ACEP-WRE Tree Planting for NRCS IL - Christian County

The USDA Farm Production and Conservation Business Center, on behalf of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), is soliciting quotes for tree planting services under the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program Wetlands Reserve Easements (ACEP-WRE) in Christian County, Illinois. The procurement involves planting bare root tree seedlings across approximately 45 acres on the Diana Lynn Roth Trust property, utilizing 10 different tree species including Swamp White Oak, Pin Oak, Bur Oak, River Birch, and others in specified proportions. The contractor must provide site preparation, seedling procurement, and planting services with trees planted on a 35-foot by 35-foot spacing grid, totaling approximately 19,620 trees. The government will use the Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) evaluation methodology to select the winning offeror, and contractors must maintain current SAM.gov registration with completed representations and certifications. The deadline for questions was September 17, 2025, and quotes are due by September 24, 2025, at 12:00 PM EST via email to the designated contracting officers.

This opportunity is designated as a 100% total small business set-aside under NAICS code 115112 (Soil Preparation, Planting, and Cultivating), which has a size standard of $9.5 million. No incumbent contractor is identified, indicating this is a new contract requirement for the 68.26-acre site that includes both tree planting areas and shallow water excavation zones. The contract will be awarded as a firm fixed-price purchase order with an anticipated performance period running from September 30, 2025, through June 1, 2026, with tree planting expected to occur between March 1 and May 31, 2026. The project location is in Taylorville, Christian County, Illinois, on what appears to be a former agricultural field with some areas of natural regeneration. While specific contract values are not disclosed in the solicitation, the scope involves planting 436 seedlings per acre across the 45-acre planting area, with strict quality requirements including 80% compliance with contract specifications and potential replanting if tree survival falls below 70%.