2223-013 RFQ SCOTT 2023 Ecological Services.pdf

SUWANNEE RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

RFQ NO. 22/23-013 OPS

FY 2023 ECOLOGICAL SERVICES

Table of Contents

Section Title Page 1 Introduction 1 2 Proposed Schedule 1 3 Instructions to Respondents 1 4 Key Points 2 5 Scope of Work 5 6 Proposal Response Form 9

Suwannee River Water Management District

9225 CR 49

Live Oak, FL 32060 386.362.1001

386.362.1056 (Fax)

800.226.1066 (Florida only) www.mysuwanneeriver.com

SECTION 1 –INTRODUCTION

The Suwannee River Water Management District (District) is currently seeking qualifications to conduct ecological services work on District lands. This work will be conducted to help the District meet various goals and objectives listed in their District Land Management Plan.

Examples of work includes: rare plant species survey and monitoring, natural community mapping, and other tasks such as reptile/amphibian surveys and avian surveys. Organizations interested in submitting qualifications must provide information documenting their experience conducting these types of ecological services work in Florida, on an annual basis, over the last 5 years. Organizations must employ experienced ecologists, botanists/biologists to conduct this work and have the GIS experience and equipment to collect and populate District supplied ArcGIS shapefiles and return fully populated files as a contract deliverable.

SECTION 2 – PROPOSED SCHEDULE

March 9, 2023 Release of Request for Qualifications (RFQ) March 16, 2023 Questions due by 5:00 p.m.

March 17, 2023 Questions with Answers posted on Districts Website and Demand

Star by 5:00 p.m.

March 21, 2023* Request for Qualifications due prior to 10:00 a.m. Opening will occur at this time*

March 28, 2023* RFQ Selection Committee Meeting at 10:00 a.m.*

March 30, 2023 Request for Executive Director authorization of contract

April 15, 2023 Anticipated start date.

* Denotes a public meeting. All meetings will be held at District Headquarters in Live Oak, Florida, and all times denote Local Time.

SECTION 3 - INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPONDENTS

Delivery of Qualification Packets:

Qualification packets shall be submitted electronically through DemandStar.

https://www.demandstar.com/app/agencies/florida/suwannee-river-water-management-district/procurement

For articles and videos to assist you through the DemandStar registry and uploading of documents visit the DemandStar business support page at -https://network.demandstar.com/business-support/

Qualification packages are to be uploaded to the platform no later than 10:00 a.m. March 21, 2023. Packets received after this time, for any reason, will be rejected.

Questions: To provide equal opportunity and ensure the same information is provided to all proposers, any questions should be submitted by email to Sharon Hingson at Sharon.Hingson@srwmd.org on or before March 16, 2023.The questions with answers will be posted on the District website www.mysuwanneeriver.com, and DemandStar on March 17, 2023. District staff are not authorized to orally interpret the meaning of the specification or other https://www.demandstar.com/app/agencies/florida/suwannee-river-water-management-district/procurement https://www.demandstar.com/app/agencies/florida/suwannee-river-water-management-district/procurement https://network.demandstar.com/business-support/ mailto:Ashley.Spivey@srwmd.org http://www.mysuwanneeriver.com/ agreement documents, or correct any apparent ambiguity, inconsistency, or error therein.

Additional Information: Additional RFQ packages may be obtained from the District website www.mysuwanneeriver.com

ADA Compliance: Vendor must ensure that the electronic version of the Response and all documents submitted electronically are accessible according to 282.603 Florida Statutes and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 relating to the creation and use of electronic documents. This requirement applies to editable formats, such as Microsoft Word, and portable document formats (PDF). All proposals submitted in electronic/digital format must include a certification by the Vendor that the electronic submission and all supporting documents are accessible according to 282.603 Florida Statutes and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 relating to the creation and use of electronic documents.

It is the obligation of the person submitting to ensure that it has reviewed all amendments and all questions and answers to this RFQ as posted on the District website to ensure that the proposal responds to the most current information available for the RFQ.

Qualification of Firms: Each firm shall submit the following documentation listed under Paragraphs ‘a’ - ‘b’ with the Submittal package. Failure on the part of the firm to include this information with the Submittal shall render the firm non-responsive. Only responsive firms will be considered by the District for these services.

1. The minimum requirements necessary to meet the qualifications for this Proposal are as follows:

a) Firms are required to complete the SIMILAR PROJECTS form in SECTION 6. This form will be used to document the firm’s experience completing similar projects as those proposed. Information included on this form should be as extensive as possible to help reviewers fully document their work experience in Florida completing ecological services projects. Contacts included on this form will also be used as work references.

b) Firms are required to complete the PERSONNEL INFORMATION form in SECTION 6.

This form will be used to document the firm’s ability to provide enough properly experienced and credentialed employees to successfully complete the proposed projects.

SECTION 4 – KEY POINTS

Selection of Contractor: Firms will have the opportunity to pre-qualify themselves for ecological services work based on their ability to provide the following information:

• Show that over the past five (5) years, on an annual basis, the firm has successfully completed similar types of ecological services projects in Florida, with positive references for this work.

• Show that the ecological services work they have conducted is similar in scope and extent to the work being proposed.

• Show that they currently employ enough experienced ecologists, botanists, biologists etc. to complete the proposed work on an annual basis.

http://www.mysuwanneeriver.com/

All this information will be documented on the SIMILAR PROJECTS and PERSONNEL INFORMATION forms provided in SECTION 6 as directed.

Submittals will be evaluated to help identify the firms that are best qualified to meet the District’s overall project goals and objectives. Should successful firms be unable at any time to accomplish the work they have been assigned or meet any of the requirements or standards listed in this RFQ and Scope of Work, other firms, who are pre-qualified to provide the same service, will be contacted to complete the required work.

After firms are prequalified and contracts are awarded, projects will be assigned using a Task Work Assignment (TWA) system that is subject to approval and budget constraints. TWA’s will be issued to the firm that the District deems is best suited for the project. Prior to TWA issuance, a quote or project cost will be requested by the District for individual tasks. Timeliness and cost may be a factor when choosing the qualified firm to which a TWA will be issued.

Challenge of Solicitation Process: If a potential respondent protests any provisions of this RFQ, a notice of intent to protest shall be filed with the District in writing within 72 hours after the posting of the Request for Proposal on the District’s website. “Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed in Section 120.57(3), Florida Statutes shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120 of Florida Statutes.”

Challenge of District’s Intent to Award Contract: If a respondent intends to protest District’s intent to award contract, the notice of intent to protest must be filed in writing within 72 hours after posting of a notice of intent to award contract and the respondent shall file a formal written protest within ten (10) days after filing of notice of intent to protest. Any respondent who files a formal written protest pursuant to Chapter 28-110, Florida Administrative Code, and Section 120.57(3), Florida Statutes, shall post with the District at the time of filing the formal written protest, a bond pursuant to Section 287.042(2)(c), Florida Statutes (2014).

Failure to file a notice of intent to protest or failure to file a formal written protest within the time prescribed in Chapter 28-110, Florida Administrative Code, and Section 120.57(3), Florida Statutes, or failure to post the bond or other security required by law within the time allowed for filing a bond shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120, Florida Statutes. More specifically, “Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed in Section 120.57(3) Florida Statutes shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120 of Florida Statutes.”

Americans with Disabilities Act: The District does not discriminate upon the basis of any individual’s disability status. This nondiscrimination policy involves every aspect of the District’s functions including one’s access to, participation, employment, or treatment in its programs or activities. Anyone requiring reasonable accommodation as provided for in the Americans with Disabilities Act should contact Sharon Hingson, Contracts & Procurement Coordinator, at

386.362.1001 or 800.226.1066 (Florida only). The District’s fax number is 386.362.1056.

Minority Business Enterprises: The District recognizes fair and open competition as a basic tenet of public procurement. Respondents doing business with the District are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, handicap, age, or sex. The District encourages participation by minority business enterprises. Whenever two or more service providers are ranked equally, a minority business enterprise shall be given preference in the award process.

Veteran’s Preference: In the absence of minority business enterprise, whenever two or more service providers are ranked equally by the Selection Committee, a veteran-owned business enterprise shall be given preference in the award process.

Drug Free Workplace Act: The selected firm shall certify that it has established a drug-free workplace.

Public Entity Crime: Section 287.133(2)(a), Florida Statutes, states “A person or affiliate who has been placed on the convicted vendor list following a conviction for a public entity crime may not submit a bid on a contract to provide any goods or services to a public entity, may not submit a bid on a contract with a public entity for the construction or repair of a public building or public work, may not submit bids on leases of real property to a public entity, may not be awarded or perform work as a contractor, supplier, subcontractor, or consultant under a contract with any public entity, and may not transact business with any public entity in excess of the threshold amount provided in s.287.017 for CATEGORY TWO for a period of 36 months from the date of being placed on the convicted vendor list.”

Insurance Requirements: If awarded, firm shall represent and guarantee that all employees, agents, servants or representatives of the respondent, and all employees, agents, servants, or representatives of subcontractors are covered by workers' compensation insurance. Prior to entering into contract with the District, respondent agrees to furnish the District certificates of insurance on all insurance, naming District as additional insured for items 2 and 3 below, providing evidence that respondent has in full force and effect the following minimum insurance with insurers authorized to do business in the State of Florida:

1) Workers' compensation insurance as required above;

2) Motor vehicular liability insurance with limits of not less than $1,000,000 combined single limit which insurance shall be applicable to any and all vehicles utilized by respondent to provide the services requested by the District.

3) General liability insurance for all services rendered by respondent for the requested services with a minimum of $1,000,000 personal and advertising injury and $1,000,000 general aggregate.

The certificate of insurance shall also provide that District shall be notified in writing by the carrier at least 30 days prior to any cancellation of said insurance.

Rejection of Responses: The District reserves the right to reject any and all submittals or other submittals submitted in response to District invitation. District also reserves the right to waive any minor deviations in an otherwise valid proposal.

Respondents to this solicitation or persons acting on their behalf may not contact, between the release of the solicitation and the end of the 72-business hour period following the agency posting the notice of intended award, any employee or officer of the District concerning any aspect of this solicitation, except in writing as indicated above. Violation of this provision may be grounds for rejecting a response.

Renewal of Contract: The initial contract shall be for a period of three years with the potential for two subsequent one-year renewals based upon Contractor performance, the District’s availability of funding, the same terms and conditions or terms more favorable to the District, and mutual agreement of the District and the Contractor.

SECTION 5 - SCOPE OF WORK

1) Rare Plant Surveys Survey activities will be conducted on District lands in areas where the District does not have rare plant species data or in areas where the data is incomplete and survey work needs to be updated. . Listing designations include: endangered (E), threatened (T), species of special concern (SSC), or commercially exploited (CE). While conducting this work, surveyors will also be responsible for recording any invasive/exotic plants that are listed by Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council (FLEPPC) as Categories I or II species. The 2019 list can be found online at:

https://bugwoodcloud.org/CDN/fleppc/plantlists/2019/2019_Plant_List_ABSOLUTE_FINAL.pdf.

The District will issue a Task Work Assignment (TWA) to consultants that identifies the areas that will be surveyed each fiscal year. Prior to TWA issuance, a quote or project cost will be requested by the District for individual survey areas. The District will also provide the following information as needed:

• Maps/Shapefiles of areas to be surveyed.

• Maps/Shapefiles of known rare plant locations within the survey area,

• Maps/Shapefiles of natural plant communities within the survey area,

• Unpopulated shapefiles (point and polygon) that contain all the attribute fields the

District wants populated at each rare plant location. These files should also be used to record any invasive exotic plant species that are found while conducting surveys. These files will be fully populated and returned to the District as a contract deliverable,

• Recent land management history.

Using this background information along with other known sites or species characteristics, consultants will develop a survey plan for each project area. This plan will focus on surveying areas that have the highest potential for supporting listed species. This may include areas such as natural plant community types known to support these species, ecotones, seeps, sinkholes, spring edges, cave edges, etc. This plan will also establish an optimal seasonal timeline for surveying the project areas based on listed species characteristics. This survey plan and timeline must be approved by the District before work commences.

Consultants will be responsible for conducting fixed or meandering transects through areas that are likely to support rare plant populations on each project area. Consultants will also be required to submit GPS track logs of the areas they survey.

Reporting Parameters: The District will provide consultants with GIS shapefiles for recording survey data. This will include shapefiles for recording both point and polygon data. The point shapefile will be used to record data for individual plant species that are found widely scattered within the survey area. The polygon file can be used to record large populations of individual species that occur over a large or concentrated spatial area (Atamasco Lily, etc.) Data for rare plant occurrences will include the following information and will be entered in the appropriate attribute field of District supplied shapefiles: Tract Name, Scientific Name, Common Name, Invasive/Exotic (yes/no), Current Listing Status, Survey Date, Surveyor, Population Area (e.g.

https://bugwoodcloud.org/CDN/fleppc/plantlists/2019/2019_Plant_List_ABSOLUTE_FINAL.pdf

2X2 Meters), Population Size (e.g. 3 or 200+) and Comments which can include things like site conditions, management needs, hydrologic conditions, or anything that may positively or negatively affect the plants species. This field can also contain location specifications if needed (e.g., growing on side of ditch, etc.).

Deliverables:

Populated geodatabase depicting the following:

• Point and polygon files of rare plant occurrences attributed as requested.

• Point files of any FLEPCC listed invasive exotic species.

• GPS track logs of survey areas

2) Rare Plant Monitoring:

Monitoring activities will be conducted on known rare plant occurrences located on District lands. These include species that are federal, or state listed. Listing designations include:

endangered (E), threatened (T), species of special concern (SSC), or commercially exploited (CE). This work is being conducted to systematically monitor and document the health/status of these occurrences and assess how periodic management practices or other factors may affect these populations over time. While conducting this work, surveyors will also be responsible for recording any invasive/exotic species encountered.

The District will issue a TWA to consultants that identifies the areas that will be monitored each fiscal year. Prior to TWA issuance, a quote or project cost will be requested by the District for individual monitoring sites/areas. The District will also provide consultants with the following GIS information:

• Polygon shapefile of the rare plant occurrences to be monitored. This file will be partially populated with the tract name and the species common/scientific name. It will contain all the attribute fields the District wants populated at each rare plant location. After monitoring work is complete, this file will be fully populated and returned to the District as a contract deliverable.

• Unpopulated point shapefile that contains all the attribute fields the District wants populated at each rare plant location. This point shapefile will be used to record any rare new plant occurrences that are found while conducting monitoring activities. This file should also be used to record any invasive/exotic plants that are found. This file will be fully populated and returned to the District as a contract deliverable.

Monitoring will rely on ocular location/identification to determine status. Based on spatial information of the known rare plant occurrences, surveyors should use the following methods to monitor these locations:

• Population Extent: Use on occurrence locations designated by large polygons; in the past, these areas contained multiple occurrences of one species (Atamasco Lily, etc.);

surveyors will walk the boundary of the polygon and monitor the area outside this boundary and within their line of site (approximately 10 meters) to record any additional/new occurrences; surveyors will also estimate the number of occurrences contained within the polygon and will walk meandering transects through the area to help determine this estimate.

• Number of Occurrences: Use on locations that have isolated, individual species occurrences; surveyors will start at the center of the known occurrence point to determine its status and then walk widening circles around the occurrence to determine if additional occurrences can be located/recorded. These widening circles should increase until surveyors have reached a radius of approximately 20 meters from the occurrence center point.

Reporting Parameters: Monitoring data for known rare plant occurrences will include the following information and will be entered in the appropriate attribute field of District supplied shapefiles: Tract Name, Scientific Name, Common Name, Invasive/Exotic (yes/no), Monitoring Date, Observed (yes/no), Current Listing Status, Surveyor, Population Area (e.g. 2X2 Meters), Population Size (e.g. 3 or 200+) and Comments which should include things like site conditions, management needs, hydrologic conditions, or anything that may positively or negatively affect the plants species. This field can also contain location specifications if needed (e.g., growing on side of ditch, etc.).

Deliverables:

Populated geodatabase depicting the following:

• Point and polygon files of known rare plant occurrences attributed as requested.

• Point files of any FLEPCC listed invasive exotic species.

3) Natural Community Mapping:

Natural community mapping work may be conducted each year at various locations throughout the District. Project areas will include parcels that have been newly acquired or areas where natural community mapping work was never conducted. This work is essential for land management planning purposes because each natural community type has a different set of Desired Future Condition parameters that act as a guide for many land management and restoration activities. Using available aerial photography, soils information, historic survey notes, and ground truthing information, consultants will develop GIS historic natural community polygons for each identified work area.

The District will issue a TWA to consultants that identifies the areas where natural community mapping will occur each year. Prior to TWA issuance, a quote or project cost will be requested by the District for individual mapping areas. Part of this process will include the District coordinating with the consultant to determine the number/percentage of natural community polygons that will require ground truth point locations.

The District will also provide consultants with the following information:

• Shapefiles of areas to be mapped.

• Shapefile of the District’s current natural community coverage to provide an example of attributes that should be included in the final deliverable.

Reporting Parameters:

• Natural community classifications will be based on the 2010 update of the Florida Natural Area Inventory Guide to the Natural Communities of Florida.

• Ground truth locations, agreed upon by the District and consultants, will be documented by a point shapefile and attributed with the following information: survey date, surveyor name, natural community and vegetation notes, and community condition rank.

• Polygons that are not assigned a ground truth point location will be classified based on aerial photograph signatures, soil maps, historic survey notes, etc.

• Locations of rare animals, rare plants and non-native invasive plants encountered during ground truth work will also be recorded.

Deliverables:

Populated geodatabase depicting the following:

• Historic natural community landcover polygons for the delineated project area. These files will be attributed with the same information included in the District’s current natural community GIS coverage.

• Ground truth point locations describing the plant community quality and condition.

• Point files containing information on rare animals, rare plants and non-native invasive plants observed during natural community mapping work.

4) Additional Ecological Services:

The following list of additional ecological services provides some examples of other types of work that may be conducted throughout the fiscal year. If these types of tasks are needed, the District will coordinate with consultants to establish the most current and widely accepted protocol for conducting this work. Work locations, sampling parameters, deliverables, etc. will be established at this time. Finally, the District will issue a formal TWA for the work to be conducted.

Additional ecological services:

• Reptile and Amphibian Surveys

• Avian Inventories/Rookery Monitoring

• Bachman’s Sparrow Surveys

SUWANNEE RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT

SECTION 6 – PROPOSAL RESPOSE FORMS

RFQ NO. 22/23-013 OPS

Company Name: ___________________________________________________

Address: ___________________________________________________

Primary Contact Person: ___________________________________________________

Primary Contact Email: ___________________________________________________

Primary Contact Phone: ___________________________________________________

SIMILAR PROJECT(S):

Please provide examples of ecological services work your organization has completed on an annual basis over the last 5 years. For reference purposes, please include contact information for the project managers at these agencies or organizations where this work was conducted. Add additional pages as needed.

AGENCY/ORGANIZATION:

CONTACT NAME: TELEPHONE:

START DATE: COMPLETION DATE:

(month/year) (month/year)

TOTAL AREA/ACRES SURVEYED, MONITORED, MAPPED: ___________________________________

PERSONNEL NAME(S) (ECOLOGISTS, BOTANISTS, BIOLOGISTS) RESPONSIBLE FOR

CONDUCTING WORK:

DESCRIPTION OF WORK CONDUCTED:

SIMILIAR PROJECT(S):

PERSONNEL DOCUMENTATION

Please provide the following information for all ecologists, botanists, biologists your organization will be using to conduct the proposed ecological services work: name, educational degree, current employer/affiliation, years of experience conducting the types of ecological services work as those proposed in the State of Florida.