P2025110 Request for Proposal Tehama Wildlife Area - Section 33 Allotment

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a Permit for Excess Vegetation Disposal through cattle grazing on the Section 33 Allotment of the Tehama Wildlife Area in Tehama County. The procurement seeks a qualified livestock owner or operator with a minimum of ten years of experience in wildlife-friendly grazing on public or conservation easement-protected lands. The project involves cattle grazing operations on approximately 861 acres during an annual four-month period from January 15 through May 15 each year. Proposers must maintain residual dry matter between 446 and 800 pounds per acre by May 15 annually, with initial stocking at 80 Animal Unit Months per 640 acres. A mandatory site inspection is scheduled for October 17, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. at 30490 Plum Creek Road, Paynes Creek, California, and proposals must be received by October 31, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. The evaluation will score proposals based on qualifications, proposed goals achievement (including riparian and wetland protection, RDM measurement, livestock distribution, ingress/egress, contingency planning, and trespass prevention), references, disclosure statements, and proposed fees.

The contract will be a four-year and seven-month permit agreement running from December 1, 2025, to June 30, 2030, with no renewal options. There are no specific set-aside designations or restrictions on respondents beyond the experience requirements. The annual fee will be calculated by multiplying the proposed fee amount by 861 acres and four months, with payments due on November 15, 2025, and December 31 of each subsequent year through 2029. While a specific budget range is not explicitly stated, the proposal requires comprehensive insurance coverage, including Commercial General Liability of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence and $3,000,000 aggregate, Automobile Liability of $1,000,000, and Workers' Compensation with employer's liability limits of $1,000,000. The CDFW reserves the right to reject all proposals and may offer the award to the next highest-scoring bidder if an agreement cannot be reached on the Site Operation Plan. Only cattle are permitted for grazing, and the successful bidder must be able to respond to emergencies within two hours during the grazing period.