Native Habitat Restoration Project on Monroe County Conservation Lands

Monroe County, Florida is conducting a competitive solicitation for a Native Habitat Restoration Project targeting conservation lands on Big Pine Key, No Name Key, and Little Torch Key. The Request for Proposals (RFP-598) seeks a qualified contractor to remove non-native and invasive exotic vegetation from nine separate conservation land parcels and subsequently install 640 native trees and shrubs. Key project deliverables include complete plant material procurement, invasive species removal, planting, and four follow-up watering events, with all work to be completed by October 31, 2025. Proposals were due electronically on August 7, 2025, at 3:00 PM through the Bonfire bidding platform, with a selection committee meeting scheduled for August 18, 2025. The evaluation process involves a 59-point scoring system that considers price (25 points), general information (15 points), references (5 points), claims and litigation (-5 to 0 points), background information (5 points), county forms (5 points), and local preference (4 points).

The procurement allows for local business preference, with specific requirements for insurance coverage including workers' compensation, general liability, and vehicle liability, where Monroe County must be named as an additional insured. No specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises were explicitly mentioned in the documents. Three companies submitted bids: Blue Native of the Florida Keys, Conch Tree and Landscape, Inc., and EarthBalance Corporation, with bid prices ranging from $83,103.00 to $243,950.00. Following the evaluation process, Conch Tree and Landscape was selected as the highest-ranked, responsive, and responsible bidder, with the county intending to award the contract at the September 10, 2025 Board of County Commissioners Meeting. The project appears to be funded through county conservation land management resources, with the selected contractor expected to execute the contract within 15 days of acceptance or risk the award being transferred to the second-ranked respondent.