State Forest Timber Sales

For management purposes, TDF subdivides all State Forests into small segments called compartments. Then, foresters develop compartment plans designed to sustainably manage each tract. Each year, a small percentage of compartments are selected for harvest for the purposes of maintaining healthy forests and/or starting a new forest cycle and maintaining a healthy tree age distribution across the State Forests. 

Compartment plans are developed by TDF foresters. During the development process, the foresters provide the compartment plans to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) and Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC). These agencies review to ensure planned activities will complement wildlife habitat management and protect rare, threatened, or endangered species.  

After the forester finishes developing the plans and the plans are approved by TDEC and TWRA, they are submitted for review and approval by the Assistant District Forester, the District Forester, the Assistant State Forester, and the State Forests Unit Leader. If any issues are identified during review, the plans are sent back to the forester for revision and the review and approval process restarts. 

Each year, TDF provides a report on the previous year’s activities and a summary of planned operations for the coming year to the Tennessee Forestry Commission (TFC), an external oversight body comprised of forest industry professionals, appointed by the governor. The TFC provides comment and guidance on completed and planned activities, including timber sales and harvest operations. 

TFC oversight meetings are also open to the public and are announced on the Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s website. 

Throughout the year, TDF hosts numerous workshops and tours on State Forests that are open to the public. These are designed to inform and educate on sustainable forest management principles and current forest management operations, as well as ongoing research conducted on the State Forest system in partnership with respected academic institutions. This affords the public the opportunity to engage with TDF forestry professionals, ask questions, and see first-hand how TDF sustainably manages forest resources. 
 
Members of the public may also reach out directly to TDF with additional questions regarding forest management principles and operations.

TFC oversight meetings are also open to the public and are announced on the Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s website. See "Who else reviews plans to harvest timber on State Forests?" above for more info.

TDF practices a wide range of best management practices designed to ensure the survival of abundant and healthy forests for generations to come, including: 

• Compliance with all state water quality best management practices, developed to protect Tennessee’s water resources from erosion and pollution during and after harvesting operations. 
• Compliance with all sustainable management standards set forth by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), an internationally recognized authority on sustainable forest management practices. TDF is an SFI-certified organization and submits to extensive annual third-party audits to ensure compliance with rigorous sustainable management standards. 
• Requiring all timber harvesters that operate on State Forests to be Master Logger Certified. The Tennessee Master Logger Certification Program emphasizes sustainable forest management, water quality protection, safety, and good business management practices. 

Trees in working forests, including State Forests, are like any agricultural crop: they are established through planting or natural regeneration, they sprout, they mature, they are harvested, and then the process starts over. The major difference is the time scale – corn and cotton are planted, they mature, and are harvested within a year. Trees take decades to be ready for harvest, so most individuals do not see the full cycle as they do with traditional agricultural crops.  
 
Cutting timber is one step in a continuous cycle of regeneration, growth, maturation, and harvest. Harvesting timber not only provides essential raw materials to the forest industry, but it also promotes forest regeneration, enhances timber quality and value, improves wildlife habitat, promotes biodiversity and forest health, and sustains state and local economies. 

Timber Sale Virtual Bid Opening

TEAMS instructions:

• Click here to join virtually 
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• Please connect to the Teams session 15-30 minutes prior to the meeting to make sure your connection works.
• For call-in users only:
  • Call  (629) 209-4396  
  • Audio Conferencing pin: 158 985 895# 

1. Download the "Invitation to Bid and Pro Forma Contract" using the link for the timber sale(s) you are interested in submitting a bid (for example A-04-20-02). Save the file(s) to your computer. Print the "Invitation to Bid" page for each sale that you want to submit a bid.
2. Complete the "Bid" information for each sale you want to submit a bid. One form must be completed for each individual sale. All "required" information must be provided or the bid will be rejected.
3. Deliver bid - Bids will be accepted in the following methods:

• ONLINE:
  • All online bids must be received by time of bid opening. It is recommended to submit one hour in advance to ensure all information is received.
    
  • Scan or take a picture of the completed and signed Invitation to Bid form for each sale you are bidding on and save it.
  • Click on the "PLACE BID" link in the timber sale table above to open the State Forest Timber Sale Bid Contact form. The form is the same for all sales.
  • Fill out the form including contact information, select the individual sale # you are bidding on from the drop down list, and upload your signed invitation to bid form.
  • Click "Submit Form" to submit.
  • Repeat these steps for each sale you are bidding on. Be sure to match the selected sale # in the drop down list with your scanned bid form.
•    HAND DELIVERY
  
  • The appropriate bid number must be on the outside of the envelope and the envelope sealed. Only one bid per envelope. Please print the name of the bidder, organization, and telephone number on the outside of the bid using the ‘Pre-printed Bid Envelope Label’ provided in the bid packet. The State assumes no responsibility for lost or misdirected bids.
    
  • Bring the sealed Bid to the Bid Opening location during normal business hours prior to the specified time bids are to be opened.
    
• MAILED
  • The appropriate bid number must be on the outside of the envelope and the envelope sealed. Only one bid per envelope. Please print the name of the bidder, organization, and telephone number on the outside of the bid using the ‘Pre-printed Bid Envelope Label’ provided in the bid packet. The State assumes no responsibility for lost or misdirected bids.
    
  • Put the sealed envelope into a larger envelope and mail to the address provided in the "Invitation to Bid". If more than one bid is being submitted, the individual sealed envelopes may be placed in one large envelope and mailed to the appropriate address.
    

Submission of the bid(s) shall follow the GENERAL PROVISIONS of the bid.

Timber sales shall comply with the procedures outlined in General Services Rule 0690-2-1-.18 (a), Disposal of Forestry Products.

The timber sale contract will not be assignable by the purchaser in whole or in part without the written consent of the Division of Forestry.

The departure from the procedures, stipulations or requirements outlined in the Invitation to Bid and General Provisions may be granted only with approval from the Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Agriculture.

PREPARATION OF BIDS:

1. Failure to examine any maps and/or instructions will be at bidder's risk.
2. Bids must be filled out in ink or typewritten. No erasures permitted. Errors may be crossed out and corrections printed in ink or typewritten adjacent to the error, and must be initialed in ink by person signing bid.

SUBMISSION OF BIDS:

1. Bid Envelope - The appropriate bid number must be on the outside of the envelope and envelope sealed. Only one bid per envelope. Please print the name of the bidder, organization and telephone number on the outside of the bid. The State assumes no responsibility for lost or misdirected bids.
2. Signature - Bids must be signed and envelope sealed. The person signing the Invitation to Bid must be a person authorized to bind the bidder contractually. Unsigned bids will be rejected. Unsigned bids cannot be signed after the bid has been opened, even if the bidder or the bidder’s representative is present at bid opening. No signatures shall be in pencil. Name of person executing bid and the organization he/she represents should be typewritten or be legibly printed in longhand.
3. Bid Form - Only bids submitted on bid forms furnished by the Division of Forestry will be considered.

ACCEPTANCE OF BIDS:

The Division of Forestry reserves the right to reject any or all bids. Only bids in sealed envelopes delivered or mailed to the designated location prior to the bid opening time will be considered. If multiple bids from the same bidder or bidder’s agent or representative are submitted, then all but the highest bid tendered will be voided.

ERROR IN BID: 

No bid shall be altered, amended, or withdrawn after the specified time for opening bids. Negligence on the part of the bidder in preparing the bid confers no right for withdrawal of the bid after it has been opened.

AWARD:

1. The highest responsible bidder will be declared the purchaser. The purchaser will be required to sign a timber sale contract at which time he will pay the full purchase price and post a performance bond equaling seven (7) percent of the sale price. Both of these amounts shall be in the form of certified or cashier's check, payable to the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Division of Forestry.
2. Should the highest bidder not meet the requirements or stipulations in the Invitation for Bids or General Provisions, then the next highest responsible bidder will be declared the purchaser.
3. Should two bids be identical in amount, the winner of a coin toss will determine the purchaser.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

Copies of the following documents are required to be provided to the State by the Purchaser. Copies can be attached to the signed contract, sent to the State’s contact person by mail, or provided to the State’s contact person no later than the pre-operation meeting. All insurances shall be in good standing and maintained for the term of the contract. Should the status of any of these insurances or documents change, copies should be forwarded to the State’s contact person as soon as possible.

1. Proof of Worker’s Compensation Insurance applicable to Tennessee, if Purchaser and/or logging contractor have employees
2. Proof of General Liability Insurance applicable to Tennessee
3. Proof of Vehicle Insurance for those vehicles utilized under the terms and conditions of the contract applicable to Tennessee
4. Proof of legal alien work status, if applicable:
   1. United States Passport
   2. Unexpired Foreign Passport with I-551 Stamp
   3. I-94 Arrival/Departure Record
   4. Alien Registration Receipt Card (Resident Alien Card) I-551 (Issued after March 1977)
   5. Alien Registration Receipt Card (Resident Alien Card) I-551 (Issued since 1989)
   6. Alien Registration Receipt Card (Conditional Resident Alien Card) I-551
   7. Temporary Resident Card I-688
   8. Employment Authorization Card I-688A
   9. Employment Authorization Card I-688B