Aerial Spraying Services

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) is soliciting bids through Invitation for Bid (IFB) No. IW244083 for comprehensive aerial spraying services across its correctional facility agricultural operations spanning approximately 26,000 acres across nine major units including Clemens, Memorial, Ramsey, Pack, Buffalo Ranch, Wainwright, Ellis/Estelle, and Beto/Coffield facilities. The procurement encompasses liquid pesticide applications (insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides), granular fertilizer applications, seed dispersal, and defoliant services across multiple crop types including cotton (0–2,900 acres), corn and grain sorghum (0–8,900 acres), vegetables (0–3,700 acres), pastureland, and rye grass seeding (approximately 8,200 acres). Contractors must possess specific aircraft meeting minimum horsepower requirements (230–600 depending on aircraft type including Cessna AGwagon, Grumman Ag Cat, Piper Pawnee, Snow, Stearman, or Air Tractor) and employ commercial pilots with minimum two seasons of pest control flying experience and 100 or more flight hours. Required qualifications include comprehensive insurance coverage comprising aircraft liability ($1,000,000 combined single limit), aerial applicator comprehensive chemical liability ($300,000 minimum per occurrence), commercial general liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence), workers' compensation with statutory limits, and commercial crime insurance ($1,000,000 each occurrence), along with successful criminal background checks for all personnel. The contract base period runs from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2027, with four optional one-year renewal periods through August 31, 2031, and an additional 90-day extension option at the end of each period; bids are submitted on a fixed-price, per-acre application basis with separate pricing schedules for different application types and farm locations, and annual price adjustments are permitted no later than June 1st based on the Producer Prices Index for Gasoline. The written question deadline was March 23, 2026, and the bid submission deadline is April 13, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. Central Time at TDCJ's Huntsville, Texas facility; Amendment No. 1 was issued clarifying aircraft liability insurance requirements and insurance coverage specifications, and bidders must acknowledge receipt of this amendment in their submission or risk non-consideration.

All respondents must submit a Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Subcontracting Plan demonstrating good faith efforts to utilize Texas-certified HUBs, with a statewide HUB goal of 3.00 percent across all contract categories as required by Texas Government Code 2161.252 and Texas Administrative Code 34 TAC 20.285; bidders selecting Method B must notify at least three Texas-certified HUBs and two or more trade organizations or development centers of subcontracting opportunities, allowing a minimum of seven working days for HUB responses. All respondents must comply with standard TDCJ Required Contract Clauses including certifications regarding public information disclosure, suspension and debarment status, human trafficking prohibitions, child support obligations, E-Verify employment eligibility verification, and various policy-based certifications related to Israel boycotts, firearm industry discrimination, critical infrastructure ownership, and vaccine passport prohibitions. The document does not identify any incumbent vendors or current contractors, nor does it specify a minimum amount of service utilization, with TDCJ reserving the right to award one or more contracts based on service areas and contractor availability. No specific award value or budget range is disclosed in the solicitation materials; however, payment will be processed monthly with invoices due by the 10th of the following month and payment within 30 days of receipt of accurate invoicing and supporting documentation. The contract specialist is Daniela Castaneda, CTCD, and all disputes shall be resolved under Texas Government Code Chapter 2260 with venue fixed in Travis County.