FWC 17/18-82; WC-272 Lake Wales Ridge State Forest- Arbuckle LA6 Lygodium Maintenance : Ground…

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission awarded a contract to Ground Level, Inc. on June 9, 2026, for invasive vegetation management services at Lake Wales Ridge State Forest. The contract, valued at $187,391.75, requires the contractor to systematically traverse, locate, and treat 100 percent of target Lygodium vegetation across 366.30 acres within the designated management area, achieving a minimum 95 percent kill rate of target plants. Work is scheduled for completion by September 15, 2026, with Ground Level, Inc. awarded the contract as the lowest responsive bidder at a rate of $511.58 per acre.

The contract allows the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission discretionary authority to extend or terminate the performance period based on water levels, inclement weather, or fire events. Partial payments may be issued at periodic intervals as representative portions of the project are completed and verified by the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Project Manager, David McNiel. Ground Level, Inc. will be compensated for completed acres at the quoted per-acre rate under this fixed-price arrangement.