Opportunities for contractors

Work will include pushing, shaping, and grading sand to create ~60 acres of Least Tern and Piping Plover nesting habitat at a location that has previously been mined for sand and gravel. This project will be the second phase of restoration at the site, as the western portion was rehabilitated in spring of 2021. Habitat will be created by clearing all topsoil to expose bare sand, smoothing slopes to a shallower grade, and preserving open water to reduce predation. To aid in monitoring efforts, an improved double-track route will be built around the exterior of the site. This monitoring route will be crude but passable by pickup truck; trees and stumps will be removed, but minimal earthwork will be required. Work can begin in late February and must be complete by April 16, 2026. Mandatory site showing on February 6, 2026. See bid documents for details. 

This document is a Request for Quotation (RFQ) for the P26-007 Woven Wire Fence Construction Project by the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program (PRRIP) (p. 1). The project involves constructing new fencing, removing old fencing, and installing electric wires near Lexington, Nebraska (pp. 1, 5). 

Project Overview

• Project Title: P26-007 Woven Wire Fence Construction Project (p. 1)
• Location: Tract 2020002, near Lexington in Dawson County, Nebraska, within the Platte River floodplain (pp. 1, 4-5)
• Closing Date: February 17, 2026 – 5:00 pm central time (p. 1)
• Work Period: From date of award through April 15, 2026, or as negotiated (p. 4)
• Contact: Tim R. Tunnell, Senior Land Manager, Headwaters Corporation (p. 1) 

Scope of Work

The project requires the contractor to furnish all equipment, transportation, labor, supplies, and materials to install 4"x 2" woven wire fence (p. 4). Specific items include:

• Mobilization and Demobilization: A single lump sum item (p. 2).
• Fence Removal: Removal of approximately 724 linear feet (LF) of existing predator fence (pp. 2, 13).
• Fence Construction: Construction of approximately 825 LF of new woven wire fence (pp. 2, 13).
• Installation: Installation of horizontal woven wire (101 LF), two gates, and electric wiring (2,475 LF) with specific details for each (pp. 2, 16).

Specifications and Materials

• Fencing: Must conform to ASTM A121 for barbed wire and ASTM A116 for woven wire, with Class-3 zinc coating (pp. 9, 15). The top wire of the woven fence must be 12.5 gauge or heavier, with stay wires 14.5 gauge or heavier (p. 15).
• Posts: All line, corner, gate, and pull posts shall be 6" by 9' wood and creosote treated (pp. 14-15). Posts must be set vertically, and no stress applied to posts set in concrete for at least 24 hours (pp. 7, 14).
• Installation Details: Includes burying 3 feet of woven wire horizontally on the outside of the fence, securing it with hog rings, and using specific splices (Western Union) for wires (pp. 14-15). Electric fencing requires 14 gauge galvanized wire, a "supplied" solar charger, and insulators (p. 16).

Contractor Requirements

The chosen contractor must have a DUNS number, a SAM number, and a Certificate of Good Standing for the State of Nebraska (p. 2). They also need to carry appropriate insurance (workers' compensation, hazard, and liability) (p. 4). Work during whooping crane migration periods requires strict adherence to avoidance procedures (p. 5).

The Platte River Recovery Implementation Program (PRRIP) is seeking qualified and licensed contractors for a three-year contract (2026-2028) to provide ground and aerial drone herbicide application services across approximately 14,555 acres of habitat lands in central Nebraska, aimed at controlling noxious and invasive vegetation to support endangered species like the whooping crane, piping plover, interior least tern, and pallid sturgeon.

Services include bare ground treatments at off-channel sand and water sites, noxious weed control in grasslands, and management of invasive brush, with work spanning April 1 to November 15 annually, emphasizing precise application, environmental safety, and coordination to avoid impacts on target species.

Bids are requested on an hourly rate for labor/equipment plus chemical cost markup, with a pre-bid meeting on February 13, 2026, at 10:00 am CST, and submissions due by March 6, 2026, at 5:00 pm CST.

Contact Tim R. Tunnell at tunnellt@headwaterscorp.com for details and to contribute to vital conservation efforts.
 

The program is accepting prequalification applications for contractors interested in providing habitat creation, restoration, and maintenance services on Program lands. This process provides Program staff with a list of qualified contractors with capabilities and experience in work classes, including but not limited to:

• Brush/tree shredding
• Discing (in-channel)
• Grass seeding
• Herbicide application (in-channel and upland)
• Hydraulic dredging
• Large tree/forest clearing
• Livestock fencing
• Mechanical earth moving (in-channel and upland)
• Mowing (in-channel & upland)
• Vegetation shredding (in-channel and upland)
• Understory tree clearing
• Well decommissioning