NIGP 95964: Reef Services, Artificial

NIGP 95964 Reef Services, Artificial, an Item code, encompasses the supply, fabrication, cleaning, transport, and deployment of artificial reef structures and materials—including prefabricated concrete modules, decommissioned vessels, proprietary reef systems, and specialized reef balls—to restore or enhance marine habitats in state and local coastal waters. Work ranges from sole-source acquisition of proprietary reef technologies to competitive procurement of barge-based material transport and precision placement services at designated offshore depths, typically one to thirty-three miles from shore in state-permitted artificial reef sites. Issuing bodies are predominantly coastal Florida counties (Brevard, Volusia, Escambia, Okaloosa), with recent activity also in Texas (Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program in Cameron County). Procurement vehicles include RFPs, ITBs, and notices of intended decision, often with non-mandatory pre-bid or pre-proposal meetings, local-preference set-asides where applicable, and multi-year award terms with renewal options. Contractors must demonstrate three or more similar reef-deployment projects completed within the prior five years, hold comprehensive marine and pollution liability insurance, secure permits from Army Corps of Engineers and state environmental departments, and comply with E-Verify and SAM.gov registration where federal or state grant funding applies.

Recent opportunities show concentrated activity in Florida's Gulf Coast and Atlantic reef-management programs. Volusia County issued ITB 26-B-127JS (responses due November 5, 2026) for artificial reef deployment services across eighteen permitted sites with an initial three-year term and two optional one-year renewals, priced as lump sum per 300-ton load with 90-day deployment windows and annual price redeterminations permitted. Escambia County solicited RFP PD 25-26.097 (re-solicited August 14, 2026, originally due July 9, 2026) for supply, cleaning, and deployment of one or more vessels exceeding 85 feet at specified reef sites at 80–200 feet depth, with estimated deployment January through June 2027 and completion required within six months of notice to proceed. Okaloosa County's RFP (due May 29, 2026) called for design and fabrication of 32 marine-grade concrete modules (28 units minimum 6 feet, 4 units minimum 15 feet) weighing at least 6,000 pounds each, with completion by July 31, 2026. Brevard County issued a sole-source notice (July 15, 2026) for proprietary Spartan Reef Structures from Southern Management LLC funded through a Coastal Conservation Association grant. Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program in Brownsville, Texas solicited sealed bids (due September 9, 2026) for transport and installation of pre-constructed Ultra Reef Balls at Rookery Islands within Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, with optional additive alternates for additional reef-ball placement and access improvements.