Native Landscape Contractor for Watercourse & Land Stewardship

The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District is issuing a Request for Qualifications (RFQ TS-2755) to pre-qualify native landscape contractors for management and land stewardship services on watercourse contracts throughout Milwaukee County and Mattoon Village. The primary services encompass native plant community and habitat management, native plant seeding, live native and landscape planting, invasive and non-native plant species management and control, and tree removal and management across multiple growing seasons on sites located along Milwaukee County tributaries including Underwood Creek, Menomonee River, Kinnickinnic River, Lincoln Creek, 30th Street Corridor basins, and Edgerton Channel. Qualified contractors must demonstrate experience in native plant community management, invasive species removal, native seeding, tree and shrub planting, and possess Wisconsin pesticide applicator licenses and adherence to invasive species prevention best management practices. Key staff requirements include a Project Manager with five years of native landscape management experience managing at least one similar contract spanning two consecutive years, an Onsite Supervisor with five years of landscape and land stewardship experience and prescribed burn certification (S390), and crew members of which 50 percent must have one year of invasive species removal experience and 50 percent must have S130/S190 prescribed burn training. The RFQ submission deadline is February 18, 2026 at 10:00 AM (CST), which marks the beginning of a 24-month eligibility period; notification of qualified contractors is expected by February 25, 2026. The District anticipates awarding two contracts within four months and potentially six additional contracts within the 24-month period, with approved contractors automatically added to the prequalified list for TS-2750 - Native Landscape Contractor for Green Infrastructure.

The RFQ does not contain specific set-aside designations or restrictions on eligible respondent types based on the provided documentation. Submission requirements include a transmittal letter (two pages maximum), firm qualifications and references (five pages maximum), and experience and qualifications of key staff (ten pages maximum), all submitted through the District's online procurement platform, Bonfire. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the available documentation, and no specific contract award values or budget ranges are disclosed in the RFQ materials. All costs associated with responding to the RFQ are the sole responsibility of interested parties, and the RFQ does not commit the District to contract for any product or service. All contractors must resubmit their qualification packages for approval after the initial 24-month eligibility period concludes on February 18, 2028, to remain eligible for future contract awards.