Commercial Timber Sale - Redden State Forest - Ellendale Tract

The Delaware Department of Agriculture Forest Service is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a commercial timber sale contract at Redden State Forest, specifically the Ellendale Tract located approximately 2 miles southwest of Georgetown, Delaware at the corner of VFW Road and Sammons Road. The procurement seeks qualified timber harvesting contractors to perform commercial thinning operations on approximately 109 acres in Stand 26 using commercial row thinning methodology. Key deliverables include the cutting and removal of pulpwood and sawtimber with specifications requiring a residual basal area of 60 square feet per acre, removal of skid roads on 50-foot centers, and selective removal of unacceptable growing stock between rows. Required qualifications include prior harvesting evaluations on public and private lands, qualified crew members, appropriate equipment capability, and compliance with Delaware's Erosion and Sediment Control Law and Best Management Practices. The evaluation will be conducted on a 100-point scale comprising prior harvesting evaluations (15 points), ability to perform contract requirements including crew qualifications (5 points), equipment capability (5 points), and bid amount (75 points). Sealed bids must be received by 1:00 p.m. on May 7, 2026, at the Delaware Department of Agriculture Forest Service office at 2320 S DuPont Highway, Dover, Delaware 19901. Contract award will be made within 30 calendar days of bid opening, with the successful bidder required to execute contract documents within 30 calendar days of notification and perform work within a 365-calendar-day contract term.

No specific set-aside designations or restrictions limiting participation to particular types of organizations are identified in the solicitation documents. A $5,000 certified check deposit is required as a performance guarantee with the submission of each bid, payable to the Delaware Department of Agriculture Forest Service, which will be retained for the successful bidder and returned to unsuccessful bidders within seven days of contract signing, not to exceed 60 days. Contractors must maintain liability insurance with minimum coverage of $100,000 per person and $300,000 per occurrence, plus property damage insurance of at least $50,000. The contractor is responsible for all restoration work, site cleanup, and environmental compliance, with failure to comply resulting in forfeiture of the bid deposit. Payment is made on a weekly basis based on haul and weight slips submitted to the Forest Service using state-certified scales. No incumbent vendor or existing technology integration requirements are referenced in the available documentation, and no specific budget range or award value is disclosed in the solicitation materials.