Okaloacoochee Slough WMA Fence Line Project

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is soliciting competitive bids for fence line removal and replacement, right-of-way vegetation clearing, and fire line installation at Okaloacoochee Slough Wildlife Management Area in Hendry County, with sealed bids due October 20, 2026 at 3:00 PM ET and a mandatory pre-bid conference and site visit on October 6, 2026 at 10:00 AM ET.

All bidders must register with MyFloridaMarketPlace and SunBiz prior to bid opening. Subcontracting is not permitted. The contractor must comply with federal, state, and local guidelines including wetland disturbance regulations, obtain property owner permissions, and locate underground utilities.

The scope includes removal of approximately 159,600 linear feet of existing barbed wire fence; installation of approximately 56,400 linear feet of 4-strand barbed wire fencing and 32,300 linear feet of 3-strand smooth wire fencing; replacement of 42 individual 16-foot gates and 45 individual 3-foot pedestrian spring back gates; right-of-way vegetation clearing 50 feet interior of gates and fence lines; and preparation of approximately 20 miles of 16-foot-wide fire lines. Bidders must submit unit pricing for fence removal (per linear foot), fence installation (separate prices per linear foot by strand type), gate replacement (per gate by type), right-of-way clearing (per tenth of a mile), and fire line installation (per tenth mile).

The contract term is four years effective upon purchase order issuance, with the contractor required to begin work within 30 days of issuance and the FWC's goal to complete work as quickly as budget and conditions allow. Liquidated damages are assessed at $150 per calendar day of delay. The contractor must maintain applicable insurance coverage including workers' compensation and general liability and supply all necessary equipment and materials. The Commission will award to the responsive, responsible bidder submitting the lowest total bid price. Written questions are due October 9, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET. Anticipated award date is October 26, 2026.