routes heavily used by recreationists. The Contractor shall control traffic in a manner that ensures the health and safety of the public while minimizing traffic delays.
Cutting of all non-saw sized material within the Units is required along with helicopter yarding and removal of Douglas-fir non-saw and non-saw generated from sawtimber processing. Whole tree yarding is required. All product shall be scaled. Due to a deficit timber appraisal, the cutting and removal of included product has been solicited as a priced service item. Estimated Timber Volume and Species composition is provided in a separate attachments to the solicitation.
Helicopter yarding and removal of all or part of the remaining non-saw material (Grand fir, Ponderosa pine and Larch) may be awarded as optional work.
Reconstruction of haul roads is also required. The Government’s estimate for the road reconstruction work is between $250,000 and $500,000.
The contract period of performance is from the date of award through October 31, 2027.
No organized site visit has been planned at this time. Due to winter conditions, site visits will be coordinated on an individual basis. Over-snow travel may be required.
Construction Bonding: A Bid Bond or other acceptable bid guarantee valued at 20% of the construction total price quoted shall be required and submitted with the initial offer. Bonding shall be required in connection to the value of the construction work only. Payment and Performance Bonds valued at 100% of the total price of the construction work shall be required from the contract awardee.
