Contract C771F8

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection awarded a fixed-cost agreement valued at $251,249.62 with a performance period from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. The contract focuses on evaluating prepared live diets for newly settled sea urchins (Diadema antillarum) at production scale and developing multi-trophic aquaculture systems integrating D. antillarum with Scleractinia corals. The work encompasses five primary tasks: establishing a Quality Assurance Plan, quantifying juvenile D. antillarum growth rates to inform production cost analyses, evaluating carrying capacity within land-based culture systems, assessing size-specific retention rates in ocean-based nurseries within the Florida Keys forereef environment, and addressing nutritional gaps for spider crabs (Maguimithrax spinosissimus) to improve broodstock performance.

Deliverables are structured across three quarterly milestones with specific requirements due September 15, 2026 ($35,937.37), January 6, 2027 ($69,062.50), and March 16, 2027 ($73,124.88). Deliverables include quality assurance documentation, progress reports, photographic records, growth and survival rate data, dive and field logs, experimental permits, and subcontract copies. The contract is performance-based, with compensation contingent upon submission and approval of specified deliverables. The prime contractor was not identified in the provided documentation.