PL25TGC001 - Tree Planting Prince George Spring and Summer

*****Amendment 1 – November 6, 2023*****
Discard and Replaced: 06 Schedule B1 – Seedling Specifications and Price Per Payment Area with 06 Schedule B1 – Seedling Specifications and Price Per Payment Area Revised
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The proposed contract requires the planting of an estimated 368,300 spring seedlings and 1,019,300 summer seedlings in Prince George. The blocks scheduled in spring are fill plants due to forest health issues and must be completed by June 21, 2024, and the summer plant must be completed by August 7, 2024.

Post-Harvest Assessments (PHA’s) are a source for guidance only – they are not to be considered guaranteed access directions to the site, or actual seedlings/species prescribed. Refer to the Schedule B1 for specific prescribed seedling information. Access comments on the Schedule B1 are also for guidance only. Please note that PHA’s have not been completed for all the blocks in this project.

In the fall of 2023, BCTS will be deactivating by pulling the bridge on the Colbourne North road immediately before A95516-1. Helicopter access is likely for all of the A95516 fill plant blocks. The successful bidder is responsible for all associated access costs, including use of a helicopter. See the Colbourne Bride Deactivations Details in the Appendices for more information.

Location for box disposal will be identified by Ministry Representative during prework. The landfill in Prince George is no longer accepting planting boxes. UNBC bioenergy facility is one potential site for drop-off but must be confirmed by the Ministry Representative. For heli-access blocks, empty boxes may be left in unburned slash piles if they are weighed down and will not cause litter.

If there are seedling allocation or area discrepancies between planting maps, PHAs, and the Schedule B1, then the Schedule B1 is the primary source of information for bidding. There have been a few changes to the contract documents for this season, please review Schedules before submitting a bid package.

Questions & Answers
All contract related questions must be submitted in writing ONLY to the following email address: Forests.PrinceGeorgeTimberSalesOffice@gov.bc.ca.

Deadline for receiving questions is 4:30 pm on November 3, 2023.  

If questions are received, a Question & Answer document will be posted to BC Bid by  November 6, 2023.
    
Tender submissions must be submitted in accordance with the terms and conditions specified in the tender package.
    
If your bid deposit is in the form of cash, money order, certified cheque or bank draft, you will not be able to e-bid. See allowable submission delivery method(s) above. Also see Conditions of Tender for acceptable bid securities.

The lowest priced or any tender will not necessarily be accepted.

This Solicitation is using the BCTS Planting Contractor Rating System to evaluate tenders.  Please see the ‘Information to Bidders’ for Tendering Process and ‘Frequently Asked Questions and BCTS-Planting Contracting Rating Form’ documents for information on the Rating System.

Be aware that BCTS has made changes to its EMS and SFM programs to meet the updated 2022 Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) Forest Management Standard. Changes impacting BCTS clients include new training requirements (Table 008-1, 008-1A, Tailgate Training, SFI Awareness documents, and new Indigenous rights awareness training, as well as changes to training frequency and a new continuing education component). In addition, note changes to EMS/SFM Environmental Field Procedures and Incident Reporting Procedures which occurred June 1, 2022. 

Supervisors and workers will need to be familiar with these changes prior to commencement of operations. These documents are posted on our external EMS/SFM website at BC Timber Sales - Business Area Environmental Management System (EMS) and Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) - Province of British Columbia (https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/forestry/bc-timber-sales/forest-certification/ems-sfm).  More information on SFI available at www.forests.org.

Unverified bid results will be posted to BC Bid after tender opening and once awarded the contract award results will be available on BC Bid.
    
Please see the following website for
important BCTS Contracting advisory notices and guidance information:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/forestry/bc-timber-sales/contracting
    
 Timber Sales Manager
 Prince George Business Area
 BC Timber Sales