DNR Firebreaks Feng

The State of Illinois Department of Natural Resources is soliciting services for firebreak preparation and construction across seventeen Nature Preserve and Land and Water Reserve sites throughout Southern Illinois under the FY25 NAAF Firebreaks contract. The procurement seeks a qualified vendor to clear 6-8 feet wide firebreaks down to mineral soil, mitigate snag hazards within 100 feet of firebreak lines, and remove combustible fuels using hand tools including backpack leaf blowers, fire rakes, and chainsaws at designated sites including Fern Rocks Nature Preserve, Lake Murphysboro Hill Prairies Land and Water Reserve, Ozark Hills Nature Preserve, and Brown Barrens Nature Preserve. Required deliverables include daily work logs, 24-hour advance notice before commencing work, weekly email updates, and monthly invoicing submitted to Christina Feng, Natural Heritage Biologist. Qualified vendors must provide personnel with a minimum of two years of professional experience in natural area management within Illinois, with at least 50 percent of on-site staff possessing two years of specific experience in firebreak construction at sites containing endangered and threatened species or high floristic quality areas. The project must be completed by April 17, 2026, with compensation structured on a firm, hourly rate basis determined through the BidBuy procurement process. The solicitation was posted November 25, 2025, with a due date of December 9, 2025. Prevailing wage requirements apply to this natural resources services contract, and vendors must maintain comprehensive insurance coverage including $1,000,000 per occurrence General Commercial Liability with $2,000,000 Annual Aggregate and $1,000,000 Auto Liability per occurrence.

No subcontracting is permitted on this contract, and vendors are fully responsible for all equipment, materials, repairs, maintenance, and inadequate treatment follow-up costs. The vendor must possess an active and unexpired State of Illinois Vendor Registration Number and submit the IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure form along with their bid response. For-profit vendors bidding on this contract must disclose all existing and pending contracts, bids, proposals, and procurement relationships with State of Illinois government units, and if the contract value exceeds $100,000 annually, vendors must report any lobbyist representation and agent communications. The maximum contract value for the initial term is set at $37,827.75 without formal amendment, with payment made only for time spent working on-site, excluding travel time. Funding source information and federal funding percentages, if applicable, will be provided in the Notice of Intent to Award.