Wagner Taylor Dam Rd-Schoolcraft County-Opening Mastication

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) issued Request for Proposals (RFP) 25*2196 for opening mastication services on state-managed public lands in Schoolcraft County, specifically on Wagner Taylor Dam Road. The procurement involves vegetation management and land clearing services, with an original project scope of 150 acres that was subsequently reduced to 96 acres due to budget constraints. The solicitation was posted on SIGMA VSS on April 22, 2025, with proposal submissions due by May 2, 2025, representing a one-time purchase procurement. Seven bidders submitted proposals, including Demeuse, LLC; Lang Land Clearing, Inc.; May Excavating; Melvin Hittle; NK Environmental, LLC; Split Brow; and Wildlife & Wetlands Solutions. The evaluation process utilized a pass/fail methodology, with vendor selection based on being the lowest-priced responsive and responsible bidder after applying the Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Business (SDVOB) calculation. The procurement specifically targeted vendors capable of performing mastication services on public lands, with technical competence and operational capabilities being key assessment criteria.

The solicitation included specific provisions for Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses (SDVOB), suggesting potential set-aside or preferential considerations for such enterprises. Wildlife & Wetlands Solutions was selected as the recommended awardee with a contract value of $37,920.00, which represented the lowest bid after the acreage reduction. Other bidders' proposals ranged from $57,600 to $191,616 for the 96-acre project. No specific incumbent vendor was mentioned in the documentation. The procurement was managed by Lisa Crozier-Green (Solicitation Manager) and evaluated by Tiffany Bougie from the DNR Wildlife Division. The Notice of Intent to Award was dated May 8, 2025, with participating bidders offered an opportunity to schedule a debriefing session to understand their proposal's evaluation outcome. The contract appears to be a single-source, short-term engagement focused on specialized land management services within Shiawassee County's jurisdiction.