Local contractors recently had a chance to provide feedback to the Burns Lake Community Forest (BLCF) on its existing contract and bidding award policy.
During the engagement session, held at the BLCF office, contractors were asked what type of contract opportunities they would like to see at Comfor, what length of contracts would be ideal, and if they considered the bidding process fair.
When it comes to contract opportunities, participants said they would like to see more harvesting contracts, larger block sizes, silviculture, trails and staffing opportunities at Comfor.
When asked what length of contracts would be ideal, participants said longer term contracts would allow people to stay in the community and allow contractors to bid lower in exchange for job security.
When asked if the bidding process was fair, participants said there needs to be something written into policy to keep out the “big guys,” only allowing opportunities for them if there are no other bids.
The current policy does not have provisions for ensuring that smaller companies are prioritized.
“Therefore, it may be beneficial to include provisions on the size of companies that may be eligible to bid or to be on the select list,” says a report prepared by Yintah Consulting, a company that facilitated the engagement session.
Yintah Consulting also suggested a policy in which, in the event of no local expertise, Comfor would reserve the right to tender contracts first to contractors outside the select list within the Lakes TSA, then to larger contractors within the Lakes TSA; the third priority would be to smaller contractors outside the Lakes TSA, and the last option would be to larger contractors outside the Lakes TSA.
In addition, the current policy does not state a decision-making process for awarding contracts.
“Currently, it is assumed that the lowest bid will retain the contract,” says the report. “From the conversation, it seemed like the lowest bid was favourable; however at times there may be other requirements.”
The report suggested that the manager should choose the contractor that best meets the project’s goals, including meeting the bidding eligibility requirements, bid price, contractor suitability, as well as previous experience and references.
Contractors that participated in the engagement session included Free Growing Forestry, Whitesail Contracting, Randy Wilson Trucking Ltd., Paulson Trucking, Forestdale Logging, D&G Logging, Hybrid 17 Contracting and Jim Peebles Contracting Ltd.
Community forests boost rural communities
The B.C. Community Forest Association recently released the results of their third annual community forest indicators survey.
The survey collects data on the economic, social, cultural, and environmental benefits that community forests bring to their communities and to the province.
The survey results show that community forests generated an average of $1.9 million of economic activity in the reporting year. They contributed $257,000 on average in cash and in-kind donations - a significant boost to rural communities, most with populations of 3000 or less.
The report also describes how community forest organizations are investing in the future productivity of their forest lands by making investments that go above and beyond legal requirements.
In the reporting year, survey respondents spent on average $77,000 of their own funds on intensive silviculture, and another $108,000 on forest stewardship. To date, they have collectively invested $1.8 million to reduce the threat of wildfire in wildfire and managed an additional $4.6 million from outside sources.
A total of 38 community forests participated in the survey, representing 93 per cent of the operating community forests in the B.C. Community Forest Association.