Virginia State Forest Invasive Species Treatments

The Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Forestry is soliciting bids on invasive species herbicide treatments across six state forests in Appomattox, Buckingham, Chesterfield, Cumberland, King William, and Rockingham counties, with sealed bids due July 27, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. local time. The Commonwealth maintains a statewide goal of 42% of purchases from small businesses certified by the Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity (DSBSD), and all bidders must submit a Small Business Subcontracting Plan with their bids.

The scope covers foliar and basal bark applications with backpack sprayers across approximately 163.75 acres combined at Appomattox-Buckingham, Cumberland, Paul, Sandy Point, Zoar, and Chesterfield State Forests. Bidders may submit partial bids for individual treatment areas or a single consolidated bid. Work must be completed by September 30, 2026 for foliar sprays; basal bark and hack-and-squirt treatments may continue until February 2027, provided conditions permit. The contractor must provide all labor, supervision, insurance, tools, equipment, chemicals, and water for herbicide formulation.

Required qualifications include a current Virginia Commercial Pesticide Applicator license, a Pesticide Business License, and a Certificate of Insurance naming the Department of Forestry as an additional insured with minimum workers' compensation (statutory), employer's liability of $100,000, commercial general liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate, and automobile liability of $1,000,000 combined single limit. Applicants must demonstrate at least two years of prior experience identifying and treating invasive plant species common in Virginia. The project is federally funded; all bidders must obtain a Unique Entity ID and register with SAM.gov.

Bidders must submit pricing as a firm price per acre with cumulative totals for each treatment area. The contract period is one year from award with four optional one-year renewals. Site visits are encouraged and can be arranged with designated site contacts. Award will be made to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder for each state forest or as a single contract depending on bid structure.