Mechanical Site Prep: Jawbone Creek Item 2

The County of Tuolumne is seeking proposals from qualified individuals to conduct fuels reduction and mechanical site preparation and associated treatments for reforestation as authorized in the Master Stewardship Agreement the County has with the USDA, Forest Service, Stanislaus National Forest on behalf of the Yosemite Stanislaus Solutions (YSS) Collaborative.

The County intends to select Contractors that meet the specifications of this Solicitation based on best value.

The Cherry West Project consists of approximately 796.26 acres of mechanical site preparation, including mastication and piling. Specifications and treatment requirements are detailed in Section 2, Scope of Services. The County intends for site preparation work in the priority units (K010C, K011B, K011C, and L001) to begin no earlier than June 2027 and be completed no later than October 31, 2027. These units are scheduled for planting in Spring 2028.

All remaining units must be completed no later than October 31, 2028, and are scheduled for planting in Fall 2028.

The project is located at an approximate elevation of 6,000 feet and may be inaccessible during periods of snow cover. The Contractor shall plan and schedule work accordingly to meet the required completion deadlines.

In December 2017, the Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors approved a Master Stewardship Agreement (MSA) with the USDA, Forest Service, Stanislaus National Forest on behalf of the Yosemite Stanislaus Solutions (YSS) Collaborative, giving the County authority over the next 10 years to work with the Forest Service to conduct landscape restoration activities on the Stanislaus National Forest within the boundaries of Tuolumne County. It was executed in January of 2018.

The Supplemental Project Agreements (SPA) developed under the MSA are for the purpose of protecting, enhancing and restoring forest and watershed health and bringing economic opportunities to the local area. The County is using the collaborative group YSS and its sub-partners inside YSS to assist with Forest Health Projects.

It is the County's intent to subcontract out program administration and project management, this will include supervision of Contractors and oversee the work being done on this project.