Spirit of the Wild Wildlife Management Area Vegetation Clearing & Fire Line Installation

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is seeking competitive bids for vegetation clearing and fire line installation at the Spirit-of-the-Wild Wildlife Management Area in Hendry County. The project involves clearing approximately 8 miles of vegetation within a 50-foot canal bank right-of-way and preparing 16-foot-wide fire lines along the canal bank. Bidders must provide pricing per tenth of a mile for both vegetation clearing and fire line installation, with specific requirements including cutting and mulching cabbage palms and preserving large pine trees where possible. A mandatory pre-bid conference and site visit will be held on January 29, 2025, at 10:00 AM ET, with an RSVP deadline of January 27, 2025. Potential bidders must submit questions by January 31, 2025, with responses posted by February 4, 2025. Sealed bids are due February 14, 2025, at 2:00 PM ET, with bid opening immediately following. Contractors must be registered in the MyFloridaMarketPlace (MFMP) system and with Sunbiz prior to bid opening and provide three references for similar completed projects.

The FWC encourages participation by certified Minority-owned, Woman-owned, and Service-Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises. Subcontracting is not permitted under this contract. The project has a budget of $112,000 and is exempt from the Davis Bacon Act as no federal funds are being used. Partial payments will be allowed for completed work sections, and the contract will be effective for one year from the issuance of the Purchase Order. Contractors must begin work within 30 days of Purchase Order issuance, with potential liquidated damages of $150 per calendar day assessed for delays. The FWC reserves the right to increase or decrease the project size based on bids received and annual budget constraints. The award will be made to the responsive, responsible bidder submitting the lowest total bid price, with the Commission working closely with the awarded bidder to potentially adjust fire line placement within the 50-foot right-of-way as needed.