Rev. 4.26.26 42184RFQ26 | Page 1 of 41

It is the responsibility of Respondents who receive this solicitation from sources other than the portals identified above or St. Johns River Water Management District to contact the District’s Procurement staff prior to the due date to ensure any updates/addenda are received in order to submit a responsible and responsive offer. If you fail to submit a complete and accurate document, the District may deem the offer non-responsive and reject your submittal.

ADDENDA ACKNOWLEDGMENT: Prior to submitting my offer, I have verified that all addenda issued to date are considered as part of my offer:

Addendum No. Date Addendum No. Date Addendum No. Date

RESPONDENT NAME:

STREET ADDRESS:

MAILING ADDRESS (IF DIFFERENT):

PRIMARY E-MAIL ADDRESS (required)

SECONDARY E-MAIL ADDRESS (required)

TELEPHONE: ( ) YEAR COMPANY WAS ESTABLISHED

NAME/TITLE OF PERSON SUBMITTING QUALIFICATIONS:

SIGNATURE OF PERSON SUBMITTING QUALIFICATIONS:

This document must be completed and returned with your submittal

THE GOVERNING BOARD OF THE ST. JOHNS RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

42184RFQ26 MECHANICAL VEGETATION MANAGEMENT WITH OPERATOR

The St. Johns River Water Management District (the “District”) is requesting statements of qualifications from licensed contractors to establish a pool of prequalified contractors to provide mechanical vegetation mulching services for an initial three-year term. The Work includes cutting and mulching vegetation within designated areas, leaving only those trees identified by the District, and distributing mulch evenly across the work area unless otherwise specified.

Work Orders will be issued on an as-needed basis and competitively quoted among the prequalified contractors. Work Orders shall be awarded to the contractor submitting the lowest quote for the requested services. Selection into the prequalified contractor pool does not guarantee the award of Work Orders or any minimum amount of work, assignments, or compensation.

The District has established an aggregate not-to-exceed budget of $1,500,000 for the initial three-year term for all Agreements resulting from this solicitation.

Interested and qualified Respondents are invited to submit a complete qualifications package in accordance with the Scope of Work, specifications, terms, and conditions set forth in this solicitation. Solicitation documents are available through DemandStar, Central Bidding, MyFloridaMarketPlace, the District’s website, or upon request from the District.

For all requests or questions relating to this solicitation, please contact:

Breanna Pierce, Procurement Specialist

Phone: 386-643-1168 or E-Mail: BPierce@sjrwmd.com

PRE-SUBMITTAL MEETING – No Meeting Scheduled

LAST DAY FOR QUESTIONS – July 22, 2026; 5:00PM

SUBMITTAL DUE DATE

2:00 PM Wednesday, July 29, 2026

PLEASE NOTE! Submittal must include all required documents and forms requested in this solicitation or the submittal may be rejected and deemed non-responsive.

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REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

42184RFQ26 MECHANICAL VEGETATION MANAGEMENT WITH OPERATOR

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Cover Sheet Page 1

Table of Contents Page 2

PART 1 – Scope of Work Pages 3 - 6

PART 2 – Submittal Requirements & General Information Pages 7 - 14

PART 3 – Forms Pages 15 - 20

(NOTE! Additional documents not included in this section may be required)

PART 4 – Draft Agreement Pages 21 - 41

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42184RFQ26 MECHANICAL VEGETATION MANAGEMENT WITH OPERATOR

PART 1 – SCOPE OF WORK

I. INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND

The District manages almost 435,000 acres of conservation and restoration properties within its 18 counties.

Periodically, specialized equipment is required to reduce vegetation for habitat enhancement projects or to create or improve fire lines and roads, or to install fence ROWs. Protection and improvement of natural systems is a District core mission. Management plan goals for all District lands include the restoration, maintenance, and protection of native plant communities, fish and wildlife habitat and their diversity. Prescribed burning is one of the most effective tools to maintain many Florida ecological communities. The lack of prescribed fire may cause ecological systems to degrade over time to the point where fire alone may not be an effective tool. In order to improve these native plant communities and maintain them as optimal wildlife habitat, mechanical treatment may be necessary to reduce saw palmetto coverage in flatwoods, reduce oak and palmetto height in scrub and reduce live oak and sand pine coverage in sandhills as well as reducing shrub and small tree coverage in marsh systems. It may also be necessary periodically to manage fuels along firelines with mechanical equipment to improve safety and holding capabilities on prescribed burns. The District also manages the flood control systems comprised of levees, canals and water control structures.

This same specialized mulching equipment helps manage vegetation in a manner that maintains the integrity of the levees and canals.

II. OBJECTIVE

The objective of this project is to efficiently manage vegetation in order to facilitate habitat improvement projects, fire line improvement/installation, fence and road installation, and to comply with federal standards for vegetation density along flood control levees.

III. SCOPE

A. Contractor will perform vegetation mulching in specified areas and as instructed by the District’s Project Manager (“DPM”). Work will be awarded on an as-needed basis through the issuance of Work Orders, which shall be competitively solicited among all prequalified contractors. Work shall include cutting and mulching vegetation in specified areas, leaving only those trees that have been identified and tagged by the DPM. The specified vegetation shall be cut and mulched to natural ground surface unless otherwise specified and spread evenly in the Work area.

Projects may consist of the following:

1. Mulching of up to a 24-inch diameter tree (measured at breast-height) and shall mulch material to a size no greater than 2 inches in diameter and no longer than 12 inches long as specified in each Work Order Request.

2. The equipment used must be capable of working from the road and/or the top of levee travel-way to prevent damage to levee slopes (sod and rip-rap) as specified in each Work Order Request and must be capable of cutting and mulching vegetation at the toe of the levee approximately 24 feet horizontally.

3. Mulching palmetto, shrubs, and trees (8 inches diameter at breast height [DBH] or less) as specified in each Work Order Request, to a size no greater than 2 inches in diameter and no longer than 12 inches long. All material shall be mulched to natural ground surface unless otherwise specified or as specified in each Work Order Request.

Most of the District’s properties are accessible with a regular vehicle for equipment fueling. However, Contractor will be required to arrange other means for fueling such as walking equipment to and from staging areas or utilizing an off-road vehicle with a bulk fuel tank for those properties that are not accessible via regular vehicle.

B. Contractor will perform vegetation mulching in accordance with the Work Order Request and must meet the required production rates as follows:

1. An estimated production rate is based on a 10-hour business day and consists of moderate to heavy density vegetation reduction.

2. Moderate density (75-300 trees per acre) is defined as mulching of vegetation 8 inches DBH or less and shall be accomplished at a rate of at least 1 acre per day.

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3. Heavy density (more than 300 trees per acre) is defined as reduction of vegetation greater than 8 inches DBH and shall be accomplished at a rate of at least two-thirds of an acre per day.

4. Acreage mowing of saw palmetto, small shrubs, and small diameter sand pine (avg. DBH 4”) should be accomplished at a rate of 8 acres per day.

Replacing operators or equipment is not permitted without prior approval from the District’s Project Manager.

IV. TASK IDENTIFICATION & RESPONSIBILITIES

A. TASKS

1. As specified in each Work Order Request, Contractor will perform one or more of the following tasks (“Tasks”):

a) Cut and mulch specified vegetation to natural ground surface unless otherwise specified, to a size no greater than 2 inches in diameter and no longer than 12 inches.

b) Perform cutting and/or mulching activities at a rate of at least 1 acre per day for moderate density, at least two-thirds of an acre per day for heavy density, and 8 acres per day for mulching palmetto and trees less than 4 inches DBH.

c) Roadway and Fireline Projects: Mow and mulch all vegetation and trees up to 6 inches in diameter within a swath 6 feet wide along each side of identified roads and firelines and trim all overhanging limbs to a minimum height of 10 feet.

d) Spread mulched vegetation evenly over the Work area.

e) All vegetation listed above within the Work area shall be mulch-mowed at least once and all mowing passes shall overlap.

f) Mow to the boles of large and/or desirable trees without damaging them.

g) Do not mow grass stage longleaf pine or longleaf pine in any other growth stage unless otherwise specified.

B. RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Contractor Responsibilities include:

a) Contractor shall provide all equipment, fuel, and transportation necessary to complete the job. Contractors may only access the property with a reasonable amount of equipment and vehicles necessary to perform the prescribed work, meet specified production rate and Work Order timeframes, fuel and maintain equipment, and for ingress/egress to the Work site.

b) Contractor shall complete the Tasks identified above and as outlined in each Work Order.

c) Contractor shall repair or replace, at its own cost, any damage to fences, cattle guards, gates, power lines, or other improvements. Any repairs necessary after the operations are complete shall be the responsibility of Contractor.

d) If route(s) go through gate(s), Contractor shall close and lock all gates.

e) Perform joint inspection of completed Work with the DPM. Verification of Work being performed will be done through on-site observations by the DPM.

f) Properly maintain all equipment. The District reserves the right to require Contractor to submit copies of equipment maintenance records.

g) If in an applicable area, Contractor shall become familiar with the locations of the white-banded, red-cockaded woodpecker cavity trees and not scar any of these trees.

h) Contractor shall take due care in avoiding gopher tortoises and their burrows.

i) Contractor shall ensure that the Work area is kept clear of rubbish. Discharge of oil, diesel, or hydraulic fluid is prohibited on the project area and all District property. Contractor shall promptly alert the DPM of any such discharge issues. Contractor is responsible for performing all proper clean up measures.

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j) In the event of equipment failure, Contractor shall replace the on-site equipment with similar or better equipment within 72 hours of a breakdown.

k) Provide the DPM at least 24 hours’ notice to inspect completed Work.

l) At the DPM’s discretion, Contractor shall provide handheld GPS units for each machine on site or require the operator(s) to utilize the Avenza app on a cell phone to track Work accomplished.

m) For any repairs to equipment that extend 72 hours or longer, the equipment shall be removed from District property and replaced at Contractor’s expense. Whenever any equipment is removed from a Work site for 72 hours or longer, Contractor shall contact the DPM.

n) Due care shall be exercised against starting and spreading fires during cutting and mulching operations by Contractor and/or its employees. Contractor shall be held liable for all damage caused by such fires.

o) Contractor shall prevent the introduction of non-native vegetation by following the procedures for equipment inspection and cleaning as outlined in the publication: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, Colorado, Technical Memorandum No. 86-68220-07-05, Inspection and Cleaning Manual for Equipment and Vehicles to Prevent the Spread of Invasive Species, May 2010.

p) Contractor may not substitute mulching equipment with drum chopping equipment.

2. District Responsibilities include:

a) The DPM shall determine routes for ingress and egress to the property.

b) Describe the nature of the Work that will be accomplished and delineate the Work area via map and/or flagging.

c) Provide a list of equipment specifications required for each Work Order Request.

d) Describe any trees that are not to be cut/mulched, marking in field if necessary.

e) Coordinate scheduling with Contractor.

f) The DPM may order removal and replacement of any unsatisfactory equipment.

V. EQUIPMENT SPECIFICATIONS

A. Equipment safety features shall meet all OSHA standards. Equipment shall be of sufficient size, horsepower, and hydraulic flow to operate the mulching head/brush cutter efficiently. Equipment assemblage used must be able to meet specified production rates for the project. Contractor must provide documentation such as photos of its equipment, stating it meets the needs of this project. Examples of equipment used for District projects include:

1. Caterpillar 315 or 316 tracked equipment (80–110 HP) with 24-28-foot boom and attached mowers/Brontosaurus EVO 3.0 mulcher head with auxiliary power unit.

2. Caterpillar 277C with Davco BC604SS brush cutter.

3. Cat TK 381 TimberKing with 48-inch Fecon Mulching head.Tigercat M718E Mulcher.

4. Kershaw cutter.

5. 7810 John Deere tractor with 9-foot Brown’s shredder deck.

6. 6615 John Deere tractor with 6-foot Brown’s tree cutter TCO-2620C.Caterpillar 315 or 316 tracked equipment (80–110 HP) with 24-28-foot boom and attached mower “slash buster” rotary type or equivalent.

7. Brontosaurus mulching equipment.

8. A feller-buncher or similar type of equipment may be used upon written approval from the District Project Manager to remove certain trees/palms to increase productivity rates of approved equipment, and/or improve access to work sites.

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VI. TIMEFRAMES & DELIVERABLES

A. A Work schedule will be provided for each Work Order Request for each project. Work shall begin within 14 days of receipt of a District issued Work Order and be completed within 30 days of the project initiation, unless otherwise stated in the Work Order.

B. The DPM shall inspect Contractor’s Work on each of the tasks identified above.

C. There are no report requirements unless required in the Work Order.

VII. BUDGET/PAYMENT SCHEDULE

A. Contractor compensation will be based on Contractor’s quote to complete the entire project described in each Work Order Request. Payment will be made in accordance with the payment schedule stated in the applicable Work Order and the terms of the Agreement.

B. Unless otherwise stipulated in the Work Order, invoicing and payment will be accomplished pursuant to the terms and conditions included in the Agreement.

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PART 2 – GENERAL INFORMATION AND REQUIREMENTS

Thank you for your interest in working with the St. Johns River Water Management District. Please direct questions regarding the submittal documents and specifications to the District’s procurement staff member identified on the first page of this solicitation, in writing. We look forward to working with you. Pertinent information and required documents regarding this solicitation as part of a responsive submittal are listed below.

The District will publish notice of specifications and criteria, including addenda, intended agency decisions, or other matters pertinent to this solicitation on portals identified on the first page of this document.

2.1 MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Respondent must satisfy the following minimum qualifications. Instructions for providing this documentation is provided herein. Failure to provide required documentation as instructed may result in a submittal being rejected as non-responsive.

(a) Experience: Respondent must have a minimum of three years of experience performing mechanical vegetation shredding, mulching, mowing, or similar land management work involving palmetto, shrubs, trees, fire lines, roads, levees, conservation lands, or similar natural areas.

(b) Similar projects: Respondent must have successfully completed at least three projects involving mechanical vegetation shredding, mulching, mowing, or similar land management services comparable in size and scope to the services described in this solicitation. Respondent must provide the requested information and a description of each project on the SIMILAR PROJECTS FORM. The District reserves the right to determine, in its sole discretion, whether a project qualifies as “similar.”

(c) Equipment: Respondent must own, lease, or have documented access to equipment capable of performing the required services, meeting the production rates identified in the Scope of Work, and mulching vegetation to the required size. Respondent must provide equipment documentation, to include equipment lists, specifications, photographs, or other supporting information.

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 submittal 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 Agreement and complete the Work in a manner acceptable to the District within the time period specified.

2.2 BUDGET ESTIMATE

The estimated budget is an estimate only and does not limit the District in awarding the Agreement.

2.3 SUBMITTAL LAYOUT/ORDER OF DOCUMENTS

Tab A – Introduction and Respondent Information- Administrative (Not Scored)

(1) Cover letter.

(2) Completed solicitation page 1 / addenda acknowledgement (form).

(3) Completed Submittal Acknowledgement Form (form).

(4) Completed affidavit of Non-Collusion and Certification of Material Conformance with Specifications (form).

(5) Proof of insurability issued by a company authorized to do business in the State of Florida and with an A.M. Best Company rating of at least A- or greater for the required insurance(s) as set forth in the Agreement. Successful Respondent will be required to obtain and provide a Certificate of Insurance that meets all requirements as stated, references the Agreement number and shows St. Johns River Water Management District named as additional insured.

(6) Completed Certificate of Authority to Do Business in Florida (form).

(7) Proof of Respondent’s active registration on www.sunbiz.org.

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(8) Proof of Respondent’s active registration with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s E-Verify system.

Tab B - Respondent Organization, Background, and Expertise

(1) General Information (form).

(2) Completed Similar Projects Form.

Tab C - Equipment Availability and Capability

(1) Provide documentation showing Respondent owns, leases or has access to equipment capable of performing the required services, including mulching vegetation to the required size, meeting stated production rates, and performing work in the conditions described in this solicitation, and the ability to replace failed equipment with similar or better equipment, within the required timeframes.

(a) Equipment lists, lease agreements, specifications, photographs, horsepower/hydraulic flow information, mulching head descriptions, and any other documentation showing the equipment is available and suitable for the required services.

(b) A backup equipment plan showing the ability to replace failed equipment within 72 hours.

Tab D - Completeness of Response

(1) Submit a complete, professional, and organized response that follows the required solicitation format and includes all required information and documentation requested in this solicitation and listed above.

2.4 SUBMITTAL SPECIFICATIONS, ASSEMBLY, AND SUBMITTAL

1. Size requirements:

(1) One (1) Original Document – uploaded into DemandStar or Central Bidding as a single .pdf file.

(2) Page Limit – none, if not otherwise specified herein this document.

(3) Page Size – 8 ½ x 11; oversized pages must be scanned to print out to appropriate page sizes, if necessary.

2. Assembly requirements:

Submitted in order of submittal layout as listed above – documents should be scanned as PDF or similar format as one complete package.

3. Submittal requirements:

Complete submittal package – Complete package shall consist of all required information and documents as listed in the Section titled SUBMITTAL LAYOUT/ORDER OF DOCUMENTS. A submittal returned without these documents may be deemed non-responsive. The District reserves the right to request additional information from any Respondent prior to award.

2.5 PASS/FAIL EVALUATION CRITERIA

All submittals received in accordance with this solicitation will be reviewed for responsiveness and evaluated on a pass/fail basis using the criteria below. Respondent must adhere to the organized structure for its submittal as described in the section titled SUBMITTAL LAYOUT/ORDER OF DOCUMENTS.

The District will determine whether each submittal satisfies each required criterion. A Respondent must receive a Pass for all criteria in order to be deemed qualified and eligible for award of an Agreement.

Failure by Respondent to include required information or documentation may result in the submittal being deemed non-responsive or receiving a Fail for the applicable criterion.

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Submittals receiving a Pass for all criteria may be included in the pre-qualified contractor pool, subject to District approval and execution of an Agreement. No scores, weights, or rankings will be assigned as part of this pass/fail evaluation.

CRITERIA PASS FAIL

A. INTRODUCTION AND RESPONDENT INFORMATION Not Scored

B. EXPERIENCE AND SIMILAR PROJECTS

Respondent demonstrated the required experience and provided sufficient similar project information.

C. EQUIPMENT AVAILABILITY AND CAPABILITY

Respondent provided documentation showing its equipment is suitable for the required Work and capable of meeting production requirements.

D. COMPLETENESS OF RESPONSE

Respondent submitted a complete and organized response that followed the required solicitation format and included all required information and documentation.

2.6 HOW TO SUBMIT A RESPONSE TO THIS SOLICITATION

(a) Respondent’s submittal must be submitted in electronic format (no paper copies) either by uploading to DemandStar directly at www.demandstar.com OR to Central Bidding directly at www.centralbidding.com (NOT BOTH); OR by delivering all files on a single pin/thumb/jump drive either by mail or hand delivery in a sealed envelope.

Label all sealed envelopes as follows:

SEALED SUBMITTAL – DO NOT OPEN

Respondent’s Name: ___________________________________________ Request for Qualifications: 42184RFQ26, Mechanical Vegetation Management with Operator Opening Time: 2:00 PM Opening Date: July 29, 2026

Breanna Pierce, Procurement Specialist St. Johns River Water Management District District Headquarters 4049 Reid Street Palatka, Florida 32177

**Please note that the U.S. Postal Service does not deliver regular mail or express mail to the above address. The District’s experience is that Federal Express and United Parcel Service will. The District is not responsible for and will not accept or consider late submittals due to delays caused by any mail, package or courier service, including the U.S. mail, or caused by any other occurrence.

DO NOT SUBMIT VIA EMAIL — THIS WILL RESULT IN THE SUBMITTAL BEING REJECTED AS

NON-RESPONSIVE.

(b) All blank spaces on the solicitation documents must be typewritten or legibly printed in ink. In the event you decline to submit a response, the District would appreciate submittal of the “No Response Form” provided in this solicitation to describe the reason for not submitting a response.

(c) Please do not password protect files saved to a pin/thumb/jump drive. The District recommends that Respondents confirm their submittal documents will open correctly on a non-Respondent-owned computer. Any electronic submittal received by the District that does not open on a District-owned computer is subject to rejection as a defective response. The file naming conventions for the solicitation must clearly identify specific information such as the solicitation number and Respondent’s name (Example: 12345RFP78, ABC Company).

NOTE! A Respondent’s submittal may be rejected as non-responsive for:

(1) Failing to complete all forms.

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(2) Failure to provide all required materials; or

(3) Otherwise failing to comply with instructions for preparation and organization of submittal.

2.7 SIGNATURE AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

If an individual submits a response to this solicitation, the individual must sign his/her name therein and state his/her address and the name and address of every other person interested in this solicitation as principal.

If a partnership submits a response to this solicitation, state the name and address of each member of the partnership.

If a corporation or limited liability company submits a response to this solicitation, an authorized agent or officer/member must sign the submittal, subscribing the name of the entity with the individual’s own name and affixing the corporate seal (if applicable). Such agent or officer/member must also provide the name of the state under which the entity is chartered/formed, and the names and business addresses of the officers/members.

All Respondents must submit evidence of registration with the Florida Secretary of State for doing business in the state of Florida.

All Respondents must certify that all persons or entities having an interest as principal in this solicitation or in substantial performance of the Work have been identified in the submittal forms.

2.8 PROHIBITED COMMUNICATION

To ensure a fair and impartial evaluation process, the District strictly prohibits any communication related to this solicitation with any District office, department, bureau, or employee during the submission and evaluation period, except as expressly authorized in this solicitation. Respondents are specifically prohibited from initiating any contact or communication with any District official or employee involved in the evaluation or consideration of submittals, including but not limited to the Executive Director and members of the Governing Board of the St. Johns River Water Management District, prior to the issuance of an award decision. All communication regarding this solicitation shall be initiated by the District’s Procurement staff, and solely for the purpose of obtaining information or clarification necessary for the proper evaluation of submittals.

Any attempt by a Respondent to engage in unauthorized communication may result in disqualification from consideration for award under this solicitation and may further result in exclusion from future procurement opportunities with the District.

2.9 PRE-SUBMITTAL MEETINGS, INQUIRIES AND ADDENDA

If scheduled, the pre-submittal meeting information will appear on the first page of this solicitation. If the pre-submittal meeting is not designated as mandatory, then attendance at the pre-submittal meeting is strongly recommended. If the pre-submittal meeting is designated as MANDATORY, each Respondent must attend or its submittal will not be accepted.

During this meeting, the project scope, procedures, and specifications will be discussed. It is also the only opportunity during the open solicitation period for attendees to ask questions directly to the end user.

District staff are not authorized to provide oral interpretations or clarifications of the solicitation documents, including specifications or other agreement terms. All binding interpretations or corrections must be provided in writing, come only from Procurement staff, and be issued as part of an official addendum to this solicitation. The assigned Procurement Specialist may provide general guidance on District procedures and assist in referencing applicable sections of the solicitation documents; however, Respondents remain fully responsible for understanding and following all written requirements and submitting accordingly.

In order to be considered, all requests for a written interpretation or correction must be submitted via e-mail before the deadline for questions as stated in this solicitation. All official responses, including clarifications, corrections, or supplemental instructions, will be issued in writing via addenda and posted on the solicitation portals listed on Page 1 of this document, prior to the submittal due date.

By submitting on this solicitation, Respondent is bound by and must acknowledge receipt of all issued addenda. Submittals will be interpreted as if all addenda were received, whether or not Respondent actually reviewed the addenda. Failure to receive or review an addendum does not relieve Respondent of any obligations under the solicitation or resulting Agreement.

All addenda become an official part of the Contract Documents (defined in the Agreement).

2.10 OPENING OF SUBMITTALS

Submittals will be opened on or as reasonably feasible after the due date, after which time a Respondents List will be identified and uploaded to DemandStar, Central Bidding, and MyFloridaMarketPlace; pricing (if applicable) is not part of

Rev. 4.26.26 42184RFQ26 | Page 11 of 41 this detail. The Florida Public Records Act, §119.071(1)(b), Fla. Stat., exempts sealed submittals from inspection and copying until such time as the District provides notice of an intended decision pursuant to §120.57(3)(a), Fla. Stat., or until 30 days after opening of submittals or final replies, whichever is earlier. This exemption is not waived by the public opening of the submittals.

Unless otherwise exempt, Respondent’s submittal is a public record subject to disclosure upon expiration of the above exemption period. If any information included in the submittal is a trade secret as defined in §812.081, Fla. Stat., and exempt from disclosure pursuant to §815.04, Fla. Stat., Respondent must clearly identify any such material as “CONFIDENTIAL TRADE SECRET” in its submittal and explain the basis for such exemption. The District reserves the right, in its sole judgment and discretion, to reject a submittal for excessive or unwarranted assertion of trade secret confidentiality and return the submittal to Respondent.

2.11 DISQUALIFICATION OF RESPONDENTS

Any of the following causes will be considered as sufficient grounds for disqualification of a Respondent and rejection of the submittal:

(a) Contacting a District employee or officer other than the procurement employee named in this solicitation about any aspect of this solicitation before the notice of intended decision is posted.

(b) Submission of more than one submittal for the same subject matter by an individual, firm, partnership, or corporation under the same or different names.

(c) Evidence of collusion among Respondents.

(d) Submission of materially false information.

(e) Information gained through checking references or other sources which indicates that Respondent may not successfully perform the Work.

(f) Respondent is failing to adequately perform on any existing agreement with the District.

(g) Respondent has defaulted on a previous agreement with the District.

(h) The evidence submitted by Respondent, or the District’s investigation of Respondent, fails to satisfy the District that Respondent is properly qualified to carry out the obligations of the Agreement in a manner acceptable to the District and within the time period specified.

(i) Any documented unsatisfactory past performance by Respondent on work performed on a District project.

(j) Any other cause that is sufficient to raise doubt regarding the ability of a Respondent to perform the Work in a manner that meets the District’s objectives for the Work.

2.12 REJECTION OF SUBMITTAL

Submittals must be delivered to the specified location and received before the designated due date and time in order to be considered. Untimely submittals will be returned to Respondent unopened. Submittals will be considered irregular and may be rejected if they show material omissions, alterations of form, additions not called for, conditions, limitations, or other material irregularities. The District may consider incomplete any submittal not prepared and submitted in accordance with the provisions specified herein and the District reserves the right to waive any minor deviations or irregularities in an otherwise valid submittal.

The District reserves the right to reject any and all submittals and cancel this solicitation when it determines, in its sole judgment and discretion, that it is not in its best interest to award the Agreement.

2.13 WITHDRAWAL OF SUBMITTALS

Respondent may withdraw its submittal if it submits such a written request to the District prior to the designated date and hour of opening. Respondent may be permitted to withdraw its submittal no later than 72 hours after the submittal opening for good cause, as determined by the District in its sole judgment and discretion.

2.14 EVALUATION OF SUBMITTALS AND AWARD PROCEDURES

Submittals will be reviewed by an Evaluation Committee (“Committee”) to determine responsiveness and whether each Respondent satisfies the pass/fail criteria identified in the section titled PASS/FAIL EVALUATION CRITERIA, herein.

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A Committee meeting may be scheduled, and notice of the meeting, including the date, time, and location, will be posted as required. The Committee will meet at District headquarters or another suitable location to review submittals and document whether each Respondent receives a Pass or Fail for each criterion. The Committee’s determinations will be used to identify Respondents eligible for inclusion in the prequalified contractor pool.

(a) Evaluation Process

The Committee will evaluate each submittal based on the established pass/fail evaluation criteria and will determine whether each Respondent is qualified or not qualified for inclusion in the prequalified contractor pool.

(b) Confidentiality of Evaluation Meetings

Under §286.0113, Fla. Stat., certain portions of meetings related to the solicitation process are exempt from public attendance. These include any part of a meeting where (1) a negotiation with a Respondent is conducted pursuant to a competitive solicitation; (2) a Respondent makes an oral presentation as part of a competitive solicitation;

(3) a Respondent answers questions as part of a competitive solicitation; or (4) negotiation strategies are discussed. Recordings and materials from exempt meetings are confidential and exempt from public disclosure under §119.07(1), Fla. Stat., and §24(a), Article I of the Florida Constitution until the District issues a notice of intended decision or until thirty (30) days after the submittal opening, whichever comes first. All exempt portions of meetings must be fully recorded. No portion of the exempt meeting may be held off the record.

(c) Rejection and Reissuance

Pursuant to §286.0113 Fla. Stat., if the District rejects all submittals and concurrently provides notice of its intent to reissue the competitive solicitation, the recording and any records presented at any exempt meeting shall remain exempt from §119.07(1) Fla. Stat., and §24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution (Public Records) until such time as the District provides notice of an intended decision concerning the reissued competitive solicitation or until the District withdraws the reissued competitive solicitation. A recording and any records presented at an exempt meeting are not exempt for longer than 12 months after the initial District notice rejecting all submittals.

(d) Approval of Qualified Respondents

Once the evaluation process is complete, the Committee’s list of Respondents that received a Pass for all criteria and are recommended for inclusion in the prequalified contractor pool will be presented for Governing Board approval, unless approval and execution authority has been delegated to the Executive Director or designee.

(e) Agreement Execution and Award

Following approval, the District may negotiate and execute Agreements with Respondents that received a Pass for all criteria and are approved for inclusion in the prequalified contractor pool (“Successful Respondents”).

Inclusion in the prequalified contractor pool does not guarantee the award of any Work Order or any minimum amount of work. Work Orders will be issued on an as-needed basis and competitively quoted among the prequalified contractors in accordance with the solicitation and resulting Agreement. The District may include in the Agreement any proposed alternatives determined to be in its best interest.

(f) Notice of Intent to Award

All Respondents will be notified of the District's intent to award or decision to award Agreements to Respondents approved for inclusion in the prequalified contractor pool. For the purpose of filing a protest under §120.57(3), Fla. Stat., the time period will commence as provided in the Section titled PROTEST PROCEDURES, herein.

(g) Reservation of Rights

If an approved Successful Respondent fails to enter into the Agreement, or if an Agreement with a Successful Respondent is terminated, the District reserves the right to proceed with the remaining approved Successful Respondents in the prequalified contractor pool or to take any other action determined to be in the District’s best interest, including rejection of all submittals or reissuance of the solicitation.

2.15 PROTEST PROCEDURES

Notices of Intended Decision will be posted for a minimum of 72 hours. The time period for filing a Notice of Protest pursuant to §120.57(3), Fla. Stat., and Rule 28-110.003, Fla. Admin. Code commences at the time notices are posted.

As a courtesy to Respondents, the District may send copies of the notices of intended agency decisions via email to Respondent. These courtesy communications neither constitute official notice nor vary the times of receipt set forth above.

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(a) Pursuant to §120.57(3), Fla. Stat., and Rule 28-110.003, Fla. Admin. Code, any person adversely affected by the terms, conditions, or specifications contained in a solicitation, including addenda, must file a Notice of Protest with the District Clerk within 72 hours after its posting.

(b) Pursuant to §120.57(3), Fla. Stat., and Rule 28-110.003, Fla. Admin. Code, any person adversely affected by a District decision or intended decision to award a contract, or to reject all submittals, proposals, or qualifications, must file a written Notice of Protest with the District Clerk within 72 hours after posting of the decision or intended decision.

(c) Pursuant to §120.57(3), Fla. Stat., and Rule 28-110.004, Fla. Admin. Code, a Formal Written Protest must be filed with the District Clerk within ten (10) days after the date the Notice of Protest is filed with the District. The Formal Written Protest must state with particularity the facts and law upon which the protest is based. Pursuant to §287.042(2)(c), Fla. Stat., any person who files an action protesting the decision or intended decision must post with the District Clerk at the time of filing the formal written protest a bond, cashier’s check, or money order made payable to the St. Johns River Water Management District in an amount equal to one percent (1%) of the District’s estimated Agreement amount.

(d) No additional time will be added for mailing. All filings must comply with Rule 28-106.104, Fla. Admin. Code, and must be addressed to and received by the District Clerk at the District Headquarters in Palatka, Florida within the prescribed time periods. The District will not accept any electronically transmitted facsimile pleadings, petitions, Notice of Protest or other documents.

(e) The District’s acceptance of pleadings, petitions, Notice of Protest, Formal Written Protest, or other documents filed by email is subject to certain conditions set forth in the District’s Statement of Agency Organization and Operation (issued pursuant to Rule 28-101.001, Fla. Admin. Code), which is available for viewing at sjrwmd.com.

These conditions include, but are not limited to, the document being in the form of a PDF or TIFF file and being capable of being stored and printed by the District.

(f) Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed in §120.57(3), Fla. Stat., or failure to post the bond or other security required by law within the time allowed for filing a bond will constitute a waiver of proceedings under chapter 120, Fla. Stat. Mediation under §120.573, Fla. Stat., is not available.

2.16 EXAMINATION OF CONTRACT DOCUMENTS

Respondent is solely responsible for being fully informed of the conditions under which the Work is to be performed in relation to existing conditions. Respondent is responsible for carefully examining the general area of the Work, the requirements of the drawings and other contract documents related to the Work, the time in which the Work must be completed, and any other details of the Work. Respondent must satisfy itself from its own personal knowledge and experience or professional advice as to the character of the Work, the conditions and materials to be encountered, the character, quality, and quantities of the Work, and any other conditions affecting the Work, including surrounding land.

Failure to satisfy the obligations of this Section will not relieve a Successful Respondent of its obligation to furnish all material, equipment, and labor necessary to perform the Agreement and to complete the Work for the consideration set forth in its submittal. Any such failure will not be sufficient cause to submit a claim for additional compensation.

No verbal agreement or conversation with any District officer, agent or employee, either before or after the execution of the Agreement or any Work Order, will affect or modify the terms of the Agreement, any Work Order, or any other Contract Document.

2.17 EXECUTION OF AGREEMENT

(a) By submitting a response to this solicitation, Respondent represents and warrants that its submittal is a firm offer.

Upon the District’s approval of Respondent for inclusion in the prequalified contractor pool and issuance of a notice of award or other written acceptance, the Successful Respondent is bound to the terms, pricing, and commitments set forth in its submittal, as accepted by the District, together with the District’s solicitation documents.

(b) Each Successful Respondent shall execute the District’s Agreement in the form provided, with any District-approved changes, and shall not condition, qualify, or withdraw its submittal, or refuse to sign the Agreement, after approval for inclusion in the prequalified contractor pool. Failure to timely execute the Agreement and proceed with performance as required may be deemed a breach and may result in rejection of the submittal, Rev. 4.26.26 42184RFQ26 | Page 14 of 41 cancellation of approval or award, and any other remedies available to the District under the solicitation, the Agreement, or applicable law.

(c) Unless all submittals are rejected, each Successful Respondent must execute and return the Agreement to the District within 10 business days of receipt along with each of the following:

(1) A completed Internal Revenue Service Form W-9.

(2) Satisfactory evidence of all required insurance coverage.

(3) Proof satisfactory to the District of the authority of the person or persons accepting the terms and conditions of this Solicitation on behalf of Respondent.

(4) All other information and documentation required by the Agreement.

(d) The District will not execute the Agreement until the above documents have been executed and delivered to the District. The Agreement will not be binding until executed by the District. A copy of the fully executed Agreement will be sent via e-mail to the Successful Respondent. The District reserves the right to cancel award of the Agreement without liability at any time before the Agreement has been fully executed by all parties and delivered to the Successful Respondent.

(e) Failure by a Successful Respondent to execute the Agreement or timely submit the required evidence of insurance coverage, or any other matter required by the Agreement, will be just cause, if the District elects, for that Respondent’s approval or award to be annulled. The District may proceed with the remaining approved Successful Respondents in the pre-qualified contractor pool or take any other action determined to be in the District’s best interest.

2.18 FLORIDA SALES TAX

The District is exempt from payment of State of Florida sales tax pursuant to §212.08(6), Fla. Stat. Any tangible personal property that is the subject of this solicitation is intended to remain tangible personal property and not become part of public work owned by the District.

2.19 PUBLIC ENTITY CRIMES/DISCRIMINATORY VENDORS

In accordance with §287.133 and §287.134, Fla. Stat., a person or affiliate who has been placed on the convicted vendor list following a conviction for a public entity crime or placed on the discriminatory vendor list may not submit a bid, proposal, or reply on an agreement to provide any goods or services to a public entity; may not submit a bid, proposal, or reply on an agreement with a public entity for the construction or repair of a public building or public work; may not submit bids, proposals, or replies 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 §287.017 for CATEGORY TWO ($35,000) for a period of 36 months following the date of being placed on the convicted or discriminatory vendor lists.

2.20 USE BY OTHER FLORIDA GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES This section does not apply to this solicitation.

2.21 PROHIBITION AGAINST CONSIDERING SOCIAL, POLITICAL, OR IDEOLOGICAL INTERESTS IN

GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING

Notice is hereby provided that pursuant to §287.05701, Fla. Stat., the District (1) will not request documentation of or consider a Respondent’s social, political, or ideological interests when determining if Respondent is a responsible Respondent and (2) may not give preference to a Respondent based on Respondent's social, political, or ideological interests.

2.22 AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA)

The District does not discriminate on the basis of disability in its services, programs, or activities. Special accommodations for disabilities may be requested through Breanna Pierce, Procurement Specialist, or by calling (800) 955-8771 (TTY), at least five (5) business days (Mon – Fri) before the date needed.

2.23 DEFINITIONS

The definitions of capitalized terms used in this solicitation that are not otherwise defined herein can be found in the draft Agreement below.

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42184RFQ26 MECHANICAL VEGETATION MANAGEMENT WITH OPERATOR

PART 3 – REQUIRED DOCUMENTS AND FORMS

The following forms must be included in Respondent’s submittal:

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42184RFQ26 MECHANICAL VEGETATION MANAGEMENT WITH OPERATOR

SIMILAR PROJECTS FORM

Respondent must have successfully completed at least three projects within the past three years, involving mechanical vegetation shredding, mulching, mowing, or similar land management services comparable in size and scope to the services described in this solicitation. No more than one of the similar projects can be from a project completed for the District.

Projects listed below must have an estimated project budget of at least $10,000 with a combined total of all three (3) similar completed projects being at least $35,000.

The District may contact the Project Owner or Administrator to verify the information provided below. Please ensure that all contact information is current and accurate. If the District is unable to reach the listed point of contact within two to three business days, the submittal may be deemed non-responsive.

The District reserves the right to determine whether or not a project shall be considered “similar.”

Project Owner/Administrator:

Point of Contact: E-Mail:

Phone: Project Start/Completion Dates:

Project Name:

Describe how this similar project applies to this solicitation:

Project Budget: $

Project Owner/Administrator:

Point of Contact: E-Mail:

Phone: Project Start/Completion Dates:

Project Name:

Describe how this similar project applies to this solicitation:

Project Owner/Administrator:

Point of Contact: E-Mail:

Phone: Project Start/Completion Dates:

Project Name:

Describe how this similar project applies to this solicitation:

This document must be completed and returned with your submittal

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CERTIFICATE AS TO RESPONDENT’S AUTHORITY TO DO BUSINESS IN FLORIDA

Respondent is incorporated/organized/formed under the laws of the State of ; is authorized by law to respond to this solicitation and perform all Work and furnish materials and equipment required under the Agreement and is authorized to do business in the State of Florida.

Entity name:

Address:

Registration No:

Registered Agent:

By:

(Official title)

(Affix corporate seal, if utilized by Respondent)

Attest:

(Secretary)

The full names and business or residence addresses of persons or contractors interested in the foregoing submittal as principals or officers of Respondent are as follows (specifically include the President, Secretary, and Treasurer and state the corporate office held of all other individuals listed):

Identify any parent,…