Zion Migration Habitat Improvement Mastication II

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources issued a Request for Quotes (RFQ) for the Zion Migration Habitat Improvement Mastication II project, seeking mastication services for approximately 32 acres located 16 miles northwest of Mt. Carmel, Utah. The procurement specifically requires a contractor to provide at least one tracked mechanical mulching/shredder (Bullhog) with a qualified operator to remove all pinyon and juniper trees through chipping, shredding, or mulching within a designated treatment area. Key technical requirements include maintaining specific stump heights, achieving a designated mulch depth, and preventing the spread of noxious weeds. The solicitation was opened on December 2, 2021, with a closing date of December 9, 2021, and a contract completion deadline of March 31, 2022. Site access involves a combination of paved highways, county dirt roads, and jeep trails, with four-wheel drive vehicles recommended for navigation. Contractors were required to use GPS and PDF maps to identify project boundaries and adhere to specific mulching guidelines.

The contract was ultimately awarded to Cutting Edge Contractors Inc. dba CE Equipment as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. While no specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises were mentioned, the solicitation included standard procurement requirements for vendor certification and licensing. The project was structured as a purchase order, with contractors expected to manage equipment transportation and complete work efficiently while considering potential winter closures. The solicitation did not explicitly detail a precise budget range, but the scope of work involved mastication services for a 32-acre area. The project appears focused on habitat improvement, suggesting environmental or conservation-related objectives beyond standard landscaping or forestry management. Potential bidders were required to demonstrate technical capability, equipment availability, and operational expertise in mechanical vegetation management within challenging terrain and elevation ranges between 6,400 and 7,600 feet.