NC26-50-1 Red Cliffs Fire Prevention Herbicide Application Phase II

The State of Utah Division of Purchasing, in conjunction with the Division of Wildlife Resources, is issuing an Invitation for Bid (IFB) for aerial herbicide treatment services in Washington County, Utah, designated as NC26-50-1 Red Cliffs Fire Prevention Herbicide Application Phase II. The procurement seeks a single contract award to the lowest cost responsive and responsible vendor to conduct aerial herbicide application on approximately 1,300 acres across multiple parcels near the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve and Red Cliffs National Conservation Area. The project involves treating invasive annual species and medium to high-density infestations of Sahara mustard using specified herbicide mixtures (Rejuvra and Panoramic with Zandar adjuvant) to establish fuel breaks and reduce fire risk in coordination with multiple agencies including the Bureau of Land Management, Washington County Habitat Conservation Plan, Snow Canyon State Park, Utah Trust Lands Administration, and the cities of St. George and Hurricane. Work must commence no later than February 10, 2026, and be completed by February 28, 2026, with all labor, equipment, mobilization costs, and operating expenses included in a guaranteed per-acre price basis with no fuel surcharges permitted. Contractors must possess a current Utah Commercial Pesticide Applicator License, and all personnel mixing or applying chemicals must hold valid Utah herbicide applicator licenses; bidders must specify the make and model of unmanned aerial systems or other equipment to be used. The IFB closes February 4, 2026, with no mandatory site visit required, though contractors are strongly encouraged to conduct their own inspections, and a pre-work conference will be held at the project site prior to work commencement.

The solicitation does not specify any set-aside designations or restrictions on organizational types eligible to respond; however, all vendors must comply with Utah Code Annotated provisions, including anti-boycott certifications and confirmation that they are not providing forced labor products, and foreign entities are restricted from participation. Vendors must maintain workers' compensation insurance covering all employees and subcontractors at statutory limits, commercial general liability insurance of no less than $1,000,000 per occurrence and $3,000,000 aggregate, and commercial automobile liability insurance of $1 million per occurrence if vehicles will be used. The Washington County Noxious Weeds Manager will provide all herbicides at no cost to the contractor, and the project is funded through the state's Watershed Restoration Initiative grant. The contract includes provisions for minor change orders up to 10 percent of the original project area at the same per-acre rate and major change orders requiring negotiation, with maximum change order payments capped at 10 percent of remaining untreated acreage multiplied by the per-acre bid price. No incumbent vendors or specific award values are listed in the procurement documents; the final contract value will be determined by multiplying the per-acre bid price by actual acres treated and verified through GPS tracking data. All submissions must be made through the U3P system by the February 4, 2026 closing deadline, and any response containing exceptions or additions to standard terms and conditions will be rejected as non-responsive.