C-10 palm harvest

The St. Johns River Water Management District is soliciting bids to harvest cabbage (Sabal) palms within a designated 1,528-acre area in the C-10 Project Area of the Three Forks Conservation Area, with submittals due July 14, 2026 at 2:00 PM. This is a revenue-generating contract where the contractor purchases harvested palms from the District at a bid rate per palm rather than receiving a fee.

Respondents must demonstrate a minimum of three years of experience harvesting cabbage palms and must have successfully completed at least three similar projects within the past three years. The contractor shall harvest palms ranging from 3 to 40 feet in height, remove and transport all harvested palms from District property at the contractor's expense, and bear full financial responsibility for all harvesting, loading, and transportation costs. Contractor obligations include repairing all damage caused by operations, maintaining roads, filling harvest holes on the same day of extraction, and restoring the site to its original condition upon contract completion. The contractor must comply with Florida Department of Agriculture Best Management Practices for Silviculture and maintain proof of insurability and E-Verify registration prior to award.

The initial contract term runs two years, with three optional 12-month renewal periods, extending through June 30, 2028. Harvesting must begin within 15 days of contract execution, with a mandatory pre-harvest meeting required at least three days prior to operations. The District reserves the right to suspend or terminate harvesting operations to accommodate anticipated construction activities beginning in mid- to late-2028.

Award will be made to the highest responsive, responsible bidder offering the highest purchase price per palm. The minimum bid threshold is $10.00 per cabbage palm, though the District reserves discretion to waive this requirement if no bids meet the threshold. The District does not maintain an inventory of marketable palms and makes no representation or guarantee regarding the quantity, size, or quality of marketable cabbage palm trees available for harvest. Questions are due July 7, 2026 at 5:00 PM. No pre-bid meeting has been scheduled. Monthly payments to the District are due based on weekly settlement summaries from onsite load-ticket deposits.