Federal goverment contract question

[jjw4413]

I'm a small business owner in Northern Nevada applying for BLM contract with a deadline of Tuesday. Since this is our first time dealing with the paperwork I have a simple question I hope someone can answer.

If we receive a task order(work order ) from BLM in a different state,say Utah, how would we figure the transportation cost of getting our equipment their for the contract? Any help or suggestions would be great.

 

[TreeGuyHR]

I have sniffed around the edges of Fed contracts and there are multiple requirements. Not only licensing and insurance, but a business rating from some company I don't remember; also, you may have to fill out extensive applications showing that you are in the preferred group that the funding source is targeted to. You are in effect asking for your own small slice of pork (bacon?) :msp_biggrin:.

At least that is how it is here for small companies in OR and WA dealing with the USFS. It may be a different story on large projects, say over 100k.

Try talking to the district office; better yet, make an appt. and come in and sit down with the person that will be taking the application (with all the paperwork that you have).

 

[jefflovstrom]

Bid low if you want it.
Jeff

 

[stltreedr]

I have sniffed around the edges of Fed contracts and there are multiple requirements. Not only licensing and insurance, but a business rating from some company I don't remember; also, you may have to fill out extensive applications showing that you are in the preferred group that the funding source is targeted to. You are in effect asking for your own small slice of pork (bacon?) :msp_biggrin:.

At least that is how it is here for small companies in OR and WA dealing with the USFS. It may be a different story on large projects, say over 100k.

Try talking to the district office; better yet, make an appt. and come in and sit down with the person that will be taking the application (with all the paperwork that you have).

I think you are talking about the dunn& bradstreet rating. Basically a business credit rating. You have to apply for a DUNS number, which is pretty easy. I've never bid on a Federal job, but I've been setting up to try it when the National Parks Service gets ready to remove 900+ Green Ash trees at the Gateway Arch. To answer the original question, I would figure out an hourly wage for your crews to travel and then figure out how many miles they can travel in that hour (equipment and fuel included, of course.) Then you would have your mileage cost. If federal contracts are as low as municipal contracts in my area, there is no money to be made.

 

[TreeGuyHR]

I think you are talking about the dunn& bradstreet rating. Basically a business credit rating. You have to apply for a DUNS number, which is pretty easy. I've never bid on a Federal job, but I've been setting up to try it when the National Parks Service gets ready to remove 900+ Green Ash trees at the Gateway Arch. To answer the original question, I would figure out an hourly wage for your crews to travel and then figure out how many miles they can travel in that hour (equipment and fuel included, of course.) Then you would have your mileage cost. If federal contracts are as low as municipal contracts in my area, there is no money to be made.

That is correct -- Dunn & Bradstreet. The program I was referring to is geared to local contractors (preferably at the county level) in which the Fed land is located. I believe the acronym is "RAC" whatever that means. The work could be trails or roadside maintenance work, hazard tree removal, steam rehab, putting roads to bed, pre-commercial thinning, fuel reduction, that sort of thing. I was most interested in converting hazard trees to low risk wildlife snags and logs.