Thompson Chain of Lakes Precommercial Thinning

The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks seeks a qualified contractor to perform pre‑commercial thinning (PCT) and slash piling across multiple forest units within the Thompson Chain of Lakes area. Work includes selective removal of low‑quality conifer saplings, manual bucking and delimbing of slash, construction of hand‑piled wood piles meeting strict size specifications, and compliance with extensive environmental, fire‑suppression, cultural‑resource, and safety regulations. The contract is fixed‑price, paid on an acre‑rate basis, and requires weekly inspections, a pre‑work conference, and the ability to provide fire‑suppression support when requested. • Perform PCT: cut live conifer saplings (DBH < 7 in) under overstory drip lines, maintain target stocking ~300 TPA per acre. • Slash Management: buck, delimb, and hand‑pile slash (4‑8 ft × 4‑8 ft piles) while keeping piles ≥5 ft from live tree drip lines. • Compliance: adhere to Montana forest fire regulations, cultural‑resource protocols, endangered‑species safeguards, and provide required fire‑extinguishers, spark‑arrestors, and bear‑resistant storage. • Schedule: work windows Sep 15 2026 → May 15 2027 and Sep 15 2027 → Feb 15 2028, with a seasonal restriction on Unit 43 (no work Feb 15 → Sep 15 each year).