NIGP 94784: Tree Farm Operation and Management Services

NIGP 94784 Tree Farm Operation And Management Services, an Item code, encompasses invasive species removal, timber stand improvement, woodland thinning, prescribed burning, and forest restoration across state conservation areas, wildlife management areas, and municipal properties. State and local governments soliciting under this code span state departments of conservation and natural resources, water management districts, fish and wildlife commissions, county governments, and municipal parks departments, with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Missouri Department of Conservation appearing as repeat buyers across multiple recent opportunities. The work includes herbicide application to invasive plants and undesirable tree species, mechanical thinning and pre-commercial thinning to achieve basal-area targets, mulching for burn preparation, timber harvests on a per-ton or per-acre basis, prescribed burning operations, and restoration of fire-maintained ecosystems. Many solicitations require state commercial pesticide applicator licenses, Florida Certified Prescribed Burn Manager credentials, or Washington Farm Labor Contractors licenses as mandatory qualifications; contractors frequently must maintain liability insurance and often face liquidated damages of $100 to $200 per calendar day for completion-date delays.

Recent activity concentrates in Florida, Missouri, and Washington, with significant secondary activity in Massachusetts, California, Utah, and Illinois. The Missouri Department of Conservation has issued at least twelve opportunities between late July and late September 2026 for timber stand improvement, invasive removal, and woodland thinning at conservation areas including Pea Ridge, Huzzah, Rebel's Cove, and Blue Springs Creek. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has posted nine competitive bids for prescribed burning, sand pine removal, fire-line installation, and site preparation at Telogia Creek, Big Bend, Okaloacoochee Slough, and Chassahowitzka wildlife management areas, many requiring mandatory pre-bid conference and site-visit attendance. Representative recent opportunities include the Missouri Department of Conservation's IFB for invasive plant species removal at Weldon Spring Conservation Area in St. Charles County (196 acres, due October 26, 2026); the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's ITB for sand pine regeneration removal at Telogia Creek WMA (797 acres across three encroachment levels, sealed bids due October 16, 2026 with mandatory pre-bid September 28); and the Town of Princeton, Massachusetts' RFQ for tree removal and pruning along twelve town roads (due October 22, 2026). The Northwest Florida Water Management District is soliciting a timber thinning sale of 224 acres of loblolly pine on a per-ton basis (bids due October 7, 2026). Award typically goes to the lowest responsive and responsible bid meeting mandatory specifications, with several Florida and Washington procurements offering veteran-owned or minority-business preference points.