Lizzie's Hill Mastication

The State of Utah Division of Wildlife Resources issued an Invitation for Bids (IFB) for the Lizzie's Hill Mastication project, seeking wildlife habitat improvement services in Iron County. The procurement involves mechanically removing and shredding standing live and dead pinyon and juniper trees across approximately 1,228 acres located 24 miles northwest of Cedar City. Contractors are required to furnish at least five mobile, tracked or wheeled mechanical mulching/shredders (Bullhogs) with fully-qualified operators, with specific equipment cleaning requirements to prevent noxious weed spread. The project will be performed on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land at elevations between 6,000 and 7,000 feet, with access involving paved highways, county dirt roads, and jeep trails. The bid was opened on 10/22/2020 and closed on 10/30/2020, with a contract performance deadline of January 31, 2021. Successful contractors must have four-wheel drive vehicles and be prepared to work in challenging terrain.

The procurement was strictly restricted to prequalified contractors on the State of Utah Rangeland Vendor list, effectively limiting competition to a specific group of vendors. The contract was ultimately awarded to Kolob Mountain Construction as the lowest responsive bidder. No specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises were mentioned in the documentation. The procurement will result in a single purchase order with no government-furnished property provided. While a specific award value was not explicitly stated, the scope of work involving 1,228 acres of land treatment suggests a substantial project budget. The restricted vendor list and specific equipment requirements indicate a specialized contracting opportunity focused on precise ecological management techniques in a challenging geographic environment.