2024 Alfalfa Fields

Muskegon County's Board of Public Works is seeking proposals for the sale of alfalfa from four specific agricultural fields (Fields 1, 2, 20, and 25) totaling 425.9 acres for the 2024-2027 seasons. The procurement is a four-year contract for harvesting alfalfa haylage, with the County responsible for crop management, scouting, and treatment of disease, weeds, and insects. Proposers will submit pricing per ton of alfalfa haylage, with weights adjusted to 32% dry matter, and will be responsible for harvesting, with an anticipated four cuttings per year (maximum of three cuttings in the seeding year). All alfalfa will be weighed at the County Grain Center scales, with moisture content samples taken from approximately every tenth load to determine tonnage for payment. The Request for Proposals (RFP) is due on Monday, April 15, 2024, at 2:00 PM, with a Zoom link provided for the bid opening. Evaluation criteria will include ability to perform, conformance to specifications, previous contract performance, financial ability, pricing, and references. The County reserves the right to award the contract based on best value.

No specific set-aside designations or restrictions on respondent types were explicitly outlined in the procurement documents. Potential bidders will be required to provide proof of credit worthiness and complete a W-9 form for tax identification purposes. While no incumbent vendors were mentioned, the fields will be irrigated with partially treated wastewater, and the County makes no warranties about the alfalfa's suitability for livestock feed. The procurement documents do not specify a specific budget range or exact award value for the contract. Interested parties must submit their qualifications electronically through the Bidnet system, with submissions electronically time-stamped, and failure to acknowledge the addendum could result in bid rejection. The contract will cover alfalfa production across four fields for four consecutive growing seasons, with the County managing primary crop maintenance and the successful bidder responsible for harvesting and processing.