Monterey MA Diver Assisted Suction Harvesting (DASH)

The Town of Monterey, Massachusetts is requesting bids for Eurasian watermilfoil removal from Lake Garfield using Diver Assisted Suction Harvesting (DASH), Mechanical Harvesting (MH), and Movable Benthic Barriers (MBB), with bids due September 14, 2026 at noon. The contract runs July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, with DASH Phase 1 in Fall 2026 (northwest section) and Phase 2 in Spring 2027 (middle and southeast sections).

Bidders must provide cost proposals for all three removal methods on a per man-hour basis with estimated man-hours for each phase. The total contract amount shall not exceed $55,500 with no rate increases permitted during the contract term. The contract includes provisions for up to two optional one-year extensions through June 30, 2029, subject to satisfactory performance and Lake Garfield Working Group (LGWG) recommendation.

All work must comply with Notice of Intent 230-0300 and associated Order of Conditions, and be conducted in consultation with the LGWG. Personnel must hold national scuba diving certifications, and all EWM material including roots must be collected in mesh bags and disposed at an identified in-town location without hydraulic connection to Lake Garfield, Brewer's Pond, or the Konkapot River. Special attention must be paid to the prohibition on the "take" of Vasey's Pondweed under the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act.

Contractors must maintain daily work logs with GPS locations and bag counts, report all work to the Town Administrator prior to disposal, and submit final billing and documentation by June 16, 2027. Workers' Compensation Insurance and Commercial General Liability coverage are required with limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence for bodily injury and $500,000 for property damage, naming the Town as an additional insured.

Bids must include a Statement of Qualifications documenting EWM removal and disposal experience, names of all personnel, national scuba diving certifications for all divers, and a complete list of certified scuba equipment with certification dates. Submit proposals to Town Administrator Roger MacDonald, 435 Main Road, P.O. Box 308, Monterey, MA 01245.