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MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMPETITIVE

SEALED BIDS

Amendment No. 1

Invitation for Bids to Marine Debris Removal, Disposal, and Monitoring Services (IFB) August 6, 2026

This Amendment No. 1 (Amendment) hereby amends or modifies the IFB released on July 15, 2026, by making the changes to the IFB as provided below. Changes to the IFB that include additions are denoted by being bolded and underlined, and deletions are denoted by being bolded and stricken through. Any sections of the IFB that are not amended as listed below remain unchanged and effective as part of the IFB. Further, the following documents are attached hereto and are expressly incorporated as a part of this Amendment No. 1: Exhibit A, Response to Inquiries No. 1, Exhibit B, Pre-Submittal Conference Attendees, Exhibit C, Pre-Bid Submittal Conference Presentation, and Exhibit D, Pre-Submittal Conference Transcript.

Section 1.1 Bid Acceptance Period The following section is amended as follows:

1.1.1. Timeline

• Invitation for Bid (IFB) Issue Date: July 15, 2026

• Optional Pre-bid Meeting: July 29, 2026 at 10:00 AM CST via Webinar

• Questions to MDEQ Deadline: August 12, 2026

• Anticipated Posting of Response to Inquiries/Amendments: August 19, 2026

• Bid Package Submission Deadline: August 31, September 7, 2026 at 3:00 pm CST

Bid Opening 3:15 pm CST

• Anticipated Notice of Intent to Award: September 18 24, 2026

• Anticipated Post-Award Debriefing Request Date: September 23 29, 2026

• Post-Award Debriefing Held by Date: September 25, October 1, 2026

Section 2.2. – Scope of Work The following section is amended as follows:

Section 2.2.1 Specific Tasks for Marine Debris Removal Services include the following:

• Transport collected debris back to the mainland and dispose of it properly at a permitted disposal facility in accordance with all applicable local, state, and federal regulations. Documentation of disposal (e.g., weight tickets, disposal facility receipts) shall be retained and provided to MDEQ upon request and submitted to MDEQ with the deliverables for each cleanup event.

• Each cleanup event shall not exceed three (3) consecutive calendar days unless otherwise approved in writing by MDEQ.

In accordance with Section 3.1.4(J) of the IFB, Bidders must acknowledge receipt of any Amendment issued in relation to this IFB by signing and returning the Amendment with its bid.

Such acknowledgement must be received by MDEQ by the time and at the place specified for receipt of offers.

By signing this Amendment No. 1, offeror acknowledges receipt of this Amendment No. 1, and that the provisions of Amendment No. 1 have been noted and that its bid is being offered in compliance therewith.

Offeror’s Name:

Signature:

By (Print Name):

Title:

Date:

EXHIBIT A

Response to Inquiries No. 1 Invitation for Bids to Provide Marine Debris Removal & Monitoring

This document serves as the Question-and-Answer document from the Pre-submittal Conference that occurred on July 29, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. CST, and the register of the current questions received by MDEQ and the corresponding answers in accordance with Section 5.3.3 of the Public Procurement Review Board’s Office of Personal Services Contract Review Rules and Regulations (“Regulations”). In the event of any conflict between the IFB and this Response to Inquiries No.

1, the IFB, as amended, shall govern. All defined terms in this Response to Inquiries No. 1 not herein defined shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the IFB.

Q1: Attachment A pricing structure. The bid form lists a single "Price per Event ( × 5 events) = Total" cell. Confirm that disposal (tipping fees) must be included in the firm-fixed per-event price, or is MDEQ willing to accept disposal as a reimbursable pass-through with weight-ticket documentation?

A1: Yes, all costs including disposal, tipping fees, etc., providing the services under this IFB must be included in the firm-fixed per-event price as provided in Bid Form Attachment A.

Q2: Historical debris tonnage. Can MDEQ share prior-year Round Island cleanup data (weight, volume, item counts) to help bidders size disposal costs?

A2: Round Island has not previously been under an MDEQ cleanup contract. This will be the first formal removal effort at this specific hotspot, so there is no prior-year Round Island debris data to share. For general scale reference, comparable MS Gulf Coast beach cleanup events under this program have generated roughly 150–2,500 lbs. of debris per event depending on site size and frequency, though Round Island's isolation and lack of prior removal may result in a higher initial-year volume.

Q3: Approved disposal facilities. Does MDEQ require use of a specific permitted Mississippi landfill/transfer station, or is any properly permitted MS Class I / C&D facility acceptable?

A3: MDEQ does not designate a specific landfill or transfer station for this project. The Contractor may use any Mississippi facility permitted to accept the debris collected in accordance with applicable local, state, and federal laws and regulations.

Q4: Given the 5-year base term plus up to 5 renewal years at the same price, will MDEQ consider an annual CPI or fuel index adjustment on renewal years?

A4: No. See Section 2.5 of the IFB and Article 38 of Attachment D to the IFB. The awarded contract may be renewed for consecutive one-year periods, not to exceed a total maximum period of 5 years. Further, any renewal of the contract is at the sole discretion of MDEQ and will be under the same prices, terms, and conditions as the original contract. Bidders should submit pricing accordingly.

Q5: Does MDEQ provide a preferred or agency-controlled mainland launch/staging point (e.g., Pascagoula), or does the Contractor select and secure its own launch and dockage at its own cost?

A5: MDEQ does not provide or control a dedicated launch or staging point for this contract. The Contractor is responsible for securing its own launch location at its own cost. For reference, the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) maintains a Public Access Inventory of coastal recreation and boat launch sites across the three coastal counties available at https://gis.dmr.ms.gov/PublicAccess/.

Q6: Are there staging or consolidation restrictions on Round Island (dune buffers, no-go zones, allowable equipment traffic corridors)?

A6: The IFB does not designate specific dune buffers or equipment traffic corridors. The applicable restriction is the project area itself, shown in Section 2.1 Project Area in the IFB and the pre-bid presentation. Staging and cleanup activities are limited to the upland portions of "new" Round Island. Activities are not permitted within the interior beneficial-use containment area or on the southern portion of "original" Round Island. Within the project area, the Contractor should use reasonable care to minimize impacts to dune vegetation when selecting a debris staging location.

Q7: Cleanup event duration. Is a single-day event assumed per cleanup, or should bidders assume a multi-day event? What is the maximum acceptable event duration?

A7: See Amendment No. 1, Section 2.2.1 of the IFB.

Q8: Does MDEQ provide the ETAP tablet, mobile app access, and standardized data-entry template, or must the Contractor supply and license these?

A8: The Contractor may use the Marine Debris Tracker app (https://debristracker.org/), which provides access to EPA's Escaped Trash Assessment Protocol (ETAP) and is available free for iOS and Android. Alternatively, MDEQ can provide an equivalent item-type spreadsheet if the Contractor prefers to adapt data collection into its own workflow. The Contractor is not required to separately purchase or license a data collection tool.

Q9: Will MDEQ provide a template for the Annual Field Summary Report, or is the Contractor's format acceptable if it captures all Table 1 parameters?

A9: MDEQ does not require a specific report template or format. At minimum, the Annual Field Summary Report must include all parameters identified in Table 1 provided under Section 2.2 of the IFB along with a brief narrative description of site conditions and activities, and any observations relevant to future event planning. The Contractor's own format is acceptable provided all this information is captured.

Q10: Are geotagged photographs of debris piles and disposal weight tickets required with each event report, or optional?

https://gis.dmr.ms.gov/PublicAccess/ https://debristracker.org/

A10: See Amendment No. 1, Section 2.2.1 of the IFB. Geotagged photographs are not required.

Q11: Will MDEQ's Section 7 ESA briefing be conducted virtually or on-site? How much advance notice will MDEQ provide for briefing scheduling?

A11: In accordance with Section 2.2.3 of the IFB, MDEQ will conduct the required ESA briefing virtually as part of the project kickoff meeting prior to the first field event. Following the briefing, MDEQ will provide the Contractor with the applicable environmental compliance documentation.

Q12: If field personnel change between events, will MDEQ require repeat briefings for new personnel only, or the entire crew?

A12: In accordance with Section 2.2.3 of the IFB, MDEQ does not require a repeat briefing for new personnel or for subsequent events. The Contractor is responsible for ensuring that any new personnel assigned after the initial briefing are informed of the applicable protective measures using the compliance documentation provided by MDEQ.

Q13: When hazmat is encountered and Contractor stops handling, is Contractor expected to secure/mark the item and remain on-site until MDEQ arrives, or can Contractor demobilize and return separately? Is standby time compensable?

A13: In accordance with Section 2.2.1 of the IFB, if suspected hazardous materials are encountered, the Contractor shall cease work in that area and comply with all applicable safety requirements, all applicable local, state, and federal regulations, clearly notate the approximate location and details regarding the potentially hazardous materials and notify the MDEQ Project Manager and all other authorities as required by Mississippi Law. The Contractor is not required to remain on-site for MDEQ to arrive and is not required to halt the remainder of the cleanup event if cleanup activities can be performed elsewhere safely and in accordance with all applicable local, state, and federal regulations. Standby time is not compensable, as the hazmat encounter does not require the Contractor to pause or extend the event.

Q14: Does MDEQ have a recommended maximum draft in inches/feet for Round Island approaches during the November–March window based on prior events?

A14: Natural, undredged approach depths around the island are generally shallow (on the order of 5 ft or less at low tide in some areas). This varies by location and is not formally surveyed for navigability. Bidders are ultimately responsible for reviewing available information, including, but not limited to, publicly available NOAA tidal data applicable to the project/work areas and performing independent site reconnaissance when planning vessel operations.

Q15: Any restrictions on landing craft type, ramp-off procedures, or turf/mat requirements to protect dune vegetation when landing a skid-steer?

A15: The shoreline where vessels would land is generally flat, open beach. The Contractor may land and stage equipment, including protective mats, if desired, anywhere along the open beach.

The Contractor should still use reasonable care when moving equipment farther inland toward dune or vegetated areas and shall perform all activities in accordance with the requirements of Sections 2.2 and 2.2.3 of the IFB.

Q16: Will MDEQ provide the exact additional-insured endorsement language required, or is a standard ACORD 25 + CG 20 10/20 37 acceptable?

A16: The IFB does not require a specific insurance endorsement form or prescribe specific ISO endorsement numbers. The Contractor is responsible for providing insurance coverage that complies with the requirements of Attachment D, Section 30.Standard industry forms (such as ACORD certificates and applicable additional insured endorsements) are acceptable provided they demonstrate compliance with the IFB requirements. MDEQ reserves the right to review submitted insurance documentation for compliance prior to contract execution.

Q17: Are there specific MBE/WBE participation goals or reporting expectations for this contract?

A17: The IFB does not identify specific MBE/WBE participation goals or ongoing reporting requirements. However, in accordance with Section 3.1.4.H. bidders are required to complete Attachment B to the IFB, the MBE/WBE Solicitation Form, documenting good-faith efforts to encourage MBE/WBE participation. See also Section 2.6 of the IFB.

Q18: If an event is canceled or interrupted due to weather/sea state after mobilization, is remobilization cost reimbursable, and under what documentation standard?

A18: The IFB is for a firm fixed-price contract and does not provide for separate reimbursement of weather-related mobilization or remobilization costs. Bidders should include all costs and risks associated with performance in their bid pricing. Note that the 14-day advance notice requirement also allows MDEQ and the Contractor to monitor weather and sea state ahead of a scheduled event, so that events can be rescheduled before mobilization if adverse conditions are anticipated, rather than interrupted mid-event by unforecasted weather.

EXHIBIT B

Pre-Submittal Conference Attendees

Alane Young, Covington Civil Engineering Ashley Sprouse, SDR Camille Smith, Covington Civil Engineering Cassandra Hill, MDEQ Cody Fisher, Enviro Engineering Coretta Jones, MDEQ Dr. Tina Nations, MDEQ Jeff Mclaughlin, Mclaughlin Construction Matthew Tuart, Mapco Services Nikolas Vollmuth, Covington Civil Engineering Paul Sheffield, TL Wallace Construction Rachel K. Shows, Covington Civil Engineering Ronna Bennett, Metric Engineering Tabatha Baum, MDEQ Valerie Alley, MDEQ Yael Girard, Osprey Initiative

EXHIBIT C

Pre-Submittal Conference Presentation

EXHIBIT D

Pre-Submittal Conference Transcript Invitation for Bids to Provide Marine Debris Removal, Disposal, and Monitoring Services

This document serves as the written recordation of the orally/visually recorded Pre-submittal Conference that occurred on July 29, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. CST (“transcript”).

PLEASE NOTE: Although this transcript is being included as part of an amendment this transcript is NOT amending the IFB, and in the event of any conflict between the transcript provided below and Exhibit A to this Amendment No. 2, Response to Inquiries, Exhibit A shall prevail.

The bolded language in the below transcript is not a portrayal of what has been said on the Pre-submittal conference call/webinar, it is additional information included in the transcript and is provided to indicate to the reader: 1) who is speaking and 2) what is occurring during the Pre-submittal Conference.

Beginning of Pre-Submittal Conference Transcript

10 a.m. CST, July 29, 2026

Regina

This is the pre-bid meeting for the MDEQ invitation for bids.

Coretta

Can everybody hear me okay?

J. Goelz

I can.

Rachel K. Shows

Hang on I'm getting slides up for us, Regina.

Yael Girard - Osprey Initiative.

Okay.

Dr. Tina Nations

Hey, Regina, it's Tina I can hear you.

All right.

This is the pre-bid meeting for the MDEQ invitation for bids for marine debris removal and disposal on Round Island.

My name is Regina Cochran and I am an accountant for the Office of Restoration at MDEQ and serving as the procurement officer for this solicitation.

Before we get started, please be sure you are muted unless you are speaking.

Also be aware that please be aware that we are recording this pre-submittal meeting.

The agenda for today would include a brief introduction and roll call, the scope of work by Rachel Kistler Shows, and our question and answer session.

In lieu of a sign-in sheet, we will have roll call.

If you are on your computer, please enter your name and organization in the chat box.

For all others, we will give you an opportunity to come off mute and state your name and organization.

We will begin with MDEQ, then Covington Civil Engineering, and then move on to other participants.

So again, I am Regina Cochran. I am an accountant for the Office of Restoration at MDEQ, serving as the procurement officer for this solicitation.

Who else do we have with DEQ?

Good Morning.

My name is Dr. Tina Nations and I am the program manager for the NIFWF division.

Good morning.

Coretta

My name is Coretta Jones and I am the accounting director for the Office of Restoration with

MDEQ.

Cassandra Hill

Good morning.

Cassandra Hill

I'm Cassandra Hill and I am the NFWF project manager for MDEQ.

Tabatha Baum

Good morning. I'm legal counsel for MDEQ.

Is there anyone else on the call that has not announced themselves?

So, in the chat, we have Ashley Sprouse from SDR, Rona Bennett from Metric Engineering, and I'm going to mess this name up, but I'll give it a go.

Yale, Gerrard. Yael Girard - Osprey Initiative. It's Yael, but pretty close.

Thank you.

And it's tell me Osprey initiative.

Yael Girard

Osprey Initiative, Yeah, Osprey initiative, like the bird.

Thank you so much.

Paul Shedfield, Paul Shedfield from Wallace construction.

Is there anyone else.

Covington?

Ah.

Matthew Tuart from Mapco Services.

Can you repeat that, please?

Matthew Tuart from Mapco Services.

Please note that, I'm sorry, go ahead.

Oh, this is Rachel Kistler Shows with Covington Civil and Environmental. I'm the NRDA project manager for this Project from Covington.

Is there anyone else from Covington that needs to announce themselves?

I see that Alane is on but maybe her mic isn't working but Alane Young is on from Covington Civil and she is the NRDA program manager on our side and we also have Nic Vollmuth. He's one of our coastal engineers who's participating with us today.

Okay thank you for that.

Please know that if anything said today conflicts with the IFB, the IFB will prevail unless ratified with an addendum.

We will also attempt to answer questions today.

However, we will take all questions under advisement and provide a written response inquiries which will serve as MDEQ's final response.

As we are moving through the presentation, you may enter your questions in the chat box and we will address questions at the end of the presentation during the question and answer session.

We will also give you an opportunity to unmute and ask questions.

When asking your questions, please give your name and organization then give me a few seconds to record the questions and then we will answer.

So now we will turn we will turn this over to Rachel Kistler Shows to walk us through the scope of work.

All right. All right.

This contract covers marine river removal at Round Island, which is near Pascagoula. Round Island is actually two connected land masses, which you can see here on the map.

The original island on the south side and what we call New Round Island, which is the beneficial use site that was built to the North of the original island in 2016.

This particular scope of work is focused on upland areas of New Round Island, about 76 acres of beach, dean and scrub shrub habitat. This does not include in water work, the interior of the dredge disposal site, or the original island of the south.

New Round Island has been identified as a debris hotspot due to storm events, tidal patterns, and its location in the Mississippi Sound.

The purpose this contract is to remove that debris to benefit birds and sea turtles by reducing ingestion and entanglement risk and help preserve nesting habitat.

The scope breaks down into five main pieces, the scheduling and coordination, the debris removal itself, monitoring, disposal, and reporting.

The contract calls for five annual cleanup events over a five-year period of performance, one per year. Each has to fall between November 1st and March 31st. This window avoids sea turtle and shorebird nesting season.

It follows hurricane season to maximize debris capture, and it takes advantage of the seasonally lower tides that increase the accessible beach area.

MDEQ may authorize an event outside of this window on a case-by-case basis.

At least 14 days in advance of each event, the contractor is required to submit a proposed event state, and an access and logistics plan to DEQ for review. That lead time also gives us a chance to monitor weather and sea state conditions and reschedule ahead of a storm system rather than getting caught mid-event.

Each event is also capped at three consecutive calendar days unless DEQ approves additional time in writing.

For the debris removal operations, the fieldwork consists of removing debris of any size that surface level or only slightly embedded. Collection is anticipated to be performed primarily by hand with mechanical equipment such as a skid steer loader or equivalent allowable for larger items.

For monitoring and data collection, monitoring is conducted in accordance with the project's monitoring and adaptive management plan and the hotspot management plan which will be provided to the selected contractor prior to the first monitoring event.

Each item is logged by type, such as traps, plastics, nets, fishing line, etc., and this item type data is collected using EPA's Escape Trash Assessment Protocol, or ETAP, either through the Marine Debris Tracker mobile app, which is available for free for public use or an equivalent spreadsheet that MDEQ can provide, which the contractor may adapt to whatever collection workflow makes sense for them.

In addition to item type, the contractor logs event duration, the total number of participants, total debris weight, and total debris volume.

A qualitative assessment of debris reaccumulation rated low, medium, or high is also recorded to help track how quickly debris returns between these events.

For disposal, the collected debris is transported directly to a permitted commercial solid waste landfill or a class one rubbish site in accordance with the local, state, and federal regulations.

The disposal documentation, such as weight tickets or disposal facility receipts, must be submitted to DEQ with deliverables for each clean-up.

Hazardous materials are excluded from this scope.

If materials such as petroleum containers or pressurized cylinders are encountered, the contractor needs to mark and secure the item and notify DEQ's hazardous waste branch immediately.

The contractor is not required to remain on site until DEQ arrives or to halt the remainder of the cleanup event.

For reporting deliverables, within 30 days of each event, the contractor is required to provide DEQ with two deliverables, the raw ETAP data spreadsheet documenting all items collected and an annual field summary report.

The summary report includes the parameters that are identified in our monitoring adaptive management plan, a narrative description of site conditions, and activities and any observations related to any future event planning such as notable debris patterns, access challenges or wildlife observations.

Additional considerations, transportation. So Round Island is only accessible by vessel and the contractor's responsible for providing all vessel transportation for personnel, equipment, and debris to and from the island. Vessels must be suitable for shallow draft conditions in the Mississippi Sound, given the absence of maintained navigating channels in the immediate vicinity of the island and the prevalence of low water levels during the November through March work window.

The contractor can reference NOAA title data for the Pascagoula Station for planning.

MDEQ doesn't control a launch point, but Point Park in Pascagoula is the closest public boat launch, which is maintained by the city with no launch fee.

Vessels must be capable of transporting mechanical equipment, as previously discussed, if that is used for any cleanup event.

One last slide of additional considerations here, wildlife protective measures.

Round Island provides habitat for multiple federally listed species, including sea turtles, shorebirds, and colonial water birds.

Section 7 consultation under the Endangered Species Act has been completed for the project and the resulting protective measures are required of the contractor and all associated personnel.

MDEQ will conduct this briefing virtually as part of the project kickoff meeting and provide the compliance documentation afterward.

Rachel K. Shows

A repeat briefing isn't required for new personnel or later events, but the contractor is responsible for making sure new crew members are aware of the requirements.

This concludes the scope of work for this IFB, so I will hand it back to Regina.

So before we get into the question and answer session, we did get a few questions ahead of the meeting.

Before we begin, I'd like to note several of the questions received require changes or clarification to the IFB.

Those Official responses will be issued in amendment number one, following today's pre-bid meeting. The written amendment will serve as the official response to these questions.

So the first question we have.

Attachment A, pricing structure. The bid form lists a single price per event times five. Confirm that disposal tipping fees must be included in the firm fixed per event price, Or is MDEQ willing to accept disposal as a reimbursable pass-through with wait-ticket documentation?

Answer one, the contractor's bid shall include all costs, I'm sorry, this is actually one of the questions that are going to be addressed in the amendment that's going to follow.

So MDEQ has reviewed this question and will provide its official response through the amendment number one following the pre-bid meeting. Bidders should rely on the written amendment as the official response to the question.

Question number two, historical debris tonnage. Can MDEQ share prior year Round Island cleanup data such as weight, volume, item counts to help bidder size disposal cost?

Round Island has not previously been under an MDEQ cleanup contract. This will be the first formal removal effort at this specific hotspot, so there is no prior year Round Island debris data to share. For general scale reference, comparable Mississippi Gulf Coast Beach cleanup events under this program have generated roughly 150 to 2,500 pounds of debris per event, depending on site size and frequency, though round island isolation and lack of prior removal may result in a higher initial year volume.

Question three. Approved disposal facilities. Does MDEQ require use of a specific permitted Mississippi landfill transfer station or is any properly permitted Mississippi Class I C&D facility acceptable?

Answer three. MDEQ does not designate a specific landfill or transfer station for this project. The contractor may use any Mississippi facility permitted to accept the debris collected. Typically a permitted commercial solid waste landfills or a Class I rubbish site under the Mississippi non-hazardous solid waste management regulation. The gate receipt and our wait ticket for each disposal trip must be retained by the contractor.

Question four, given the five-year base term plus up to five renewal years at the same price, will MDEQ consider an annual CPI or a fuel index adjustment on renewal years?

Answer four, no. As stated in section 2.5 of the IFB, any renewal of the contract is at the sole discretion of MDEQ and will be under the same prices, terms, and conditions as the original contract. Bidders should submit pricing accordingly. The maximum term of this will be five years.

Question five, does MDEQ provide a preferred or agency controlled mainland launch staging point or does the contractor select and secure its own launch and dockage at its own cost?

Answer five. MDEQ does not provide or control a dedicated launch or staging point up for this contract. A contractor is responsible for securing its own launch location and its own cost. For reference, the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources maintains a public access inventory of coastal recreation and boat launch sites across the three coastal counties available at https://gis.dmr.ms.gov.Several public municipal boat launches with no launch fees are available in Jackson County. The closest to Round Island is Point Park, a public municipal boat launch maintained by the City of Pascagoula Parks and Recreation Department.

Question six, are there staging and consolidation restrictions on Round Island?

Answer six, the IFB does not designate specific dune buffers or equipment traffic corridors. The applicable restriction is the project area itself, shown as the highlighted area in the IFB the pre-bid presentation. Staging and cleanup activities are limited to the upland portion of a New Round Island. Activities are not permitted within the interior beneficial use containment area or on the southern portion of Original Round Island. Within the project area, the contractor should use reasonable care to minimize impacts to dune vegetation when selecting debris staging location.

Question number six is actually going to be a part of the amendment. So bidders should rely on the written amendment as the official response to the question.

Question seven, cleanup event duration.

Is a single day event assumed per cleanup or should bidders assume a multi-day event? What is the maximum acceptable event duration.

This is also a part of the amendment that will follow the pre-bid meeting, so bidders should refer to the amendment as the official response to the question.

Does MDEQ, question eight, does MDEQ provide ETAP tablet, mobile app access, and standardized data entry template for muster contractor supply and licensees?

Answer 8. The contractor may use the Marine Debris Tracker app, which provides access to EPA's escaped trash assessment protocol and is available free for iOS and Android. Alternatively, MDEQ can provide an equivalent item type spreadsheet if the contractor prefers to adapt data collection into its own workflow. The contractor is not required to separately purchase or license a data collection tool.

Question 9, will MDEQ provide a template for the annual field summary report or is the contractor's format acceptable if it captures all Table 1 parameters?

Answer 9, MDEQ does not require a specific report template or format. At minimum, the annual field summary report must include all parameters identified in Table 1 of the IFB along with a brief narrative description of site conditions and activities and any observations relevant to future event planning. The contractor's own format is susceptible provided all the information is captured.

Question 10, are geotagged photographs of debris piles and disposal weight tickets required with each event report or optional?

The requirement regarding disposal documentation will be addressed in amendment number one following today's pre-bid meeting.

Question 11, will MDEQ Section 7 ESA briefing be conducted virtually or on site? How much advance notice will MDEQ provide for briefing scheduling?

Answer 11, MDEQ will conduct the ESA briefing virtually as part of the project kickoff meeting.

The briefing will cover the protective measures and conditions established in the project's environmental compliance documentation. Following the briefing, MDEQ will provide the contractor with the relevant compliance documentation for the project files and feature reference.

Question 12.

If field personnel change between events, will MDEQ require repeat briefings for new personnel only or the entire crew?

Answer 12, MDEQ does not require a repeat briefing for new personnel or for subsequent events.

The contractor is responsible for ensuring that any new personnel are made aware of applicable protective measures using the compliance documentation provided by MDEQ following the initial briefing.

Question 13, when Hazmat is encountered and contractor stops handling, Is contractor expected to secure or mark the item and remain on site until MDEQ arrives or can contractor demobilize and return separately? Is standby time compensable?

Answer 13. Upon encountering suspected hazardous materials, the contractor is required to cease handling the specific item, mark or secure its location and notify the MDEQ project manager and MDEQ's hazardous waste branch immediately. The contractor is not required to wait on site for MDEQ to arrive and is not required to halt the remainder of the cleanup event. Work may continue elsewhere in the project area and the contractor completes and departs the site as normal at the end of the event. Stand-by time is not compensable as the hazmat encounter does not require the contractor to pause or extend the event.

Question 14.

Does MDEQ have recommended maximum draft in inches and feet for Round Island approaches during the November through March window based on priority events.

Answer 14, natural, undreaded approach depths around the island are generally shallow on the order of five feet or less at low tide in some areas. This varies by location and is not formally surveyed for the gap ability. Bidders should rely on publicly available NOAA title data for the Pascagoula station and independent site reconnaissance when planning vessel operations?

Question 15, any restrictions on landing craft type ramp off procedures or turf met requirements to protect dune vegetation when landing a skid steer?

Answer 15, the shoreline where vessels would land is flat open beach, so the contractor may land and stage equipment including protective mats if desired anywhere along the open beach.

The contractor should still use reasonable care when moving equipment further inland towards dune or vegetated areas.

Question 16. Will MDEQ provide the exact additional insurance endorsement language required or is a standard ACORD 25 + CG 20 10/20 37 acceptable?

Answer 16. The IFB does not require a specific insurance endorsement form or prescribe specific ISO endorsement numbers.

The contractor is responsible for providing insurance coverage that complies with the requirements of Attachment D, Section 30, including naming MDEQ as commissioners, officers, employees, agents, representatives, and the State of Mississippi as additional insurers, providing the required waiver of subrogation and meeting all other insurance requirements. Standard industry forms such as ACORD certificates and applicable additional insured endorsements are acceptable provided they demonstrate compliance with the IFB requirements. MDEQ reserves the right to review submitted insurance documentation for compliance prior to contract execution.

Question 17, are there specific MBE/WBE participation goals or reporting expectations for this contract?

Answer 17, the IFB does not identify specific MBE/WBE participation goals or ongoing reporting requirements. However, bidders are required to complete the MBE/WBE solicitation form documenting good faith efforts to encourage MBE/WBE participation.

Question 18. This is the last one. If an event is canceled or interrupted due to whether sea state after mobilization is remobilization cost reimbursable and under what documentation standard?

Answer 18. The IFB is for a firm fixed price, I'm sorry, firm fixed price contract and does not provide for separate reimbursement of weather-related mobilization or remobilization costs.

Bidders should include all costs and risks associated with performance in their bid pricing. Note that 14-day advance notice requirement also allows MDEQ and the contractor to monitor weather and sea state ahead of a scheduled event. So the events can be rescheduled before mobilization if adverse conditions are anticipated rather than interrupted mid-event by unforecasted weather.

Okay, so these are all the questions that we received ahead of the meeting.

Do we have any other questions at this time?

M Touart

It was, I don't know if this is my service or it was breaking up real bad.

Are these questions and the, uh, signing sheet going to be sent out in the first addendum?

Yes.

Good deal.

You're welcome.

Any other questions?

We probably answered them all.

So if we don't have any, any other questions, you can submit questions to the procurement email.

I guess I'm ahead of myself. Let me just stay with the program.

There are a few reminders here. Bids are being accepted in MAGIC and we strongly suggest you check your MAGIC login and make sure you have access and also give yourself time for correcting any errors with access. The email address for MAGIC is MASH@dfa.ms.gov.

You may also hand deliver your bids at 515 East Amite Street, Jackson, Mississippi 39201.

MDEQ encourages electronic submissions or hand deliveries as we are not responsible for delayed mail and will have to reject any received after 3 p.m. on August 31, 2026.

The deadline for bid submissions, again, is August 31st, 2026 at 3 p.m.

The deadline for questions, August the 12th, 2026. So if you do have any additional questions, you can send those questions to procurement@mdeq.ms.gov.

We anticipate releasing the response to inquiries documents by August 19th, 2026.

If you received the IFB from someone other than MDEQ, you are not on the Plan holders List to receive addenda or other correspondences related to this solicitation. To get on the Plan holders List, please visit restore.ms or email procurement@ mdeq.ms.gov. This is also the place where you can send those additional questions that you may have.

Thank you for your time and your interest for working with MDEQ and we hope you all have a wonderful day.

Yael Girard - Osprey Initiative

You're welcome.

Thank you. You all have a good day.

End of Pre-Submittal Conference Transcript