Z--SERVICE - AQUATIC SHREDDING OF CANOE TRAIL VEGETATION FOR FWS ARTHUR R MARSHALL LOXAHATCHEE NWR.

The contract involves the bi-annual aquatic shredding of approximately five to six miles of vegetation along the 5.5-mile Everglades Canoe Trail within the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge in Boynton Beach, Florida. The work requires the use of a specialized aquatic shredding machine, known as a “Cookie Cutter,” with overlapping circular blades to clear a seven-foot-wide path through dense aquatic vegetation including water lilies and floating peat islands, while an airboat is used to transport personnel and fuel. All shredded material, trash, and debris must be removed from the trail, and any fuel or oil spills must be cleaned up. Work is to be performed twice a year, during normal duty hours Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and is contingent on favorable water levels and weather conditions, with rescheduling allowed within one to two weeks if necessary. The base contract period runs from July 15, 2026, to July 14, 2027, with four optional renewal years extending through July 14, 2031, and the total contract value must be quoted as a grand total covering all five years, broken down by price per cut and annual cost for two visits. The contract is a total small business set-aside under NAICS code 562998 and is subject to full compliance with the Service Contract Labor Standards, including adherence to Wage Determination No. 2015-4573 Revision 31, which governs prevailing wages and ensures uniform costs are not passed on to employees. Contractors must uphold equal opportunity requirements for veterans and workers with disabilities, prohibit retaliation through whistleblower protections, and comply with standards preventing trafficking in persons and the use of prohibited equipment from Kaspersky Lab or American Security Drone Act-covered foreign entities. All proposals must be submitted as a single, consolidated PDF not exceeding ten pages by July 6, 2026, and must include pricing structured as price per cut, annual cost for two visits, and grand total for all five years. Payment is contingent on satisfactory completion, verified by a final inspection conducted by the project officer, with full payment withheld until compliance with all specifications is confirmed. Invoicing must be processed electronically through the U.S. Treasury’s Invoice Processing Platform (IPP), requiring enrollment and submission of a copy of the original invoice to the Contracting Officer. Offers will be evaluated based on