2223-017 Chemical Application Services ITB.pdf

SUWANNEE RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT

INVITATION TO BID

ITB NO. 22/23-017 OPS

CHEMICAL APPLICATION SERVICES

Table of Contents

Section Title Page 1 Introduction 2 2 Proposed Schedule 2 3 Instructions to Bidders 2 4 Key Points 4 5 Scope of Work 6 6 Bid Response Forms 10

Suwannee River Water Management District

9225 CR 49

Live Oak, FL 32060 386.362.1001

386.362.1056 (Fax)

1.800.226.1066 (Florida only) www.mysuwanneeriver.com

Herbicide Application Services

SECTION 1 –INTRODUCTION

The Suwannee River Water Management District (District) is accepting bids from experienced contractors to apply chemical herbicides on District lands for pine timber release, timber stand improvement (TSI), site preparation purposes and ditch edge vegetation control. The application of chemical herbicides is an important tool used to control woody vegetation ensuring both established pine and pine seedlings survive to maturity and that the site meets its Desired Future Condition. Excessive hardwood competition within treatment areas can negatively affect the survival, growth and development of the pine timber, inhibit the successful application of prescribed fire, and increase fuel loading.

SECTION 2 - PROPOSED SCHEDULE

May 11, 2023 Release of Invitation to Bid (ITB) May 16, 2023 Written questions due by 4:00 pm May 17, 2023 Questions with answers posted on the District website by 5:00 pm

May 22, 2023 Bid Packages due prior to 10:00 a.m. Opening will occur at this time.*

July 11, 2023 Request for Governing Board authorization of contract.*

July 17, 2023 Anticipated start date.

* Denotes a public meeting. All meetings will be held at District Headquarters in Live Oak, Florida, and all times denote Local Time.

SECTION 3 - INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPOSERS

Delivery of Bid Packages:

1. Bid Packages shall be submitted electronically through DemandStar.

https://www.demandstar.com/app/agencies/florida/suwannee-river-water-management-district/procurement

For articles and videos to assist you through the DemandStar registry and uploading of documents visit the DemandStar business support page at -https://network.demandstar.com/business-support/

Bid Packages are to be uploaded to the platform no later than 10:00 a.m. May 22, 2023.

Packages received after this time, for any reason, will be rejected.

SECTION 3 - INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS

Questions: To provide equal opportunity and ensure the same information is provided to all respondents, any questions should be submitted by email to Sharon Hingson at Sharon.Hingson@srwmd.org on or before May 16, 2023 by 4:00 p.m. The questions with answers will be posted on the District website www.mysuwanneeriver.com, and DemandStar on May 17, 2023 by 5:00 p.m. District staff are not authorized to orally interpret the meaning of the specification or other agreement documents, or correct any apparent ambiguity, inconsistency, or error therein.

https://www.demandstar.com/app/agencies/florida/suwannee-river-water-management-district/procurement https://www.demandstar.com/app/agencies/florida/suwannee-river-water-management-district/procurement https://network.demandstar.com/business-support/ mailto:Ashley.Spivey@srwmd.org http://www.mysuwanneeriver.com/

Delivery of Bid: The bid package must be submitted electronically through Demand Star.

https://www.demandstar.com/app/agencies/florida/suwannee-river-water-managementdistrict/ procurement

It is the obligation of the proposer to ensure that it has reviewed all amendments, addenda, and all questions and answers to this ITB as posted on the District website to ensure that the proposal responds to the most current information available for the ITB.

ADA Compliance: For all electronic deliverables due under the contract resulting from this Contract, Vendor must ensure that those deliverables and all supporting documents are accessible according to 282.603 Florida Statutes and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 relating to the creation and use of electronic documents. This requirement applies to editable formats, such as Microsoft Word, as well as portable document formats (PDF).

QUALIFICATIONS OF RESPONDENTS - *TO SUBMIT WITH BID PACKAGE*

Each Respondent shall submit the following documentation listed under Paragraphs ‘a’ - ‘e’ with the Bid package. Failure on the part of the Bidder to include this information with the Bid package shall render the Bid non-responsive. Only responsive Bids will be considered by District for these services.

The minimum requirements necessary to meet the qualifications for this Bid are as follows:

A. Respondents are required to fill out the BID RESPONSE forms provided in SECTION 6 of this document. Respondents are encouraged to submit bids for all herbicide prescriptions, in all service regions, using all equipment types (skidder/farm tractor). Work must be completed without the use of sub-contractors. Service regions are shown on Attachment - A.

This will provide the District with multiple treatment options that can be applied to both current and future projects.

B. On the Similar Projects Forms in SECTION-6, Respondents must be able to document a history of work experience (without the use of sub-contractors) that meets the following criteria:

• Respondents must have completed forestry related herbicide projects on a minimum of 1,000 acres/year for each of the last three (3) years,

• Respondents must also document that each year, over the last three (3) years, they have completed at least one individual forestry related herbicide project that was a minimum of 400 acres in size and was completed using a skidder.

• Respondents with experience applying Velpar-L with Gun-Jets or Spot-Guns should clearly document their experience on these forms.

C. Respondents must have at least one skidder (JD 640-648 or equivalent) and one farm tractor available to conduct the proposed work. This equipment must be equipped with boom-less sprayers. The year, make, model, and number of pieces of equipment available to conduct the work must be listed on the Equipment List in SECTION-6.

D. Respondents must have the ability to record treatment locations using GPS track logs and transfer this information to the District Project Manager.

E. The Company Contacts listed on the Similar Projects Forms in SECTION-6 will be used as the Respondent’s work/client references. For this reason, Respondents should list the contacts that have the most knowledge of the individual projects that were completed.

Irrespective of the minimum qualifications stated above, the District may make such investigations as it deems necessary to determine the ability of the Respondent to perform the work. The District reserves the right to reject any Bid if the evidence submitted by such Respondent and/or the District’s independent investigation of such Respondent fails to satisfy the District that such Respondent is properly qualified to carry out the obligations of the Contract and complete the Work in a manner acceptable to the District within the time period specified.

SECTION 4 – KEY POINTS

License Requirements: Respondents will be required to have field supervisors on-site while chemical application work is being conducted. These supervisors must have a current Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Commercial Applicator License.

These supervisors must also have a general standards (Core) certification with further certification in the Forestry Pest Control or Natural Areas Weed Management categories. Field Supervisors must have at least 5-years’ experience conducting forestry related herbicide projects. This information must be documented in SECTION-6 under Field Supervisor Information.

Chemical Application Requirements: Contract compliance requires Respondents to ensure 100% coverage of treatment areas and at least 95% mortality of targeted vegetation within these areas. Respondents should take these requirements into account when providing bids. If coverage and/or mortality rates are not met, Respondents will be required to re-treat areas with no additional cost to the District.

Selection of Contractor:

Contract(s) will be awarded to the lowest and second lowest responsive, responsible Respondent(s) with the lowest Acre or Mile rate within each service region who demonstrate, in accordance with the requirements of the bid documents, a verifiable history of the skill, ability, integrity, and reliability necessary for the faithful performance of the contract.

The second lowest Respondent will be contacted to complete the herbicide application work if the following issues arise:

• The first lowest Respondent does not respond to District staff inquiries regarding annual work planning or project implementation.

• The first lowest Respondent does not begin assigned herbicide treatment work within one (1) week of the District’s designated start date.

• The first lowest Respondent is unable at any time to accomplish the work they have been assigned or meet any of the requirements or standards listed in this ITB and Scope of Work

Invoicing and Payment: After the work is completed, the contractor shall furnish the District Project Manager a signed and dated invoice listing the area treated, the treatment date(s), the size of the area treated, and the treatment rate. Contractors are also required to submit a map or shapefile of the area treated, GPS track points, and copies of “SRWMD Chemical Control of Vegetation Form” (Attachment B) before payment will be made. Payment will be made after all work has been verified and performed to the specifications listed in SECTION 5 Scope of Work and the satisfaction of the District. Payments will be made at the quoted bid rate. The Contractor will be paid according to the number of units (acres, miles, etc,) satisfactorily treated.

Challenge of Solicitation Process: If a potential respondent protests any provisions of this ITB, a notice of intent to protest shall be filed with the District in writing within 72 hours after the posting of the ITB on the District’s website. “Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed in Section 120.57(3), Florida Statutes shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120 of Florida Statutes.”

Challenge of District’s Intent to Award Contract: If a respondent intends to protest District’s intent to award contract, the notice of intent to protest must be filed in writing within 72 hours after posting of a notice of intent to award contract and the respondent shall file a formal written protest within ten (10) days after filing of notice of intent to protest. Any respondent who files a formal written protest pursuant to Chapter 28-110, Florida Administrative Code, and Section 120.57(3), Florida Statutes, shall post with the District at the time of filing the formal written protest, a bond pursuant to Section 287.042(2)(c), Florida Statutes (2014).

Failure to file a notice of intent to protest or failure to file a formal written protest within the time prescribed in Chapter 28-110, Florida Administrative Code, and Section 120.57(3), Florida Statutes, or failure to post the bond or other security required by law within the time allowed for filing a bond shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120, Florida Statutes. More specifically, “Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed in Section 120.57(3) Florida Statutes shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120 of Florida Statutes.”

Americans with Disabilities Act: The District does not discriminate upon the basis of any individual’s disability status. This nondiscrimination policy involves every aspect of the District’s functions including one’s access to, participation, employment, or treatment in its programs or activities. Anyone requiring reasonable accommodation as provided for in the Americans with Disabilities Act should contact Sharon Hingson, Contracts & Procurement Coordinator, at

386.362.1001 or 800.226.1066 (Florida only). The District’s fax number is 386.362.1056.

Minority Business Enterprises: The District recognizes fair and open competition as a basic tenet of public procurement. Respondents doing business with the District are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, handicap, age, or sex. The District encourages participation by minority business enterprises. Whenever two or more service providers are ranked equally, a minority business enterprise shall be given preference in the award process.

Veteran’s Preference: In the absence of minority business enterprise, whenever two or more service providers are ranked equally, a veteran-owned business enterprise shall be given preference in the award process.

Drug Free Workplace Act: The selected Respondent shall certify that it has established a drug free workplace.

Public Entity Crime: Section 287.133(2)(a), Florida Statutes, states “A person or affiliate who has been placed on the convicted vendor list following a conviction for a public entity crime may not submit a bid on a contract to provide any goods or services to a public entity, may not submit a bid on a contract with a public entity for the construction or repair of a public building or public work, may not submit bids on leases of real property to a public entity, may not be awarded or perform work as a contractor, supplier, subcontractor, or consultant under a contract with any public entity, and may not transact business with any public entity in excess of the threshold amount provided in s.287.017 for CATEGORY TWO for a period of 36 months from the date of being placed on the convicted vendor list.”

Insurance Requirements: If awarded, Respondents shall represent and guarantee that all employees, agents, servants or representatives of the respondent, and all employees, agents, servants, or representatives of subcontractors are covered by workers' compensation insurance.

Prior to entering into contract with the District, respondent agrees to furnish the District certificates of insurance on all insurance, naming District as additional insured for items 2 and 3 below, providing evidence that respondent has in full force and effect the following minimum insurance with insurers authorized to do business in the State of Florida:

1) Workers' compensation insurance as required above;

2) Motor vehicular liability insurance with limits of not less than $1,000,000 combined single limit which insurance shall be applicable to any and all vehicles utilized by respondent to provide the services requested by District;

3) General liability insurance for all services rendered by respondent for the requested services with a minimum of $1,000,000 personal and advertising injury and $1,000,000 general aggregate.

The certificate of insurance shall also provide that District shall be notified in writing by the carrier at least 30 days prior to any cancellation of said insurance.

Rejection of Responses: The District reserves the right to reject any and all bid packages submitted in response to the District invitation. District also reserves the right to waive any minor deviations in an otherwise valid proposal.

Respondents to this solicitation or persons acting on their behalf may not contact, between the release of the solicitation and the end of the 72-business hour period following the agency posting the notice of intended award, any employee or officer of the District concerning any aspect of this solicitation, except in writing as indicated above.

Violation of this provision may be grounds for rejecting a response.

Renewal of Contract: The initial contract shall be for a period of three years with the potential for two subsequent one-year renewals based upon Contractor performance, the District’s availability of funding, the same terms and conditions or terms more favorable to the District, and mutual agreement of the District and the Contractor. Billable rates during the first year of the contract will be based on rates identified in the contract Fee Schedule. Rates may increase after this point by no more than 5% annually as determined by the District in its sole discretion.

The contractor shall provide a written request for any increase and such request shall be subject to the District’s written approval in accordance with the District’s Signature Authority. Any changes to this Fee Schedule, including any increases to the billable rates, must be approved through a formal written contract amendment signed by both parties.

SECTION 5 - SCOPE OF WORK

Purpose/Extent:

Excessive hardwood competition within management units can increase fuel loading, negatively affect the survival, growth, and development of the pine timber, and inhibit the successful application of prescribed fire. The application of chemical herbicides for site preparation for reforestation, timber stand improvement, and ditch edge vegetation control are important tools used by the District to help control this woody vegetation and ensure District lands meet their Desired Future Condition. The District applies chemical herbicides on approximately 500 – 1,000 acres/year to help meet these objectives. On an annual basis, approximately 80% of this work is conducted using a skidder and 20% using a farm tractor.

Guidelines:

To receive payment, Contractors must guarantee at least 100% coverage of the treatment areas and at least 95% mortality of targeted species within these areas. The District requires contractors have the ability to use GPS devices to accurately record their coverage within treatment areas. GPS track logs that identify the treated area must be submitted with each invoice. Acceptable coverage will be determined within 10 days of application using several random spot inspection sites. Signs of mortality will be documented at random spot inspection sites beginning approximately 3-4 weeks following the application. If coverage and/or mortality rates are not met, the District will require the Contractor to retreat the areas at Contractor’s expense and at no additional charge to the District. Because of potential timing/seasonal issues, this re-application of herbicide may be required the following fiscal year. Contractors who refuse or delay the retreatment of these areas, will have their contracts canceled and will not be paid for areas that did not meet coverage/mortality standards. Contractors may submit an invoice to the District for payment once the project manager is able to confirm that 100% of the treatment area was treated and signs of mortality are evident. Contractors may not bill for travel time or unused herbicides.

Contractors are required to complete all work within designated time frames as quickly and efficiently as possible while maintaining the quality standards listed in the Scope of Work. The District Project Manager may stop work and order the removal and/or replacement of any equipment if the equipment is not working or calibrated properly. Contractor then has 48 hours to replace the equipment with an acceptable substitute. The District Project Manager may prohibit chemical application during adverse weather conditions (heat, cold, dry, wet, etc.). If adverse weather is a problem, Contractor must furnish additional personnel and equipment to make up for lost time and ensure timely completion. Chemical application projects may not stop for a period longer than 48 consecutive hours without advance approval from the District Project Manager.

No chemical herbicide applications will exceed the labeled rates on the herbicide containers. All requirements, including state and/or local requirements, listed on the herbicide label are to be followed. Failure to comply with label instructions is a violation of federal and/or state laws. Contractor is liable for any penalty, fines, or damages resulting from misuse of herbicides. All chemical mixtures will be approved by the District Project Manager before application.

Chemical delivery methods and rates of application will be mutually agreed upon by District Project Manager and Contractor before work begins. Unless otherwise specified, Contractor will supply and apply all chemical herbicides, adjuvants, and other materials needed to ensure effective control of target vegetation. Contractors are expected to prevent any overspray, drift, and/or non-target damage to surrounding vegetation, structures, and/or facilities.

The District implements a “Come Clean, Leave Clean” standard. All equipment used on District lands, including tractors, skidders, ATVs, etc. are required to be free of any plant material before entering District property. Project managers are required to inspect each piece of equipment before it enters District managed lands. If contractors are to perform work within 30 meters of a non-native weed infestation, the project manager is required to inspect the equipment before it leaves District property. The District Project Manager will delineate a designated cleaning area on each tract for contractors to clean their equipment if necessary.

A Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Licensed Commercial Pesticide Applicator with a current license must be present during all chemical applications. Licensed applicators must have general standards (Core) certification with further certification in the Forestry Pest Control or Natural Areas Weed Management categories. The licensed supervisor is responsible to ensure the following:

• Chemical pesticides must be kept in original containers until mixing. All mixtures should have temporary labels that list the trade name and rates of chemicals and any adjuvants within the spray container.

• The licensed supervisor must readily have available during application copies of all chemical pesticides labels and Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) that are being applied.

• During mixing and application, all recommended Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) will be properly worn to minimize applicator exposure to chemicals. All measuring cups should be rinsed, and the effluent poured into the tank/bottle mixture.

• Chemicals and any rinse material from chemical containers will be applied to specific areas; run-off of any chemical substance is not acceptable.

• Herbicides that are mixed, transferred, or temporarily stored while on District lands will be done so at designated staging areas. Any and all containers that contain pesticide or pesticide residues will be removed from District lands once the chemical application is complete.

• Herbicides will not be applied during adverse or non-optimal weather conditions for the application method. Any weather condition, including heat, wind, or precipitation, which minimizes the effectiveness of the herbicide or increases the exposure and/or potential for drift to non-target vegetation, personnel, or objects will not be tolerated.

• Emphasis must be placed on ensuring the application will minimize exposure to people, facilities and the surrounding environment. Contractors are required to avoid any non-target exposure.

A competent supervisor who holds a Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) licensed as specified above and who speaks English fluently and who can converse with all crew members shall be designated by Contractor as the field supervisor and remain on-site during all chemical application projects. This supervisor must be able to correctly identify the targeted vegetation and be aware of all treated requirements listed in the Scope of Work. A representative from the District will meet with this field supervisor at both the beginning and throughout each project to discuss treatment areas and prescriptions and any special restrictions. Contractor is required to provide District with the following information upon request by the District Project Manager:

• List of chemical herbicide trade names and the rates used to produce all chemical mixtures applied. This list should also include any adjuvants or surfactants included in the mixture.

• Contractor shall permit District personnel to confirm chemical application rates per acre. The Contractor may be asked to show the Project Manager sealed herbicide containers prior to application and the empty containers following completion of the project.

• Contractors are required to fill out and submit a daily “SRWMD Chemical Vegetation Management Form” (Attachment B) when they submit an invoice for completed work. These forms are designed to record daily application information for each area treated. For example, if it takes three days for a contractor to complete application work on a project area, they must provide the District with three daily forms.

Annual Work Assignments:

Herbicide application projects will be divided into three types: Reforestation/Site-Prep, Timber Stand Improvement, and Ditch-Edge Vegetation Control. After contracts are executed, the District will develop Task Work Assignments (TWA) with winning Respondent(s) on an annual basis to identify the type/extent of work they will be assigned each year. Maps and or GIS shapefiles identifying the location of these work areas will be provided to Respondents along with treatment prescriptions. The District Project Manager may also provide additional site information or precautions needed to ensure the safe and effective application of herbicide.

SECTION 6 - BID RESPONSE FORM

ITB NO. 22/23-017

Respondents are required to complete and submit this form following the instructions discussed in SECTION 3. Respondents are encouraged to bid on all application types/prescriptions within all service regions listed below. This will provide the District with multiple treatment options that can be applied to both current and future projects.

ITB 22/23-017 BID TABLE 1.

Rx No. Prescription/Acre Application Purpose

Broadcast Method

$BID/ACRE

Northeast

$BID/ACRE

Southeast

$BID/ACRE

Northwest

$BID/ACRE

Southwest

48 OZ. Chopper Gen-2; 32 OZ. Garlon

XRT; 96 OZ. MSO; 25 MIN.

Gallons/Acre

Site-prep Skidder $ $ $ $

Farm Tractor $ $ $ $

48 OZ. Chopper Gen-2; 64 OZ Accord XRT; 4 OZ Oust Extra; 1 OZ Escort; 96

OZ. MSO; 25 MIN. Gallons/Acre Site-prep

Skidder $ $ $ $

Farm Tractor $ $ $ $

32 OZ. Chopper Gen-2; 32 OZ. Garlon

XRT; 64 OZ. MSO; 25 MIN.

Gallons/Acre

Site-prep or Release

Skidder $ $ $ $

Farm Tractor $ $ $ $

48 OZ. Chopper Gen-2; 96 OZ. Accord

XRT; 32 OZ.MSO; 25 MIN.

Gallons/Acre

Site-prep Skidder $ $ $ $

Farm Tractor $ $ $ $

5 12 OZ. Chopper Gen-2; 96 OZ. Garlon XRT; 25 MIN. Gallons/Acre Site-prep

Skidder $ $ $ $

Farm Tractor $ $ $ $

96 OZ. Garlon XRT; 64 OZ Accord

XRT; 16 OZ. Non-Ionic Surfactant; 25 MIN. Gallons/Acre

Site-prep or Release

Skidder $ $ $ $

Farm Tractor $ $ $ $

7 96 OZ. Garlon XRT; 16 OZ. Non-Ionic Surfactant; 25 MIN. Gallons/Acre Release

Skidder $ $ $ $

Farm Tractor $ $ $ $

ITB 22/23-017 BID TABLE 2.

Rx No. Prescription/Acre Purpose Method Target

Vegetation Accessibility $BID/Acre Northeast

$BID/Acre Southeast

$BID/Acre Northwest

$BID/Acre Southwest

Velpar-L undiluted; 3 quarts/acre;

Red/Blue Dye;

3X5 Grid; 1

ML/Spot

Release

Backpack sprayer with Spot- Gun or Gun-Jet

Woody vegetation;

stems or stump sprouts; 2'-7' tall

Applicators can easily maintain grid pattern without obstruction

ITB 22/23-017 BID TABLE 3.

Rx No. Prescription Purpose Type Method Target Vegetation Description

$BID/Mile Northeast

$BID/Mile Southeast

$BID/Mile Northwest

$BID/Mile Southwest

6% Garlon 3a;

3% Polaris; 1% NIS; Red/Blue

Dye

Ditch Edge Vegetation

Control

Spot or Broadcast

Spray wands/nurse tank or booms designed to reduce overspray

Woody vegetation up to 7' tall;

treatment area approximately 6'-

10' wide

9a 6% Garlon 3a;

1% NIS;

Red/Blue Dye

Ditch Edge Vegetation

Control

Spot or Broadcast

Spray wands/nurse tank or booms designed to reduce overspray

Woody vegetation up to 7' tall;

treatment area approximately 6'-

10' wide.

RESPONDENT CONTACT INFORMATION

Company Name ___________________________________________________

Address ___________________________________________________

Primary Contact ___________________________________________________

Primary Contact Work Phone ___________________________________________________

Primary Contact Cellular ___________________________________________________

Primary Contact E-mail ___________________________________________________

FIELD SUPERVISOR INFORMATION

Please provide the following information for each Field Supervisor that will be used.

Name Current FDACS License # Years of Experience (conducting forestry related herbicide projects)

SIMILAR PROJECTS FORMS

Add additional pages as needed. Contacts included will be used as work/client references. For this reason, be sure to list the contact that has the most knowledge of the project you completed.

COMPLETED PROJECT(S):

AGENCY/COMPANY (Where work was conducted):

COMPANY CONTACT: ______________

CONTACT PHONE: ______________

START DATE: COMPLETION DATE:

(month/year) (month/year)

TOTAL ACRES TREATED:

DESCRIPTION OF WORK (Chemical prescription/Targeted vegetation):

TYPE OF EQUIPMENT USED:

NAME OF THE FIELD SUPERVISOR YOU USED TO OVERSEE THIS WORK:

CONTACT PHONE: ___________

ATTACHMENT A

EQUIPMENT LIST

List the year, make, model and number of pieces of equipment available to conduct the proposed herbicide application work. SEE REQUIREMENTS IN SECTION-3.

ATTACHMENT - B