DNR Nursery Labor at Mason State Nursery

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is seeking a vendor to provide labor services for the Mason State Nursery in Topeka, Illinois through an Invitation for Bid (IFB) process. The contract involves hand harvesting approximately 7,000 pounds of tree, shrub, prairie forb, and prairie grass seed annually, hand weeding approximately 285,790 linear feet of seed beds three times per year, and hand harvesting, grading, sorting, counting, and packaging approximately 2 million prairie forb root stock, hardwood, shrub, and conifer seedlings annually. The initial contract term is 24 months, with the State having the option to renew for up to 3 additional years. Vendors must submit pricing per the provided line items, and the total payments under the contract shall not exceed a maximum amount set by the State. The IFB indicates the contract may be partially or fully funded with federal funds.

The State may set small business, minority-owned, women-owned, and veteran-owned business participation goals for this contract. The vendor must comply with various legal and regulatory requirements, such as the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act and maintaining appropriate certifications and registrations. The contract was awarded to the lowest priced responsive and responsible bidder, Second Nature, LLC, for a total award amount of $835,000. The State Purchasing Officer approved the award decision, and the contract manager's contact information is provided.