Jones mill creek #2 timber sale

The Suwannee River Water Management District is soliciting bids for the Jones Mill Creek #2 Timber Sale, an unmarked third-row logger select timber harvest located in Sumter County and Bayport CDP, Florida. The procurement involves approximately 352 acres of 2007 planted slash pine, with bidders required to leave 50 square feet of Basal Area per acre of the largest, best-formed trees in the residual stands. The timber sale is structured as a 12-month per-unit-rate contract, with electronic bid submissions due by September 24, 2025, at 10:00 AM EDT through DemandStar. Evaluation criteria will focus on the highest total sale value, calculated using the District's estimated product volumes. Qualified bidders must be a Master Logger with current designation and adhere to Best Management Practices and "Come Clean, Leave Clean" protocols to prevent invasive plant spread. The bid opening will be conducted at 9225 CR 49 in Live Oak, Florida, with logging slash to be scattered back through the stand after harvest.

The timber sale requires bidders to provide specific insurance coverages, including workers' compensation, motor vehicular liability insurance with $1,000,000 limits, and general liability insurance with $1,000,000 minimums for personal and advertising injury. An advance payment of $20,000 and a damage deposit of $10,000 are mandatory components of the contract. The Suwannee River Water Management District reserves the right to refuse any and all bids and has provisions that potentially allow use by other Florida governmental entities. While no specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises are mentioned, the contract appears open to qualified logging professionals meeting the Master Logger criteria. The total contract value will be determined by the unit rates and estimated product volumes, with the potential for significant revenue generation based on the timber resources in the 352-acre harvest area. The District's comprehensive bidding requirements and specific operational guidelines suggest a structured approach to managing this timber sale opportunity.