Ranch Creek Mechanical Thinning

The State of Utah Division of Purchasing and Division of Wildlife Resources has issued an Invitation for Bid (IFB) numbered KL22-26 for the Ranch Creek Mechanical Thinning project located in Garfield County. The procurement seeks a qualified contractor to perform mechanical thinning and mastication on approximately 834.4 acres, with five specific service line items including mastication of various terrain types such as sagebrush shrublands, riparian areas, ponderosa pine, and mixed conifer zones. Bidders must be prequalified and included on the current State of Utah Rangeland Prequalification List, with a mandatory site visit held on September 15, 2021. The contract requires specialized forestry-type heavy equipment capable of mulching pinion/juniper tree species on slopes up to 40% and a full-size excavator for placing juniper trees in streams. Contractors must adhere to strict equipment washing protocols to prevent noxious weed spread and minimize soil disturbance in sensitive areas. The project has a firm completion deadline of November 30, 2021, with no contract time extensions permitted, and will be awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder.

The solicitation does not explicitly outline specific set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises. The contract will be executed as a purchase order with no government-furnished property, and the contractor bears full responsibility for timely project completion. While the specific budget range is not detailed in the provided documentation, the project involves substantial mechanical work across 834.4 acres with multiple service line items. Equipment requirements include specialized forestry machinery and an excavator, suggesting a potentially significant investment for the selected contractor. The procurement is geographically focused on Garfield County, Utah, and requires technical expertise in mechanical thinning, mastication, and environmental conservation practices. Interested bidders must demonstrate prequalification, attend the mandatory site visit, and possess the necessary technical capabilities to successfully execute the mechanical thinning and woody debris placement components of the project.