SERAL Phase III, Part 2

The County of Tuolumne is seeking proposals from qualified individuals to conduct forest fuels reduction projects.

Contractors will conduct forest fuel reduction using a suite of treatments such as mastication, hand thinning, chipping and piling, and the creation of fuelbreaks as authorized in the Master Stewardship Agreement (MSA) the County has with the USDA, Forest Service, Stanislaus National Forest on behalf of the Yosemite Stanislaus Solutions (YSS) Collaborative and contained in the Social and Ecological Resilience Across the Landscape (SERAL) Record of Decision.  The County has received additional funding to create a contiguous fuelbreak by connecting private land parcels. These fuelbreaks will encompass both federal and private property ownership.

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

The Phase 3 project consists of approximately 7,200 acres of fuelbreaks and fuel reductions combined. This RFP is for work on the last 4 items totaling approximately 2,952 acres. Specifications and different treatment actions are detailed in Section 2. Scope of Services. It is the County’s intent to have all forest fuels reduction and fuelbreak work completed by June 31, 2027.

Background

In December 2017, the Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors approved a Master Stewardship Agreement (MSA) with the USDA, Forest Service, and 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. In July 2024, this agreement was extended an additional 10 years until 2038. The County has received additional funding to create a contiguous fuelbreak by connecting private land parcels. These fuelbreaks will encompass federal and private property ownership.

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. Yosemite Rivers Alliance (YRA), formerly Tuolumne River Trust (TRT), has been sub-contracted by the County for program administration and project management. YRA will supervise Contractors and oversee the work being done on this project on federal property.  The County has subcontracted a team of Registered Professional Foresters (RPFs) to manage project activities on private property in collaboration with YRA and oversee compliance with Forest Practice Rules on private property with day-to-day project management performed by YRA.

Project Details

• Reference ID: RFP-2025-0131
• Department: County Administration Office
• Department Head: Roger Root (County Administrative Officer)

Important Dates

• Questions Due: 2026-05-11T06:55:59.564Z

Addenda

• Addendum #1 (released 2026-04-30T23:23:37.122Z) —

  The scoring rubric and weighted percentage totals have been updated.

Evaluation Criteria

• Qualifications and Experience (30 pts)
• Service Delivery/Methodology (30 pts)
• Reasonable Cost of Service (40 pts)

Submission Requirements

• Proposal Elements (required) —
  1. Statement of Understanding and Approach

  This section must demonstrate the Proposer’s understanding of the requested Services and describe the overall approach, organization, staffing, and project management methods that will ensure successful completion of work by June 30, 2027. If applicable, discuss any preliminary investigations, due diligence, or research necessary to complete the work.

  Contractors may submit proposals for one or more of the following: Item 5, Item 6, Item 7, and Item 8. Proposers are not required to bid on all items; however, proposals must clearly identify which items are included. Each item will be evaluated independently, and proposals must contain sufficient detail for each item proposed.

  Partial proposals for individual units within an item will not be accepted. Contractors must be capable of completing the full scope of work for each item proposed.

   

  Proposals should include the following:

  • A detailed implementation plan describing:
  • Methods and controls used to manage projects of similar scope and complexity.
  • Project management strategies, communication methods, and quality control procedures.
  • Methodology for coordinating with and documenting input from internal and external stakeholders.
  • Any additional techniques or innovations the Proposer intends to use to successfully complete the work.
  • A detailed description of how the Proposer will meet the requirements outlined in the Scope of Work and ensure client satisfaction.
  • A separate and clearly identified approach for each item the contractor is proposing on, including:
  • Order in which units will be completed.
  • Rationale for sequencing and prioritization.
  • Staffing and equipment assigned to each item/unit.
  • A list of the item numbers being proposed on (example: “Proposing on Items 5 and 7”).
  • A statement identifying the maximum number of items the contractor can successfully complete if awarded.
  • (Optional) Preferred combinations of items the contractor would like to be awarded together, including a brief explanation.
  • A detailed description of equipment that meets all specifications identified in Scope of Services Section 2.12, Equipment Specifications.
  • A detailed project schedule identifying:
  • Major tasks and deliverables.
  • Estimated durations for each task.
  • Overall project completion timeline.
  • Transition or mobilization plan, if applicable.
  • Approach for addressing fluctuations in service needs and any associated price adjustments.

  Awarded items may be worked on sequentially or concurrently; however, contractors must ensure:

  • At least 50% of total awarded acres are completed to final condition by December 31, 2026.
  • Remaining work is completed by June 30, 2027.

  Implementation plans must also include anticipated milestone dates for each item:

  • 25% completion date
  • 50% completion date
  • 75% completion date
  • 100% completion date

  Proposals must also include:

  • A description of any support or coordination required from County staff.
  • Identification of the respective roles and responsibilities of County staff and contractor staff.

  Proposers are encouraged to include innovative or cost-effective approaches that improve efficiency, performance, or service delivery.

  If applicable, proposers should identify any County-owned facilities, property, or equipment they propose to use, lease, rent, or purchase in connection with the Services, including proposed terms and any impact on overall project cost.

   

  2. Company Information

   

  3. • This section shall include contact person information, address and telephone number of the company main office and branch offices. Each Company shall identify itself as to the type of organizational entity (corporation, sole proprietorship, partnership, joint venture, etc.). Any supplemental information that Company believes may be pertinent to the selection process may be provided.
     • The Proposal shall identify any litigation, mediation, or arbitration, regarding the performance of any services similar to the Services, in which the Company has been involved in the past five (5) years. If the Services require a license or certification, the Proposal shall include any claims or disciplinary action taken against Company or any of Company’s key personnel within the past five years.

   

  4. Company Personnel
  • This section shall contain names, contact numbers and description of experience, including licenses and/or certifications, of all key personnel who would be assigned to perform the Services. Members of the Company’s professional team (managers, contact person, etc.) should be identified by name, title, phone number, and description of the portion of work they will be assigned to perform under this Agreement. Also include major subcontractors (if any) and their degree of involvement in this program. If the Company is including any subcontractors, the Company shall identify how long the Company has worked with the subcontractor.
  • An affirmative statement should be included that the proposer and all assigned key professional staff are properly licensed to practice in California.
  5. Disclosure
  • Please disclose any and all past or current business and personal relationships with any current County elected official, appointed official, County employee, or family member of any current County elected official, appointed official, or County employee. Any past or current business relationship may not disqualify the firm from consideration.
  6. Experience and References
  • The Proposal must demonstrate that the Company, or its key personnel, meets the minimum experience requirement in in the Minimum Qualifications Section with a legally registered business name, that provides services of a similar type and scope as described in the Scope of Services. A Company shall not have filed for bankruptcy under any business name over the past five (5) years.
  • Company shall provide at least 3 references, within the past 5 years, of clients for whom services have been performed that are comparable in quality and scope to that specified in this RFP. The references shall include client names, addresses, telephone numbers and e-mail addresses of the clients for whom prior work was performed and include an explanation of the services provided along with project start and end dates.
• Proposal Cost (required) —

  Proposer shall upload a fee schedule here. Information should include any and all costs associated with the fulfillment of the Scope of Services.

• Pricing (required) —

  Select the option that best suits the pricing needs for this solicitation.

  • An Electronic Pricing Tableallows vendors to enter pricing directly into the system, and the system can automatically tabulate pricing results and provide pricing analysis.
  • A Separate Pricing Document will not be automatically tabulated. It will be received by each respondent as a document upload that will need to be evaluated manually.
• Do you know what the Initial Term will be for the Contract? (required) —

  Adjust the sentence below as needed.

• Initial Term (required) —

  The term of the initial contract awarded under this RFP will be for _________________. (Enter the number of years/months in the following format ex: one (1) two (2) week)

• Initial Term (required)
• Extensions (required) —

  Allow extensions for the resulting agreement?

• Extension Options (required) —

  By mutual agreement, this contract may be extended for ______________, under the following circumstances. (Enter the number of years/months in the following format ex: one (1) two (2) week)

• Termination (required) —

  Please select the number of "days" appropriate in the blank space of the sentence below:

• Does this require General Insurance provisions? (required)
• Does this require Malpractice Insurance provisions? (required) —

  (Examples are insurance agents, professional architects and engineers, doctors, certified public accountants, lawyers, etc.). However, other professional Contractors, such as computer or software designers, and services providers such as claims administrators, should also have professional liability. If in doubt, consult with your risk management or insurance advisors.

• Does this require IT insurance language provisions? (required)

Questions & Answers