Crooked Canyon Phase 3

The South Dakota Department of Public Safety Wildland Fire Division (SDWF) has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP #9306) seeking qualified contractors to perform hazardous fuels reduction treatment on approximately 56 acres of property near Piedmont, located in Pennington County, South Dakota. The primary objective of this procurement is to mitigate wildfire threats through comprehensive vegetation management, including thinning, piling, chipping, mulching, and grinding treatments. Contractors are required to provide a cost per acre proposal and will be allowed to retain salvage rights to offset project costs, with all biomass materials removable at no cost to the landowner or agency. Two mandatory site visits are scheduled for November 30 and December 7, 2023, and interested contractors must submit detailed proposals by 3:00 PM MST on December 29, 2023. Prospective bidders may submit written inquiries via email to Jordon Harrington at Jordon.harrington@state.sd.us, with the subject line "RFP # 9306", and all communications will be transparently shared with all potential contractors.

The RFP indicates that multiple contractors may be awarded contracts for this project, which has a three-year term. While no specific set-aside designations or disadvantaged enterprise requirements are explicitly mentioned, the procurement appears open to qualified contractors with demonstrated experience in wildland fire mitigation and vegetation management. The State reserves significant operational flexibility, including the right to suspend thinning, chipping, mulching, or mastication activities at any time due to potential insect infestation or disease concerns. Although a specific budget range is not disclosed, the project scope suggests potential variability in contract values based on per-acre treatment costs and the extent of biomass utilization. Contractors will need to demonstrate technical capability to perform precise ecological management techniques, potentially including mechanical thinning, prescribed burning alternatives, and sustainable forest management practices specific to the regional ecosystem near Piedmont, South Dakota.