P2025304 - Fulton Grazing

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is issuing an Invitation for Bid (IFB) for a Permit for Excess Vegetation Disposal through managed grazing on approximately 34 acres of the Fulton Grazing Management Unit within the Santa Rosa Plain Vernal Pool Ecological Reserve in Sonoma County, California. The procurement seeks a qualified grazing operator to control invasive vegetation, maintain habitat for endangered plant species (Burke's goldfields and Sonoma sunshine), protect the California tiger salamander, and reduce fire fuel loads through livestock grazing across two non-contiguous parcels: the Alton North Conservation Bank (21 acres) and the Woodbridge Preserve (13 acres). Successful bidders must possess sufficient livestock (cattle preferred, horses acceptable) to maintain seven Animal Units at Alton North and five Animal Units at Woodbridge, demonstrate prior grazing management experience through references, respond to emergencies within 30 minutes, and be capable of removing livestock within 72 hours if deemed a safety threat. The permit term spans four years and five months from May 15, 2026, to October 15, 2030, with Year One consisting of a five-month grazing period (May 15 to October 15) and Years Two through Five comprising eight-month grazing periods (February 15 to October 15). Bidders must submit two separate pricing proposals expressed as per-acre-per-year amounts: one for the five-month Year One period and one for the eight-month Years Two through Five periods, with annual permit fees calculated by multiplying the bid amount by 34 acres. The mandatory site inspection is scheduled for April 8, 2026, at 1:00 pm, sealed bids are due by April 17, 2026, at 5:00 pm to Leonard Baxa at the CDFW Fairfield office, the notice of intent to award is scheduled for April 20, 2026, and the proposed award date is April 23, 2026. The award will be granted to the responsive, responsible bidder submitting the highest bid amount, with ties resolved through blind drawing.

No set-aside designations or disadvantaged enterprise restrictions are specified in the procurement documents. There are no identified incumbent vendors or current contractors listed for this opportunity. Prior to permit execution, the successful bidder must obtain insurance documentation verified by the Department of General Services and provide a completed Payee Data Record form (STD 204), with required coverage including Commercial General Liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence/$3,000,000 aggregate), Automobile Liability ($1,000,000 combined single limit), and Workers' Compensation coverage, naming the State of California as additional insured. The permittee assumes all operational costs including utilities, water development, maintenance, repairs, and any prevailing wage requirements, and must indemnify the state against claims arising from the permitted use. The specific bid values or award amounts are not disclosed in the procurement documents, as award will be determined through the bidding process based on submitted pricing proposals for the grazing management services. All bid documents become property of the State and are subject to public inspection under the California Public Records Act.