DNR Illinois Beach Panne and Adjacent Natural Community Enhancement

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is procuring invasive species control and natural community enhancement services for Illinois Beach State Park in Lake County, Illinois through a competitive bidding process. The project scope requires vendors to provide labor and materials for chemical and mechanical control of invasive species including cattails, phragmites, reed canary grass, and various herbaceous and woody species across designated high-quality natural areas, with all work to be completed by December 31, 2027. Initial treatment of herbaceous species must occur in 2026 with follow-up treatment in 2027, and vendors must submit GPS coordinates of all treated areas in KMZ format and provide weekly work updates to the Primary Job Coordinator. The contract includes a 95% kill performance standard for all target species, with mandatory re-treatment at no additional cost if standards are not met. Required qualifications include valid Illinois Department of Agriculture Commercial Herbicide Applicators Licenses for all herbicide applicators, general commercial liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence/$2,000,000 aggregate, auto liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence, and worker's compensation insurance as required by law. The vendor's owner or primary field contact must demonstrate a minimum of two years of professional experience in herbicide application and natural area management within Illinois, with at least 50% of on-site herbicide applicators meeting similar experience requirements. Vendors must provide detailed documentation of up to four reference projects demonstrating experience with native plant communities in ecologically sensitive sites, with at least one reference project demonstrating the required years of experience and all references drawn from sites containing endangered and threatened species, natural areas listed on the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory with high floristic quality, dedicated Nature Preserves, or registered Land and Water Reserves. The bid due date is March 24, 2026, with the posting date of March 16, 2026.

This procurement does not contain explicit set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises based on the available documentation, though all applicable federal, state, and local laws and equal opportunity provisions must be followed. Subcontracting is permitted provided subcontractors meet all vendor qualifications and the prime contractor completes at least 51% of the work. The contract is funded through the USFWS Great Lakes Coastal Program (CFDA #15.630) and is subject to federal assistance provisions including debarment and suspension certifications, Byrd Anti-Lobbying Amendment provisions for awards exceeding $100,000, Davis-Bacon Act compliance for construction contracts over $2,000, Equal Employment Opportunity standards, and Clean Air and Water Act compliance for contracts exceeding $150,000. Prevailing wage requirements apply to this natural resource services contract. The specific maximum contract amount and hourly billing rate have not been disclosed in advance and will be determined by the State prior to contract execution, with compensation structured on an hourly basis for up to 899 hours of work. Monthly invoicing is permitted in accordance with the State Prompt Payment Act, with invoices submitted upon contract completion unless alternative arrangements tied to milestones or deliverables are explicitly agreed upon.