Drum Chopping at the Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area (EMCA), Lake County, Florida

The St. Johns River Water Management District is seeking a contractor to perform drum chopping services at the Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area (EMCA) in Lake County, Florida. The procurement involves reducing shrub densities across 442 acres of shrub-dominated wetlands and a small section of scrubby flatwoods, with the primary goal of promoting native vegetation growth and enabling future prescribed fire management. Contractors must provide specialized equipment capable of operating in wet, low ground pressure conditions, specifically a chopper with a single drum minimum 42 inches in diameter, weighing at least 10,000 lbs when filled with water, and able to chop with a single pass while overlapping rows by at least 6 inches. Qualified contractors must demonstrate at least five years of experience in similar projects, complete three comparable projects within the past three years, and submit three client references. The quote request (QR 41345) was released on June 10, 2025, with quotes due by 2:00 p.m. on June 26, 2025, and all work must be completed and invoiced by September 30, 2025. The District will prioritize the lowest quote that meets all specified requirements, reserving the right to reject any or all quotes.

While no specific set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises were mentioned in the procurement documents, the contract has a total budget of $80,000, with payment calculated based on the actual number of acres completed multiplied by the cost per acre. Contractors must provide proof of ability to do business in Florida, indicating some local business participation requirements. The project sites consist primarily of old agricultural fields historically functioning as floodplain marshes and wet prairie, featuring deep organic soils that are saturated or flooded during portions of the year. Ground conditions may potentially limit the total acreage that can be completed, which adds a variable component to the contract's scope. The procurement appears to be a competitive, open solicitation without explicit limitations on the type of organizations that can respond, suggesting that both small and large contractors with appropriate equipment and experience could potentially bid on the project.