Rye Planting Clare and Gladwin Counties

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has issued Request for Proposal #190000002968 for a fall rye planting project spanning Clare and Gladwin Counties. The procurement seeks a contractor to plant agricultural rye across 77.4 total acres of wildlife openings, with specific requirements including thorough disking of fields, broadcasting seed and fertilizer at 100 lbs/acre and 150 lbs/acre respectively, and using a cultipacker for field preparation. Contractors must provide all necessary farming equipment, labor, seed, and fertilizer, with a mandatory pre-plant meeting required before project commencement. The evaluation process will be comprehensive, assessing technical criteria through a Vendor Questions Worksheet (50 points) and Schedule A Statement of Work (50 points), with proposals needing a minimum of 80 points to advance to pricing review. Key deadlines include August 12, 2019 for question submissions, August 13, 2019 for agency responses, and a proposal due date of August 15, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern, with an anticipated contract start date of August 20, 2019.

The RFP does not explicitly specify set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises. The contract will be awarded on a per-acre basis, with no additional charges permitted and pricing to remain firm throughout the contract duration. Liquidated damages are structured at $500 plus $100 per day for late or improper completion, and contractors must provide purchase receipts for seed and fertilizer to verify specified volumes and mixtures. Payment will be processed via electronic funds transfer, with the project managed by the DNR Wildlife Division's Gladwin Field Office under Project Manager Bruce Barlow. While specific budget ranges are not detailed, the project encompasses 77.4 acres across multiple townships in Clare and Gladwin Counties, including Sherman, Secord, Clement, Bourret, Frost, Franklin, Freeman, and Summerfield. The State of Michigan will consider broader economic factors in evaluating proposals, including principal place of performance, Michigan employment, capital investments, and potential tax revenue implications.