Samish River Unit Tree and Shrub Planting Project

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is issuing a Request for Qualifications and Quotations (RFQQ No. 26-00007) for the Samish River Unit Tree and Shrub Planting Project across King County, Snohomish County, Skagit County, Whatcom County, and Kingston CDP. This procurement seeks qualified firms and individuals to establish native trees, shrubs, and willow whips across 17 acres at the Samish River Unit of the Skagit Wildlife Area to restore the site to native conditions in compliance with Wildlife Restoration Program (WRP) easement objectives. Contractors must procure and supply all specified native plant materials from local tree and plant nurseries according to detailed planting plans comprising 12 distinct planting areas with varying acreages and species compositions, with a target stocking rate of 450-500 stems per acre and an expected 70 percent survival rate. Deliverables include fall 2026 planting installation of approximately 8,370 individual plants, twice-annual weed maintenance for three years through 2029, damage protection installation, and post-planting monitoring to achieve survival objectives while adhering to NRCS Practice Standard 612 specifications. Evaluation criteria comprise 70 points for cost pricing (lowest responsive bid receives full points) and 30 points for non-cost factors including bidder experience, qualifications, and responsiveness as detailed in Appendix B questionnaire requirements. A mandatory bidder walk-through is scheduled for May 26, 2026 at 10:00 A.M. at the project site located at Bayview Edison Road and Bent Needle Lane; failure to attend results in disqualification. An optional pre-bid conference will be held June 2, 2026 at 11:00 A.M. via Microsoft Teams, bidder questions must be submitted by June 5, 2026 at 5:00 P.M. with responses posted by June 10, 2026, and proposals are due July 13, 2026 at 5:00 P.M., with evaluation completion and announcement of apparent successful bidder scheduled for July 17, 2026.

Disadvantaged, minority-owned, and women-owned business enterprises are encouraged to apply, and firms certifying they do not require employees to sign mandatory individual arbitration clauses or class or collective action waivers are eligible for a 3 percent bid preference under best value evaluation criteria. Contractors must comply with Washington State Prevailing Wage requirements under RCW 39.12 and maintain Commercial General Liability Insurance of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence, with all applicable federal, state, and local laws including nondiscrimination provisions and drug-free workplace standards. The contract is subject to state competitive procurement standards requiring bid submission through the Washington Electronic Business Solution (WEBS) system, with bids remaining firm for 90 calendar days after opening and awards made to the lowest responsible and responsive bidder unless otherwise specified. The estimated initial contract value is $227,000 over a three-year period from September 2026 through September 2029, with the contract potentially renewable for up to two additional years at WDFW's discretion. Contractors must register with the Washington State Department of Revenue and the Statewide Vendor Payment System prior to payment processing, with payment due within 30 days of invoice submission; no incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified as existing in this solicitation.