Rio Grande National Forest Tree Planting - Land Management Integrated Resources (LMIR) BPA Call

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This document is a BPA Call Order for the "2026 Rio Grande Reforestation" project. The government is procuring services to hand plant containerized Engelmann spruce and Douglas-fir seedlings on sites burned by wildfire in 2013 within the Rio Grande National Forest, Mineral County, Colorado. The project aims to reforest approximately 129 acres.

• Planting: Approximately 28,600 seedlings to be planted on an average spacing of 14 ft x 14 ft.

• Site Preparation: Microsite preparation including scalping the ground to bare mineral soil (8"x8" clearing and scalping).

• Shading: Microsite shading using natural stationary and moveable shade is required.

• Seedling Type: Containerized (1-0 plugs), cell size 112.

• Planting Method: Hoedad technique.

• Deliverables: Seedlings are to be transported from cooler to site, handled, planted, and microsited.

• Specific Units: Planting will occur across various "Table Mtn" units (4, 5, 10-17).

• Contract Type: This is a single award call order under an existing BPA.

• Period of Performance: From Date of Award through September 30, 2026.

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

• Submission: Contractors must provide pricing for all items listed.

• Evaluation: Quotes will be evaluated in two steps: 1) Pass/Fail for Technical Capability, and 2) Lowest Price for acceptable quotes.

• Key Deadlines:

  • Issue Date: March 26, 2026
  • Due Date/Time: April 9, 2026
  • Planting Start Date: September 21, 2026 (no later than September 23, 2026)
  • Work Completion: September 30, 2026
  • Post Award Conference: Within 10 days of award.

• Set-Aside: Unrestricted (Small Business is an option, but not a requirement for this call).

• NAICS Code: 115310 (Support Activities for Forestry).

• Attachments: Several attachments are incorporated, including Vicinity and Planting Area Maps, Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan, Supplemental Contract Information, and Wage Determination.

• Class Deviations: The call order incorporates two FAR class deviations and removes certain AGAR clauses related to recent Executive Orders and policy changes.

• Off-road vehicles: Not permitted for contractor use.

• Camping: Permitted within 2 miles of planting areas.

• Protests: Information on filing agency protests with the USDA Ombudsman Program is provided.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document provides maps detailing the vicinity and specific planting areas for the "Rio Grande National Forest, Divide RD - FY 2026" opportunity. It includes both a general vicinity map of Colorado and the Rio Grande National Forest, and a more detailed unit map showing specific planting areas.

• Map 1 of 2 (Vicinity Map): Shows the broader geographic location of the Rio Grande National Forest within Colorado, highlighting major roads and landmarks. It also shows a closer view of the forest and the Divide Ranger District.
• Map 2 of 2 (Unit Detail Map): Displays specific "2026 Table Mountain Planting Areas" outlined in red. This map also indicates "Access Points" (yellow circles) and "Delivery Points" (yellow dots) within these areas, along with National Forest System Roads.

These maps are crucial for bidders to understand the physical locations where the work associated with the opportunity will take place. They provide essential spatial information for planning logistics, site visits, and understanding the scope of the planting areas.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document, "Attachment 3- Supplemental Contract Information," provides detailed technical definitions, contractor work requirements, standards, and government-furnished property and services related to the "2026 Rio Grande Reforestation" opportunity. It serves as a comprehensive guide for potential bidders on the specific operational and technical aspects of the contract.

• Technical Definitions and Terminology: Defines key terms such as "Acceptable established tree," "Access point," "Artificial Shade," "Clearing," "Cull Tree," "Danger tree," "DBH," "Drip line," "Legacy Planting," "Microsite," "Plantable spot," "Planting stock," "Quality Assurance," "Quality Control," "Residual trees," "Root collar," "Root length," "Satisfactorily planted tree," and "Scalping."
• Contractor Work Requirements and Standards: Outlines detailed requirements for tree handling and care, tree preparation (including water dipping), clearing, scalping, tree planting (including standards for satisfactory planting, bare-root, and container trees), on-site shade requirements, spacing guidelines, and identification of non-planting areas.
• Contractor Furnished Property: Specifies tools and equipment the contractor must provide, such as hoedads/planting bars, power augers, dipping tubs, planting bags, transportation, and heat tarps.
• Government Furnished Property and Services: Details property and services provided by the government, including detailed information charts, project maps, access roads/points, access behind locked gates, bareroot and container grown tree planting stock, tree wrapping materials, and artificial shade or browse protection material.
• Quality Control: Describes the contractor's responsibility for quality control, including plot inspections, quality control plans, and inspection procedures for tree planting and artificial shade/protection installation.

This document is crucial for bidders as it defines the specific technical requirements, operational standards, and materials involved in the reforestation project. Understanding these details is essential for accurately estimating costs, developing a compliant technical proposal, and assessing the feasibility of performing the work according to the government's specifications. It directly impacts how bidders will plan their operations, manage resources, and ensure quality.

Other / Unclassified

This document is a Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) for the "2026 Rio Grande Reforestation" project. It outlines the procedures and guidelines the USDA, Rio Grande National Forest will use to ensure the contractor meets the performance standards and service levels specified in the Statement of Work (SOW).

This QASP details how the government will monitor and evaluate the contractor's performance. Key aspects include:

• Purpose: To define systematic methods for measuring performance, identifying required reports, and evaluating contractor adherence to SOW requirements.
• Roles and Responsibilities: Outlines responsibilities for the Contractor, Contracting Officer (CO), and Contracting Officer Representative (COR).
• Performance Standards and Acceptable Quality Levels (AQLs): Explains how performance will be measured and what constitutes satisfactory performance, including definitions for "Allowable Deviation" and "Substantially Complete."
• Surveillance Methods: Describes the government's tools and processes for monitoring, including "Inspection While Work is in Progress" and "Plot Inspection." It details specific inspection forms and methods for assessing planting quality.
• Analysis and Results: Explains how inspection results will be analyzed to determine outcomes such as Acceptance, Rework, or Unacceptance.
• Appendices: Includes detailed information on planting inspection forms, methods, performance requirements, acceptable seedling placement, and plot radius calculations.

Bidders should review this QASP to understand the government's quality assurance processes, performance expectations, and how their work will be evaluated and potentially compensated or penalized.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a "Register of Wage Determinations Under the Service Contract Act" for the State of Colorado. It provides the minimum wage rates and fringe benefits required for various occupations when performing contract work in specific areas of Colorado. This is crucial for bidders to understand labor costs associated with the opportunity.

• Geographic Area: Covers Colorado Counties of Alamosa, Baca, Bent, Conejos, Costilla, Crowley, Custer, Huerfano, Kiowa, Las Animas, Mineral, Otero, Prowers, Rio Grande, Saguache.
• Occupational Listings: Includes a comprehensive list of occupations with corresponding wage rates and footnotes.
• Fringe Benefits: States that fringe benefits required follow the occupational listing and details Health & Welfare rates ($5.55/hour or $5.09/hour under EO 13706).
• Paid Leave: Outlines requirements for paid vacation (2, 3, or 4 weeks based on service years) and a minimum of eleven paid holidays.
• Executive Orders: References Executive Order 13706 (Paid Sick Leave) and Executive Order 13658 (Minimum Wage), detailing specific requirements and rates for contracts subject to these EOs.
• Conformance Process: Explains the process for establishing wage rates for unlisted occupations.

Bidders must review this document to accurately estimate labor costs for their proposals. The listed wage rates and fringe benefits are mandatory for covered employees working on the contract. Failure to comply can lead to penalties. Bidders should pay close attention to the specific occupations relevant to the services being procured and ensure their proposed labor rates meet or exceed these minimums.