F--Lake Tahoe Basin Hazardous Fuel Reduction

We are proposing to do a sole source service contract for fuels reduction work on the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. The proposed contract is an Indefinite Quantity/Indefinite Delivery contract with a base year and four option years. The intent of this contract is to accomplish stand treatments through the reduction of standing vegetation fuel ladders, tree thinning, and the removal of biomass and small sawlog material. The North Shore Project Final Environmental Impact Statement and Ward Hazardous Fuels Reduction Environmental Assessment specifically require the use of a cut to length harvester to accomplish the project objectives. This contract requires 1)a specific type of mechanical harvester to minimize disturbance impacts to soil and water quality resources as specified in the project's environmental documentation and 2) a self propelled chipper to reduce forest floor fuels. The equipment consists of a cut to length harvester (CTL) with a log forwarder that minimizes impacts to soil resources by carrying products free of the ground while operating on a layer of slash. The self propelled chipper is capable of chipping material up to 24" in diameter and would operate on the slash layer created by the CTL harvester. The purpose of the chiper is to eliminate the need to burn piles which in turn would avoid smoke management issues adjacent to developed subdivisions. Additionally, this equipment needs to be capable of completing all contract requirements in one operation minimizing multiple entries into the resource. This work needs to be completed in a timely manner as specified under the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act and the objectives of the multi-agency Environmental Improvement Program underway to protect and enhance the Lake Tahoe ecosystem.