REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
FOR CONTRACTED SERVICES TO THE
EL DORADO COUNTY FIRE SAFE COUNCIL

 
RELEASE DATE: August 15, 2006
 
SITE VISIT: September 9, 2006 (details in Scope of Work)
 
CLOSING DATE:

Proposals must be mailed to the address below and postmarked no later than September 15, 2006.

 
PROJECT TITLE:

SANDRIDGE AREA FUELS REDUCTION PROJECT #1

 
CONTACT PERSON:
 
Vicki D. Yorty, Executive Coordinator
El Dorado County Fire Safe Council
P.O. Box 1011
Pollock Pines, CA 95726
(530) 620-3887
Email: EDCFiresafe@comcast.net

MAP OF THE AREA

INTRODUCTION

The El Dorado County Fire Safe Council (EDCFSC) has received grant funding from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The purpose of these grants is to plan and perform strategic fuels reduction to reduce the threat of catastrophic wildland fire to the community of Sandridge Road area of El Dorado. This area is identified as a high priority fuels reduction area in the El Dorado County Community Wildfire Protection Plan, and is also identified as a high priority fuels reduction area in the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Amador El Dorado 5 year plan issued in 2005.

BACKGROUND

The watershed of Cosumnes River, and more specifically, the community surrounding Sandridge Road, exemplifies the wildland-urban interface area. Urban pockets of low to medium residential neighborhoods are distributed intermittently through the watershed and are consequently completely surrounded by native vegetation. The community of Sandridge Road area is a high priority area located in the Upper Consumnes River watershed based on assets at risk as defined in the California Fire Plan (May 2000). These assets include recreation, wildlife, wild and scenic river status, water supply, and watershed. To add to the complexity, the threat of catastrophic wildfires continues to intensify with time as fuel loads increase with each passing year that already overgrown vegetation is not treated.

The Sandridge Road area is identified in the El Dorado County Wildfire Protection Plan as a priority for fire safe fuels reduction and in the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection 5 year plan for the Amador El Dorado unit.

PROPOSAL

The El Dorado County Fire Safe Council is soliciting proposals to perform fuel reduction on approximately 6.5 acres in the Sandridge Road area along Freshwater Lane for approximately .9 miles. (project map included as Attachment 1 to RFP). Project involves minor alteration of vegetation, including fuel management activities to reduce the volume of flammable vegetation. The activities do not result in the taking of endangered, rare, or threatened plant or animal species or significant erosion and sedimentation of surface waters. According to the Department of Fish and game's Natural Diversity Database, there are no listed plant or animal species affected by the project. There will be no impact to historic or cultural resources due to lack of ground disturbance.

This project will:

  • Create fuel breaks in strategic areas, helping keep wildfires smaller
  • Reduce Fuel ladders, helping to keep fires on the ground and reduce the risk of crown fires and flying embers that cause spot fires
  • Protection of Wild and Scenic Rivers
  • Reduce fuel loading in critical locations, helping to reduce wildfire intensity

RESPONSIBILITIES / SCOPE OF WORK

Hand thinning and chipping should be accomplished using a hand crew with chainsaws and/or hand mowing equipment. Fuels are to be reduced for 30 feet on each side of Freshwater Lane, from the intersection of Freshwater Lane and Sandridge Road for a linear distance of approximately .9 miles in the Sandridge neighborhood of the community of El Dorado, CA. The project will encompass approximately 6.5 acres. Vegetation treatments include pruning existing trees over 4 inches in diameter dbh fifteen feet up from the base, removing all trees and brush with a diameter of 4 inches dbh or less to remove fuel "ladders", thinning any conifer trees where crowns are touching to provide horizontal separation to a minimum 20 feet between trees, chipping downed limbs and logs less than eight inches in diameter and removing limb and logs over 8 inches in diameter, and weed treatment of grasses. No heavy equipment is to be used off road. Ornamentals and special landscaping features will be marked and protected. Thinning should be started with the smallest diameter trees and brush, cutting vegetation for removal up to 4"dbh with 15 to 20 foot spacing between leave trees and brush limb up remaining trees 15 feet above the ground. It is recommended that all brush species are removed with in the cleared areas. Any trees that are desired to be left by the landowner, within the thinning prescription parameters, will be identified prior to the start of work. All dead and down material greater than 1 inches in diameter and up to 14 inches in diameter and all cut material regardless of size shall be chipped. All mountain misery (Bear Clover) and grass should be reduced to 1 inch in height by hand mowing. Disposal of cut material will be done by chipping with the following specifications.

Chipping: Chipping will be used to remove vegetation. It redistributes forest vegetation that is cut by thinning. The chips are to be scattered throughout the project area with a depth no greater than 3 inches and no piles of chipped material will be permitted. Grass and other material not suitable for chipping will be raked/collected and removed from the site.

The contractor will be responsible for ensuring proper protection of public safety, archeological resources, watercourses, structures, property improvements, power lines and other utility services. The contractor will assist the EDCFSC Project Coordinator in completing monthly progress reports to. The El Dorado County Fire Safe Council will hire the successful applicant as an independent contractor.

Other responsibilities of the Contractor include:

  1. Contractor will work with the El Dorado County Fire Safe Council and the Sandridge Area Fire Safe Council to insure compliance with the guidelines, conditions and criterions of the grant.
     
  2. Contractor will include enough layout time and supervision time in bid to assure public safety and compliance with property owner and FSC requirements.
     
  3. Contractor will be sensitive to and responsive to property owner's desires within the objectives of the Grant and this contract.
     
  4. Contractor will be responsible for crew's safety and sanitation needs.
     
  5. Contractor shall comply with all established administrative processes (monthly contractor's reports and invoicing) of the AFSC. Payments will be made within 20 days of approval by the Project Coordinator of invoices submitted by the Contractor.
     
  6. Contractor shall attend a pre-operations meeting at the job site at 11 a.m. on Saturday, September 9, 2006 with the Project Coordinator and representatives of the Sandridge FSC to review job specification. Directions: Take Sandridge Road of Hwy 49, to Sandridge Ct, which is just before Freshwater Lane. Turn left on Sandridge Ct., and go about a quarter mile or so to Deer Park Ranch on the right. There's a sign over the entrance. Questions: Call Allen (530) 622-5786
     
  7. Contractor will protect any areas from disturbance that have been identified as an archaeological site, endangered plant or animal habitat, or watercourses. These areas, if any, will be discussed at the pre-operations meeting and will be flagged with orange and black striped flagging as equipment exclusion zones.
     
  8. Contractor will be responsible for ensuring protection of structures, property improvements, power lines and other utilities.
     
  9. Residual trees will be pruned to reduce ladder fuels.
     
  10. Residual trees will be protected from skin ups and damage.
     
  11. Work under this Agreement shall be completed no later than January 31, 2007. The work is planned to occur during the summer, fall and winter of 2006/2007.
     

EVALUATION

Members of the El Dorado County Fire Safe Council and the Project Coordinator will evaluate the proposals.

AVAILABLE FUNDS

The maximum amount of funds available for contracted services in this grant is $14,900. The selected candidate must acknowledge and affirmatively indicate that he/she can provide the tasks outlined in the Scope of Work within this amount.

PROPOSAL FORMAT

A qualifying proposal must address all of the following items:

  1. Letter of Interest, including a statement that the proposal will perform outlined services.

  2. Cover Sheet with the following information:

    1. Title of Proposal
    2. Name and Address of Firm
    3. Contact person, Telephone Number and Fax Number.
  3. Understanding of the Project: The contractor shall provide a brief response that demonstrates an understanding of the Sandridge Area Fuels Reduction Project #1 and that clearly describes his or her ability to reduce hazardous fuel loads in the project locations.

  4. Approach and Objectives: The contractor shall briefly outline how their proposal will be responsive to the Scope of Work.

  5. Qualifications of Key Personnel: The contractor shall provide the names of the key people who will be working on this project, their role in the project, and a synopsis of their experience relevant to these roles. Expertise in the development of fuel breaks is highly desirable.

  6. References: The contractor shall provide a minimum of three recent references from similar or related projects, including an appropriate contact name, telephone number and e-mail address (if available).

  7. Cost Proposal: The contractor shall provide a total project cost that covers all work and responsibilities described in the Project Description and Scope of Work.

  8. Driving Record and Insurance: Contractor must maintain a valid driver's license. The successful applicant must provide proof of current auto, liability, and workman's compensation insurance.

    1. Automobile Liability Insurance of not less than $500,000 is required in the event motor vehicles are used by the Contractor. One million dollars ($1,000,000) per accident for bodily injury and property damage combine single limit.
    2. Workers Compensation coverage: Contractor shall maintain workers' compensation insurance for all of its employees.
    3. Commercial General Liability Insurance of not less than One Million dollars ($1,000,000) combined single limit per occurrence for personal injury liability, bodily injury and property damage. One million dollars ($1,000,000) aggregate.
       

PROJECT MILESTONES
 
 

Milestone Timeline
Release request for proposal August 15, 2006
Site Visit September 9, 2006
Proposals Due September 15, 2006
Review and Selection of Contractor(s) September 23, 2006
Agreement Signed September 30, 2006
Fuel Break: begin work through completion October 2006 through March 2007
Final grant report of completed project to CDF May 31, 2007

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

One original and three copies must be mailed to the El Dorado County Fire Safe Council, P.O. Box 1011, Diamond Springs, CA 95619 and postmarked no later than September 15, 2006. Receipt of the proposal will be acknowledged via email, if available, or by fax. No proposals will be accepted after this deadline. Address any questions to the contact person listed on the first page.

NONDISCRIMINATION

The program or activities conducted under this agreement will be in compliance with the nondiscrimination provisions contained in Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987 (Public Law 100-259); and other nondiscrimination statutes: namely, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and the American's with Disabilities Act of 1990. They will also be in accordance with regulations of the Secretary of Agriculture (7CFR-15, Subparts A & B), which provide that no person in the United States shall on the grounds of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, marital or family status, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture or any agency thereof.


 
 



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