Mustang Loop Invasive Plant Treatment Okaloacoochee Slough State Forest

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) is soliciting competitive bids for herbicide treatment services at Okaloacoochee Slough State Forest in Leon County, Florida. This Invitation to Bid (ITB) seeks a contractor to treat 300 acres of Florida Invasive Species Council 2023 Category 1 and 2 invasive plants, with particular focus on Brazilian pepper and climbing fern, by September 1, 2026. The treatment area comprises mixed pine flatwoods and oak hammock ecosystems located near LaBelle, Florida. Deliverables include herbicide application using multiple methods tailored to vegetation types: mature trees and shrubs will be treated via cut stump, basal bark, or frill/girdle/hack-and-squirt methods using up to 20-25% Triclopyr 4; seedlings and saplings will receive broadcast or foliar spray applications of 3% Glyphosate/3% Imazapyr mixture; and herbaceous plants and vines will be treated with 2-4% glyphosate solutions. Contractors must possess a certified commercial herbicide applicator's license in natural areas weed management and/or aquatic category and submit proof of three recent references from similar projects completed within the last five years. All herbicide containers and project-related debris must be removed from the site and properly disposed of by the contractor. Critical deadlines include a mandatory pre-bid site visit on March 3, 2026, at 9:00 AM (limited to two representatives per vendor), vendor questions due by March 10, 2026, written responses posted March 12, 2026, sealed bid submission due March 19, 2026, at 5:00 PM at the Mayo Building in Tallahassee, and public bid opening on March 20, 2026, at 9:30 AM via teleconference. The Department will award to the responsive and responsible vendor with the lowest Grand Total Price calculated on a per-acre basis.

The solicitation does not identify any set-aside designations or restrictions on eligible respondents based on business classification or disadvantaged enterprise status. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are listed in the procurement documents. FDACS intends to make a single award or no award at its discretion, with the contract renewable for three additional one-year renewal periods at the Department's sole discretion. Contractors must maintain general liability insurance with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate, automobile liability insurance of $300,000, and workers' compensation insurance. A liquidated damages clause of $100 per day applies for delays beyond the fixed completion date of September 1, 2026. The Department will assess a one percent transaction fee on all payments issued through MyFloridaMarketPlace. No specific budget range or award value is disclosed in the available procurement documents.