2024/2025 Walk In Water Site Preparation Herbicide Application Lake Wales Ridge State Forest

Background
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) is seeking competitive bids for herbicide application services on approximately 397 acres within the Lake Wales Ridge State Forest in Polk County, Florida.
The goal of this contract is to manage vegetation through grid spot ground herbicide application as part of site preparation efforts.

Work Details
The contractor will provide grid spot ground herbicide application on four designated site preparation areas totaling approximately 397 acres.
The contractor must furnish all labor, equipment, and materials necessary for the herbicide application.
The specific herbicide to be used is undiluted Velpar L (or equivalent), applied at a rate of 3 quarts (96 ounces) per acre.
Application will follow a grid pattern: 0.6 milliliters per spot in a 3-foot by 3-foot grid for Open Zones (174 acres) and 2.3 milliliters per spot in a 6-foot by 6-foot grid for Canopy Zones (223 acres).
The contractor must ensure that no chemicals are applied within three feet of specific native species and must leave a buffer strip along state forest boundaries.
All operations must comply with federal safety requirements, and the contractor is responsible for tracking application coverage using GPS to ensure at least 95% coverage.

Period of Performance
The contract period is effective from March 1, 2025, through June 15, 2025.
Herbicide application work and invoicing must be completed before June 15, 2025, unless otherwise directed by the Florida Forest Service.

Place of Performance
The work will be performed at the Lake Wales Ridge State Forest located in Polk County, Florida.