IFB Coastal Plant Propagation, Mendocino and Sonoma County

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has issued an Invitation for Bid (IFB) for Coastal Plant Propagation services in Mendocino and Sonoma Counties. The contract requires a contractor to collect, propagate, and prepare 725 native California container plants, specifically divided into 542 herbaceous/faster-growing species (Group A) and 183 woody/slower-growing species (Group B). The project is associated with the Gualala Shoulders project on State Route 1 and focuses on environmental restoration and revegetation efforts. Contractors must possess a minimum of four years of experience collecting and propagating California native species, hold a valid nursery stock license, and be accredited with the Accreditation to Improve Restoration (AIR) program through UC Davis. Plant materials must be collected within five miles of the coast in Sonoma and/or Mendocino counties, and the contractor's facility must be located in one of several specified northern California counties. The bid is due by 2:00 p.m. on October 28, 2025, with a bid opening at 2:30 p.m. on the same day, and the contract is set to commence on December 2, 2025, and expire on December 1, 2028.

The procurement includes specific small business participation goals, with Caltrans seeking to achieve a twenty-five percent (25%) Small Business (SB) participation target. While Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) participation is not mandatory, it is encouraged, and a DVBE incentive applies to the IFB. Certified Small Businesses, Micro Businesses, and contractors willing to subcontract at least 25% of their net price to certified SBs or MBs are particularly encouraged to submit bids. The solicitation does not specify a precise award value or budget range, but the complexity of the plant propagation requirements and the three-year contract duration suggest a potentially significant investment. Caltrans will be responsible for picking up the plants from the contractor's facility when they are ready, and the contractor must provide all necessary expertise, labor, tools, equipment, supplies, personnel safety gear, and safety training to complete the project successfully. For contractors requiring additional accessibility information, Caltrans has provided an email (ADAdocs@dot.ca.gov) and phone number (833-713-2922) to request accessible versions of the solicitation documents.