AM26-68 Paradise Springs Mastication

The State of Utah Division of Purchasing, on behalf of the Division of Wildlife Resources, is issuing an Invitation for Bid (IFB) for mastication services covering approximately 338 acres located in Iron County near Cedar City. The project involves mechanical thinning and vegetation removal of standing live and dead pinyon pine and juniper trees using tracked hydraulic or PTO-driven mulching equipment (Bullhog machines) to reduce wildfire hazard and improve wildlife habitat. Contractors must provide a minimum of two fully operational tracked Bullhog machines capable of mulching trees up to 30 inches in diameter, along with competent operators, and must complete all work between March 15, 2026, and June 15, 2026. Bid pricing must be submitted on a per-acre basis covering all labor, equipment, materials, mobilization, and operating costs with no fuel surcharges permitted, and the contract will be awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder based on lowest cost per acre methodology. Proposals are due by March 12, 2026, with no mandatory site visit required, though potential bidders are strongly encouraged to inspect the site; a pre-work conference will be held at the project site prior to work commencement. Contractors must guarantee pricing through project completion and maintain workers' compensation insurance, commercial general liability insurance of not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence and $3,000,000 aggregate, and commercial automobile liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence. The State reserves the right to terminate the contract without cause upon thirty days' written notice and may suspend or cancel due to frozen soil or winter conditions.

Participation in this solicitation is strictly limited to prequalified contractors currently listed on the State of Utah's Pre-approved/Pre-qualified Vendor list; vendors not on this list are prohibited from submitting responses. There are no identified set-asides for disadvantaged enterprises or other special designations mentioned in the procurement documents. Contractors must maintain a minimum average performance score of 60 on the Rangeland Contract Performance Evaluation to remain on the prequalified vendor list, with evaluation measured across Quality of Product or Service, Timeliness of Performance, and Contract Management categories. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the solicitation materials, and there is no existing infrastructure or technology requiring integration. Specific budget or award values are not disclosed in the procurement documents; however, compensation will be determined through the competitive bidding process based on the per-acre pricing submitted by qualified bidders, with a single lump-sum final payment made following final inspection of completed acres, though partial payment requests may be considered at the State's discretion with prior written approval.