FWC 25.26-107 Final.pdf

FFLORIDAA FISHH ANDD WILDLIFEE CONSERVATIONN COMMISSIONN

18755 ORANGEE AVEE EE

TALLAHASSEE,, FLL 32311-61600

(850)) 488-65511

CHASSAHOWITZKAA WMAA BOUNDARYY MULCHING

FWC 25/26-107

INVITATION TO BID

IITB BIDDER ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM

Purpose: The intent of this bid is to obtain competitive pricing for selective forestry mulching of 779.59 acres of moderate to dense vegetation within the Chassahowitzka Wildlife Management Area in Hernando County, FL., per the specifications contained herein. Only responsive and responsible Contractors will be considered for award of this Invitation to Bid (ITB).

Responsive: To be responsive, a bid must constitute a definite, firm, unqualified and unconditional offer to meet all of the material terms of this ITB. Material terms are those that could affect the price, quantity, quality, or delivery. Also included as material terms are those which are clearly identified in this ITB and which, for reasons of policy, must be complied with at risk of bid rejection for non-responsiveness.

Non-Responsive: Any submission that does not comply with this ITB in any way, does not contain all the properly signed forms, supplements or deviates from the Bid requirements or has an incomplete Price Sheet may be considered nonresponsive at the discretion of the Procurement Manager.

Responsible Vendors: The Commission shall only consider responsible vendors. Responsible vendors are those that have, in the sole judgment of the Commission, the financial ability, experience, resources, skills, capability, reliability and business integrity necessary to perform the requirements of the contract. The Commission may also consider references and quality to determine the responsibility of the bid. The Commission reserves the right to use any information, whether supplied through the Bidder’s submission or otherwise obtained, in determining responsibility.

Sealed Bid: In response to an Invitation to Bid (ITB), a sealed bid is the final submission of a bid from a vendor prior to the bid deadline, after which no further submissions will be considered.

Rejection of Bids: The Commission reserves the right to reject any and all bids and to waive any minor irregularity in the submissions received in response to this ITB. The Commission reserves the right to consider all information, whether submitted or otherwise, to determine responsiveness and responsibility and to reject bids accordingly.

Name of Business: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Contact Person Name: _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Business Address: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

City: ____________________________ State: _____________________________ Zip code: ______________________________________

Phone: ___________________________ Fax: _______________________________ Email: ______________________________________

Federal Employer Identification Number: ____________________

The undersigned attest to the following:

“We understand all of the terms, conditions and the specifications contained herein and agree to abide by all of the terms, conditions and the specifications in their entirety. We have examined the site in reference to the specifications contained within this ITB and have familiarized ourselves with the entire site and have examined carefully the extent of the work that is needed.”

Authorized Signature (Manual): ________________________________________________________________________________________

Authorized Signature Name (Typed) and Title: __________________________________________________________________________

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

FWC 25/26-107

SCHEDULE DUE DATE METHOD

Bid Advertised July 31, 2026 Posted on the VVendor Information Portal

(VIP)

MANDATORY Pre-Bid / Site Visit Conference

August 13, 2026

@ 10:00 AM ET

See Pre--Bid Conference Clause 17260 Necklace Warbler Ave. Brooksville, FL 34613 / longitude and latitude 28.6746464, - 82.5497098

Deadline for Questions

Must be received PRIOR to:

August 20, 2026

@ 55:00 PM EET

See Solicitation Questions Clause

Anticipated date for Responses tto Written Questions August 26, 2026 Posted on the Vendor Information Portal

SEALED BIDS DUE

(REMEMBER: The bid number should be clearly marked on envelope)

Must be received PRIOR tto:

September 4, 2026

@ 2:00 PM ET

Mailing Address:

Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission Attn: Purchasing 1875 Orange Ave E Tallahassee, Florida 32311-6160 Submissions are due BEFORE the date and ttime of the public opening.

Public Bid Opening September 4, 2026

@ 2:00 PM ET

Public Opening Options for Attendance:

-In Person- 1875 Orange Ave E Tallahassee, FL 32311-6160

--Teleconference- Conference call phone number:

1.850-270-2928 Conference room number: 751 877 448#

Anticipated Date of Intended AAward September 9, 2026 Posted on the Vendor Information Portal

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GENERAL CONDITIONS

FWC 25/26-107

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC or Commission) mission is to manage fish and wildlife resources for their long-term well-being and the benefit of people. The Commission administers six (6) major programs including habitat and species conservation, freshwater fisheries management, law enforcement, marine fisheries management, hunting and game management and fish and wildlife research.

A Bidder submitting a bid shall be registered in the MyFloridaMarketPlace (MFMP) system and where required, the Sunbiz system prior to the bid opening. Business entities which must be on file with Sunbiz include the following foreign and domestic entities: Corporations for and not for profit, Limited Liability Companies (LLC), Limited Partnerships (LP) including Limited Liability Limited Partnerships (LLLP), and organizations doing business under a fictitious name (DBA). A Bidder may not be considered for an award, if not registered in the MFMP and Sunbiz system. The Bidder’s registration address and federal employer identification (FEID) number should match the Bidder’s address and FEID number listed on the Bidder Acknowledgment form (Page 2).

Certified Minority-owned, Woman-owned and Service-Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises, as certified by the State of Florida Office of Supplier Development, are encouraged by the Commission to participate in the bidding process.

Bids from Bidders shall include all necessary equipment to complete the job. The bidder is required to supply all specified documentation when submitting a bid for this project.

Please note:

The terms “Contract,” “Agreement” and “Purchase Order” are used interchangeably in the document.

The terms “Commodities” and “Goods” are used interchangeably in the document.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

PUR 1000 and PUR1001 are hereby incorporated by reference. PUR1000 and PUR1001 can be found at the Department of Management Services website at the following link:

https://www.dms.myflorida.com/business_operations/state_purchasing/state_agency_resources/state_purc hasing_pur_forms

The following terms and conditions take precedence over the PUR1001 and PUR1000 forms where applicable. The Commission objects to and shall not consider any additional terms or conditions submitted by a Bidder or Contractor, including any appearing in documents attached as part of a Bidder’s response.

In signing and submitting its bid, a Bidder agrees that any additional terms or conditions, whether submitted intentionally or inadvertently, shall have no force or effect. Failure to comply with terms and conditions, including those specifying information that must be submitted with a bid, shall be grounds for rejecting a bid.

The terms and conditions of Attachment A, Purchase Order Terms and Conditions, are hereby incorporated into this solicitation. Any contract resulting from this solicitation will include the terms and conditions of this solicitation and the terms and conditions contained in Attachment A.

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PROCUREMENT MANAGER

Martin Ehlen martin.ehlen@myfwc.com

ESTIMATED BUDGET

The Commission has an estimated total budget for this project of $$225,000.00.

TERM

The contract will be effective one (1) year upon issuance of Purchase Order.

If circumstances constituting Force Majeure have occurred, or if anything occurs beyond the Contractor’s control, the Contractor shall submit an extension request in writing. The Project Manager and Contract Manager will review the extension request and if they determine it is justified, will forward to the Bid Request Inbox (bidrequest@myfwc.com) for procurement review and approval/disapproval.

RENEWAL

The Commission has the option to renew this Contract on a yearly basis for a period up to two (2) years after the initial Contract period upon the same terms and conditions contained herein. Pursuant to Sections 287.057(1)(a)2., and 287.057(1)(a)3., Florida Statutes (F.S.), each Bidder shall supply a price for each year that a contract may be renewed. Evaluation of bids shall include consideration of the total cost of the contract, including the total cost for each renewal year, as submitted by the Bidder.

Exercise of the renewal option is at the Commission’s sole discretion and shall be conditioned, at a minimum, on the Contractor’s satisfactory performance of this Contract and is subject to the availability of funds. The Contractor if it desires to exercise this renewal option will provide written notice to the Commission no later than thirty (30) days prior to the Contract expiration date. The renewal term shall require written approval from the Commission’s Procurement Manager.

SUBCONTRACTS

Subcontracting IIS NOT permitted pursuant to the Terms and Conditions of the Purchase Order.

Subcontractor Minority Status Report (Attachment C) shall be submitted with each invoice for payment.

DIVERSITY

The Commission is committed to supporting Florida’s diverse business industry and population through ensuring participation by minority, women, and veteran-owned business enterprises in the economic life of the state. The State of Florida Mentor Protégé Program connects minority, women, and veteran-owned business enterprises with private corporations for business development mentoring. We strongly encourage contractors doing business with the State of Florida to consider this initiative. For more information on the Mentor Protégé Program, please contact the Office of Supplier Development at (850) 487-0915 or osdinfo@dms.myflorida.com.

FWC encourages diversity in its procurement program and requests that all subcontracting opportunities afforded by this solicitation enthusiastically embrace diversity. The award of subcontracts should reflect the vast array of citizens in the State of Florida. Bidders can visit the Office of Supplier Development website for information on certified business enterprises that may be considered for subcontracting opportunities. However, pursuant to Section 287.05701 F.S., the Commission may not request documentation of or consider a vendor’s social, political, or ideological interests when determining if the

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 02.11.2026 FWC 25/26-107, Page 66 of 771 vendor is a responsible vendor, nor give preference to a vendor based on the vendor’s social, political, or ideological interests.

MANDATORY PRE-BID CONFERENCE / SITE VISIT MEETING

A mandatory pre-bid conference/Site Visit Meeting will be held at 117260 Necklace Warbler Ave. Brooksville, FL 34613 /longitude and latitude 28.6746464, -82.5497098 on the date and time specified in the CCalendar of Events (Page 3). The purpose of the pre-bid conference/Site Visit Meeting is to discuss the contents of this ITB and to accept verbal questions from Bidders concerning the project. VVendors must attend this pre-bid conference site meeting as a requirement of bid responsiveness. Failure to attend the entire conference meeting, from the time it is called to order to the time it is adjourned, shall disqualify a potential respondent. The Commission will make a reasonable effort to answer verbal questions asked at the pre-bid conference/Site Visit, however, Bidders should clearly understand that verbal discussions held at the pre-bid conference/Site Visit shall not be binding on the Commission, and the Commission will only issue an official written response to verbal questions subsequently submitted in writing in accordance with the Deadline for Questions clause below.

VERBAL INSTRUCTION PROCEDURE

Bidders may not consider any verbal instructions as binding upon the Commission. No negotiations, discussions, or actions shall be initiated or executed by the Bidder as a result of any discussion with any Commission employee. Only those communications from the Commission that are in writing, may be considered as a duly authorized expression on behalf of the Commission.

SOLICITATION QUESTIONS

Any questions from Bidders that require an official FWC answer concerning this project shall be submitted in writing to the Procurement Manager. This includes specification inquiries, such as questions or requests for additional or altered terms and conditions. Questions to the Procurement Manager shall not constitute formal protest of the specifications or of the solicitation. Questions must be received no later than the date and time specified in the CCalendar of Events (Page 3). Questions may be sent via email with the solicitation number in the subject line. It is the responsibility of the bidder to confirm receipt of questions if needed.

If questions are received, an addendum will be issued and shall be posted on the Vendor Information Portal (https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com).

LIMITATION ON BIDDER CONTACT DURING SOLICITATION PERIOD

Bidders to this solicitation or persons acting on their behalf may not contact, between the release of the solicitation and the end of the 72-hour period following the Commission posting the notice of intended award, (i.e., the 72-hour posting period excludes Saturdays, Sundays, and state holidays) any employee or officer of the executive or legislative branch concerning any aspect of this solicitation, except in writing to the Procurement Manager or as provided in the solicitation documents. Violation of this provision may be grounds for rejecting a response.

BIDDER SPECIFICATION CHALLENGE

Any protest concerning the specifications of this solicitation shall be made in accordance with PUR1001, paragraph 20, “Protests”. A notice of protest of the solicitation documents shall be made within seventy-two hours after the posting of the solicitation. Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed in Section 120.57(3)(b), F.S., shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120, F.S.

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ADDENDUMS

If the Commission finds it necessary to supplement, modify or interpret any portion of the specifications or documents or answer any Bidder questions during the ITB period an addendum shall be posted on the Vendor Information Portal internet site. EEach Bidder is responsible for monitoring the Vendor Information Portal website (https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com) for new or changing information relative to this procurement. The Commission bears no responsibility for any delays, or resulting impacts, associated with a Bidder’s failure to obtain the information made available through the Vendor Information Portal.

BIDDER ACKNOWLEDGMENT

In order for this bid to be valid, the bid must be completed in its entirety, signed by the Bidder and returned, as part of the bid or the bid will be rejected. By affixing your signature to the IITB Bidder Acknowledgement Form (page 2), the Bidder hereby states that the Bidder has read all bid specifications and conditions and agrees to all terms, conditions, provisions, specifications, and is currently licensed to do business within the State of Florida, if required by State or Federal Law, for the services or commodities the Bidder will provide the Commission under these bid specifications.

MANDATORY RESPONSIVE REQUIREMENTS

The Commission will not review Bids from Bidders who do not meet the mandatory responsive requirements listed in Attachment B, Mandatory Responsive Requirements. Note: The Commission will perform an initial responsiveness check. Bids found to be non-responsive will not be considered for award.

The Commission reserves the right to act upon information discovered during and after the initial responsiveness check impacting the responsibility or responsiveness of the Bid or Bidders.

REFERENCES

Each prospective Bidder shall provide a minimum of three (3) references for similar projects completed.

Current contact names and phone numbers shall be included with the bid package. See the attached references form for reference requirements.

EQUAL BIDS

In the event that there is no multiple award contemplated in the ITB, and the Commission receives equal bids eligible for award, the Commission will comply with the following, as applicable: sections 287.057(12), 287.082, 287.087,287.092, 295.187(4)(a), and 295.187(4)(b), F.S. In order to clarify the Bidders’ status with regard to the applicable statutory preference requirements, the Commission may request information from Bidders with equal bids. A Bidder will not be permitted to amend or supplement its Bid in response to such request for clarification. If the tie has not been broken by application of the aforementioned statutes, the Commission will proceed with a random selection to decide the award.

SUPPORTING/SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

The Commission requires that bidders submit all required technical, specification, and other supporting information with their bid, so that a detailed analysis and determination can be made, by the Contract Manager that the product/service offered meets this ITB’s specifications and that other requirements of this ITB have been met. However, provided a bid meets the requirements for a definite, firm, unqualified, and unconditional offer, the Commission reserves the right to request supplemental information from the bidder after the bids have been opened to ensure that the products/services offered completely meet this ITB’s requirements. The requirement for such supplemental information will be at the reasonable discretion of the Commission and may include the requirement that a bidder will provide a sample product(s) so that the Commission can make a first-hand examination and determination.

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A bidder's failure to provide this supplemental information or the product sample(s), within the time set by the Commission, will cause the Commission to consider the Contractor non-responsive and reject the Contractor’s bid.

CONFIDENTIALITY/PUBLIC RECORDS LAW

Bidders are cautioned that Florida law generously defines what constitutes a public record and grants broad rights of public access to those records; see, for example, section 119.07, F.S. If a Bidder believes that its response contains information that is confidential or exempt from disclosure under Florida Law, the Bidder shall clearly segregate and mark that information (for example, stamp each page "Confidential" and place it in an envelope marked "Confidential") and briefly describe in writing the grounds and specific legal citations for claiming exemption from the public records law. If after the notice of intended decision or thirty

(30) days after bid opening, whichever is earlier, the Commission receives a public record request related to the solicitation, the Commission will provide copies of public records that are not exempt to the requester.

The Commission will endeavor to provide notice to the Bidder of all public records requests received related to documents provided by the Bidder that were marked pursuant to this paragraph. In no event shall the Bidder hold the Commission or any of its employees or agents liable for disclosing, or otherwise failing to protect the confidentiality of, information submitted in response to this solicitation.

MAILING INSTRUCTIONS

All bids shall be submitted in a SSEALED ENVELOPE addressed to:

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Attn: Purchasing

1875 Orange Ave E Tallahassee, Florida 32311-6160.

The envelope shall be plainly marked on the outside with: BID NUMBER, DATE AND TIME OF THE BID

OPENING.

THE COMMISSION IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OPENING OF ANY ENVELOPES THAT ARE NOT PROPERLY

MARKED.

PLEASE NOTE: The Commission’s official business hours of operation are 8:00 AM–5:00 PM ET, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays and state holidays. Selecting delivery services, such as next day first delivery, may result in attempted delivery prior to opening or closing, and the Commission will not be available to accept those deliveries. TTHE COMMISSION IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR LATE SUBMISSIONS DUE TO COMPLICATIONS RELATED TO SELECTED DELIVERY SERVICES. DDIGITAL SUBMISSIONS SHALL BE DEEMED NON-RESPONSIVE

AND SHALL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

SOLICITATION PUBLIC OPENING

The public opening of this bid will be conducted at the date, time and method specified on the CCalendar of Events (Page 3). BBIDS RECEIVED AFTER THE SPECIFIED DATE AND TIME WILL BE REJECTED.

Any person with a qualified disability shall not be denied equal access and effective communication regarding any bid/proposal documents or the attendance at any related meeting or bid/proposal opening. If accommodations are needed because of a disability, please contact the Purchasing Section at (850) 488-6551 at least three (3) workdays prior to the opening.

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AWARDED BID/INSPECTION

The Commission will award the bid to the responsive, responsible bidder who submits the lowest bid price.

If deemed necessary, an interview with the bidder by the Contract Manager may be required before the bid is awarded.

The Commission reserves the right to inspect the prospective Contractor’s materials and background record prior to making an award of the Contract. If the Contract Manager determines the lowest bidder does not have sufficient experience, equipment, etc. to meet the specifications of this ITB, the Commission reserves the right to reject the bidder and evaluate the next lowest bidder.

AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT (ARPA) OF 2021

Prior to being issued a Purchase Order, a low Bidder shall be required to satisfy the qualification requirements established in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA). Failure to strictly meet and follow all such requirements may result in disqualification for award.

The requirements for contracts using federal funds consists of two parts:

1. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), which is obtained on sam.gov by providing a legal business name and physical address.

2. Financial Information, which may be entered on sam.gov through the registration process or provided to the Commission on the ARPA Financial Information Form as described below.

A low responsive Bidder shall provide to the Commission the following:

1. Within two (2) days after email notification from Commission’s Procurement Manager, the perceived low Bidder shall provide evidence of Bidder’s registration for a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) on sam.gov. Evidence may be provided via email in the form of a screenshot upon receipt of UEI during registration process, screenshot of Bidder’s file on the sam.gov system that displays UEI, or screenshot of Bidder’s completed registration file on the sam.gov system including all required financial information requested in the sam.gov registration process.

The Commission shall have two (2) days after receipt of ARPA documents described above to determine whether the Bidder is qualified for the contract award or if they need to fill out the ARPA Financial Information Form.

2. If the perceived low Bidder has received their UEI but did not complete the full financial registration on sam.gov after receiving the UEI, the Commission’s Procurement Manager shall provide the Bidder with the ARPA Financial Information Form. The Bidder shall complete the Form and return it to the Commission’s Procurement Manager within five (5) days after receipt via email.

The Commission shall have two (2) days after receipt after receipt of the ARPA Financial Information Form to determine whether the Bidder is qualified for the intended award.

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POSTING OF BID TABS

Bid Tabulations with Contractors identified as awarded bidders will be posted electronically as Agency Decisions on the Department of Management Services Vendor Information Portal as a Public Notice. The Agency Decision may be viewed at https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com, and will remain posted for a period of 72 hours. Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed in Section 120.57(3)(b), F.S., shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120, F.S.

Awarded Bidders are instructed not to proceed until a Purchase Order, Formal Written Contract, Lease, Notice to Proceed, or some other form of written notice is given to the Contractor by the Commission. A company or person who proceeds prior to receiving a Purchase Order, Formal Written Contract, Lease, Notice to Proceed, or some other form of written notice from the Commission does so without a contract and at their own risk.

Sealed bids, proposals, or replies received by an agency pursuant to a competitive solicitation are exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution until such time as the agency provides notice of an intended decision or until thirty (30) days after opening the bids, proposals, or final replies, whichever is earlier.

SCOPE CHANGES AFTER CONTRACT EXECUTION

The Commission shall provide written notice to the successful bidder thirty (30) days in advance of any Commission required changes to the technical specifications and/or scope of service that affect the successful bidder’s ability to provide the service as specified herein. Any changes that are other than purely administrative changes will require a change order.

FWC CONTRACT MANAGER

The FWC employee identified as the Contract Manager shall perform the following on behalf of the FWC:

review, verify, and approve receipt of services/deliverables from the Contractor;

submit requests for change orders/amendments/renewals, if applicable;

review, verify, and approve invoices from the Contractor; and, if applicable, complete the

Certificate of Contract Completion form; and maintain an official record of all correspondence between the Commission and the Contractor and forward the original correspondence to the Procurement Manager for the official file.

DELIVERABLES

The following services or service tasks are identified as deliverables for the purposes of the subsequent Contract:

a. Performance of all services set forth in the Scope of Work.

b. Submission of all invoicing, supporting documentation, Corrective Action Plans and reports.

NOTICE TO PROCEED

The awarded Bidder shall not initiate work under this contract until the required Insurance documentation has been received by the Commission. The Contractor may begin work once it has received an official written NNotice to Proceed (AAttachment D) from the Contract Manager.

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CERTIFICATE OF CONTRACT COMPLETION

The Contract Manager shall conduct a final inspection of the work to determine if completion has occurred.

Upon satisfactory completion of the work, the Contractor shall send the Contract Manager a notarized Certificate of Contract Completion (Attachment E) and the contract shall be deemed completed upon the issuance date of such Certificate.

LIQUIDATED DAMAGES

If the Contractor fails to complete the work or the conditions of the Purchase Order and/or Change Orders by the completion date, the Commission shall have the right to deduct liquidated damages from any amount due and payable to the Contractor. Liquidated damages shall be assessed in the amount of $$200.00 per calendar day of delay. Exceptions to this provision may be made if a delay is attributable to circumstances that are clearly beyond the control of the Contractor. The burden of proof of unavoidable delay shall rest with the Contractor and shall be supplied in a written form and submitted to the Contract Manager.

PERMITTING

Permitting for this project, if needed, is the responsibility of the Commission. A copy of all permits shall be posted at the work site location at all times during the project. The Contractor is responsible for complying with all permit conditions and the Contractor shall pay any penalties arising from the Contractor’s permit violations.

WARRANTIES/DAMAGED ITEMS/DELIVERY

The Contractor shall assume full responsibility for providing or ensuring warranty coverage and/or warranty service on any and all items including goods, materials, or equipment provided to the Commission.

If Contractor is not the Manufacturer, all Manufacturer warranties must be passed through to the Commission.

Delivery shall be made no later than the specified Delivery Date. The Contractor shall pay all costs associated with delivery and shall assume full responsibility for all item(s) damaged prior to the F.O.B.

destination delivery and agree to hold harmless the Commission of all responsibility for prosecuting damage claims.

The Contractor shall assume full responsibility for replacement of all defective or damaged goods within thirty (30) days of notice by the Commission of such defect or damage.

MATERIAL AND EQUIPMENT ON COMMISSION PROPERTY

If the Commission allows the Contractor to have project materials or equipment delivered to and/or stored upon the Commission-managed or owned property before, during, or after the term of the project, the Contractor will be fully and solely responsible for all expenses and liability incurred as a result of the delivery or storage. Should the Commission, in its sole discretion, determine that any project materials or equipment stored on its property must be moved in response to an emergency, the Contractor shall hold harmless, indemnify, defend, and may be responsible for costs of any reasonably necessary actions taken by the Commission.

AUTHORIZED COMPENSATION

It is understood and agreed that all compensation under this ITB is specifically limited to the Contractor’s bid price accepted by the Commission, and to the specific procedure for payment established in this ITB and the Purchase Order executed pursuant to it. The Commission is not liable for any costs, fees, expenses or any other compensation whatsoever incurred or charged by the Contractor, other than the bid price paid

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 02.11.2026 FWC 25/26-107, Page 112 of 771 for the work specifically described in the Scope of Work, which work is actually accomplished and invoiced by the Contractor subsequent to the Commission’s notice to proceed (or other notice to begin work). Thus, the Commission is not liable for any costs incurred or charged by the Contractor in anticipation of responding to, or performing work described in, this ITB including, but not limited to, equipment or personnel procured by the Contractor in anticipation of such work. The Commission is not responsible to the Contractor for any loss or damages resulting from circumstances unforeseen at the time of publication of this ITB including, but not limited to, those resulting from a “force majeure”.

ADDITIONAL LEGAL REQUIREMENT

All corporations seeking to do business with the State shall, at the time of submitting a bid, be on file with the Department of State in accordance with provisions of Chapter 607, F.S.; similarly, partnerships seeking to do business with the State shall, at the time of submitting such bid, have complied with the applicable provisions of Chapter 620, F.S. For further information on required filing and forms, please go to the following sites: http://sunbiz.org or http://dos.myflorida.com.

USE OF CONTRACT BY OTHER STATE AGENCIES AND ELIGIBLE USERS

As provided in Chapter 60A-1.045, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.), and Section 287.042(16), F.S., other State of Florida agencies may purchase from the resulting contract of this ITB, provided that the Department of Management Services has determined the contract’s use is cost effective and in the best interest of the State, and with the Contractor’s consent.

Other State of Florida governmental entities and eligible users may also request of the Contractor to be able to use this contract. If the Contractor agrees to other entities to utilize this ITB contract, such agencies shall coordinate their use of this contract with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in order to reduce scheduling conflicts.

CONDITIONS AND SPECIFICATIONS

The bidder is required to examine carefully the conditions and specifications of this bid and to be thoroughly informed regarding any and all requirements of the conditions and specifications.

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SCOPE OF WORK

FWC 25/26-107

CHASSAHOWITZKA WMA BOUNDARY MULCHING

1. PURPOSE

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) seeks to obtain competitive pricing for selective forestry mulching of 779.59 acres (Figures 2 – 6) of moderate to dense vegetation per the specifications contained herein. The project sites are in natural areas composed largely of sandhill and mesic flatwoods. This project is intended to improve habitat by reducing vegetation height and density which will ultimately allow for better application of prescribed burning at Chassahowitzka Wildlife Management Area. This is a multi-year project with the goal of 260 acres mulched per year over the course of three years. Final acreage and locations of forestry mulching will be determined based on funding availability and hydrological conditions.

2. PROJECT AREA

The Chassahowitzka Wildlife Management Area (CWMA) main entrance is located in Hernando County, FL approximately 0.2 miles north of the US 19 and Centralia Rd. intersection. However, other entrances may be used depending on project locations. (See Figure 1 for general location)

Project Access Point(s):

2.1. The main entrance is located at 13243 Commercial Way, Weeki Wachee, FL 34614.

2.2. 28.6795, -82.5661 – North entrance (Retriever Rd.)

2.3. 28.6580, -82.5526 – Hernando Sportsman Club entrance

2.4. 28.59191, -82.55669 – Atlanta Rd. entrance

2.5. 28.5381, -82.5989 – CR 550 entrance

2.6. 28.6653, -82.5163 – Annutteliga Hammock (powerline entrance)

2.7. 28.6856, -82.5011 – Annutteliga Hammock (northeast entrance)

2.8. 28.5297, -82.5687 – Church Parcel (US19 entrance)

2.9. 28.5328, -82.5742 – Church Parcel (Allen/Lingrove entrance)

3. SITE VISIT

A site visit is required to submit a bid. Submission of a bid acknowledges that the vendor has examined the site(s) associated with the specifications contained herein and have familiarized themselves with the site(s), site conditions, and have carefully examined the extent of the work needed.

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4. START/COMPLETION DATE

4.1. Work will not begin until the issuance of a Purchase Order and notice to proceed by Contract Manager.

4.2. Work on this project must be completed by June 1, 2027.

5. FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES

Should Contractor fail to produce each deliverable within the time frame specified by the Scope of Work, the budget amount allocated for that deliverable will be reduced by ten percent (10%) from Contractor’s payment, per Agency Terms and Conditions.

6. QUOTE AND AWARD

The Contractor meeting specifications as described herein and submitting the lowest total estimated project cost will be awarded the project and shall provide all labor, materials, equipment, supplies, vehicles, and such miscellaneous items as necessary for the awarded project. FWC reserves the right to increase or decrease funding for the project during the fiscal year and will consult with the Contractor if this occurs.

7. GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS

7.1. Unless waived by FWC, all unsatisfactory work in each area must meet minimum quote specifications prior to the continuation of work in another area.

7.2. Every effort shall be made by the Contractor to avoid damage to threatened and endangered plants and wildlife. Contractor shall be liable for unacceptable non-target damage to native plant species.

Ground disturbance shall be minimized to the greatest extent possible.

7.3. Security of equipment and materials is the responsibility of the Contractor.

7.4. The Contractor is required to be familiar and comply with all state and local laws, ordinances, rules, and regulations that in any manner affect the work.

7.5. The Contractor shall not conduct any work with heavy equipment within 25 feet of gopher tortoise burrows. Known burrows will be flagged by FWC staff prior to initiation of the project. Additionally, the contractor shall not harm any other wildlife on the area with a vehicle or otherwise.

7.6. For the purpose of controlled burning and other FWC operations, the Contractor may be required with short notice (48 hours) to stop work at a particular project area within the WMA and relocate to another project area.

7.7. FWC reserves the right to stop or delay work if site conditions (rainfall, etc.) necessitate. FWC shall have sole discretion in this determination.

7.8. Once the project is initiated, it must continue to completion in a systematic and contiguous manner, unless unavoidable delays (as determined by FWC) are encountered.

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7.9. Contractor must have the capability to provide replacement equipment within 7 days in the event of equipment breakdowns.

7.10. The equipment operator shall be capable of utilizing a contractor’s GPS unit or GPS application to ensure the correct areas are treated and to record the treated area.

7.11. It shall be the responsibility of the Contractor to remove all trash and litter associated with this project from the job site prior to vacating each site.

7.12. Ingress and egress by the Contractor shall be for the sole purpose of furnishing services expressly described in the specifications. It shall be the responsibility of the Contractor to keep gates closed and locked while conducting work and after leaving the project site(s). All WMA rules and regulations must be followed.

7.13. Equipment shall be cleaned of all vegetative debris before entering any WMA to reduce the spread of exotic vegetation. FWC reserves the right to inspect equipment prior to its use on any WMA/WEA.

7.14. It shall be the responsibility of the Contractor to exercise caution in the vicinity of any utility. FWC shall not be responsible for any damage done to any utility by the Contractor.

7.15. The subcontracting of this project shall not be permitted.

7.16. A pre-work on-site planning meeting between Contract Manager and the Contractor is required. A 4X4 vehicle will be required.

7.17. The Contractor shall notify the FWC Contract Manager at least two days prior to entering the project area. Project shall begin upon notice to proceed by Contract Manager.

7.18. Prior to the commencement of work, the Contractor shall provide written verification of the existence and amount for each type of applicable insurance coverage, as described in the FWC Purchase Order Terms and Conditions (e.g., commercial general liability, workers’ compensation, etc.), or as otherwise stated in the Contract, if appropriate.

7.19. The project amount may be increased or decreased by FWC to take advantage of additional funding or to stay within budget constraints. If only a portion of the project can be completed due to cost or other constraints, FWC shall have sole discretion in designating the specific portion of the project area to be completed.

7.20. Partial payments will be processed for completed work approved by the FWC Contract Manager upon request by the Contractor.

8. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF WORK

8.1. The Contractor shall provide all labor, materials, equipment, supplies, vehicles, and such miscellaneous items as necessary to complete all forestry mulching operations in accordance with the specifications contained herein.

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8.2. Treatment will occur within the areas mapped in Figure 1. Treatment will generally consist of 1100’ buffer along property boundaries and a 50’ buffer along each side of internal fire break edges. The acreage and treatment areas are subject to change due to area conditions, budget, and pricing.

8.3. The Contractor will forestry mulch vegetation less than or equal to 6” diameter to a height of 4” or lower to the ground, within 12” of canopy trees, and must shred/mulch all treated vegetation. The Contractor should make every effort to create as little ground disturbance as possible within the treatment areas throughout the duration of the project.

8.4. The intent of this project is upland restoration and NOT land clearing. It is therefore required that members of work crews are familiar with common native plants in Florida and can effectively communicate with and take instruction from the FWC Project Manager or designee. Any mulching activities should remain 15 feet away from the edge of any wetland or pond. Small (DBH <6”) Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) and Slash pine (Pinus elliottii) will be treated at the discretion of the project manager. It is the responsibility of the contractor to be able to correctly identify these species.

8.5. The Project Manager or designee will meet periodically throughout the duration of the project to discuss any necessary adjustments the Contractor may need to make on an as needed basis.

8.6. The Contractor will operate on an acreage basis. The Contractor will be provided a georeferenced PDF map of the project area(s). The Contractor will need to have an operator that has the ability to use a GPS program/application (ex: Avenza) capable of viewing georeferenced maps.

8.7. Project work cannot occur during the quota hunt periods for Archery, Muzzleloader, General Gun, Wild Hog-Dog, and Spring Turkey. The 26/27 FY hunt quota period dates are September 19-27, October 24-26, November 7-15, January 15-17, 22-24, March 12-15, 26-28, and April 9-11, 23-25.

8.8. **Quota hunt periods will shift in subsequent years; contractors will be notified**

9. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Equipment used in the performance of the work shall be of the proper type and size and in such mechanical condition as to accomplish the required forestry mulching in accordance with the standards set forth herein.

9.1. Work shall be completed using a minimum 170 horsepower rubber-tired mulcher, provided by the Contractor. Each piece of equipment performing forestry mulching must be approved by the Project Manager.

9.2. Equipment used for forestry mulching must carry one 10 lb. or two 5 lb. fire extinguishers on board.

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Figure 1: Location of roads, access gates, and fire breaks for boundary mulching project Chassahowitzka WMA, Hernando County.

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Figure 2: Location of proposed northern project area for boundary mulching project Chassahowitzka

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Figure 3: Location of proposed central project area for boundary mulching project Chassahowitzka WMA, Hernando County.

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Figure 4: Location of proposed southern project area for boundary mulching project Chassahowitzka

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Figure 5: Location of proposed church parcel project area for boundary mulching project Chassahowitzka

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Figure 6: Location of proposed Annutteliga Hammock project area for boundary mulching project Chassahowitzka WMA, Hernando County.

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PRICE SHEET

CONTRACTOR SHALL NOT ALTER THE PRICE SHEET IN ANY WAY.

Price quoted shall not contain any Federal or State sales or use taxes. The bidder recognizes that the State of Florida, by virtue of its sovereignty, is not required to pay taxes on services, goods and/or equipment purchased incident to such service. Quoted price shall include all necessary items to complete the project.

ALL ITEMS SHALL BE BID OR THE BID WILL BE REJECTED. THE BID WILL BE AWARDED TO

THE RESPONSIVE, RESPONSIBLE BIDDER THAT SUBMITS THE LOWEST TOTAL PRICE.

PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 287.057(1)(a)1. AND 287.057(1)(a)2., F.S., EACH CONTRACTOR SHALL

SUPPLY A PRICE FOR EACH YEAR THAT A CONTRACT MAY BE RENEWED (SEE RENEWAL

CLAUSE).

INITIAL TERM BID PRICE PER ACRE: $ ________________________

RENEWAL YEAR 1 PRICE PER ACRE: $ _________________________

RENEWAL YEAR 2 PRICE PER ACRE: $ _________________________

TOTAL BID PRICE (Initial Term + Renewal Year 1 & 2 : $ __________

BY SIGNING BELOW, I ATTEST THAT I HAVE READ THE ENTIRE BID AND AGREE TO FURNISH

THE SERVICE AT THE PRICE QUOTED ABOVE. I HEREBY AFFIRM I HAVE NOT BEEN IN ANY

AGREEMENT OR COLLUSION AMONG BIDDERS IN RESTRAINT OF FREEDOM OF COMPETITION.

Contractor: _______________________________

Address: _________________________________

Signed: ___________________________________

Print Name: ______________________________

Title: ____________________________________

City/State/Zip: ____________________________

Phone: ___________________________________

Fax: _____________________________________

RREFERENCES

A minimum of three (3) separate and verifiable references, from persons or firms for whom the bidder has performed similar jobs as per the bid specifications shall be supplied with the bid. No more than one (1) of the submitted references shall be related to a past project where staff necessary for the current project were unaffiliated with the bidder and/or employed by a different company. If providing an unaffiliated reference, enter the information in Reference 4 - Collective Experience. The firms and/or contact persons should be available between the hours of 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. FWC staff will attempt to contact each selected reference by phone up to three (3) times. If any reference is not available as stated above, this may be cause for rejection of the Bidder’s bid. Provide a description (scope of work) of each job.

REFERENCE #1

Name: __________________________________________________________________________________________

Address: ________________________________________________________________________________________

Contact Person: ____________________________________ Telephone Number: _________________________

Project Dates for Work Performed (MM/YYYY): _________________________ to _________________________

Project Location: _________________________________________________________________________________

Brief description of the services performed for the project:

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REFERENCE #2

Name: __________________________________________________________________________________________

Address: ________________________________________________________________________________________

Contact Person: ____________________________________ Telephone Number: _________________________

Project Dates for Work Performed (MM/YYYY): _________________________ to _________________________

Project Location: _________________________________________________________________________________

Brief description of the services performed for the project:

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REFERENCE #3

Name: __________________________________________________________________________________________

Address: ________________________________________________________________________________________

Contact Person: ____________________________________ Telephone Number: _________________________

Project Dates for Work Performed (MM/YYYY): _________________________ to _________________________

Project Location: _________________________________________________________________________________

Brief description of the services performed for the project:

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REFERENCE #4 – COLLECTIVE EXPERIENCE

Name: __________________________________________________________________________________________

Address: ________________________________________________________________________________________

Contact Person: ____________________________________ Telephone Number: _________________________

Collective Experience Employee

First Name: __________________________________ Last Name: ___________________________________

Previous Employer’s Name: _______________________________________________________________________

Previous Position Title: ___________________________________________________________________________

Project Dates for Work Performed (MM/YYYY): _________________________ to _________________________

Project Location: _________________________________________________________________________________

Brief description of the services performed for the project:

SSAMPLE REFERENCE QUESTIONNAIRE

REFERENCE:

Reference Organization Name: ___________________________________________ Reference Contact: ______________________________________________________ Reference Phone Number: _______________________________________________

For Agency use ONLY, to be completed following the bid opening:

The following questions will be asked of the client reference, as…