Merritt SRA Unit 3.pdf

This is a solicitation document from the Nebraska Game & Parks Commission for tree clearing services at Merritt Reservoir State Recreational Area in Cherry County, Nebraska. The project encompasses approximately 216.6 acres requiring removal of eastern red cedar, Rocky Mountain juniper, and scattered ponderosa pine through mulching and cutting/piling methods. Work must be divided into units of at least 50 acres, with 50 percent completion mandated in the first year and 50 percent in the second year. A mandatory solicitation conference is scheduled for January 21, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at 88079 State Highway 97, Valentine, Nebraska. Written questions must be submitted by January 28, 2026, with state responses posted by February 4, 2026. Electronic bids are due via ShareFile by February 10, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. Central Time. The state plans to post an Intent to Award by February 20, 2026, with contract finalization by March 4, 2026, and award by March 5, 2026. The contract term runs from execution through June 30, 2027, with potential extension by mutual agreement.

Contractors may negotiate reduced per-acre thinning rates in exchange for removing and utilizing merchantable timber, subject to specific removal conditions, creating potential cost offsets through marketable material recovery. Insurance requirements include $2,000,000 Commercial General Liability, statutory Workers' Compensation, and $1,000,000 Commercial Automobile Liability coverage. Work is restricted to dry or frozen ground conditions and limited by specific timeframes to avoid interference with campground operations and events such as the Nebraska Star Party. Contractors must be registered with the Nebraska Secretary of State and comply with all state contractual provisions, including civil rights laws and Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. The project is subject to legislative appropriation of funds with no advance payments permitted. No specific set-aside designations are mentioned in the solicitation.