Planting for Wallowa-Whitman National Forest– Hells Canyon National Recreation Area Ranger District

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This solicitation is for a hand tree planting and related work contract for the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area Ranger District. The contract includes furnishing labor, equipment, supervision, transportation, operating supplies, and incidentals.

• Hand tree planting and related work.

• Planting sites are located on the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area Ranger District, along FS Road 4240-000 (Hat Point Road).

• Road conditions may vary; four-wheel drive vehicles and/or tire chains may be recommended. Access may not be guaranteed due to weather.

• Specific planting details are provided in various attachments, including schedules, planting instructions, and inspection sheets.

• Anticipated contract type: Firm-fixed price requirements contract.

• Period of Performance: Base period from 06/15/2026 to 07/15/2026, with four (4) one-year option periods.

• Total contract duration not to exceed five (5) years.

• Estimated value: Not explicitly stated, but the solicitation number is 1240BG26Q0009.

• Offer Due Date: March 20, 2026, 1700 Eastern Standard Time.

• Quotes will be evaluated based on the lowest price technically acceptable (LPTA) criteria.

• Evaluation factors: Price, Technical Acceptability, and Past Performance.

• Technical Acceptability requires a detailed explanation of the offeror's ability to perform the required services, addressing sections 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0 of the PWS.

• Past Performance will be evaluated based on quality of services, customer satisfaction, timeliness, and business relations.

• Offerors must submit pricing as requested in the "LaGrande Planting Project" spreadsheet.

• Questions due: March 20, 2026, 2:00 PM Pacific Time, via email to Jennifer.olson2@usda.gov.

• The acquisition is listed as "UNRESTRICTED" with no specific set-aside indicated in the provided fields.

• Required licenses/certificates for award include MSPA licensing, Oregon BOLI license, and H2B Temp Employment certificate (for offerors and subcontractors).

• The solicitation incorporates numerous FAR and AGAR clauses by reference.

• Delivery is required by July 15, 2026. Early deliveries will be accepted.

• Services to be performed at: USDA FOREST SERVICE, WALLOWA MOUNTAIN OFFICE, 201 E 2ND ST, JOSEPH OR 97846.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This solicitation is for a planting contract on the Wallowa-Whitman National Forests, LaGrande Ranger District. The contract involves planting government-furnished deciduous seedlings and related work, including labor, equipment, supervision, transportation, operating supplies, and incidentals.

• Planting of deciduous seedlings.

• Related work includes furnishing labor, equipment, supervision, transportation, operating supplies, and incidentals.

• Specific tasks include mowing in two seed orchard sites on the Middle Fork Ranger District of the Willamette National Forest to reduce fire risk, control undesirable vegetation, and maintain access to orchard seed trees.

• Contract Type: Firm-fixed price requirements contract.

• Period of Performance: Anticipated to be one (1) one-year base period with four (4) one-year option periods, for a total duration not exceeding five (5) years.

• Estimated Value: Not explicitly stated, but pricing is required for all items.

• Offer Due Date: March 20, 2026, at 1700 Eastern Standard Time.

• Submission Instructions: Offerors must submit pricing as requested in the attached spreadsheet titled "LaGrande Planting Project." Quantity price discounts and prompt payment discounts should be included.

• Evaluation Criteria: Award will be made to the offeror representing the best value to the Government, based on the following factors: Past Performance, Technical Experience and Proposal, and Price. Past performance and technical experience/proposal will be equal to price.

• Evaluation Method: Lowest price technically acceptable criteria. Only the lowest priced offer will be evaluated for Technical Acceptability. If it is not acceptable, the process continues with the next lowest priced offer.

• Qualification Requirements: Offerors, or the product or service, are not required to meet a qualification requirement to be eligible for award.

• The solicitation number is 1240BG26Q0009.

• Questions are due no later than March 20, 2026, at 2:00 PM Pacific Time and should be submitted via email to Jennifer.olson2@usda.gov.

• Delivery of all items is required by July 15, 2026. Early deliveries will be accepted.

• The contract is anticipated to be awarded to a single responsible offeror.

Statement of Work (SOW) / Performance Work Statement (PWS)

This Statement of Work (SOW) details the requirements for hand tree planting and related work on the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area Ranger District, for the FY26 period.

• The contract requires furnishing labor, equipment, supervision, transportation, operating supplies, and incidentals for hand tree planting.

• Planting sites are located along FS Road 4240-000 (Hat Point Road).

• The contractor is responsible for providing tools, transportation (including insulated pickup canopy), planting bags, planting tools, containers for root dipping, and a sufficient workforce.

• Government-furnished items include project maps and approximately 54,497 seedlings.

• Quality Control Plan (QCP) required, detailing how quality will be monitored, supervised, and reported.

• Planting quality will be assessed through sample plots (1/50th acre) for above and below ground inspection.

• Work with 90% quality or better will be accepted at full payment.

• Planting quality between 80% and 89% may be accepted at a reduced rate or require rework.

• Planting quality below 80% is unacceptable and will not be paid for.

• Specific quality standards are defined for various tasks including seedling care, preparation, field handling, spacing, spot selection, planting hole preparation, tree placement, and filling/firming.

• The work is for Wallowa-Whitman NF FY26.

• Planting sites are located on the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest; Hells Canyon National Recreation Area Ranger District.

• Contractor must provide a competent superintendent on-site.

• Crew size limitations and supervisor/inspector ratios are specified.

• Contractor must notify the Contracting Officer (CO) or Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) of any subcontracting arrangements, providing specific details and documentation.

• Contractor is responsible for safe handling and transport of Government-furnished property.

• Contractor must provide a Quality Control Plan (QCP) as part of their response.

• Safety hazards are identified, and the contractor is responsible for preventing accidents and injuries.

• Environmental hazards and weather conditions must be considered.

• Specific requirements for seedling care, handling, and planting are detailed.

• The contractor must adhere to specified tree spacing and planting spot selection criteria.

• Penalties for unsatisfactory performance and procedures for rework and reinspection are outlined.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document, Exhibit C, provides detailed instructions and visual examples for "Scalping and Scalping with Microsites." It serves as a guide for bidders on how to prepare planting sites, specifically detailing the dimensions and placement of scalps and microsites.

• Scalp Dimensions: Specifies that scalps should be 30 inches by 30 inches, with deviations of more than 1 inch on any side considered an "above ground infraction."
• Microsite Placement: Illustrates how to incorporate a "microsite" (e.g., a log, stump, rock, or tree) into the scalp. The microsite can count towards the scalp size, up to half the scalp's area.
• Clearing Radius: Details a 16-inch clearing radius around the microsite (or tree, if used as a microsite), with exceptions for areas covered by the microsite object itself.
• Visual Examples: Includes diagrams showing side and top views of both "Scalping Without Microsite" and "Scalping With Microsite" scenarios.

This exhibit is crucial for bidders to understand the precise site preparation requirements for any planting activities associated with the opportunity. Adhering to these specifications for scalp size, microsite integration, and clearing dimensions will be essential for successful performance and evaluation.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document, "Exhibit A: Container Seedling Placement" and "Exhibit B: Container Seedling Planting Depth and Alignment," provides visual guidance for the proper planting of containerized seedlings. It serves as an attachment to a larger solicitation or work statement, likely related to forestry, land management, or environmental restoration.

Exhibit A: Illustrates various methods of container seedling placement, highlighting satisfactory and unsatisfactory conditions such as:

• Satisfactory
• Swept Root
• Shallow Hole
• "J" Root
• Leaner
• Loose/Air Pockets
• Debris

Exhibit B: Details the correct planting depth and alignment for container seedlings. It specifies:

• Acceptable lean from true vertical (indicated by clock face analogy).
• The soil line should be approximately one inch above the top of the root plug.

Bidders responding to an opportunity that involves seedling planting must understand and adhere to these visual standards. This attachment likely forms part of the performance requirements or quality control measures for the contract. Successful execution of the work will be measured against the criteria depicted in these exhibits.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is the USDA Forest Service Planting Inspection Sheet, Figure 1. It is used to record data during the inspection of tree planting sites.

• Contract Information: Fields for Contract Number, Contractor, Item Number, and Plot Size.
• Inspection Data: Columns for Spot and Tree Number, with checkboxes or notations for various conditions such as 'Satis. trees dug', 'No. trees dug', 'Wasted trees', 'Planted trees', 'Allow. trees', 'Planted spots', and 'Unplantable spots'.
• Plot Details: Includes fields for Acres, Average Spacing, Max. Trees/Plot, and Bid Price.
• Quality Calculation: A section to calculate 'Planting quality percent' based on 'Satis. trees above ground' and 'Number of Plantable spots'.
• Signatures: Spaces for the Inspector and Contractor to sign and date.

This form is likely used by the government to inspect and verify the quality and quantity of trees planted under a contract. Bidders should familiarize themselves with this inspection sheet to understand the specific criteria and data points that will be used to evaluate their performance related to tree planting activities. It outlines the standards for successful planting and the metrics for quality assessment.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document outlines the "QUALITY/PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS SUMMARY" specifically detailing "TREE PLANTING ACTIVITIES" and the associated "Contractor Inspection Procedures." It serves as a guide for contractors on how planting operations will be inspected and evaluated.

• Contractor Quality Control: The contractor is responsible for quality control of all planting operations, including tree care and handling, and must conduct prompt inspections.
• Government Inspections: Government inspections are for payment determination and not for contractor quality control.
• Plot Installation: Contractors must install circular plots for sampling, with the number of plots varying based on acreage (e.g., < 3 ac. requires 3 plots; 3-39 ac. requires 1 plot per acre).
• Inspection Procedures: Detailed procedures for labeling plots, handling seedlings, and inspecting planting procedures are provided.
• Inspection Codes: Specific codes are defined for recording above-ground (e.g., Planting Spot Selection, Firming, Shade) and below-ground (e.g., Planting Hole Preparation, Root Configuration, Loose Soil) inspections.
• Spacing and Seedling Counts: Tables provide guidance on average planting spots based on spacing and the minimum/maximum number of allowable seedlings per plot.
• Wasted Seedlings: Procedures for determining and calculating wasted seedlings are outlined, including conditions under which charges may be waived or a contract declared in default.
• Planting Quality Calculation: Formulas and examples are provided for calculating planting quality based on satisfactory trees, dug seedlings, and variable spacing.
• Government Verification: Outlines the process for government verification inspections, including plot sampling and criteria for using government verification for payment if discrepancies exist.

This document is crucial for bidders to understand the specific quality control measures, inspection protocols, performance standards, and evaluation criteria related to tree planting activities. It details how the work will be measured, what constitutes satisfactory performance, and the potential consequences of failing to meet requirements, directly impacting proposal development and execution planning.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a "Schedule of Items" for the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, Double Creek FY26 Tree Planting opportunity. It serves as a pricing sheet for potential bidders to complete.

• Item #: 0001 and 0002
• Unit #: Refer to detailed Schedule by Unit
• Activity: Tree Planting - HCNRA (Post Salvage Units 13x13 Spacing) for Item 0001, and Tree Planting - HCNRA (Post Salvage Units Group and 13x13 Spacing) for Item 0002.
• Estimated Quantity: 133 Acres for Item 0001, and 82 Acres for Item 0002.
• Unit: Acres
• Unit Price: To be filled in by the bidder.
• Total: To be filled in by the bidder.
• TOTAL PRICE: A field for the overall total price.

Bidders must complete the "Unit Price" and "Total" columns to submit a quote. The document specifies that unit price is per acre planted and that no rounding off of unit pricing or totals is allowed; all figures must be in exact dollars and cents. It also requires bidders to submit copies of specific licensing (MSPA, Oregon BOLI, H2B Temp Employment certificate) with their quote, applicable to both the contractor and any subcontractors. The solicitation number is 1240BE26Q0008.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document, "Attachment 2 - Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, Double Creek Tree Planting - Detailed Schedule of Work, by Line Item/Unit," provides a detailed breakdown of tree planting requirements for the Double Creek project.

• Line Item 001: Details planting for various units, specifying the number of acres, approximate total trees, trees per acre (consistently 250), and approximate spacing (13x13).
• Line Item 002: Details planting for different units, specifying acres, approximate total trees, trees per acre (consistently 250), and approximate spacing (Variable).
• Totals are provided for each line item, indicating the total acres and total trees.

This attachment is crucial for bidders to understand the scope and scale of the tree planting work. It provides specific quantities of trees to be planted across different units and areas, which is essential for estimating costs, labor, and resources required for a proposal.