KDFWR - Aerial Herbicide Application Rockcastle WMA - REBID

The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) is issuing a rebid Request for Proposal (RFP 660 2400000282) for aerial herbicide application services on the Rockcastle River Wildlife Management Area (RRWMA) located in Pulaski County, Kentucky. The solicitation seeks qualified contractors to apply Triclopyr herbicide (44.4% or greater concentrate) at a rate of 1.5 quarts per acre with a volume of 5 gallons per acre, along with LI-700 surfactant at 3.2 ounces per acre to treat approximately 435 acres of invasive autumn olive across designated treatment zones. All chemicals and surfactants must be supplied by the contractor, who is responsible for identifying and proposing appropriate ingress/egress routes and landing zones for KDFWR approval. The contractor must complete the aerial application within five days of KDFWR notification that site conditions are suitable for spraying, with the application window occurring between April 1, 2024 and May 31, 2024. Qualified bidders must possess a current Kentucky Herbicide/Pesticide applicators license and demonstrate a minimum of three years' experience in aerial forestry herbicide application involving wildlife habitat or forest management, with preference for projects exceeding 700 acres. Contractors must provide documentation of at least three professional projects of 100+ acres and supply three professional references from similar projects. The RFP utilizes a firm fixed-price contract structure with a maximum of 800 evaluation points allocated across technical proposal criteria (600 points, including executive summary at 100 points, qualifications and experience at 400 points, and references at 100 points) and cost proposal (200 points). Proposals are due electronically through the Kentucky eProcurement System by March 15, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, with no bidders' conference or mandatory site visit specified, though contractors must examine treatment areas independently. The contract term is anticipated to run from March 1, 2024 through June 31, 2024, with no renewal options.

Kentucky resident bidders and qualified bidders are eligible to receive reciprocal preferences in the evaluation process. No incumbent vendor or current contractor information is listed in the solicitation documents. The Commonwealth of Kentucky is exempt from federal excise tax and Kentucky sales and use tax, which should not be included in proposed costs. All bidders must submit required affidavits under Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS) 45A.110 and 45A.115, certifying campaign finance compliance and resident bidder status if applicable, along with supporting documentation demonstrating business authorization in Kentucky, current state corporate income tax filing, unemployment insurance fund payments, and workers' compensation coverage. The total project budget is capped at $25,000, representing a fixed price for the entire 435-acre treatment area, though contractors may propose treating fewer acres within this fixed budget. Upon project completion, the contractor must provide a shape file of treated areas to KDFWR. Award is anticipated to be made following proposal evaluation and potential negotiations with the top-ranked vendor, with KDFWR reserving the right to request Best and Final Offers.