Nansemond River Mulching Project

The Virginia Department of Forestry is seeking a contractor for the Nansemond River Mulching Project, a forestry services contract located in northern Suffolk along the Nansemond River. The project involves mechanical forestry mulching and tree removal on an 11.96-acre tract, specifically requiring the clearing of brush, invasive species, and 110 marked dead/hazardous trees to open an existing trail. Qualified contractors must have at least three years of experience in tree mulching contracts and provide their own equipment, labor, and supplies. Bidders are required to attend a mandatory site visit, specify equipment make/models, and detail processing methods for trees over 6-8 inches in diameter. All mulched material must be ground to 6 inches or less and evenly spread across the site. The bid submission deadline is December 6, 2024, at 2:00 PM through the eVA electronic procurement system, with work to be completed by April 10, 2025. Contractors must work Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with Virginia Department of Forestry staff present during all operations.

The contract opportunity includes set-aside provisions for DSBSD-certified micro and small businesses, with priority given to women-owned and minority-owned businesses. The bid tabulation indicates that the project is designated as a Small Business Set-Aside for awards between $10,000 and $100,000, with certified small and micro business prices allowed to be up to 5% higher than the lowest non-certified bidder. The site visit attendee list included 15 potential contractors, with the bid tab showing bid amounts ranging from $33,488 to $490,000. The lowest responsive and responsible bid was submitted by RX Fire Effects at $38,272. A 10% contingency may be added to the contract amount to account for unforeseen debris removal. The contractor will be responsible for preventing damage to the Resource Protection Area and must repair any staging area damage at their own expense. The contract includes specific requirements for communication, equipment staging, and compliance with Virginia's Forestry Best Management Practices for Water Quality.