DFW_2019_021 REQUEST FOR RESPONSE BIOLOGICAL SURVEYS~2 (7).docx

REQUEST FOR RESPONSE

Biological Surveys, Research, and Testing for the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife

DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME

RFR ID#: DFW-2019-021

PURCHASING DEPARTMENT: Department of Fish and Game

CONTACT PERSON: Kathleen Plett, Program Coordinator, MA Division of Fisheries & Wildlife, One Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough, MA 01581

TELEPHONE: 508-389-6381

TYPE OF PROCUREMENT: This procurement will result in a list of contractors pre-qualified to perform various biological surveys, research, and testing in Massachusetts.

SINGLE OR MULTIPLE CONTRACTORS ARE REQUIRED FOR CONTRACTS: Multiple pre-qualified contractors are sought for projects which may be awarded to single or multiple vendors.

PREVAILING WAGE APPLICABLE: No

BIDDERS CONFERENCE: No bidder’s conference is required for this procurement. Project specific conferences will be scheduled, as appropriate, following the establishment of the Master Service Agreement.

EXPECTED DURATION OF CONTRACT: Through January 31, 2029

OPTION TO RENEW: No.

ANTICIPATED EXPENDITURES FOR EXPECTED DURATION: Subject to quotes by a pre-qualified list of contractors. The Department does not guarantee contract work as a result of a vendor being added to this list.

I. CONTRACT PERFORMANCE AND BUSINESS SPECIFICATIONS:

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department Fish and Game (DFG) is seeking qualified vendors to perform a variety of biological surveys, research and testing throughout the state.

Vendors meeting the minimum requirements for this service contract as outlined in the section titled “Evaluation Criteria” will be placed on a “pre-qualified list.” When DFG needs a service performed for a specific project or at a particular site, one or more vendors from the “pre-qualified list” will be contacted and informed of any special considerations or instructions for the project and asked to provide a project-specific bid stating the cost and period of performance for completing the project. All such bids must include all costs which will be charged to DFG including overhead and all incidental costs.

The vendor whose project-specific bid offers the best value to DFG will be selected for that specific project. This determination may include consideration of the project-specific bids regarding total cost, period of performance for completing the project, the experience and the proximity of the vendor to the work site, DFG’s determination of a vendor’s suitability to a specific project, and DFG’s prior experience with a vendor submitting a project-specific bid. If none of the specific bids received meets DFG’s needs, DFG may reject all proposals and may solicit additional proposals in order to locate the best value procurement for the Department.

This is an open solicitation and vendors may be added to the Master Service Agreement contract at any time during the duration of the contract. A vendor’s contract may be terminated at any time if the quality of their work is unacceptable to DFG or if DFG determines that maintaining the vendor on contract is not in the best interests of DFG. Such a determination will be made on the basis of the consistency of the vendor’s work product with the basic specifications, the quality of vendor’s work product above and beyond the basic requirements, and the vendor’s responsiveness to the business needs of DFG.

II. PURPOSE OF PROCUREMENT

The DFG is looking to create a “pre-qualified” list of vendors to perform biological studies, research, and testing throughout the state in the following categories. Please elaborate as necessary in item two (2) of the response documents.

· PLANTS & FUNGI

· Fungi or lichen identification and ecology

· Bryophyte identification and ecology

· Aquatic macrophyte or algae identification and ecology

· Vascular plant identification and ecology

· Invasive plant identification and ecology

· Plant seed collection

· Plant pathology

· INVERTEBRATES

· Moth and butterfly (Lepidoptera) sampling, identification and ecology

· Beetle (Coleoptera) sampling, identification and ecology

· Dragonfly and damselfly (Odonata) sampling, identification and ecology

· Other terrestrial invertebrate sampling, identification and ecology (specify taxa)

· Pollinator identification and management

· Mussel and clam (Bivalvia) or snail (Gastropoda) sampling, identification and ecology

· Other aquatic invertebrate sampling, identification and ecology (specify taxa)

· Invertebrate pathology

· FISH

· Fish sampling, identification and ecology

· Fish pathology

· REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS

· Amphibian sampling, identification and ecology

· Reptile sampling, identification and ecology

· Vernal pool documentation and ecology

· BIRDS & MAMMALS

· Bird sampling, identification and ecology

· Mammal sampling, identification and ecology

· CONSERVATION GENETICS

· Design and conduct studies to determine taxonomic status of plant and animal species.

· DNA analysis for New England Cottontails

· WILDLIFE PATHOLOGY

· Design and conduct studies to determine effects of pathogens on wildlife, not including invertebrate species.

· NATURAL COMMUNITY, RESTORATION, NATURAL RESOURCE MAPPING

& MANAGEMENT PLANNING

· Natural community sampling, identification and ecology

· Natural resource mapping and aerial photography interpretation

· Human land use history interpretation

· Conservation planning, habitat management plans and reserve design

· Writing species management plans

· Ecological restoration (planning and implementation of natural resource management)

· Palynology and climate change studies as relates to biological resources

· Geology or hydrology as relates to biological resources

· ECOLOGICAL MODELING & STATISTICAL ANALYSES

· Develop conceptual and quantitative models of ecological processes and their influences on wildlife and plant conservation.

· Design, review and conduct statistical analyses of various ecological monitoring programs.

· ROAD AND TRAIL ASSESSMENT AND MAPPING

· WETLAND DELINEATION & SOIL SURVEYS (as it relates to natural resource management planning)

· PROPERTY BOUNDARY LOCATION AND MARKING

· ENGINEERING SERVICES (as it relates to biological resource management planning)

· GIS AND DATABASE PROJECTS

III. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Respondents must meet the following requirements:

a) Have the demonstrated ability to perform specified services to the satisfaction of DFG.

b) State their agreement to abide by all terms set out in this RFR and all documents referenced herein.

c) Register/maintain vendor profile in the Commonwealth’s procurement system, COMMBUYS (www.commbuys.com)

d) Additional minimum requirements may be required for particular categories

Work will be assigned by DFG as needed (See item 1 above).

IV. PARTICIPATION BY OTHER AGENCIES

Agencies, other than the soliciting Department, may use this solicitation under separate contract.

V. INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMISSION OF RESPONSES

One (1) copy of your response must be submitted, in writing, to:

MA Division of Fisheries & Wildlife Kathleen Plett, Program Coordinator One Rabbit Hill Road Westborough, MA 01581

All responses must include 1 copy of each of the documents listed below. BE SURE TO INCLUDE ALL THE INFORMATION LISTED HERE OR YOUR RESPONSE MAY BE FOUND TO BE INCOMPLETE AND NONRESPONSIVE.

1) Bid Form

2) Brief description of related work performed by the vendor. If similar work has been done within the past 3 years for DFG state the project name, contract manager, and year. If similar work has not been performed within the past 3 years supply an example of a recent report on a biological survey or other pertinent work performed.

3) List of 3 or more references, most useful are clients or agencies for which similar work has been performed within the last 5 years, their addresses and phone numbers.

4) Respondents must supply resumes for all personnel expected to participate in contracts.

5) Commonwealth Standard Contract Form, completed and signed by the respondent. Signed original must be submitted.

6) Commonwealth Terms and Conditions filled out and signed by the respondent (if the Commonwealth Terms and Conditions has been previously filled out by a respondent and is on file with the Commonwealth, please indicate on bid form - a bidder is required to execute this form only once). Signed original must be submitted.

6) Commonwealth W-9 tax information form filled out and signed by the respondent (if the Commonwealth W-9 tax information form has been previously filled out by a respondent and is on file with the Commonwealth, please indicate on bid form - a bidder is required to execute this form only once). Signed original must be submitted.

8) Contractor Authorized Signatory Listing. Signed original must be submitted.

9) Electronic Funds Transfer Form (if the Electronic Funds Transfer Form has been previously filled out by the respondent and is on file with the Commonwealth, please indicate on bid form – a bidder is required to execute this only once).

10) Prompt Payment Discount Form. Signed original must be submitted.

Small Business Purchasing Program vendors will be given special consideration for projects greater than $150,000.

VI. DEADLINE FOR RESPONSES

Respondents may submit responses as soon as this RFR is posted on COMMBUYS. Deadline for submissions is 3PM January 31, 2029. Responses received after that date will be disqualified.

VIII. EVALUATION

Selections for the list of pre-qualified vendors will be evaluated based on submission requirements, demonstrated experience in the respondent-identified skill categories, reports from references, and DFG’s past experience with the respondent.

Proposals will be evaluated based on vendor’s responses to “Instructions for Submission of Responses” above. General evaluation criteria include:

DFG reserves the right to reject any and all proposals and select the proposals it finds the most advantageous to selecting a list of pre-qualified contractors.

IX. NOTICE TO PROCEED

Vendors will be notified as to their acceptance into one or more categories. For a given funding opportunity, the Contractor may not begin performing specified contract work until he/she has received a fully executed Scope of Services. ALL WORK MUST BE COMPLETED WITHIN THE TIMELINE OUTLINED IN THE SCOPE OF SERVICES OR PROJECT SPECIFIC REQUEST FOR RESPONSE.

X. DISCLAIMER/LIABILITY CLAUSE

The Contractor will release and agree to hold blameless the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Fish and Game, its employees and agents acting within the scope of their official duties from any and all liability or loss resulting from acts or omissions except willful torts.

XI. BUDGET AND SCHEDULE OF PAYMENT

Total payment for each project shall be agreed upon before any work is initiated on that project. The agreed sum shall be stated in the Scope of Services.

Payment shall be made upon DFG’s determination of completion of work or as agreed upon in the Scope of Services or project specific Request for Response.

A penalty for non-compliance with agreed upon schedules for completion of projects may be written into project specific contracts.

XII. OWNERSHIP AND USE OF DATA, REPORTS AND OTHER PRODUCTS

All material products, including but not limited to, data, maps, charts, graphs, tables, reports, cd-rom products or other materials and information produced by and/or resulting from this project are the property of the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game (DFG). The aforementioned materials and products derived from them, including but not limited to newsletter articles and other published materials, shall not be used, reproduced, distributed, and/or copyrighted in any manner without the express written consent of the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game. Such permitted uses shall include acknowledgment of ownership of said information by the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game, and financial support from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the appropriate program or agency administering the specific contracts.

Rare species information provided to contractors by the Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program or collected by the contractors shall not be released to any outside organizations or individuals who are not a party to the contracts.

Modifications of these conditions may be negotiated under project specific contracts.

THIS IS A PRE-QUALIFICATION CONTRACT UNDER A DEPARTMENTAL MASTER SERVICE AGREEMENT