124150 O3 Solicitation List of Respondents.docx

This is a Solicitation List of Respondents document from the Nebraska Game & Parks Commission (NGPC) for tree clearing services at Merritt Reservoir Wildlife Management Area in Cherry County, Nebraska. The project involves removing Eastern Red Cedar and Rocky Mountain Juniper trees measuring 18 inches and taller across approximately 4,262.5 acres, comprising 3,965.1 acres of grasslands and 297.4 acres of woodlands. Primary removal methods include mulching, with cutting and piling permitted for larger trees exceeding 20 feet in height with greater than 6-inch diameter at breast height. The solicitation opened on January 8, 2026, with a mandatory bidders' conference scheduled for January 21, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Merritt Reservoir State Recreational Area. Responsive proposals were received by the February 10, 2026, 2:00 p.m. Central Time deadline from five bidders: Fegley Fence, Lazy 4K Arrow LLC, Seth Southpaw Spray CO LLC, VM West, and Wildlife & Wetlands Solutions. The contract is scheduled to commence on March 9, 2026, and extend through June 30, 2027, with an anticipated award date of February 20, 2026.

The State will award the contract to the lowest responsible bidder based on per-acre pricing, with compensation structured around completed work areas of at least 200 acres requiring NGPC staff inspection prior to payment. Contractors must maintain comprehensive insurance coverage including Workers' Compensation, Commercial General Liability with a $2,000,000 general aggregate, and Commercial Automobile Liability with a $1,000,000 combined single limit. The project includes environmental protections for Western Prairie Fringed Orchid, Northern Long-eared Bat, and Whooping Crane habitat, with work restricted to dry or frozen ground conditions. Preference may be awarded to resident disabled veterans or businesses in designated enterprise zones if all other factors are equal. Contractors may exchange merchantable timber for reduced per-acre thinning rates, provided materials are removed by the contract end date.