AM26-72 Bowery Creek Mastication Project, Phase II

The State of Utah Division of Purchasing, on behalf of the Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands, is issuing an Invitation for Bid (IFB) AM26-72 for the Bowery Creek Mastication Project, Phase II, located in Iron County, Utah, approximately 4-5 air miles east and south of Parowan. This procurement seeks a single contract award for mechanical thinning and mastication services on approximately 103 acres using wheeled or tracked mechanical mulching equipment (Bullhog). The contractor must remove standing live and dead pinyon pine and juniper trees, masticate all vegetation to specified standards with maximum stump heights of 6 inches and mulch depth not exceeding 3 inches, hand-remove any trees that cannot be processed by machinery, and furnish at least one operational Bullhog capable of mulching trees up to 28 inches in diameter along with a fully qualified operator, two warning signs, and all necessary support equipment and crew supervision. The project performance period runs from April 1, 2026, through a firm completion deadline of June 25, 2026, with no extensions permitted due to wildlife habitat timing requirements. All mobilization, operation, equipment, labor, and materials costs must be included in the bid price on both per-acre and total cost bases; no fuel surcharges or price adjustments will be negotiated. Contract award will be made to the lowest cost responsive and responsible vendor based on per-acre pricing, evaluated under a performance framework requiring minimum average scores of 60 on a 100-point scale across quality of product or service, timeliness of performance, and contract management. The submission deadline is March 31, 2026, with no mandatory site visit required, though bidders are strongly encouraged to inspect the site.

The solicitation documents do not specify set-aside designations, disadvantaged enterprise restrictions, or incumbent vendor information. All vendors must comply with Utah Code Annotated 63G-6a and Administrative Code R33, maintain E-Verify participation for employees in Utah, procure all necessary permits and licenses, and guarantee pricing through project completion. Required insurance coverage includes workers' compensation, commercial general liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $3,000,000 aggregate, and commercial automobile liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence if vehicles are used. Responses must be submitted electronically by the closing deadline, with no bid modifications accepted after submission; the award notification does not constitute a binding contract until a fully executed purchase order or contract document is issued. The specific award value is not disclosed in the available documentation, though the contract price will be calculated by extending the per-acre bid price across the 103-acre project scope, with potential adjustments through Minor Change Orders of up to 10% acreage at the original per-acre price and Major Change Orders for larger changes capped at 10% of the per-acre bid price multiplied by remaining untreated acreage. Payment will be made as a single lump-sum final payment following final inspection of completed acres, though partial payments may be requested at the state's discretion with prior approval.