Contract C76EFC

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has awarded a fixed-cost agreement valued at $160,000 for the period of July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. The contract encompasses a research and development initiative focused on coral restoration and reproduction optimization. The project comprises four primary tasks: establishing quality assurance protocols and reporting mechanisms; combining sexual and asexual propagation techniques to enhance coral production; assessing early successional coral species' efficacy in consolidating sediment substrates and preparing habitat for priority reef-building coral settlement; and evaluating Allee effects through testing the impact of sperm age and concentration on fertilization success in gonochoric corals. The prime contractor is identified as C76EFC.

Deliverables are structured across four quarterly phases with specific completion milestones spanning September 2026 through June 2027. Task 1 focuses on quality assurance documentation, progress reporting, and communications materials with no direct cost allocation. Tasks 2, 3, and 4 carry respectively allocated costs of $41,535.92, $41,751.28, and $76,712.80, with deliverables including data spreadsheets, laboratory analysis outputs, technical recommendations documents, and a final 508-compliant comprehensive report with supporting raw data and photographic documentation. This contract directly supports Florida's marine habitat restoration objectives by advancing scalable, scientifically validated protocols for coral reproduction and reef ecosystem recovery.