FN25TAS5104 – Tree Planting 2024 in the Morice Area of BC Timber Sales – Babine Business Area (FN Affiliation)

Work services for BC Timber Sales (BCTS), Morice spring tree planting will consist primarily of a straight plant at 1800stems/ha.

The successful bidder must be owned or formally affiliated with a First Nation band with traditional territory in the Morice Timber Supply Area (TSA).  It is a mandatory requirement that affiliated contractors provide documentation with their tender confirming they are supported by a Band Council Resolution or similar endorsement that will be subject to approval by the Ministry representative during the award of this contract.

Total tree allocation for the First Nation planting contract in the Morice TSA is estimated at 329,400 spring seedlings into a large block estimated 183 ha in size.

For the 2024 spring planting, expect all spring delivery spruce, pine, and cedar seedlings to be ‘loose packed’ with no wrapped bundles in cartons.  Cartons will be clearly labelled indicating loose packed cartons. 

Estimated number of IWRAP seedlings within planting contract:  PSI 410 Lw = 32,900 seedlings. 

The Contractor is responsible to verify planting unit boundary prior to the commencement of works.

The anticipated field start date of the Morice spring planting season is tentatively scheduled for May 1st, 2024, with a required completion date of June 21st, 2024. Further to these dates, the expectation shall be that at least half of the spring plant will be completed within the month of May, in-order to take advantage of increased soil moisture to maximize survival of planted seedlings.

Questions & Answers
All contract related questions must be submitted in writing ONLY to the following email address: Forests.BabineTimberSalesOffice@gov.bc.ca.  Deadline for receiving questions is 3:00 pm on October 24, 2023.  If questions are received, a Question & Answer document will be posted to BC Bid by October 25, 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.

The Planting Contractor Rating System is NOT being used for this contract.

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
Babine Business Area
BC Timber Sales