FL-LWR suwannee NWR tree planting

The Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service seeks hand planting of 136,000 containerized longleaf pine seedlings across 114 acres at the Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge in Chiefland, Florida, with quotations due August 27, 2026 at 5:00 PM CDT and questions due August 25, 2026 at 5:00 PM CDT. This is a total small business set-aside.

Performance runs December 7, 2026 through February 5, 2027, weather permitting, with all tree delivery completed by February 5, 2027. The Government will supply the 136,000 containerized longleaf pine seedlings sourced from Meeks' Farm & Nursery Inc., Kite, Georgia, and provide GPS-identified planting sites. The contractor must furnish all labor, equipment, transportation, and materials necessary for tree transport, handling, and planting operations at a density of approximately 1,200 trees per acre with 6-foot by 6-foot spacing.

The contract is firm-fixed price. Evaluation uses three factors: technical acceptability (pass/fail), past performance acceptability (pass/fail), and price, with award to the lowest-priced technically acceptable bidder with acceptable past performance. Quotations must remain valid for at least 60 calendar days. The NAICS code is 115112, Soil Preparation, Planting, and Cultivating; the PSC code is F005, Natural Resources/Conservation—Forest Tree Planting.

All work must comply with Florida Silviculture Best Management Practices and refuge regulations. The Government will monitor performance through onsite inspections and random sampling per a Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan, requiring zero deviation from standards for planting density, spacing, depth, and quality.