MN-glacial ridge NWR- herbicide spraying

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking a contractor to provide herbicide spraying services at the Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge in Polk County, Minnesota, to reduce woody vegetation cover and promote tallgrass prairie habitat restoration. The solicitation originally specified helicopter aerial application but has been amended to remove the "helicopter" and "aerial" descriptors, opening the opportunity to all certified herbicide application vendors. Contractors must apply a specific tank mix of herbicides (Vastlan, Milestone, and Escort XP) at prescribed rates across up to 261 acres, maintain proper licensing including a current Minnesota Pesticide Applicator license, carry full insurance, and achieve a 75% kill rate of targeted woody vegetation with 90% spray coverage. The contract will be evaluated on a best value basis considering technical expertise, approach, ability to meet Statement of Work requirements, competitive pricing, and past performance. Proposals must be submitted via email to Khalilah Brown by July 29, 2025, at 5:00 PM EST, and must include both technical and itemized price proposals along with past experience references.

This procurement is designated as a 100% Total Small Business set-aside with a firm-fixed price structure, and no incumbent contractor is identified in the available documentation. The contract covers treatment of up to 261 acres with payment made only for actual acres treated on a per-acre basis, though specific budget ranges or award values are not disclosed. The period of performance extends from August 4, 2025, to September 18, 2025, with services estimated to occur between early August and mid-September 2025. Work will be performed at the Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge located in Erskine, Minnesota, within Polk County. The contractor must comply with the attached Wage Determination 2015-4971 and follow all safety regulations while maintaining wind speeds under 12 mph during application operations.