Trail Grooming & Snow Removal
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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) Title: Trail Grooming & Snow Removal – NW Mt. Baker Area Contract Number Proposal Due Date & Time 2017-12 TG & SR Friday, September 1, 2017 by 5:00 pm PROPOSALS MUST BE RECEIVED & STAMPED ON OR BEFORE 5:00 P.M. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2017 AT THIS LOCATION: WASHINGTON STATE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION 1111 ISRAEL ROAD SW P.O. BOX 42650 OLYMPIA, WA 98504-2650 FAXED OR ELECTRONIC PROPOSALS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE Jason Goldstein Winter Recreation Operations Manager Phone (360) 902-8662 Fax (360) 586-6603 E-mail: [email protected] DRIVING DIRECTIONS: WA STATE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION HEADQUARTERS--- From the South: • FROM I-5 TAKE THE TUMWATER BLVD EXIT (EXIT #101). • TURN RIGHT ONTO TUMWATER BLVD SW. go 0.9 mile. • TURN LEFT ON LINDERSON WAY SW • TURN LEFT AT LIGHT ON ISRAEL ROAD SW • TURN LEFT INTO STATE PARKS HQ BEFORE GOING BACK OVER I-5 From the North: • FROM I-5 TAKE THE TUMWATER BLVD EXIT (EXIT #101). • TURN LEFT ONTO TUMWATER BLVD SW. go 0.9 mile. • TURN LEFT ON LINDERSON WAY SW • TURN LEFT AT LIGHT ON ISRAEL ROAD SW • TURN LEFT INTO STATE PARKS HQ BEFORE GOING BACK OVER I-5 1 Don Hoch Director STATE OF WASHINGTON WASHINGTON STATE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION 1111 Israel Road S.W. • P.O. Box 42650 • Olympia, WA 98504-2650 • (360) 902-8500 TDD Telecommunications Device for the Deaf: 800-833-6388 www.parks.state.wa.us Date: August 14, 2017 To: Interested Parties From: Jason Goldstein, Winter Recreation Operations Manager Subject: Snowmobile & Cross-Country Ski Trail Grooming and Snow Removal – NW Mt. Baker Area - Request for Proposals Introduction The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission’s Winter Recreation Program (State Parks or the Agency) is seeking proposals from qualified firms to provide trail grooming services for approximately 60 miles of snowmobile and cross-country ski trails, and snow removal services at designated trail systems parking areas lying northwest of Mt. Baker in Whatcom County, Washington State in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. The successful proponent will be awarded a five-year contract to provide trail grooming and snow removal services for five winter seasons (typically December 1 through March 31), beginning December 1, 2017 and ending April 30, 2022. The contract will require the selected contractor to groom snowmobile and cross- country ski trails, and remove snow from associated parking areas as explained in the scope of work below. Proposals will be evaluated based upon such factors as the experience of the proponent, the hourly cost for grooming an snow removal services, the equipment proposed to be used to provide the services, and the proposed operating and back-up plans. This Request for Proposals (RFP) is the ninth of nine (9) RFPs released by the Winter Recreation Program this year seeking trail grooming services, and the third of three (3) for snow removal operations. Proponents that respond to this RFP must explain within their responses how they would provide grooming and snow removal services in more than one area, in the event that they are the current contractor for one or more other areas. Questions regarding this RFP: Please contact Jason Goldstein, Winter Recreation Operations Manager at e-mail address: [email protected] or by telephone at (360) 902-8662. Background Information: Washington State Parks’ Winter Recreation Program has been in existence for nearly 40 years, and provides access to winter recreational opportunities for thousands of people across the state each winter. These recreational activities include cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, skijoring, dog-sledding, and 2 other snow-based activities carried out on lands owned by or administered by State Parks under agreements with other organizations. Over its life, the program has grown exponentially, and now includes 123 Sno-Park parking areas statewide. Approximately 81 of these Sno-Parks are used primarily for snowmobile trail access, with another 42 provided for non-motorized trail access. Some Sno-Parks are shared by both motorized and non-motorized uses. Associated with these Sno-Parks are more than 3,300 miles of winter trails that are provided and maintained in cooperation with federal, state, county and local agencies, snowmobile clubs, ski clubs, private landowners and contractors. State Parks has also designated five snow-play areas that are serviced by Sno-Parks, providing access for tubing and other snow-based recreational activities. The dramatic increase in recreational demand since inception of the program has necessitated an evolving management response to ensure that parking lots are constructed, maintained and plowed, restrooms provided, trails maintained and groomed, signs posted, rules enforced, conflicts resolved, and visitors kept informed. The successful proponent will be providing a valuable service to the public through the Winter Recreation Program by providing snowmobile and cross-country ski trail grooming and snow removal services on designated trails and at designated sno-park locations within the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest lying to the northwest of Mt. Baker, as shown on the following maps. 3 Northwest Mt. Baker Area Sno-Parks and Trail Systems Glacier Creek Snowmobile Area Note: Only the designated snowmobile trails shown on the above map are included in this RFP. Snow removal at Canyon Creek and Glacier Creek are included in this RFP. Please see the Canyon Creek Snowmobile Map for grooming restrictions. 4 Northwest Mt. Baker Area Sno-Parks and Trail Systems Canyon Creek Snowmobile Area Canyon Creek is closed to grooming operations at mile post 5.7 (the washout is about 0.5 miles past the closure), deemed unsafe for larger grooming equipment to pass by. Snowmobilers can still access this trail system. If the successful bidder had a snowmobile with drag or similar smaller equipment (acceptable by the USFS) suitable for safely accessing and grooming this area, then this system could be potentially groomed in 2017/2018 with limitations. When the road is repaired, normal grooming operations with larger equipment can resume. Because of the washout and limitations of lager grooming equipment not able to access the Canyon Creek trails, all of the funds may not be available for this area of the contract, until the USFS fixes the washout. Snowmobile grooming might be a partial/optional solution in the interim. 5 Northwest Mt. Baker Area Sno-Parks and Trail Systems Salmon Ridge Non-Motorized Area Note: Only designated trails on the map are included in this RFP. This area during the winter often has road closures for transporting heavy equipment. It would be optional for the successful bidder to have smaller snowmobile grooming type equipment (as additional backup equipment) at their disposal on days where road restrictions limit the hauling of larger grooming equipment up to the sno-park. This would ensure this system is groomed more consistently all season. Grooming off peak hours (early or late) is recommended to ensure there is enough space available at this smaller sno-park to unload grooming equipment. This is a popular snopark with heavy public use. The new green colored connector trail on the map above is an un-groomed trail that is not part of this RFP contract, but will link the ski trail systems above when it’s completed potentially by the 2017/2018 season. 6 Project Description Scope of Work – Specific Services to be Provided The successful proponent will be required to perform the following work or provide the following services for five winter seasons (typically December 1 through March 31), beginning December 1, 2017, for a term ending April 30, 2022. The primary purpose of trail grooming is to smooth and compact high-use trails, eliminating moguls and rough areas, and creating a safe riding surface for snowmobiles. The Contractor shall be required to provide specified trail grooming services on the trails designated in this Request for Proposals. For reference, grooming guidelines are available from the International Association of Snowmobile Administrators (IASA) at http://snowiasa.org/guidelines-resources/ TYPE AND CONDITION OF GROOMING AND SNOW REMOVAL EQUIPMENT Groomer & implements: Every snow grooming machine must meet all of the following requirements: a) Snow groomer and towing equipment shall be capable of enduring extensive loading stress due to deep snow and mountainous terrain, with a closed, heated cab. b) Snow groomers shall be capable of grooming a path of a width of at least ten (10) feet in a single pass for the safety of snowmobilers. The blade of each groomer must be greater than the width of the groomer tracks and greater than the width of the rear tiller, compactor bar or drag, in order to be capable of pulling snow from the outside of the trail to fill depressions and irregularities. c) The tracks of the snow groomers shall each be at least thirty-six (36) inches wide for two-track machines and twenty-six (26) inches wide for four-track machines in order to provide the proper flotation in soft snow conditions. d) Snow groomers must be equipped with a tiller, drag or compactor bar. e) Snow groomer tillers, drags or compactor bars shall have a minimum width of ten (10) feet in order to achieve at least a 10-foot wide finished trail surface. Snow Removal: a) Equipment utilized shall be the type to undergo extensive loading stress due to deep snow and mountainous terrain, with a closed, heated cab. Equipment shall be of an approved type, including plow truck with blade, snow blower, front-end loader, or road grader. Communications: Snow groomer shall be equipped with a two-way radio or a cellular or satellite phone to provide communications capability throughout the trail system. In addition, the groomer must be equipped with a position tracking system that will enable emergency communications and provide progress tracking capability that can be monitored by third parties and the Agency.