Mechanical Site Prep – Drum Chopping

The USDA Forest Service is seeking a small‑business contractor to perform mechanical site‑preparation (drum‑chopping) on the Ocala National Forest in Florida. The work includes single‑pass chopping of 1,175 acres and a double‑pass (double‑chop) on 397 acres, with an optional add‑on of up to 715 acres. Contractors must provide a Marden B‑7 (or equivalent) double‑drum offset chopper, meet a minimum productivity of 50 acres per day, and comply with extensive environmental protections (wetland buffers, sinkhole and tortoise‑burrow setbacks, “sloppy‑chop” exclusions). The contract period runs from mid‑November 2026 to late‑February 2027, and the solicitation is a 100 % small‑business set‑aside. • Required equipment: double‑drum offset chopper (≈ 24,000 lb, ≤ 8 ft width, ≥ 3 mph travel speed). • Environmental constraints: 35‑ft wetland buffer (up to 700 ft for certain wetlands), 75‑ft sinkhole buffer, 25‑ft tortoise‑burrow buffer, and penalties for timber damage or invasive‑species spread. • Performance metrics: GPS‑verified acreage, daily output ≥ 50 acres, equipment replacement within 48 hours if deemed unsatisfactory.