The City of Panama City Beach is accepting electronic (e-submission) and sealed Bids from qualified contractors for turnkey prescribed burn services at the City’s Conservation Park. Contractors are required as vendor to provide all necessary permits, labor, supervision, equipment and supplies to perform the tasks required in the Scope of Work. Contractors will provide all necessary labor, supervision, equipment, and supplies for prescribed burning at the City’s Conservation Park, as more particularly described in these specifications. Jobs will be assigned via “Work Orders.” The City anticipates two Work Orders for the growing seasons (dormant season and growing season) per year. The Work Order will include burn unit maps (ArcGIS shape files upon request), schedules, and any special instructions. No specific amount of work is guaranteed. All prescribed burns performed by Contractors shall be conducted as certified prescribed burns in accordance with Chapter 590, Florida Statutes (F.S.) and Chapter 5I-2, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.) as well as any other local, state, or federal regulations. The areas to be burned will specifically be within the areas shown in Figure 1 in Appendix A. The City may, in consultation with Contractors, add or remove acreage in modification of issued Work Orders. Plans and Permitting: Contractors will be responsible for all required permitting for the burn activities, including Florida Forest Service permits. Contractors will be required to prepare a “Prescribed Burning Plan” (see draft Agreement for form) for each burn. Pre and post burn photographs shall be taken from at least three similar photo points within the burn unit for inclusion with the “Burn Boss Post-Burn Evaluation/Summary” and the invoice documentation. At least 24 hours prior to the beginning of the prescribed burn, Contractors shall submit a Burn Plan to the Park Biologist before initiating a burn. Contractors shall be provided with a map of the burn unit(s). Contractors shall provide a smoke management plan and an ignition plan. The ignition and burn plans should contain appropriate ‘mop-up’ plans. Response Time: The lowest, licensed bidder (“First Contractor”) shall have 72 hours to respond to the Park Biologist after the Park Biologist sends notice of an upcoming “burn window”. If the First Contractor fails to respond or is unable to burn during the window (unrelated to suitability of burn conditions), the second lowest, licensed bidder (“Second Contractor”) shall be notified to conduct the burn. No Contractor shall commence any burn without express written authorization from the Park Biologist and participation in a briefing with the Park Biologist prior to commencing any work. Contractors shall also participate in a post-burn debrief with the Park Biologist to occur within 48 hours of completion, and prior to City final acceptance of work. Prescribed Burn Services: Contractors will be required to conduct all fire line inspections and fire containment measures as indicated by site conditions, burn plans, and ignition plans. Contractors should utilize existing fire lines and natural firebreaks whenever possible and coordinate closely with the Park Biologist if there is a need to develop new fire lines. If additional fire line or firebreak construction is required within burn blocks, near boardwalks, signage, streams, or wetlands, the lines must be approved in advance by the Park Biologist. All fire line work will be conducted in accordance with the guidelines found in the most current edition of the Florida Forest Service (FFS) Silvicultural Best Management Practices manual. Contractors will be required to rehabilitate all unplanned fire lines and firebreaks constructed during burns or during supression efforts. Smoke management plans must be enacted to protect “Smoke Sensitive Areas” identified by the Florida Forest Service. These plans must also protect highways, roads, schools, airports, and residential areas that are sensitive to smoke. See attached Figure 2 in Appendix A for smoke sensitive areas. The City will require Contractors to provide smoke management plans for review by City staff and the Park Biologist before prescribed burns are conducted by the contractors on City lands. Contractors will be responsible for conducting all mop-up, monitoring and long-term smoke management procedures. On sites where smoke management issues arise from re-burn situations, organic soil ignition, or long-term fuel smoldering, Contractors will be responsible for completely mopping up these areas to limit impacts from smoke or potential mortality to pine timber or other desirable species. Within the first two days (48 hours) following a prescribed fire, Contractors will be required to conduct this work as a part of normal burning operations, and all costs will be included in submitted unit peracre rates. After this two-day period, the City may request additional resources for mopup and/or management or monitoring of long-term smoke and re-burn issues. The City’s Prescribed Fire Project Manager must authorize reimbursement and compensation. Reimbursement and compensation will not be considered or provided if City personnel determine: 1) a lack of due diligence and planning occurred before ignition began, 2) appropriate procedures were not taken within the first 48 hours to properly conduct mop-up operations after burning was complete, and 3) appropriate procedures were not taken to properly secure or monitor the fire after burning operations were completed. If any of these determinations are made by the City, Contractors remain responsible for all suppression, mop-up, and monitoring costs after the initial two-day period.
