Grid Spot Ground Herbicidal Application-Lake Wales Ridge State Forest

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), specifically the Florida Forest Service (FFS), is seeking competitive bids for a grid spot ground herbicidal application project within the Lake Wales Ridge State Forest in Frostproof, Florida. The procurement involves treating approximately 282 acres along the Walk in Water Tract using undiluted Velpar L herbicide (or an approved equivalent) at a rate of three quarts per acre in a 3-foot by 3-foot grid pattern across four designated site preparation areas containing sand pine scrub and sandhill habitats. Bidders must submit written proposals by January 12, 2026, at 5:00 PM, with a public bid opening scheduled for January 13, 2026, at 9:30 AM in Tallahassee. Vendors are required to provide three references from similar projects completed within the last five years, possess a valid Florida Department of Agriculture Commercial Applicator's license, and submit all required certifications and forms. The contract evaluation will be based on the lowest Grand Total Price, with the successful contractor responsible for providing all labor, equipment, herbicides, and materials necessary to complete the work.

The contract does not specify specific set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises. Contractors must use 4-wheel-drive trucks or UTVs to navigate sugar sand access roads and maintain a 33-foot buffer strip along State Forest boundaries. Insurance requirements include $1,000,000 general liability, $500,000 chemical drift control liability, $300,000 automobile liability, and workers' compensation coverage. The initial contract term runs from March 1, 2026, through June 15, 2026, with the potential for FDACS to renew the contract for three additional one-year periods. The FFS reserves the right to increase treatment acreage up to 20 percent at the same unit price per acre. Liquidated damages of $100 per calendar day will be assessed for delays beyond the completion date, and failure to achieve 95 percent effective herbicide coverage may disqualify the contractor from future FFS projects. A MyFloridaMarketPlace transaction fee of one percent will be applied to all payments, with compensation based on the bid price per acre upon satisfactory completion.