DNR RFB NW Region Bud Capping 2026

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is requesting bids for bud-capping services on seedlings across an estimated 277 tracts in five separately awarded bid groups totaling approximately 4,227.9 acres in 11 northwestern counties, with bids due August 11, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. through the SWIFT Portal. Questions are due August 6, 2026. The scope includes labor, equipment, materials, tools, and transportation necessary to attach bud caps to seedlings; work must be completed by November 2, 2026.

Sites are distributed across the Bemidji (865.8 acres), Park Rapids (1,316.6 acres), Backus (905.4 acres), Warroad (949.1 acres), and State Parks (191 acres) areas within Becker, Beltrami, Cass, Clearwater, Crow Wing, Hubbard, Itasca, Koochiching, Mahnomen, Roseau, and Wadena Counties. Contractors are encouraged to conduct site visits; contact Project Supervisor Marshall Graham at 218-308-2276 to schedule.

Compensation is structured as a unit price contract with payment based on satisfactorily completed acres at the bid rate per tract. Unit prices must include all labor, materials, tools, transportation, equipment, sales tax, use tax, and all other costs necessary for project completion. The State will assess liquidated damages at 2% of the bid price per acre for every 1% the satisfactorily treated tree count falls below the allowable 5% variance threshold.

All responses must include a completed Prime Contractor Response Qualification Form and a Workforce and Equal Pay Declaration Form. Prime contractors must certify they have not been found in default or had a contract terminated for cause within the last 36 months; responses answering "yes" will be automatically rejected. Contractors must provide Commercial Automobile Liability Insurance with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence combined single limit and Workers' Compensation Insurance per statutory requirements. Minnesota Resident Vendor status may be claimed and considered for resolving tied bids. The State reserves the right to award items separately, by grouping, or by total, whichever is deemed most advantageous. Electronic submission through SWIFT Portal is mandatory; email and faxed responses will not be accepted.