DMR NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD_3160008075 GBNERR MASTICATION PROJECT_FINAL.pdf

This is a Notice of Intent to Award issued by the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) through the Office of Statewide Strategic Sourcing (OSSS) for the GBNERR Mastication Project. The project involves vegetation management and habitat restoration services at the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Jackson County, Mississippi, specifically requiring selective mastication of approximately 480 acres of woody vegetation in wet pine savanna and wet pine flatwoods habitat and construction of approximately 8,900 linear feet of 30-foot-wide firelanes. Three bids were received by the July 8, 2026 bid opening at 2:00 p.m. CST. The contract term is one year from execution with an option to renew for one additional year under the same prices, terms, and conditions. The anticipated notice of intent to award date was July 15, 2026, with the actual notice issued on July 21, 2026. A voluntary site visit was scheduled for June 17, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. at GBNERR, 6005 Bayou Heron Road, Moss Point, Mississippi.

MDMR announced its intent to award the contract to HFM LLC at $777.00 per acre, the lowest responsive and responsible bid among those submitted. ECO-Restore, LLC submitted a bid of $3,500.00 per acre, while J Hunt Enterprises General Contractors, LLC submitted a non-responsive bid of $900.00 per acre and was rejected. Contractor qualifications required current insurance with minimum general liability of $1,000,000 aggregate and $500,000 per occurrence, access to low ground pressure heavy equipment and power tools, and at least one completed project within the past five years in forestry mulching, mastication, selective thinning, habitat restoration, land clearing, firelane construction, or similar vegetation management. Payment is due within 45 days of receipt of an approved invoice upon satisfactory completion of services. Any vendor may submit a written request to reconsider the award decision within three business days following issuance of this notice in accordance with OPSCR Rule 5.6.3.