Invasive Project - Old World Climbing Fern and Rosary Pea Treatment - Lake Wales Ridge State Forest

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) is seeking competitive bids for an invasive species management project within the Lake Wales Ridge State Forest in Polk County. The procurement involves herbicide application on approximately 258.1 acres to treat and remove Old-World Climbing Fern (OWCF) on Arbuckle Tracts LC5 and LC8, and Rosary Pea on Arbuckle Tract LC6 in Frostproof, Florida. Bidders must provide all necessary labor, materials, supplies, tools, equipment, transportation, and supervision for the work. Contractors are required to maintain a Florida Restricted Use Pesticide Applicators License with either natural areas weed management or aquatic endorsement and must submit three references from similar projects completed within the last five years. Site visits are recommended and can be scheduled between November 17-21, 2025, with a 48-hour advance notice. Sealed bids are due by December 1, 2025, at 5:00 p.m., with a public bid opening on December 2, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. The evaluation criteria focus on the lowest Grand Total Price, calculated by multiplying unit price per acre by estimated quantities, with a requirement of 100% treatment effectiveness and at least 95% control efforts.

The procurement does not specify any specific set-aside designations or restrictions on responding organizations. Contractors must carry minimum insurance coverage, including $1,000,000 general liability per occurrence, $500,000 chemical drift liability per occurrence, $300,000 automobile liability, and workers' compensation insurance as required by Florida law. The treatment project involves specific herbicide applications: 2% aquatic glyphosate foliar spray for OWCF and either 0.12% or 10% aminopyralid for Rosary Pea, depending on plant size. Treatment shall begin upon purchase order issuance and continue through June 30, 2026, with the initial treatment and all work to be completed by June 1, 2026, and any necessary re-treatments finished by June 30, 2026. A 1% MyFloridaMarketPlace transaction fee will be deducted from all payments, and the State's performance is contingent on annual legislative appropriation. While no specific budget range is explicitly stated, the contract will be awarded to the responsive and responsible vendor with the lowest total price.