Merritt SRA Unit 4_Shelterbelts only.pdf

This is a solicitation document and related map for a tree clearing service contract issued by the Nebraska Game & Parks Commission for work 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 using mulching and cutting/piling methods. The work must be divided into units of at least 50 acres each, with 50 percent completion required during the first year and the remaining 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 bid submissions are due by February 10, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. Central Time via ShareFile. The state anticipates posting an Intent to Award by February 20, 2026, with contract finalization scheduled for March 4, 2026, and award by March 5, 2026. The contract will run from execution through June 30, 2027, with potential extension available by mutual agreement.

Bidders may negotiate reduced per-acre thinning rates in exchange for removing and utilizing merchantable timber, subject to specific removal conditions that allow for cost offsets through marketable material recovery. Required insurance includes $2,000,000 Commercial General Liability, statutory Workers' Compensation, and $1,000,000 Commercial Automobile Liability. 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. All contractors must be registered with the Nebraska Secretary of State and comply with standard 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, and the cost sheet contains placeholder values pending final bidding.