40817 – 2025 Little Italy Groundcover

The St. Johns River Water Management District is seeking a contractor to prepare and plant native grasses on a 4.25-acre tract within the Lake Apopka North Shore, specifically the Little Italy area. The procurement involves removing unwanted species through herbicide application and hand weeding, followed by installing 8,500 sandhill plants consisting of 60% Wiregrass in 5" deep cell liners and 40% other sandhill grasses in 3" deep cell liners. Bidders must possess a valid Florida Pesticide Applicators License for Natural Areas, demonstrate completion of at least two similar projects in the past three years, have five years of relevant experience, and provide three client references. The project's primary objective is to establish native grasses that will facilitate controlled fire movement throughout the unit. Quotes are due by 1:00 PM on December 5, 2024, with work scheduled to be completed between December 2024 and August 2025. While no scheduled site visit is planned, contractors may contact the District Project Manager to arrange a site visit with 24-hour notice.

The contract opportunity is located in Polk County, Florida, and does not appear to have specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises. Contractors must prove their ability to do business in Florida and meet stringent insurance requirements, including workers' compensation, general liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence/$2,000,000 aggregate), and automobile liability ($100,000/$300,000/$100,000). The project area contains endangered Florida Sand Skinks, which restricts vehicle access to ATVs and UTVs only on designated trails and firebreaks. The total project budget is not to exceed $22,000, which represents the maximum amount available for the groundcover installation and site preparation work. No incumbent vendors are mentioned in the documentation, and no specific integration with existing infrastructure or technology is required beyond standard ecological restoration practices.