2025 Southwestern Region Tree Planting IDIQ

THIS NOTICE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, REQUEST FOR QUOTE, OR AN INVITATION FOR BID. NO SPECIFICATIONS OR DRAWINGS ARE AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. The United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Region 3, PPS intends to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a firm fixed-price, Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) for reforestation services in support of timber stand improvement related to forest health on Forest Service land. The Forest Service may award contracts to multiple entities based on location and capability. Each contract is anticipated to be for a five (5) year ordering period. Services will be provided in National Forests located in Forest Service Region 3 (Arizona and New Mexico) broken out into eleven (11) National Forests:

Arizona National Forests: Apache, Coronado, Tonto, Sitgreaves, Coconino, and Kaibab

New Mexico National Forests: Carson, Cibola, Gila, Lincoln, and Santa Fe

The anticipated requirement will be issued under RFP Number 127EAV25R0006 (1143507). The RFP is expected to be posted to Contract Opportunities at https://beta.sam.gov/ in September 2025 (third or fourth week).

This procurement will be conducted as a commercial acquisition under the authority of FAR Parts 12 and 13, specifically FAR Subpart 13.5 – Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Products and Commercial Services, as supplemented with evaluation techniques from FAR Part 15. The Government will use streamlined procedures under FAR 13.5 to promote efficiency and reduce the administrative burden, while applying best-value tradeoff evaluation methods similar to those found in FAR 15.101-1 to ensure selection of the most advantageous proposals. These procedures allow the Government to conduct discussions if determined to be in the Government’s best interest, but without the formal competitive range determinations or other procedural requirements of FAR Part 15. The intent is to award multiple firm-fixed-price IDIQ contracts to responsible small business concerns.

SELECTION PROCESS: Proposals will be evaluated in accordance with the procedures in FAR Parts 12 and 13, specifically FAR Subpart 13.5 – Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Products and Commercial Services, supplemented with evaluation techniques from FAR Part 15.101-1, Best Value Tradeoff. The Government will perform a comparative evaluation of proposals based on the following factors, listed in no particular order of importance:

•Technical Capability, including Management and Experience

•Past Performance

•Price

•Pro Forma Information, including bonding and financial capability sufficient to meet therequirements of the solicitation.

The evaluation will be conducted using best value tradeoff principles to determine the proposal(s) most advantageous to the Government, considering both price and non-price factors. The Government may conduct discussions if determined to be in the Government’s best interest; however, the Government reserves the right to make award without discussions. This acquisition will not follow all formal source selection procedures of FAR Part 15 (e.g., competitive range determinations or formal debriefings), but will utilize certain Part 15 evaluation concepts to ensure a fair and transparent process. Multiple awards are anticipated under this solicitation, resulting in firm-fixed-price IDIQ contracts.

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code for this procurement is (NAICS) code 115310 – Support Activities for Forestry with a Small Business Size Standard of $11.5M.

Project Description: 2025 Southwestern Region Tree Planting IDIQ

Project Location: States of Arizona and New Mexico

The Southwestern Region needs planting and related services on lands administered within its boundaries. Planting and related services are needed on lands that have been disturbed through fire, insect or diseases, harvest, or from other causes and where land and resource management plans indicate forested cover is desired after these disturbances. The scope of this contract includes, but is not limited to, tree transport, tree care, handling, and planting, tree preparation (if needed for bare root stock), natural and artificial shading treatments, animal damage control treatments (i.e., protective netting), and related services.

Activity I : Tree Transport, Care, and Handling

Activity II : Tree Planting, Tree Preparation

Activity III : Artificial Shade, Installation, Maintenance or Removal (Tubing) and ADC Installation, Maintenance or Removal

The Government intends to post all notices/amendments related to this solicitation on Government point of entry (GPE) SAM.gov contract opportunities at https://www.sam.gov/. All interested firms must be registered on Contract Opportunities web site in order to obtain the solicitation documents and all information regarding the solicitation. Hard copies of the solicitation will not be provided. It is the responsibility of the Offeror to check the website daily for any updates/amendments. Offerors are encouraged to check the SAM.gov web site frequently in order to be notified of any changes to this solicitation.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: All contractors submitting bids, proposals, or quotes on USDA Forest Service solicitations must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database. Failure to register in the SAM database will make an Offeror ineligible for award. The SAM website can be accessed at www.sam.gov/portal/SAM.

Points-of-contact for this Pre-Solicitation Notice:

Shavera Leveille Email: shavera.leveille@usda.gov Telephone: (912)463-3328

David Watson Email: R3-TREEPLANT-IDIQ@usda.gov Telephone: (602) 225-5350