Tree and shrub removal at the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie statement of work and request for proposals

Background and Statement of Work

Openlands, the Wetlands Initiative (TWI), and the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie (MNTP) are working together in a long-term partnership to restore an area known as the upper Grant Creek Watershed. The current phase of the Grant Creek Watershed area is located on the northern portion of MNTP (east of SR53) and covers approximately 1,326 acres. During Army management, this area consisted of a munitions storage area, roads and rail lines servicing the storage area, waste disposal areas, perimeter fencing and security roads, and buffer lands. Most of the northern 7/10 of the project is leased as cropland, while the southern 3/10 of the project is a bunker field. Both areas have grown up with unwanted and invasive trees and shrubs. This Request for Proposals is for the removal of trees and shrubs from selected areas.

Support for this project is made possible through the America the Beautiful Challenge, provided by the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Additional support is made possible by The Nature Conservancy in Illinois.

This project is subject to Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200 Uniform administrative requirements, cost principles and audit requirements for federal awards. Entities will be ineligible for the work if they are debarred, suspended or otherwise excluded from or ineligible for participation in Federal assistance programs or activities. Please reference Appendix II of Uniform Guidance for information on contract provisions that will be included in the eventual contract (eCFR :: Appendix II to Part 200, Title 2 — Contract Provisions for Non-Federal Entity Contracts Under Federal Awards)

General Specifications

This Request for Proposals is for ecological restoration services, focuses on the removal of trees and shrubs by heavy equipment or by chain saw work in sensitive areas. Work is to begin as soon as conditions allow after October 1, 2024. The trees and shrubs are found widely scattered in multiple clumps over an area of approximately 315 acres of equipment cut zones and 24 acres of “hand cut” zones. The area surrounding these woody clumps is either brome pasture with existing bunkers or agricultural ground planted in row crops. Most of the trees and shrubs are in stands of varying density on the margins of fields or along incised waterways. Some areas, in and around the bunker field (south portion of the project area), have shrubs and small trees that also vary in density. Specifically, the tree and shrub removal work is to be completed as follows:

1. Trees and shrubs marked with flagging tape by MNTP personnel, which include black walnut (Juglans nigra), shall not be cut, removed, or damaged. This will include native trees and shrubs within 25 feet from the “top of bank” of the “main stem” of Grant Creek as referred to as “leave native trees area” in the map Figure 1.
2. Trees (defined as greater than three (3) inches diameter at breast height (DBH)) are to be cut as close to grade as possible.
3. Larger trees are to be chipped or salvaged. All tops and branches must also be chipped for removal. Chipped material or salvaged logs must be removed from MNTP property by April 15th of each year. All chipped or salvaged larger trees must be removed from MNTP prior to final lump sum payment. Salvaged trees are allowed only with permission by MNTP staff.
4. The stumps of larger trees must be ground down below grade to a depth of at least six (6) inches to prevent resprouting or regrowth. All holes resulting from the grinding of stumps will be filled with weed-free, clean fill from offsite and/or materials from grinding (e.g. chips) and regraded prior to the completion of the contract and before final lump sum payment.
5. Trees between three (3) inches DBH and less than 12 inches DBH shall only be cut between August 15th and April 15th in any given year.
6. Larger trees greater than 12 inches DBH shall only be cut between October 1st and March 30th of any given year when the ground is dry or frozen to minimize rutting.
7. Smaller trees and shrubs (less than three (3) inches DBH) shall be masticated completely onsite, down to grade, with a Fecon, Hydro-Ax, or similar equipment.
8. Woody removal work must begin as soon as conditions allow and be concluded no later than December 31, 2027 to comply with work windows in the RFP.
9. Some of the trees located on the northern acreage are found in or adjacent to a row crop to be harvested in Fall 2024. Work within these areas may not commence until Openlands has approved work prior to initiation and the crop has been planted, grown, and harvested, ie. crops must not be damaged by this work.
10. All heavy equipment used by the contractor, i.e. feller bunchers, trucks, loaders, skid steers, etc., should only operate off designated roads when the ground is either sufficiently dry or frozen solid to prevent rutting. Any damage to the ground surface caused by vehicles or other reasons must be repaired to the sole satisfaction of Openlands, after inspection by Openlands or the designated agent, prior to completion of the work and final payment. If ground conditions cannot be met in the work window, matting and appropriate machinery with amphibious track rigging (marsh masters, etc.) may be used with prior approval of Openlands.
11. When cutting within the hand cut areas, Openlands’ designated contact will be notified, and Openlands will inform MNTP so they can dispatch an appropriate resource specialist to monitor the work should sensitive resources be encountered. At least twelve hours notice is requested for coordination purposes. Stumps will be cut as close to the ground surface as practicable, but will not be ground. In the hand cut areas:
    • Parcels in areas containing sensitive resources will be marked in advance by MNTP with the use of pink pin flags with 3-foot-long pins, spaced every 16 feet (5 meters).
    • One area to be cleared contains a historic farmstead site. Within and directly adjacent to that site, hand cutting only will be permitted, and trees must be dropped directionally to avoid damage to potentially historic surface features (typically foundations and historic dump piles).
    • Large trees shall be bucked up into smaller sections to be removed.
    • Bucked up sections, tops and brush may be removed via skidsteer or with chain only when ground is frozen or dry and if any material is not breaking ground.
    • When ground is not frozen or dry, bucked up sections, tops and brush may be removed via skidsteer or chain only when matting is also used and if material is not breaking ground and/or digging into the subsurface.
12. The Contractor shall identify what they need to supply in terms of materials, labor, equipment, supplies, supervision, quality control, and incidentals required to complete the work described. The Contractor shall perform all work in a safe and conscientious manner.
13. The Contractor shall Collect field data on tree removal performed and enter it into the ArcGIS Field Maps app or similar ArcGIS applications on a weekly basis. Data includes: spatial data on where work was conducted and whether or not work is completed or ongoing, (ie. Acres cleared, ground graded). In addition to methodology of treatment (machines used, hand-cut, etc.)
14. Final payment on individual work units will be withheld until all work, restoration, and/or repair has been completed to the satisfaction of Openlands or their designated agent. A unit will only be considered complete when the following conditions have been met, as determined by a visual inspection from an Openlands ecologist or from their designated agent:
    • All cut trees, shrubs, and branches not set aside for salvage have been chipped and removed from site,
    • Any salvage logs have been removed from site,
    • Excess masticated material has been removed from site so that mineral soil is visible,
    • Masticated stumps are at or below grade,
    • All stumps from cut trees have been ground down to a depth of at least six (6) inches below grade (except within hand cut areas in which stumps will be cut as close to the ground as practicable, but not ground),
    • All ruts resulting from any of this work have been repaired at the contractor’s expense,
    • Management activity data has been provided to designated contact via ArcGIS Field Maps app or similar ArcGIS applications.

Project Location– The Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, located 13.5 miles south of Joliet, IL on Illinois State Route 53 (View and download PDFs of Project Areas and Access Points)

Pre-Bid Information Meeting– Openlands will hold a pre-bid conference call to answer questions on Friday August 9, at 10:00 am.

Join the meeting now!

It is strongly suggested that anyone interested in bidding the tree and shrub removal work visit the site to inspect the work zones, access, and conditions on the ground. Contractors interested in conducting a site visit can contact Gary Sullivan to arrange access at 312-391-0777 or gsullivan@wetlands-initiative.org.

Pricing Schedule

1. The Contractor shall inform Openlands and designated agent: TWI, of when and where they plan to commence work and update daily on their progress. The expectation is that once a unit as referenced in Figure 1 is selected for work, it will be finished to completion.
2. The Contractor may work in multiple units at once and work will be paid per unit on the following pay schedule:
   • 30% at commencement of the work
   • 40% after initial clearing is completed
   • 30% for final payment as referenced in General Specifications #14.
3. The Contactor shall price woody removal work on a per unit basis. Prevailing wages will be required per conditions of funding sources.

Tree and shrub removal work Units	Cost / ac.	Acres	Total Cost
Unit 1		43
Unit 2		31.25
Unit 3		11
Unit 4		37
Unit 5		78
Unit 6		71
Unit 7		10
Unit 8		13
Unit 9		45

Project work shall be accomplished in accordance with the following

General Working Specifications

1. Resource Protection
   Contractor shall confine operations to the designated work area, parking areas and staging areas, follow designated travel lanes and use existing roads, rail beds, and parking areas as identified by the designated Openlands agent. All equipment must be steam cleaned or run through a car wash prior to coming on site to remove any plant propagules or seeds. Compressed air cleaning may be an adequate cleaning method, but must be approved by the designated contact. Designated contact will inspect equipment upon being brought onto MNTP for the first time, or subsequent returns if the equipment is taken off site and returned. Any soil surface or other resource damage (e.g. rutting, tracking, etc.) shall be reported daily to designated contact and repaired by the Contractor prior to final payment. Work shall be suspended if ground conditions are moist enough to cause excessive rutting and/or erosion as determined by the designated contact. However, work may otherwise continue with the proper matting and equipment with amphibious tracks.
2. Sensitive Site Protection
   Any sensitive sites or wetlands located in the work area will be protected. They will be identified by the designated contact and a map of these areas will be provided to the Contractor. The Contractor shall avoid entering any of the identified protected areas on foot or with equipment (if applicable).
3. Spills
   The Contractor will ensure spill cleanup materials will be available on site at all times at the MNTP. Any fuel or hydraulic fluid spill greater than one pint (16 oz.) must be immediately reported to the designated contact (i.e. daily). All Contractor personnel must have adequate training to ensure they are qualified to identify such releases and are competent to provide proper cleanup and reporting. All spilled materials and impacted soils will be removed and properly disposed as necessary.
4. Utilities
   Contractor shall map and document management activities using the ArcGIS Field Maps app or similar ArcGIS applications and share the data with the designated contact weekly and prior to final unit payment.
5. Reporting
   Contractor shall map and document management activities using the ArcGIS Field Maps app or similar ArcGIS applications and share the data with the designated contact weekly and prior to final unit payment.
6. Record Retention
   Contractor shall maintain all records connected with the project for a period of at least four (4) years following the end of the project, and give any and all access to Openlands should the need arise.
7. Federal, State, and Local Requirements & Laws
   This project is funded in part by the federal government. The contractor will therefore abide by all applicable contracting procedures, including but not limited to those requirements by the Office of Management and Budget Uniform Guidance (2 C.F.R. Part 200). The contractor will also abide by all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and ordinances and secure all appropriate necessary public or private permits and consents.

Contractor Qualifications

(a) References – Please provide three references for work completed at a similar scale.

(b) Past Experience – Please provide a brief explanation of previous work experience with land management agencies.

Proposal Requested

If interested in this project, please provide a bid for the above statement of work by providing approach, equipment to be used, work experience, anticipated timeline for the various elements, and both unit and total costs. Please also include your capacity for this project and efficiency in tree and shrub removal work in the context of restoration projects in the past, if any. For questions about the details of producing the bid, please contact Samantha Chavez at schavez@openlands.org or 847-637-6800. This request does not commit Openlands to pay any costs incurred in the preparation of submission of the quotation or to contract for supplies or services. Openlands will welcome both fixed cost and time and materials not-to-exceed bids. However, if a time and materials bid is accepted, bidders should note that there will be a ceiling that the contractor exceeds at its own risk.

Equal Opportunity Provider

In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex,
age, or disability. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.)

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400
Independence Avenue, SW, USDA, Forest Service 0MB 0596-0217 FS-1500- 16 Page 13 of 16 {Rev. 9-15}
Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call toll free voice (866) 632-9992, TDD (800) 877-8339, or voice relay (866) 377-8642. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Contractor Selection Process

Openlands will select the Contractor(s) after reviewing the bids received. Once the Contractor is selected, we will prepare a separate contract document. Openlands anticipates Contractor selection by August 30, 2024.

Your bid should be received at Openlands offices by August 23, 2024.

Please e-mail it to: schavez@openlands.org