Underbrush Removal Service

The City of Ocala, Florida is requesting bids on underbrush removal services at three municipal parks under ITB REC/260623, with bids due May 12, 2026 and a mandatory pre-bid meeting and site visit on April 29, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. Attendance at all three consecutive site visits—Fort King National Historic Landmark, Heritage Nature Conservancy Park, and Scott Springs Park—is mandatory; failure to attend all three locations results in automatic disqualification.

The scope encompasses removal of trees, bushes, shrubs, vines, and weeds less than four inches in diameter across approximately 5 acres at Fort King, 4 acres at Heritage Nature Conservancy Park, and 5.5 acres at Scott Springs Park. Work must be completed within thirty days of Notice to Proceed, with operations limited to 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. All debris must be removed and work areas returned to original condition with daily cleanup. Addendum 1 specifies exclusions and requirements at each location: vine removal is excluded at Fort King; at Heritage Nature Conservancy Park, vendors must remove trees under four inches while preserving larger palms, avoid the bamboo area, and mulch materials finely; at Scott Springs Park, bushhogging is permitted and the retention pond is excluded.

The project is structured as a lump sum contract with separate price proposals required for each location. Bidders must submit proposals in Excel format only; PDF, Word, or handwritten formats are rejected. Vendors must demonstrate five years of experience in underbrush removal services and perform a minimum of 30 percent of work with their own forces. Required insurance includes Commercial General Liability of $1 million per occurrence / $2 million aggregate, Commercial Automotive Liability of $1 million combined, and Workers' Compensation per Florida statutory requirements. The vendor must provide all materials, equipment, labor, licenses, and disposal fees. Monthly progress reports and invoicing are directed to Jeff Kerley, Project Manager, at jkerley@ocalafl.gov.