Tree & Shrub Maintenance in the Everglades Complex of Wildlife Management Areas

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is seeking competitive bids for annual maintenance services for trees and shrubs within the Everglades Complex of Wildlife Management Areas (ECWMA), which includes the Everglades and Francis S. Taylor, Holey Land, and Rotenberger Wildlife Management Areas. The procurement involves maintaining approximately 8,000-10,000 metal tree and shrub exclosures across 91 tree islands covering approximately 150 acres. Specific deliverables include removing weeds from metal exclosures, removing and disposing of metal exclosures, and collecting associated data. The contract will be effective for three years from the purchase order issuance, with an option to renew for up to three additional years. A mandatory pre-bid meeting is scheduled for November 7, 2024, at 10:00 AM ET, with sealed bids due by November 26, 2024, at 2:00 PM ET. The public bid opening will occur simultaneously with the bid submission deadline, and the anticipated award date is December 3, 2024. Bidders must submit pricing per 100 tree/shrub exclosures for the initial three-year term and potential renewal years, with the contract to be awarded to the responsive and responsible bidder offering the lowest total bid price for each Wildlife Management Area.

The solicitation encourages participation from Certified Minority-owned, Woman-owned, and Service-Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises. Vendors must be registered in the MyFloridaMarketPlace (MFMP) system and with Sunbiz prior to the bid opening. The FWC reserves the right to increase or decrease the project size based on budgetary constraints and received bids, and may assess liquidated damages for failure to complete work by the specified completion date. While no specific budget range is explicitly stated, the scope involves maintenance across approximately 150 acres with 8,000-10,000 exclosures. Vendors will be provided with geo-referenced maps to navigate the areas, and the contract anticipates a replacement rate of 5% or less for damaged exclosures. Partial payments will be allowed on a per 100 tree/shrub exclosure basis upon completion of deliverables, and the solicitation does not require prevailing wage compliance.