Invasive species services - phragmites & semiaquatic plants

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is soliciting sealed bids for invasive species control services across 21 state parks and recreation areas through a competitive procurement process. The scope of work encompasses herbicide application and removal of non-native phragmites, purple loosestrife, flowering rush, reed canary grass, non-native cattail, frogbit, knotweed, coastal lyme grass, and bittersweet vegetation using ground-based foliar spraying and hand-swiping techniques. Successful bidders must hold invasive species pre-qualification in herbaceous control and herbicide application, demonstrate experience with comparable invasive species management projects, employ certified commercial pesticide applicators, and maintain personnel capable of identifying target plants and protected native species. Key deliverables include achieving a minimum 98 percent treatment rate of target species with a 90 percent kill rate, completing GPS mapping and documentation within two weeks of treatment, providing weekly progress reports, and ensuring all work is completed between August 1 and September 27, 2025, with the exception of woody work at Bay City Recreation Area which extends to March 1, 2026. Bidders must submit proposals on a firm lump-sum basis per park or line item with no price adjustments permitted, and may propose discounted pricing for completing multiple parks; bids are due July 25, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. EST with mandatory pre-bid meetings scheduled for July 14-17, 2025, at four primary locations. The evaluation criteria emphasize technical qualifications, relevant project experience, personnel expertise, and competitive pricing, with the State of Michigan reserving the right to award the contract in full or in part to pre-qualified vendors on a park-by-park basis, potentially selecting different contractors for different locations.

No set-aside designations or restrictions limiting participation to specific enterprise categories are identified in the procurement documents. The solicitation does not reference any incumbent vendors, current contractors, or existing infrastructure requiring integration with proposed services. Award values and budget ranges are not disclosed in the available documentation; however, the scope encompasses treatment of multiple invasive species across 21 geographically dispersed parks with varying acreage and complexity, suggesting the total contract value may be substantial depending on the number of parks awarded to individual contractors and the pricing submitted. Bid validity is established at 30 days from the due date, with pricing valid for a specified period from purchase order issuance. Contractors are encouraged to conduct optional site visits at the 17 parks without mandatory pre-bid meetings to assess conditions and refine their proposals. All proposals must include itemized costs covering surveying, herbicide application, equipment, labor, transportation, signage, safety equipment, and detailed information regarding techniques, chemicals, GPS units, personnel qualifications, and subcontractor involvement.