P2025109 Request for Proposal Tehama Wildlife Area - Hogsback Allotment

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a Permit for Excess Vegetation Disposal through grazing on the Hogsback allotment of the Tehama Wildlife Area. The procurement seeks a qualified livestock operator to conduct cattle grazing on approximately 3,206 acres to manage deer winter range habitat while maintaining specific residual dry matter (RDM) objectives between 446 and 800 pounds per acre by May 15 annually. Bidders must have a minimum of ten years of experience with wildlife-friendly grazing operations on public or conservation easement protected lands and the ability to respond to emergencies within two hours. The proposal evaluation will be conducted on a 140-point scale, with points allocated across eight goal-based proposals and a cost component. Key evaluation criteria include RDM measurement, riparian area protection, wetland avoidance, even livestock distribution, and operational flexibility. A mandatory site inspection is scheduled for October 17, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. at 30490 Plum Creek Road, Paynes Creek, California, with proposals due by October 31, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. The permit term is four years and seven months, running from December 1, 2025, to June 30, 2030, with an annual grazing period from January 15 through May 15.

There are no specific set-aside designations or restrictions on organizational types mentioned in the procurement documents. Bidders must submit a minimum of one original and three copies of their proposal, with a fee proposed per acre per year. The fee will be calculated by multiplying the proposed amount by 3,206 acres and four months, with annual payments due on November 15, 2025, and December 31 of each subsequent year through 2029. Insurance requirements are comprehensive, including Commercial General Liability with a minimum of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $3,000,000 aggregate, Automobile Liability of $1,000,000 combined single limit, and Workers' Compensation coverage. While a specific budget range is not explicitly stated, bidders will be required to propose their own per-acre fee, which will be a key factor in the evaluation process. The evaluation and ranking of proposals will occur on November 3, 2025, with a proposed award date of November 12, 2025. Only cattle may be used for grazing, and the operator must strictly adhere to the specified land management and operational requirements outlined in the RFP documents.