B -- Young Growth Wood Properties Study

The Tongass National Forest intends to solicit and award a sole source contract, unless qualified offerors are identified, with Ketchikan Wood Technology Center on a sole source basis in accordance with 41 U.S.C. 253 ( c ) ( 1 ) only one responsible source. This requirement is to provide singular site milling and special wood properties testing of pre-identified Western hemlock and Sitka Spruce young growth logs.This project is part of a study of following trees from the woods though to the final products (lumber) produced from each log in a given tree. The number of trees involved total between 400 and 450 amounting to an estimated 100MBF. Final product means sawn, kiln dried, surfaced, and graded. Each piece of lumber will be non-destructively sampled for stiffness and a sub-sample destructively sampled for developing relationships between NDT techniques and empirical values. Additional samples will be tested to determine mechanical properties of the young growth resource. Data will be collected at every step of the process. Besides the milling and testing the contract will also include responsibility for the transport of the logs from drop-off points on Prince of Wales and Mitkof Island to a single milling/testing site. Any resulting lumber products not destroyed in the testing process will remain the property of the US Forest Service to be disposed of through a public sale or utilized directly by the Government. Offerors certain they can meet the requirements are requested to submit in writing an affirmative response and technical capabilities. All written responses must include a narrative statement of capability, including technical information demonstrating ability to meet the requirement. Failure to submit such documentation will result in the Government proceeding as above. A determination by the Government not to open the requirement to competition based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Affirmative written responses must be received no later than 15 days after the publication of this synopsis. All information must be submitted in writing to William Standley, Contract Specialist, Tongass National Forest, 648 Mission St, Ketchikan, AK 99901. [email protected]. Note 22 applies.