Request for Proposals Meadow Restoration at Fort Slocum Park in Rock Creek Park, Washington, DCIssued by: Rock Creek Conservancy7200 Wisconsin Ave Ste. 500 Bethesda, MD 20814 Release date: 7/16/2026 Proposals due: 8/21/20267200 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 500 |Bethesda, MD 20814(301) 579-3105 | info@rockcreekconservancy.orgrockcreekconservancy.org | #LoveRockCreekA. PROPOSAL REQUESTEDRock Creek Conservancy (the Conservancy) is soliciting proposals to providemanagement, labor, tools, equipment, repair parts, supplies and any other items needed for ameadow restoration at Fort Slocum Park. The meadow restoration will include a sitesurvey/assessment; invasive plant management; woody debris management; site preparationand the procurement and installation of native grassland plants and associated materials, andthe mowing and watering of plantings. Proposals may be submitted for individual components ofthis project or the full scope of services requested. B. PROJECT BACKGROUNDIn the 1970s, the National Park Service (NPS) established several meadows throughout Rock Creek Park (ROCR) in an effort to expand the habitat types available to wildlife in the park. These meadow habitats are the first stage of forest succession, and need to be maintained inorder to prevent them developing into woodlands. Due to reduced park capacity, NPS has notbeen able to maintain the upkeep of these meadow habitats, meaning many have become, atbest, early successional forest, or at worst, scrublands of invasive plants. At Fort Slocum Park, former meadows have become impenetrable areas dense with thorny Rubus shrubs wrapped ininvasive porcelainberry (Ampelopsis brevipendunculata), mile-a-minute (Persicaria perfoliata), Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), and others. The dispersal and abundance of non-native, invasive plants has significantly threatenedthe integrity of native species and their habitat in Rock Creek Park. Due to the highlyfragmented nature of Rock Creek Park's 99 administrative units, the park's more than 72 milesof park boundaries are exposed to urban developments, including more than 1,000 adjacentproperties (a mix of homes, businesses, and embassies), many of which cultivate non-nativehorticultural plant communities that thrive in the temperate climate of the deciduous forests ofthe park. These invasive plants outcompete native plants, reducing the availability of nativehabitat and hindering natural forest regeneration. C. PROJECT DESCRIPTIONThe Meadow Restoration project goals are:? Increase pollinator habitat? Manage invasive species? Removing woody debris7200 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 500 |Bethesda, MD 20814(301) 579-3105 | info@rockcreekconservancy.orgrockcreekconservancy.org | #LoveRockCreekTo meet these goals, the following techniques will be used:? Managing and/or eradicating terrestrial invasive plants? Seeding and planting with native grassland species? Removal/chipping of tree debris? High-height mowing to establish grassland ecosystemsC.1 Estimated Project Timeline Project Review and Award Date: 8/28/2026 Year 1 (2026): Site survey, woody debris management, invasive plant management , seeding, mowingYear 2 (2027): invasive plant management, restoration planting, watering, mowingYear 3 (2028): Watering, mowingYear 4 (2029): Watering, mowing Deadline for Project Completion: 10/1/20307200 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 500 |Bethesda, MD 20814(301) 579-3105 | info@rockcreekconservancy.orgrockcreekconservancy.org | #LoveRockCreekC.2 Project site Fort Slocum ParkThe work site is a select area within Fort Slocum Park, a ~20 acre park in Northwest DC, Managed by Rock Creek Park, Washington DC, which is a National Park Service unit. It islocated near the intersection of Kansas Avenue NW and Madison Avenue NW. The meadowarea is divided into two parcels, a 0.32 acre parcel near the southwest corner of the park, and a0.7 acre parcel along the east side of the park (see above, in white).7200 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 500 |Bethesda, MD 20814(301) 579-3105 | info@rockcreekconservancy.orgrockcreekconservancy.org | #LoveRockCreekC.3 BudgetThe budget for all contracted services relating to this project is $15,000 - $20,000, whichhave been awarded to the Conservancy. Funds allocated for this project must be spent in their entirety by 10/1/2030.D. SCOPE OF WORK AND DELIVERABLESThe contractor will conduct a meadow restoration at Fort Slocum Park and is expected toprovide the labor, tools, equipment, supplies and any other items needed to complete the scopeof work. The scope of work will include the following tasks and deliverables: D1. Site Survey/Assessment and Work PlanThe contractor will conduct a site survey/assessment in conjunction with the Conservancy and NPS in order to record the existing conditions of the site and develop a workplan for the project. This includes a plant survey of the site that records the native andnon-native plant species found at the site, including percentages of populations for eachspecies. The contractor will create a work plan for the project based on the initial sitesurvey/assessment that details the methods and equipment required for achieving the onsitegoals of invasive plant management, woody debris management, site preparation and meadowplanting, mowing, and watering. The work plan should result in a clear understanding of the timerequirement for each task, as well as a detailed schedule for their accomplishment. Work planswill be subject to approval by the Conservancy and NPS.D2. Woody Debris Management The contractor will conduct woody debris management to help clear the site and prepareit for planting. This includes bucking with a chainsaw, and physically removing and/or chippingdebris. Final placement of wood chips will be determined by the Conservancy and NPS.D3. Invasive plant management The contractor will conduct invasive plant management of a variety of terrestrial invasiveforbs, grasses, woody vines and shrubs treated through chemical, mechanical, and manualmethods. This contract will consist of all work necessary for the treatment and in some casesdisposal of invasive plants within the specified project site described above. It will includeproviding all necessary traffic control, labor, materials, and equipment required to complete this7200 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 500 |Bethesda, MD 20814(301) 579-3105 | info@rockcreekconservancy.orgrockcreekconservancy.org | #LoveRockCreektask. The contractor will chemically and manually treat the designated species and scattervegetation on site or remove and dispose of, as indicated. It is the contractor's responsibility to have all utilities located prior to beginning any workand coordinate with utility companies to move them as necessary. The contractor shall takespecial care during the course of this operation to avoid damage to the existing roadwaysurface, sidewalks, curbs, mowed turfgrass, and forest vegetation. The contractor, withoutadditional cost to the Conservancy, will seed grass in the mowed areas outside of the meadowarea if the contractor's activities or vehicles destroy the existing turfgrass. Seeding must resultin successful grass growth through the following season. No plastic mesh is allowed to beplaced to hold the grass down, but coconut coir and fabric can be allowed. The contractor shallavoid placing heavy equipment on sidewalks and curbs that will cause damage to thesestructures. Any damage caused by the contractor operations shall be repaired at their expense. All methods for invasive plant management, both manual and chemical, must be trackedand reported to the Conservancy. All invasive plant management methods are subject toConservancy and NPS approval, and must meet the following specifications: D3.1 Treatment periods and scheduling Foliar herbicide applications of triclopyr and/or glyphosate- based herbicides will be bestapplied twice in September of year 1 of the project (2026), with a minimum of 3 weeks inbetween treatments of the same area. Follow up treatments in later years may consist of asingle visit. For the purposes of preparing a proposal, please include the potential dates over whichtreatments can be completed across the site; once an agreement has been awarded, thecontractor should be prepared to schedule treatment dates (including rain dates) for eachupcoming calendar year by the end of the preceding calendar year. D3.2 Target species & methods for removal For most woody species, the contractor may elect to use cut-stump or foliar herbicidemethods (or hand pull small seedlings causing minimal soil disturbance) depending on whichmethods will be most cost effective while preventing off-target application onto nativevegetation. Foliar applications will be limited during April, while spring ephemeral wildflowers areblooming. Herbicide applied in the cut-stump method must be sprayed into fresh stumps within2 hours of cutting. The physical removal of woody species may be necessary to ensure a cleararea for mowing. The contractor is responsible for removing other invasive biomass generated ifthe debris contains fruits/seeds.7200 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 500 |Bethesda, MD 20814(301) 579-3105 | info@rockcreekconservancy.orgrockcreekconservancy.org | #LoveRockCreekTable 2. Invasive plants at each restoration site and preferred method and treatment period. Note that treatment period includes the widest potential range; for example, many species canbe treated both with a foliar spray or cut-stump, with a wider range of potential dates forcut-stump treatment due to environmental conditions; the longest potential treatment window islisted, which may include early and late periods where foliar methods would not be advisable. Species Common Name Form Method Treatmentperiod Rosa multiflora Multiflora Rose Shrub Cut-stump and March-Novemberfoliar Microstegium Japanese Grass Foliar and/or July-Augustvimineum Stiltgrass hand pulling Persicaria Mile-a-Minute Herbaceous vine Foliar spray July-Augustperfoliata and/or handpulling, baggingand disposal ofdebris if fruiting Lonicera japonica Japanese Woody vine Foliar, cut-stump, March-November Honeysuckle and/or handpulling Hedera helix English Ivy Woody vine Cut-stump and March-Novemberhand pulling Celastrus Roundleaf Woody vine Foliar, cut-stump, March-Novemberorbiculatus Bittersweet and/or handpulling Ampelopsis Porcelainberry Woody vine Foliar, cut-stump, April-Octoberbrevipedunculata and/or handpullingD3.3 Herbicide selection and recordkeeping The contractor must follow herbicide label guidelines and restrictions. A pesticideapplication report must be completed on-site and filed to the Conservancy weekly, and uponrequest by the Conservancy, including: the quantity of each type of herbicide applied, speciestreated, area treated, applicator name(s), and license numbers.7200 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 500 |Bethesda, MD 20814(301) 579-3105 | info@rockcreekconservancy.orgrockcreekconservancy.org | #LoveRockCreekHerbicides approved for use: PA# Herbicide62719-37 Garlon 3A62719-527 Garlon 4 Ultra62719-324 Rodeo62719-176 Pathfinder432-1549 Escort XP62719-519 Milestone241-416 Pendulum AquaCap62719-687 Vastlan521-343 Roundup Custom228-365 Aquaneat241-416-10404 Pre-M AquaCapD3.4 Desired outcomes The desired outcome of treatment is a reduction to
