Herbaceous/Herbicide at four state parks

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources Parks & Recreation Division issued Request for Proposal #180000003068 on July 16, 2018, seeking qualified contractors to provide herbaceous plant and herbicide control services at four state parks: Ludington State Park (Mason County), Muskegon State Park (Muskegon County), Warren Dunes State Park (Berrien County), and Grand Mere State Park (Berrien County). The procurement targets invasive species control through herbicide application to non-native phragmites (Phragmites australis), reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea), and non-native cattail (Typha angustifolia and T. xglauca) across approximately 88.6 acres at Ludington, with comparable treatment areas at the remaining three parks totaling 137.4 acres at Grand Mere alone. Bidders must hold pre-qualification in invasive species control with demonstrated expertise in herbaceous plant and herbicide application, with all herbicide applications performed by certified commercial pesticide applicators in compliance with Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Aquatic Nuisance Control permits and label specifications. Deliverables include herbicide application within designated treatment areas, GPS mapping data, completed invasive plant mapping forms, and a final project report submitted within two weeks of completion to Glenn Palmgren at the DNR Parks & Recreation Division. The bid submission deadline was July 31, 2018, at 9:30 a.m., with written questions accepted via the SIGMA-VSS website until July 25, 2018, at 10:00 a.m.; no pre-bid meeting was scheduled, though detailed maps and survey data were posted online for prospective bidders. Project work must be completed between August 28 and September 30, 2018, or prior to the first killing frost, whichever occurs first. Evaluation criteria included technical qualification (pass/fail determination based on work plan, personnel qualifications, and prior experience demonstrating similar herbaceous control projects with references) and cost-efficiency, with the State reserving the right to award contracts in full or in part and permit bidders to submit proposals for any combination of treatment areas with potential price discounts for completing multiple treatment areas.

The solicitation contains no identified set-aside designations or disadvantaged enterprise restrictions limiting response eligibility, allowing any qualified contractor meeting pre-qualification and certification requirements to submit proposals. Subcontractors may be used only if previously included in the pre-qualification review process. Pricing must be submitted on a firm, fixed lump-sum basis by treatment area with no price adjustments permitted during contract performance, with all costs for surveying, herbicide application, equipment, labor, herbicide, and transportation included in the bid price and no additional charges permitted. The procurement documents do not identify an incumbent vendor, current contractor, or existing infrastructure requiring integration beyond compliance with the established Pesticide Discharge Management Plan (PDMP) effective March 24, 2017, and existing Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Aquatic Nuisance Control permits and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System General Permits. No specific award values or budget ranges were provided in the available solicitation documents; however, the project scope encompasses treatment of approximately 310+ acres across four state parks, suggesting significant contract value proportional to the acreage, labor, equipment, and chemical requirements across the multiple treatment locations.