CREW Willow Mulching

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is soliciting competitive bids through an Invitation to Bid (ITB) for mechanical treatment of invasive woody vegetation at the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed (CREW) Wildlife and Environmental Area near Immokalee, Florida in Collier County. The procurement requires contractors to mechanically cut and coarsely grind invasive woody species including Carolina willow, primrose willow, salt bush, wax myrtle, and Brazilian pepper to ground level while preserving oak, maple, pine, and sabal palm trees. Deliverables include mechanical mulching services priced on a per-acre basis, with work to commence between April 27, 2026, and be completed by June 10, 2026, and final invoicing required by June 17, 2026. Required qualifications include attendance at the mandatory pre-bid conference and site visit on March 31, 2026, at 1:00 PM ET at 4600 Corkscrew Road, Immokalee, FL 34142; provision of a minimum of three references for similar projects; appropriate insurance coverage; E-Verify system compliance for new employees; and utilization of specialized equipment including a Prinoth Raptor 500 or equivalent machine with ground pressure under 6 psi and a hydraulically driven rotary brush or tree-cutter attachment arriving free of vegetation and soil. Key deadlines include April 7, 2026, at 5:00 PM ET for written questions, April 17, 2026, at 2:30 PM ET for sealed bid submission, and an anticipated award date of April 21, 2026. The evaluation criterion is lowest total price from responsive, responsible bidders, with weekly progress updates required during execution and work restricted to weekdays during daylight hours.

No set-aside designations or restrictions on respondent types are specified in the procurement documents. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified. The contract will be effective for one year upon issuance of the Purchase Order, with FWC holding the option to renew on a yearly basis for up to two additional years under the same terms and conditions. The initial contract year budget does not exceed $100,000, with an estimated total budget of $300,000 across all potential contract years. Additionally, the South Florida Water Management District may separately elect to procure up to $150,000 in additional mechanical treatment outside this FWC solicitation, potentially expanding total project funding. Vendors must be registered in the MyFloridaMarketPlace (MFMP) system and with SunBiz prior to bid opening, and all work must comply with applicable state and federal regulations, including the Davis-Bacon Act if applicable.