Waterloo trees

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has issued Request for Proposal (RFP) 25-2720 for the procurement of native tree seedlings and acorn seeds to support restoration efforts at Waterloo Recreation Area near Chelsea, Michigan in Washtenaw County. The procurement requires delivery of 6,200 Quercus alba (White Oak) seedlings, 10,234 Quercus velutina (Black Oak) seedlings or viable acorn seeds, and 1,000 Hamamelis virginiana (Witch Hazel) seedlings. All materials must be live, healthy, and of local genotype origin, available in 1-year-old or 2-year-old container-grown or bare-root formats with normal, well-developed shoots, leaves, and vigorous root systems. White oak must be nursery-grown with specifications for local genotype matching, while black oak may be provided as either nursery-grown seedlings or collected seed. Bidders must be licensed nursery/growers and must maintain commercial general liability insurance of at least $1,000,000. The RFP evaluation employs a pass/fail assessment across four criteria: Product Quality, Delivery Capabilities (evaluated in two sections), and completion of the Vendor Questions Worksheet, with pricing evaluation conducted only for proposals receiving passing ratings and contract award based on best value. The bidders' question deadline was 5:00 p.m. Eastern on August 1, 2025, with answers posted by August 5, 2025, and the proposal submission deadline is 9:30 a.m. Eastern on August 8, 2025. All seedlings and acorn seeds must be delivered or available for pickup by November 1, 2026, with an anticipated contract begin date of September 8, 2025.

No set-aside designations or disadvantaged enterprise restrictions are identified in the procurement documents. No current incumbent contractor is listed for this project-specific procurement. Pricing must be submitted as firm, fixed price including all costs such as shipping, handling, and palletizing, with contractors permitted to offer quick payment discounts for invoices paid within specified timeframes. The State will make all payments via Electronic Funds Transfer within 45 days of invoice receipt and reserves the right to award the contract in full or in part, conduct facility tours, oral presentations, interviews, and reference checks as deemed appropriate. No specific budget range or award value is explicitly stated in the available documentation; however, contracts valued at $250,000 or greater require approval by the State Administrative Board, suggesting this procurement may fall within or potentially exceed that threshold. The State also indicated willingness to purchase reasonable surplus quantities beyond the initial request if budget allows.