Statewide Mercury Investigations All tasks represent a continuation of tasks associated…

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection awarded contract C78826 effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, with a total value of $13,326.60. The contract represents a continuation of previous purchase orders and encompasses statewide mercury investigations across 26 target waterbodies throughout Florida. The award is structured in two distinct projects: Project 1 addresses long-term monitoring of mercury in largemouth bass and other bioindicators across 17 waterbodies at $0.75 per waterbody, and Project 2 covers statewide fish mercury health advisory assessment across 9 waterbodies at $0.25 per waterbody.

Under Project 1, the contractor will conduct fish tissue collection activities and submit a final report documenting results and associated metadata for all sampled waterbodies, including analysis of total mercury levels in 374 targeted fish samples across species including largemouth bass, young-of-year bluegill, and mosquitofish. Under Project 2, the contractor will submit quarterly reports on mercury levels in fish and provide semi-annual updates to the Department of Health with summarized health advisory recommendations and supporting data to inform updates to state fish advisory guidance and Safe Eating Guidelines for freshwater fish. Both projects are subject to review and approval by the Department of Environmental Protection Contract Manager to ensure compliance with project scope requirements.