Natural well branch #4 timber sale

The Suwannee River Water Management District is seeking bids for the Natural Well Branch #4 Timber Sale, located in Taylor County, Florida, involving an unmarked third row select thinning of approximately 125 acres of 2002 planted slash pine. The procurement requires the selected vendor to leave 50 square feet of basal area per acre of the largest, best-formed trees in the residual stand, with logging slash scattered back through the stand. Bidders must submit per-unit pricing in dollars per ton for pine timber (pulpwood and chip-n-saw/better grades) and mined limerock road materials, with an electronic bid submission required through DemandStar before 10:00 a.m. EST on November 19, 2025. Key qualifications include employing a Master Logger with current designation available on-site throughout operations, compliance with Best Management Practices, and adherence to equipment cleaning protocols for invasive species. Pre-bid site inspections are available at the bidder's convenience using gate combination 1-0-0-1, with the contract term set at 12 months from execution and no specified renewal options.

The timber sale does not specify any specific set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises. The procurement requires substantial financial commitments, including an advance payment of $5,000 and a damage deposit of $10,000 at contract execution. Bidders must carry workers' compensation insurance, motor vehicular liability insurance ($1,000,000 minimum), and general liability insurance ($1,000,000 minimum). The District estimates up to 300 tons of limerock products will be required at the purchaser's expense, with weekly timber settlement payments calculated at 100 percent of gross harvest and road material costs deducted from weekly payments until the advance payment is depleted. While no specific budget range is provided, the comprehensive insurance and operational requirements suggest a significant financial investment for the successful bidder. The District reserves the right to refuse any or all bids and may extend Best Management Practices compliance deadlines due to excessive wet weather conditions.