1451-26-R-IFBD-00003

The Mississippi Forestry Commission is issuing an Invitation for Bids (IFB #3160007884, SMART RFx #451-26-R-IFBD-00003) seeking sealed bids from qualified contractors to provide herbicide application services for cogongrass control and suppression across Mississippi. The primary deliverable is foliar herbicide application using approved products such as imazapyr and glyphosate mixtures on state, federal, and private lands, with work divided between the RESTORE grant covering six coastal counties (George, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Pearl River, and Stone) and the BIL grant covering the remainder of the state. Contractors must operate 2-man crews and achieve greater than 80% control effectiveness on each treated location. Required qualifications include a valid Mississippi commercial pesticide applicator license with appropriate herbicide application certification, a minimum of two years of experience applying herbicides for invasive vegetation control with documented cogongrass treatment knowledge, and appropriate insurance coverage including Workers' Compensation and Comprehensive General Liability insurance with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence. Bidders must submit a fixed-price bid on a per-hour rate basis for 2-man crews, with payment determined by actual on-site hours incurred. Questions from potential bidders must be submitted by May 19, 2026, at 9:45 a.m., with responses provided by May 21, 2026; bids are due June 8, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., and may be submitted electronically through MAGIC, by email, or by physical delivery to the MFC office at 3139 Highway 468 West, Pearl, MS 39208. Contract award is anticipated July 1, 2026, with a contract term of one year from April 1, 2026, through March 31, 2027, and up to three optional one-year renewals available at mutual agreement.

No specific set-asides or restrictions on organization types are identified in the available procurement documents, and no incumbent vendors or current contractors are listed. The MFC intends to contract with four vendors to ensure adequate statewide coverage, reserving the right to award multiple contracts to the lowest responsive and responsible bidders. A price adjustment mechanism allows for annual adjustments not exceeding the lesser of 25% or the annual Consumer Price Index increase. Invoicing must reference the applicable grant (RESTORE or BIL) and include landowner names and actual on-site hours, with payment made within 30 days of MFC invoice approval. All work must comply with EPA regulations, Mississippi pesticide laws, OSHA standards, and weather-based application restrictions including no spraying during winds exceeding 10 mph or during rainfall. The contract is subject to fund appropriation by the Mississippi State Legislature and may be terminated by the MFC with 10 business days' written notice if funds become insufficient. Specific budget or award values are not provided in the available procurement documents.