IDIQ Contract for Exotic Plants Treatment at Florida NWRs

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) intends to issue a Request for proposal (RFP) for the treatment of invasive and/or exotic plant control on Florida NWR's utilizing ground control methodologies that include chemical (herbicide), mechanical, and physical control techniques. The types of exotics include but not limited to Melaleuca, Brazilian Pepper, Lygodium, Old world Climbing Fern, Mimosa, Australian Pine and Cogon Grass. The total list includes 68 species and shall be made available with the RFP. There are 28 National Wildlife Refuges and one National Fish Hatchery where treatment maybe ordered. The contractor shall furnish all labor, transportation, equipment, supplies and other incidental necessary to perform the job. Contractor qualifications include ground crew supervisor certified by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in the Forestry, Right-of-Way, Aquatic or Natural Areas Manager pesticide categories. Such certification must be obtained within 90 days of contract award. Contractor must have at a minimum of five years experience in the field identification and current control technologies of aquatic and land invasive exotic plants common to Florida; knowledge of ecological principles related to vegetation management, knowledge of data organization and global position mapping (GPS) techniques, ability to operate and do field maintenance of vehicles and equipment. The contract resulting from the solicitation will be an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) for a base year and four option years. This procurement is for full and open competition with the intent to award Time and Material multiple award contracts to at least four firms under the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) Code 561730 Weed control and fertilizing services (except crop). The tentative RFP issue date is on or around Feb. 25, 2008. There will be no pre-proposal site visit or pre-bid meeting for this solicitation. The proposal will be evaluated based on the following evaluation factors: Factor 1 - Technical capability to include Technical Approach, Management Approach, Staffing and Equipment Approach, and Safety, Factor 2 - Past Performance, Factor 3 - Price. When the proposal is evaluated as a whole, Factor 1 and 2 when combined are significantly more important than Factor 3. The importance of price will increase if offerors are considered essentially equal in terms of technical capability or if price is so significantly high as to diminish the value of the proposal's technical superiority to the government. Proposals shall be submitted in accordance with Sections L and M of the solicitation. CAUTION: The Fish and Wildlife Service is presently using Electronic Commerce (EC) to issue Request for Proposal. The RFP number is 401818R009. You must register in EC at web site http://www.ccr.gov (must be registered by the closing date of the RFP). If you have any registration questions, please call 1-888-227-2423. Prior to registering each company must obtain a Dun and Bradstreet Number. You may obtain this number free of charge at 1(800)333-0505. Once you are registered you will be able to view the solicitation online at either http://www.fedbizopps.gov or http://ideasec.nbc.gov (the Department of Interior site). For questions at Interior's site, please call the help desk at (703)390-6633. This will be your only means of obtaining the solicitation. All contractors with access to the internet and an e-mail address can receive electronic notifications of award. CAUTION: This solicitation will be issued electronically, as will any amendments thereto. Thus, the Government is under no obligation and is in fact unable to maintain a bidder's mailing list. It is therefore incumbent upon any interested parties to obtain any amendments which may be issued. Failure to obtain any said amendments and to respond to them prior to the date and time set for proposal receipts may render your offer non-responsive and result in the rejection of same. Telephone requests will not be accepted.