ITB 27B-002 2027 Westville Timber Thinning Sale

Northwest Florida Water Management District is soliciting bids for the 2027 Westville Timber Thinning Sale, a loblolly pine timber harvest on a per-ton basis across 224 acres within the Choctawhatchee River Water Management Area in Holmes County, Florida, with bids due October 7, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Bid evaluation prioritizes highest estimated sale value, with tiebreaker preference awarded to certified minority business enterprises, certified veteran-owned businesses, and firms with Drug-Free Workplace programs.

The harvest spans ten stands under a "loggers select" thinning regime with target basal areas of 40–70 square feet per acre and tree densities of 40–70 trees per acre. Three product classes will be harvested: Pine Pulpwood (estimated 3,984 tons), Pine Chip-N-Saw (estimated 2,125 tons), and Pine Saw Timber (estimated 9,513 tons), totaling approximately 15,622 tons. Timber must be merchandized to specified diameter and length requirements. Bidders submit per-ton pricing for each product class; actual payment is determined by net weights on certified scale tickets. Weekly electronic fund transfers follow submission of logging diaries and scale tickets no later than the Wednesday after each harvest week. The District does not guarantee volume estimates, placing inspection and valuation responsibility on bidders.

Contractors must be a Master Logger certified in the Florida Master Logger training program or equivalent and comply with Florida's Silviculture Best Management Practices. Required insurance includes comprehensive general liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence, automobile liability of $1,000,000 combined single limit, and workers' compensation. A performance bond equal to ten percent of the estimated total contract value is due within ten calendar days of award notification.

The contract term shall not exceed 365 days from the effective date, with extensions considered only for acts of God or extreme contingencies beyond the contractor's control. Sealed bids must be submitted electronically through DemandStar and include completed bid forms, bidder acknowledgement, and bidder information form detailing experience and references. No pre-bid conference is mandatory. No minimum bid price has been established.