SAM #12444726Q0069

Ocala National Forest mechanical site preparation and drum chopping

The USDA Forest Service is seeking FY26 drum-chopping site preparation at the Ocala National Forest. - Government buyer: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. Forest Service, Ocala National Forest, Lake George Ranger District; the initial notice also identifies USDA-FS, CSA East 8. - Scope and quantities: 1,175 acres of single chopping and 397 acres of double chopping are required, plus an optional 715 acres of single chopping. The combined required work covers 1,572 acres; maximum work including the option is 2,287 acres. - Equipment / OEM: The work calls for a Marden B-7 or equivalent double-drum offset chopper, with a minimum gross weight of 24,000 lb. No resellers or other vendors are named. - Notable requirements: Contractor supplies labor, equipment, supervision, transportation, and materials, and should be capable of treating about 50 acres per day. Requirements include chopping vegetation up to 6 inches in diameter, preserving designated snags, following “sloppy chop” exclusion zones, and addressing roads within treatment areas even when not shown on maps. Double-chop areas receive the second pass at least three weeks after the first. The work also includes wildlife, wetland, sinkhole, road, and other resource-protection requirements; a mapped area has a seasonal no-site-preparation restriction, and an Eagles Nest site is restricted. - Mapped work areas: The maps identify treatment areas in Compartments 10, 11, 32, 35, 102, 45, 59, 61, and 62. - Period: Approximately mid-November through late February. No option years or annual subscription are stated; the 715-acre add-on is optional work. - Estimated value: Approximately $200,000–$1,200,000, including potential optional work; the source materials provide no quoted prices.

Description

This requirement is for Mechanical Site Preparation using a double drum chopper on the Ocala National Forest. Work includes single and double chopping treatments to prepare timber harvest areas and support vegetation management objectives. Contractors must provide all equipment, labor, supervision, transportation, and materials needed to meet performance standards, including the ability to chop approximately 50 acres per day. Equipment must meet specified weight, speed, and blade requirements, and the Government may require replacement of unsatisfactory equipment. Treatment includes chopping vegetation up to 6 inches in diameter, leaving designated snags, and incorporating “sloppy chop” exclusion zones. Roads within treatment areas not shown on maps must also be chopped. Please review the attached Statement of Work for full specifications and requirements.

View original listing