FOREST THINNING – SINCLAIR RESTORATION PROJECT IN KOOTENAY NATIONAL PARK

Parks Canada Agency requires a Contractor to provide all labour, material and equipment for forest thinning services at Sinclair Canyon in Kootenay National Park, British Columbia. The main goal of this project is the restoration of critical Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep transitional habitat on the lower slopes of Mt. Berland, adjacent to lower Sinclair Canyon. A 61 hectare prescribed fire is being planned for the south slopes of Mt. Berland, across the highway from the Radium Hot Springs. Prior to operational commitments of prescribed burning, the initial stages of the project requires 15.3 hectares of mechanical forest thinning to reintroduce natural forest structure near the valley bottom, and will also act to reduce fuel loads near values at risk prior to burning. This contract requires the removal of full-stem trees, transportation of logs, management of associated harvesting debris, rehabilitation of disturbed sites, and operating under the direction of a BC Hydro Certified Utilities Arborist in part of the treatment area as defined in these terms of reference. This work will be performed by the successful contractor in a manner that will minimize mortality of retained stems as well as limit the creation of additional hazard trees.

Low-impact mechanical harvesting is the only method that will be considered for this contract to ensure that it is completed in the designated time period, to ensure the tree harvesting progress remains within designated timelines, and that environmental protection and debris management considerations are met. Contractors are encouraged to seek suitable market(s) for harvested wood in order to provide some cost-offset to the project. A significant proportion of the timber removed is expected to be merchantable to contractor-specified markets. All timber harvested under the scope of this project that is NOT merchantable to available markets to maximize cost recovery, will be designated as firewood for Parks Canada and forwarded to predetermined firewood decking site(s) within Kootenay National Park. The period of the contract is from January 10, 2014 to February 28, 2014.

An optional site visit will take place on December 12, 2013. Bidders are to meet at the big parking lot across the highway from the Hot Springs Pool at 11:00 am MST. Closing date for tender submissions is December 24, 2013 at 2:00 pm MST. Bidders that consider themselves qualified to provide this Work and intend to submit bids on this project should obtain documents from the Government Electronic Tendering Service through the Government of Canada tendering service at www.buyandsell.gc.ca/tenders. Addenda, when issued, will be available from the Government of Canada tendering service. Bidders that elect to base their bids on documents obtained from other sources do so at their own risk. Late submissions will not be considered. All enquiries regarding this tender are to be submitted in writing to the Contracts Officer, Eloise Meredith by email: Eloise.meredith@pc.gc.ca no later than four (4) calendar days before bid closing date. Enquiries received after that time may not be answered. Bids will be received attention to: Eloise Meredith, Contracts Officer Parks Canada Agency P.O. Box 220 6300 Highway 93S McKay Compound, Stores Building Radium Hot Springs, British Columbia V0A 1M0