1-TS-2755 RFQ Watercourse.pdf

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REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

Native Landscape Contractor for Watercourse & Land Stewardship

TS-2755

The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (District) is issuing this Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to pre-qualify native landscape contractors for management & land stewardship for future work on various District Watercourse contracts.

Work will generally consist of native plant communities and habitat management, native plant seeding, live native / landscape planting, invasive / non-native (INN) plant species management and control, tree removal and management for multiple growing seasons.

Contractors who meet the qualifications outlined in the RFQ will be listed (pre-qualified) as eligible in upcoming District watercourse contracts.

If your prequalification package is accepted for this RFQ (TS-2755), you will be automatically added to the prequalified contractor list for TS-2750 – Native Landscape Contractor for Green Infrastructure.

Work will be specified in the bid documents for each individual contract. Summaries for typical contracts are below and provide reference for the type of work that contractors will be pre-qualified to perform. The District anticipates two contracts to be awarded in the next four months with the possibility of six contracts within the 24-month eligibility period.

The list of qualified, pre-approved Watercourse native landscape management & land stewardship contractors will remain active for a period of 24 months and may be used for other contracts with similar scope and scale issued through the District within that 24-month eligibility period.

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SUMMARIES OF TYPICAL CONTRACTS

District Watercourse INN Species Management Areas

Future Contract(s) for watercourse INN species management areas are located along the following watershed tributaries:

• Milwaukee County Grounds Flood Management Facility located between Underwood Creek and Menomonee River in the City of Wauwatosa

• Kinnickinnic River

• Lincoln Creek

• 30th St. Corridor North, East, and West Basins located in the City of Milwaukee

• Edgerton Channel located in the City of Cudahy.

Work under future contracts will control or remove targeted INN species or non-desirable populations within each watercourse area defined with the goal of eradicating identified populations over multiple growing seasons. This includes eliminating re-sprouting or germination of INN seed and re-establishing native plant species-dominated watercourse floodplains and uplands.

The Contractor will use vegetation management techniques including, but not limited to, prescribed burns, hand pulling and digging, herbicide application (foliar), herbicide application (cut stump), mechanical mowing, and hand mowing. Future contracts may also include erosion control, seeding of managed areas, and prescribed burns.

Two contracts are anticipated to be awarded in spring of 2026.

PRE-QUALIFICATION PROCESS AND SCHEDULE

The following is the schedule:

January 21, 2026 Issue RFQ February 18, 2026, 10 am (CST) Deadline for Receipt of RFQ Submittal February 25, 2026 Notification of qualified contractors

The February 18th deadline is the start date for the 24-month eligibility period.

The District will begin the review and approval process starting on this date.

Please note that qualification packages CAN be submitted at any time during the 24-month period; however, Contractors will not be listed as eligible (Pre-qualified) in various contracts without prior qualifications package submittal and approval by the District.

All contractors, regardless of time of submittal package will be required to resubmit for approval after February 18, 2028.

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THIS IS AN RFQ ONLY. It does not constitute a Request for Proposal or opportunity to bid. This RFQ is intended to be used to develop a list of qualified Watercourse native landscape management & land stewardship contractors that can bid on the watercourse capital and invasive species management & land stewardship contracts and other future District contracts of similar scope. This RFQ does not commit the District to contract for any product or service. In addition, the District is not, at this time, seeking proposals and shall not accept any unsolicited proposals.

Responders are advised that the District shall not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in responding to this RFQ. All costs associated with responding to this RFQ shall be solely at the interested party’s expense.

GENERAL RFQ INFORMATION

All submittals shall be written in English, contain concise written materials, and may contain illustrations. Legibility, clarity, and completeness are essential. All submittals must use 8-1/2” x 11” format, but may be supplemented using 11” x 17” illustrations if necessary. Twelve-point font shall be used. Promotional literature is not allowed.

Upload your complete qualifications package to our online procurement platform, Bonfire, by following this link:

https://mmsd.bonfirehub.com/, Reference #TS-2755

SELECTION CRITERIA

Experience in the following areas are required for consideration of pre-qualification.

Specific minimum requirements can be found below.

The District will thoroughly review and evaluate each submission. Responses should be clear, concise, and complete. If necessary, the District may ask for additional information from any firm who submits a qualifications package.

The RFQ shall be evaluated regarding the Firm and Key Staff’s ability to meet all of the following minimum requirements:

The Pre-Qualifications Package shall include the following documents:

1. Transmittal Letter (2 pages maximum)

Provide the following on the firm’s letterhead:

• Name of firm

• Firm address https://mmsd.bonfirehub.com/

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• Contact person(s) authorized to submit/sign the RFQ with title

• Primary phone number

• Alternate phone number

• Email address

• State if the firm is a District Certified Small Business Enterprise

• State whether you are submitting for approval for general native landscape management (including herbicide application) requirements, prescribed burn requirements, or both

2. Firm qualifications and references (1 page per contract, 5 pages maximum)

Provide a narrative description of three contracts completed or in progress that involve native plant community management within the last five years. Narrative should include past client name, dates work was performed, contract value, brief description of contract scope, types of native species installed and managed, site address, owner address, phone and e-mail contact information for all references within the last 5 years.

Minimum Requirements for RFQ Pre-Qualification

• Demonstrate preparatory and ongoing native / non-native and invasive species management.

• Provide instances of any management deviations based on preliminary site assessments

• Demonstrate experience installing / planting and caring of native plant communities

• Demonstrate warranty, management / management through multiple growing seasons

• Demonstrate ability to install native nursery crop seeding

• Demonstrate tree, and shrub planting, and pre-planting site assessment

• Provide Commercial and Individual Pesticide Applicator Licenses with the State of Wisconsin. One or a combination of the following will be accepted for individual licenses:

o 2.0 – Forestry o 3.0 – Turf and landscape o 5.0 – Aquatic and mosquito o 6.0 – Right of way and natural area

• Provide documentation that the firm adheres to current best management practices for preventing the spread of invasive species between sites (per NR 40, WAC)

• Provide documentation that the firm demonstrates and adheres to Wisconsin Prescribed Fire Council’s Standards for Implementation and has performed prescribed burns within the last 2 years

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• Provide documentation that staff listed below have required prescribed burn certification assigned to each role

3. Experience and Qualifications of Key Staff (10 pages maximum)

Submit information on key staff with experience described below. Indicate if key personnel may potentially serve in more than one role on contracts. If your firm is selected, the key staff listed will be considered a requirement of the preapproval and must be present to perform the work in order to maintain pre-approved status. If multiple staff members will be used for each position below, each staff member should provide the requirements below.

Project Manager (2 page maximum for each Project Manager)

Minimum Requirements for RFQ Pre-Qualification

• Demonstrate 5 years’ experience in native landscape and native plant community management

• Demonstrate that the project manager has managed at minimum, one contract of similar scope and scale where management spans a minimum of two consecutive years within the last 5 years.

• Demonstrate experience installing / planting and management of native plant communities

• Demonstrate native nursery crop seeding, tree, and shrub planting

• Demonstrate pre-planting site assessment

• Provide a list of continued educational courses or work related experience related to plant identification, native landscape management or related topics completed in the last 5 years

• Provide current Commercial Pesticide Applicators certifications for the State of Wisconsin.

• Provide current or previously held prescribed fire training completed (reference standards identified by the Wisconsin Prescribed Fire Council)

• Provide a list of current number of crews supervised

Onsite Supervisor (2 page maximum for each Onsite Supervisor)

• Demonstrate 5 years’ experience in landscape and native plant community management and land stewardship

• Demonstrate preparatory and ongoing non-native and invasive species management

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• Demonstrate experience installing / planting and management of native plant communities

• Demonstrate native nursery crop seeding, tree, and shrub planting

• Demonstrate pre-planting site assessment

• Provide list of continued educational courses related to plant identification, native landscape management or related topics completed in the last 5 years

• Provide current Commercial Pesticide Applicators certifications for the State of Wisconsin.

• Must have prescribed burn training certification S390

• Provide current prescribed fire training completed (reference standards identified by the Wisconsin Prescribed Fire Council)

• Provide a list of current number of crews supervised

Crew Member

• 50% of crew members must have 1-year experience in removing INN species and noxious weeds using management techniques including hand pulling and digging, herbicide application (foliar), herbicide application (cut stump), mechanical mowing, and hand mowing

• 50% of crew members must have S130/S190 prescribed burn training

Questions regarding this opportunity shall be sent via email to Millie Neidhardt, Senior Procurement Specialist, at eneidhardt@mmsd.com.

Upload your complete submission package at https://mmsd.bonfirehub.com/, Reference #TS-2755 mailto:eneidhardt@mmsd.com https://mmsd.bonfirehub.com/