The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) has issued Invitation for Bid (IFB #5400027901) for comprehensive aquatic vegetation control services across six statewide regions. The procurement solicits contractors to provide specialized equipment and labor for applying herbicides and adjuvants to control aquatic vegetation, with SCDES providing the chemical treatments. Contractors must possess at least one South Carolina Category 5 licensed applicator and deploy specialized equipment including airboats (one for Regions 1-3, two for Regions 4-6), skiffs, ATVs, and amphibious vehicles. All equipment must be equipped with computerized herbicide delivery systems featuring GPS capabilities. The solicitation requires contractors to submit per-acre pricing for various application methods, including foliar, surface/subsurface liquid, and granular applications from different platforms such as airboats, boats with motors, backpack sprayers, and ATVs. Key deadlines include questions due by February 19, 2025 at 12:00 PM ET, with bid offers due March 12, 2025 at 2:30 PM ET, and award announcement expected on March 19, 2025. The initial contract term spans one year with three potential one-year renewals, running from March 28, 2025 to March 27, 2029. The solicitation does not specify any specific set-aside designations or restrictions on respondent types, indicating open competition for qualified vendors. While no incumbent vendors are mentioned, the contract allows bidders to submit proposals for any number of the six regional lots, with awards made to the lowest responsible and responsive bidder for each region. The cost spreadsheet reveals significant variation in required acreage across regions, with coastal Regions 4 and 5 demanding the highest volume of treatments - Region 5 requires 1,911 acres of foliar airboat application. Though no guaranteed minimum acreage is promised, the potential contract value could be substantial, particularly for vendors winning multiple regional lots. There are no explicit funding source restrictions or integration requirements noted. Contractors must submit pricing using the original Excel cost spreadsheet without modifications, providing unit prices for all application methods within their chosen lots. The comprehensive nature of the solicitation suggests a significant investment in managing aquatic vegetation across South Carolina's diverse water ecosystems.
A Portfolio Platform of GovExec © 2025