KDFWR-Professional Aerial Herbicide Application

The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) is seeking a professional aerial herbicide application contractor to treat invasive Bush Honeysuckle in Montgomery County, Kentucky. The solicitation, RFP 660-2600000048, requires the selected vendor to apply herbicide on 600 acres within the Clay Wildlife Management Area (WMA) and up to 400 additional acres on surrounding private properties. The project mandates using 41% concentrated aquatic-safe glyphosate at 4 quarts per acre with a LI-700 surfactant, with application scheduled between October 15th and December 15th, 2025. Mandatory qualifications include a current Kentucky Herbicide/Pesticide applicator's license, demonstrated experience in aerial forestry herbicide application, and ability to work in rough terrain. The evaluation will be comprehensive, with 600 technical points and 200 cost points, totaling 800 possible points. Proposals are due by September 8, 2025, at 12:00 PM ET, with an initial contract term from October 10, 2025, through June 30, 2026, and potential for two additional one-year renewals.

The procurement appears open to all qualified vendors, with no specific set-aside designations explicitly noted. Bidders must provide Commercial General Liability Insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate limits. The Commonwealth of Kentucky is tax-exempt, and bidders must complete an Annual Affidavit demonstrating compliance with state business requirements, including being authorized to transact business in Kentucky, filing state corporate income taxes, and maintaining workers' compensation coverage. While specific budget ranges are not detailed, the solicitation suggests a competitive per-acre pricing model for herbicide application. Contractors will be responsible for providing all necessary equipment and submitting a shapefile reflecting treated areas upon project completion. The KDFWR reserves the right to negotiate with top-ranked vendors and potentially request Best and Final Offers (BAFO) to ensure the most advantageous contract for the state.