NR FRD WUP Drone Aerial Spraying Project FY24

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) for drone aerial herbicide spraying services across the Western Upper Peninsula of Michigan. This professional services procurement seeks qualified contractors to conduct safe and effective aerial drone application of herbicides for forestry site preparation and seedling release operations. The project encompasses 17 total treatment sites across two operational categories: 14 sites totaling 231.9 acres for site preparation spraying and 3 sites totaling 91.8 acres for release spraying, with the DNR supplying and paying for all chemicals on a per-acre basis. Contractors must submit per-acre bid prices for both site preparation and release spraying activities, as well as individual pricing for specified chemical mixes including Roundup Pro, Arsenal AC, Oust XP, Roundup Custom, Element 4, and TA-40 Surfactant. Evaluation will be conducted on a PASS/FAIL basis across nine criteria related to the Statement of Work and vendor qualifications, with contract award going to the responsive and responsible bidder offering the lowest price. Bidders must possess an MDARD license for aerial pesticide application, maintain valid Michigan Commercial Pesticide Applicator Certificates, and obtain DNR chief pilot certification before contract issuance. Written questions must be submitted by 3:00 p.m. Eastern on February 28, 2024, with answers posted by February 29, 2024. Proposals are due by 9:30 a.m. Eastern on March 6, 2024, with the anticipated contract begin date of March 11, 2024, and all contract activities must be completed by September 30, 2024.

The RFP documentation does not identify any set-aside designations, restrictions on respondent types, or disadvantaged enterprise preferences for this procurement. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are specified in the solicitation materials. Contractors are required to maintain comprehensive insurance coverage including Commercial General Liability ($1,000,000 each occurrence/$2,000,000 general aggregate), Automobile Liability ($1,000,000 per accident), Workers' Compensation, and Employers Liability coverage. Pricing must be firm for the entire contract term and submitted separately from other proposal documents in a modifiable format. The RFP notes that acreage figures may experience fluctuations of up to 15 percent during finalization of the Project Area Plan (PAP), with invoice acreage defined as the actual acreage sprayed according to the finalized PAP to establish the measurement basis for billing and contract performance. This represents the first of three planned procurements for herbicide spraying across Michigan State Forests, though specific budget ranges or anticipated award values are not disclosed in the available solicitation documents.