IFB Carmel Valley Revegetation Site Maintenance in San Diego County

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has issued an Invitation for Bid (IFB) #11A4186 for habitat restoration maintenance services at the Carmel Valley Bike Trail in San Diego County. The procurement covers maintenance of a 1.04-acre revegetation site located under I-5 at Carmel Valley Creek Bridge, near SR 56 and Old Sorrento Valley Road. Contractors will be responsible for providing all labor, tools, equipment, materials, and supplies necessary to kill non-native weeds and remove trash and debris from the site. Specific qualifications include holding a C-27 Landscape Contractor license and a Pest Control Business license, with required experience of five years for the company and field supervisor, and two years for the lead worker in Southern California riparian habitat restoration. The contract term runs from October 15, 2025, to October 14, 2029, with work to be performed during working hours of 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. The bid is due by September 16, 2025, and covers maintenance services to be performed with a two-person crew working 1-2 days per month, with challenging site access requiring passage through two locked gates.

The procurement includes a small business preference of 5% and offers a Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) incentive of 5%, though DVBE participation is not mandatory. While no specific award value is explicitly stated, the contract will apply prevailing wage rates for San Diego County if the total bid exceeds $15,000. The bidding process requires contractors to incorporate costs for on-site facilities, including a mandatory portable toilet and wash basin during work periods, with Caltrans specifying that these costs must be included in bid item unit prices and will not reimburse drive time for transporting facilities. The project involves multiple agency permits, including those from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regional Water Quality Control Board, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and California Coastal Commission. Bidders must be prepared to manage logistical challenges, including site access and specific on-site requirements, while maintaining the project's habitat restoration objectives.