ScopeofWk_Wyandot_SugarCk_Fld_Rstoratn_FY26(tmplt).pdf

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources is requesting bids for Upland Field Restoration at Wyandot

Wildlife Area and Sugar Creek Wildlife Area

Name or Title of the Service or Supply: Fall tillage, spring spraying, and no-till drilling of native seed mix at one field in northern Wyandot County and one field in northern Seneca County

Ordering Division and address:

ODNR, Division of Wildlife, District Two

952 Lima Avenue, Findlay, Ohio 45840

Introduction

The ODNR, Division of Wildlife is seeking contractors to fall till, spray, plant, and top mow two fields for the purpose restoring a field at Wyandot Wildlife Area and a field at Sugar Creek Wildlife Area, located in Crawford Township of Wyandot County, and Pleasant Township of Seneca County, Ohio respectively

(figure 1). Wyandot Wildlife Area consists of clay-loam soils that are wetter than the surrounding landscape. The area takes longer to dry out in the spring than the adjacent farm fields. Sugar Creek

Wildlife Area consists of silt-loam soils.

The matrix of farm fields and woody corridors on these areas provide ideal upland wildlife habitat for big and small game species alike. Low-maintenance, quality upland habitat with a variety of broadleaf, grass, and sedge species is important on these areas to provide native cover and forage for a wide variety of species, both migratory and non-migratory. Correctly restoring fields for long-term quality habitat that is resistant to invasive weed species is important across the Midwest and a critical component to Ohio’s wildlife areas.

A web map of the property boundaries found within the attached maps and landcover can be found online at: https://gis.ohiodnr.gov/MapViewer/?config=ODNRLands. Polygons, where restoration is planned, are included in Figures 2 and 3 and these are available in an electronic format upon request.

Project Specifications

Task 1: Field Preparation and Planting. This task will be for the tillage, spraying, and planting, of two fields (figures 2 and 3). Fields should be tilled to a depth of 6 inches and fit down so clods are no larger than a soft ball in size to prepare fields for spring activities. This will require several trips over the field.

A cover crop (preferably oats) must be broadcast on fall-tilled fields by November 1st, 2025. Fields may be mowed prior to tillage. The first herbicide application of glyphosate, non-ionic surfactant, and 2,4-d ester must be completed by May 1st, 2026 at high label rates and result in a 90% kill of unwanted vegetation. The contractor should wait 2 weeks and before assessing if further weed control is needed due to plant-back requirements. If green vegetation exists over more than 5% of the area by May 15th, https://gis.ohiodnr.gov/MapViewer/?config=ODNRLands

2026, then a second application of glyphosate, and nonionic surfactant, should be completed at high label rates by May 21st, 2026. Permission from the project manager may be obtained to deviate from existing herbicide chemistry, depending on field conditions and weed response.

The seed mix must be planted with a no-till, native grass drill prior to June 1st, 2026 at a rate of

8.0lb/acre. The seed mix used must contain the below modified Plateau® tolerant mix. Inert materials, such as rice hulls, may be added as a filler as needed. Oats may also be used as a filler. The drilling activity must minimize disturbance of the existing seed bank (i.e. minimize ground scarification with front coulters if using a Truax Flex II drill or any other tillage implements after spraying). While drilling, contractor must assure that at least 25% of the seed is visible on top of the ground to hedge against planting seed too deep, which is a common problem with native seed mix planting. The mix to be planted is below:

Plateau® Tolerant Mix – can be found through Pheasants Forever, Inc. if no other seed vendors can custom blend the below mix. (Feel free to contact Mike Retterer at mretterer@pheasantsforever.org or

Aaron Kuehl at akuehl@pheasantsforever.org for pricing.)

Species OZ/lbs Bluestem, Big (VNS) Andropogon gerardii 0.2 Bluestem, Little (VNS) Schizachyrium scoparium 1 Clover, Crimson Trifolium incarnatum 0.4 Coneflower, Purple Echinacea purpurea 0.3 Coreopsis, Lanceleaf (sand) Coreopsis lanceolata 0.4 Coreopsis, Plains Coreopsis tinctoria 0.1 Illinois Bundleflower (PrairieMimosa) Desmanthus illinoensis 0.75 Milkweed, Common Asclepias syriaca 0.05 Partridge Pea Chamaecrista fasciculata 0.75 Sideoats grama (local, vns) Bouteloua curtipendula 0.5 Susan, Black-eyed Rudbeckia hirta 0.1 Vervain, Hoary Verbena stricta 0.05 Wild Rye, Virginia Elymus virginicus 0.35 Aster, New England Symphyotrichum novaeangliae 0.1 Clover, Ladino Trifolium repens 0.05 Switchgrass (Blackwell) Panicum virgatum 0.5 Clover, Alsike Trifolium hybridum 0.05 Coneflower, Grayheaded (Yellow) Ratibida pinnata 0.2 Mexican Hat, Ratibida columnaris 0.75 Goldenrod, Stiff (Rigid) Oligoneuron rigidum 0.03 Canada Tick Trefoil, Desmodium canadense 0.75 Sunflower, False (Oxeye) Heliopsis helianthoides 0.5 Susan, Brown-eyed Rudbeckia triloba 0.07 Milkweed, Swamp (Marsh) Asclepias incarnata 0.05 Total lbs. 8.00

Since this seed mix will include several early-germinating species and first-year blooming species, the germination of these species will be used to evaluate the early progress of the planting. At least two of the species should be germinated in the fields at the end of July as seedlings prior to payment. These forbs should be visible at low levels across the majority (greater than 50%) of the field by the end of

June, as an indicator that there is a minimum acceptable distribution of planting mix species throughout the field (i.e. no areas omitted due to running out of seed, small seeds dropping down too quickly out of seed boxes in the drill, etc.). Rice hulls or oats should be used if a carrier is needed.

Task 2. Post-Plant Top Mowing or Spraying of Imazapic Herbicide. After planting, the contractor must top-mow the planting areas at least once prior to July 20th, 2026, at a height of 12 inches. The sites should be top-mowed a second time at a height of 12-14 inches prior to August 15th, 2026. In lieu of mowing, the contractor may spray Imazapic (e.g. Plateau®) herbicide once at no more than 4 ounces per acre prior with adjuvant prior to July 21st, 2026. The project manager will check results of field mowing after confirmation from the contractor that they’ve been completed.

The contractor shall provide all labor, equipment, and supplies to complete the above activities. Seed tags shall be provided to the project manager upon planting the mix. The contractor must stop using heavy equipment if ruts regularly surpass 6 inches deep or soil is too wet to till or plant. Electronic maps can be made available if needed. The contractor is required to contact the ODNR, Division of Wildlife project manager at least two business days prior to initially entering the property for work. Exceptions may be made to task specifications and deadlines due to extremely wet or extremely dry weather conditions.

The contractor must be willing to sign an agreement with the ODNR, Division of Wildlife for 2 fiscal years of service, ending August 30th, 2026. A site visit is required prior to bidding. The interested bidder must text a photo of the site to the cell phone of the project contact along with any questions prior to the bid close. All bids must be submitted in Ohiobuys by August 12th, 2025 at Noon. Thank you for your interest and please reach out to the below-listed project contact with further questions!

F.O.B. DESTINATION/PRE-PAID/ALLOWED. The Contractor must provide Deliverables under this

Contract F.O.B. Destination/Pre-Paid/Allowed. The place of destination will be specified by the Ordering

Agency on the agency’s purchase order or other ordering document. Cost of the freight must be borne and paid by the Contractor unless otherwise stated.

All risk of loss, regardless of the cause, will remain with the Contractor until title to the Deliverable passes to the State. Unless otherwise provided in this Contract, the State will determine whether the

Contractor provided each Deliverable required in this Contract and has fully met all work requirements of this Contract. Title to any Deliverables will pass to the State on Acceptance of the Deliverable.

Evaluation. The contract will be awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder as determined by the State. All Proposals must be submitted through Ohio Buys. Proposals received outside of Ohio Buys will not be considered.

Contract Award. The contract will be awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder for each site. Bidders must bid on both Task 1 and 2 for the respective site on which they choose to bid but they have the option to bid on either the Wyandot WA site or the Sugar Creek WA site or both.

Site Visit & Point of Contact

Prior to submitting a bid response, bidders are required to visit at least one site and text a photo from their visit and any questions to the cellphone (below) of the project contact.

Project Contact:

Justin Harrington

Assistant Wildlife Management Supervisor

ODNR, Division of Wildlife, District Two

952 Lima Avenue, Findlay, Ohio 45840

Cell: 419-236-3463

Email: Justin.Harrington@dnr.state.oh.us mailto:Justin.Harrington@dnr.state.oh.us

Figure 1. Overview Map of Field Restoration Locations at Sugar Creek Wildlife Area and Wyandot

Wildlife Area.

Figure 2. Field at Sugar Creek Wildlife Area (8.53 acres) where restoration is needed. Note: a 10-foot swath on the eastern side should be left for woody vegetation to colonize areas adjacent to the boundary.

Coordinates to enter into Google Maps for directions: 41.19689 -83.129486

Figure 3. Field 16 at Wyandot Wildlife Area (9.0 acres) where restoration is needed.

Coordinates to enter into Google Maps for directions: 40.926624, -83.381822