DEPARTMENT: Parks
FILE TYPE: Consent Action
TITLE
title
Authorization To Execute Contract With Natural Resource Preservation, LLC For Lebanon Hills Regional Park Vegetation Management
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PURPOSE/ACTION REQUESTED
Authorize execution of contract with Natural Resource Preservation, LLC for vegetation management at Lebanon Hills Regional Park (LHRP) from October 2025 to September 2026, with the option to extend the contract twice for one additional calendar year.
SUMMARY
Background:
Dakota County’s Natural Resource Management System Plan (NRMSP) was adopted by Resolution No. 17-274 (May 9, 2017). The NRMSP identifies the need to maintain restored areas perpetually to protect the initial investment made to restore the area and to “ensure that the plant community and wildlife continue on a trajectory toward greater ecological health.” Dakota County hires contractors to maintain restored areas in parks via tasks such as removal of invasive species and prescribed burns to meet NRMSP goals. Staff has recognized increased efficiency and quality of work when one contractor has a vegetation management contract in consecutive years. To capitalize on that trend, the initial contract term will end on September 30th, 2026, with the option to extend the contract through September 30th, 2027, and a second extension through September 30th, 2028. Hourly or per-acre rates will increase by three percent for each contract extension.
Contract Information:
A request for proposals was prepared and released on August 1, 2025, for vegetation management at LHRP (see Attachment: Map) from October 2025 through September 2026. The five proposals received on August 15, 2025, are as follows:
Bidder Total Base Quote Amount
RES Great Lakes, LLC Non-Responsive
Landbridge Ecological, Inc. $275,962.76
Natural Resource Preservation, LLC $282,060.00
Minnesota Native Landscapes, Inc. $489,110.95
Prairie Restoration, Inc. $647,842.40
RES Great Lakes, LLC’s proposal was rejected as non-responsive because the bidder did not provide a rate for all alternative tasks, as required by the request for proposal.
The base quote includes prescribed burning, herbicide application, spot mowing, hand and broadcast seeding, fall foliar herbicide application, brush removal, and hand weeding in natural areas of LHRP.
Alternate tasks include planting, watering, broadcast herbicide application, drill seeding, establishment mowing, erosion control blanket installation, straw mulching, tree removal, brush pile burning, prescribed burn follow-up, forestry mowing, mowing with thatch removal, prescribed burn rates for each prairie unit, and a per-acre rate for woodland prescribed burns. Alternate tasks require implementation, but the project manager will determine the utilization level based on specific site and weather conditions.
Proposal Evaluation: The best value proposal is Natural Resource Preservation, LLC, which scored the highest average score in the proposal evaluation rubric with 90.58. Natural Resource Preservation, LLC’s base bid was the second lowest out of the four complete proposals received at $282,060.00, which is 2.2 percent more than the lowest bid.
Natural Resource Preservation, LLC’s proposal was evaluated as the best value over the lowest bid in large part because their bid will provide significant savings on the alternate task of woodland prescribed burns, which the County has the goal of using for 83.66 acres per contract extension year. See rates and estimated utilization below:
Bidder ALT Woodland Burn Rate Projected Rate Utilization
_______________________________________________________During First Extension_______
Natural Resource Preservation, LLC $599.00 $50,112.34
Minnesota Native Landscapes, Inc. $1800.00 $150,588.00
Prairie Restoration, Inc. $1950.00 $163,137.00
Landbridge Ecological, Inc. $2000.00 $167,320.00
RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
Staff recommends authorizing the execution of contract with Natural Resource Preservation, LLC for LHRP Vegetation Management, with the option to extend the contract for two additional 12-month terms at a contract maximum of $875,000.
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EXPLANATION OF FISCAL/FTE IMPACTS
Adequate funds totaling $282,060.00 are available within the 2025 Adopted Parks Natural Resources Base Fund Budget.
☐ None ☒ Current budget ☐ Other
☐ Amendment Requested ☐ New FTE(s) requested
RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, by Resolution No. 17-274 (May 23, 2017), the County Board adopted the Dakota County Natural Resource Management System Plan (NRMSP); and
WHEREAS, the NRMSP identifies the need to maintain restored areas perpetually to protect the initial investment made to restore the area; and
WHEREAS, on August 1, 2025, the County issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Lebanon Hills Regional Park Vegetation Management project; and
WHEREAS, on August 15, 2025, five proposals were received for the RFP; and
WHEREAS, RES Great Lakes, LLC’s proposal was rejected as non-responsive because the bidder did not provide a rate for all alternative tasks, as required by the RFP; and
WHEREAS, best value contracting was used to evaluate and award this RFP; and
WHEREAS, the proposal evaluation team scored each proposal and selected Natural Resource Preservation, LLC; and
WHEREAS, the RFP stipulated that the initial contract term would expire on September 30, 2026; and
WHEREAS, the RFP stipulated that the contract could be extended for up to two additional 12-month terms ending on September 30, 2027, and September 30, 2028, respectively; and
WHEREAS, staff recommends that the total contract amount be set up to not exceed $875,000; and
WHEREAS, adequate funds for the initial contract term are available within the 2025 Adopted Parks Natural Resource Base Fund Budget; and
WHEREAS, staff recommends executing the contract with Natural Resource Preservation, LLC.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Dakota County Board of Commissioners hereby authorizes the Parks Director to execute a contract with Natural Resource Preservation, LLC., for Lebanon Hills Regional Park Vegetation Management project to manage natural areas of Lebanon Hills Regional Park through September 30, 2026, with the option to extend the contract for up to two additional 12-month term until September 30, 2027 and September 30 2028, in a total amount not to exceed $875,000, subject to approval by the County Attorney’s Office as to form.
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PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION
17-274; 05/23/17
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment: LHRP Vegetation Management Unit Map
BOARD GOALS
☐ Thriving People ☒ A Healthy Environment with Quality Natural Resources
☐ A Successful Place for Business and Jobs ☐ Excellence in Public Service
CONTACT
Department Head: Niki Geisler
Author: Max Samuelson