South Florida Slash 25/26 Timber Sale

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Florida Forest Service is soliciting sealed bids for a timber sale located on Myakka State Forest in Sarasota County. The procurement involves a comprehensive timber harvest across 479 acres, divided into two distinct areas with specific harvesting objectives. Area 1 encompasses 270 acres of shelterwood cut in a 50+ year old South Florida slash pine stand, with the goal of reducing stand density to 30 square feet of basal area per acre and creating seed tree clusters. Area 2 covers 209 acres of third row thinning, targeting a basal area reduction to 50 square feet per acre through selective removal of diseased, damaged, defective, forked, and suppressed trees. The estimated timber volume to be removed is 6,328 tons of pine pulpwood. Bidders must operate under direct supervision of the Forester-in-Charge and adhere to specific guidelines, including maintaining a two-tree buffer along the existing bike trail. The solicitation requires sealed bids to be submitted by February 3, 2026, with bid opening scheduled for 10:00 AM EST at 4723 53 Avenue E, Bradenton, Florida.

No specific set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises are mentioned in the procurement documents. The contract is an eighteen-month timber sale with no explicit information about incumbent vendors or existing infrastructure requirements. Interested parties can obtain complete bid information by contacting Caroline Ritchey at (941) 460-1333. The Florida Forest Service reserves the right to reject any and all bids and to waive any irregularities in the submissions. While no specific budget range or award value is provided, the procurement involves a comprehensive timber harvesting operation across nearly 480 acres of state forest land. Potential bidders should be prepared to demonstrate expertise in selective timber harvesting, forest management techniques, and the ability to work under close forestry supervision. The sale boundaries are clearly defined by forest boundaries, roads, and fire lines as detailed in the accompanying map documents.