INTRODUCTION

The El Dorado County Fire Safe Council (EDCFSC) has received grant funding from the Bureau of Land Management, Community Based Wildfire Prevention Grant Program administered through the California Fire Safe Council. On March 29, 2006, the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors approved matching funding from the Special Revenue Fund for the receipt and disbursement of Title III funds established by the Board on October 30, 2001 for fire prevention and county planning. 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 Chrome Ridge.

BACKGROUND

The watershed of Weber Creek and more specifically, the community surrounding Chrome Ridge, exemplifies the wildland-urban interface area. Urban pockets of medium to high residential neighborhoods are distributed intermittently through the watershed and are consequently completely surrounded by native vegetation. The community of Chrome Ridge is a high priority area located in the Upper Consumnes River Watershed and Weber Creek drainage of the South Fork American 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.

Weber Creek is at the top of list for risk in the South Fork American River Watershed; Chrome Ridge is identified in the El Dorado County Wildfire Protection Plan as a priority for fire safe fuels reduction.

PROPOSAL

The El Dorado County Fire Safe Council is soliciting proposals to perform fuel reduction on approximately 40 acres in the Chrome Ridge community (project map included as Attachment 1 to RFP). This project entails removing un-merchantable sized trees and brush to create a modified shaded fuel break to reduce the potential of a costly and damaging wildfire to over 50 households with an estimated 159 community members living in the Pleasant Valley/ Chrome Ridge area. The cut vegetation will be chipped on-site. Participation in this program is voluntary and all residents adjacent to the proposed project have completed and signed a permission document. 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

Hand thinning and chipping should be accomplished using a hand crew with chainsaws and/or hand mowing equipment. Thinning should be started with the smallest diameter trees and brush, cutting vegetation for removal up to 6”dbh with 15 to 20 foot spacing between leave trees and brush limb up remaining trees 6 feet to 10 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, should 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 may be removed from the site and converted to energy for other products or 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 Chrome Ridge 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 with the Project Coordinator and representatives of the Chrome Ridge FSC to review job specification.
    
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 March 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, Chrome Ridge 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 $40,000.00. 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 Chrome Ridge Fuel Break Project 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

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

One original and three copies must be mailed to the El Dorado County Fire Safe Council, P. O. Box 1237, Pollock Pines, CA 95726 and postmarked no later than August 4, 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.