AM26-75 Raft River Habitat and Vegetation Project – Onemile Hand Thin Lop and Scatter (Pre-Qualified Contractors Only)

The State of Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is conducting an Invitation for Bids (IFB) for lop and scatter services on the Raft River Habitat and Vegetation Project in Box Elder County. This procurement seeks to contract for hand-thinning and removal of encroaching juniper trees across approximately 1,251 acres of pinyon and mahogany ecosystems located east of Yost, Utah on the Sawtooth National Forest, with elevations ranging from 6,300 to 7,800 feet and slopes between 10-50%. The primary objectives include reducing competition within existing forest ecosystems, maintaining appropriate big game forage, improving pinyon woodland health, and reducing hazardous fuel loading. Deliverables require contractors to cut all live or dead juniper trees except those exhibiting old-growth characteristics, with treatment boundaries located by GPS rather than flagging. Qualified bidders must be prequalified contractors currently listed on the State's pre-approved/pre-qualified vendor list; participation is strictly limited to vendors on this list, and no mandatory site visit is required. The project performance period runs from May 1 through June 26, 2026, with a bid due date of April 16, 2026. Award will be made to the lowest cost responsive and responsible vendor on a lowest-cost-per-acre basis, and the contractor must guarantee pricing through project completion. Contractors must maintain workers' compensation and commercial general liability insurance with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $3,000,000 aggregate, comply with all applicable federal and state laws, and maintain records for at least six years following final payment.

This procurement is restricted exclusively to prequalified contractors on the State's current pre-approved/pre-qualified vendor list, with no open bidding permitted for non-qualified entities. Contractors must comply with Status Verification System (E-verify) requirements, maintain non-debarment certification status, and certify compliance with Utah Code Annotated provisions regarding anti-boycott certifications and forced labor restrictions. The State will evaluate contractor performance throughout project execution using a standardized Contract Performance Evaluation form that assesses Quality of Product or Service, Timeliness of Performance, and Contract Management on a scale of 1-5, with an overall rating out of 100 points; vendors must maintain a minimum average performance score of 60 to remain on the pre-qualification list for future projects. No budget range or specific award value is disclosed in the solicitation documents; instead, pricing will be determined competitively based on per-acre bids from qualified vendors. All bids containing exceptions or additions to standard terms and conditions will be rejected, and contractors are prohibited from commencing any work, material procurement, or subcontracting until a fully executed purchase order or contract is received. Payment will be made within thirty days of receipt of a correct invoice, with all delivery terms F.O.B. Destination Freight Prepaid and Allowed.