FWC 24.25-107 Final.pdf

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 24/25-107, Page 1 of 71

FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION

1875 ORANGE AVE E

TALLAHASSEE, FL 32311-6160

(850) 488-6551

STATE REEF FISH SURVEY MAIL SURVEY

FWC 24/25-107

INVITATION TO BID

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 24/25-107, Page 2 of 71

ITB BIDDER ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM

Purpose: The intent of this bid is to obtain competitive pricing for printing and mailing a monthly survey to recreational anglers about their fishing behavior. This survey helps improve management of important reef fish species in Florida. The mail survey has three (3) mailings of approximately 10,000 pieces each month, per the specifications contained herein. Only responsive and responsible Contractors will be considered for award of this

Invitation to Bid (ITB).

Responsive: To be responsive, a bid must constitute a definite, firm, unqualified and unconditional offer to meet all of the material terms of this ITB. Material terms are those that could affect the price, quantity, quality, or delivery. Also included as material terms are those which are clearly identified in this ITB and which, for reasons of policy, must be complied with at risk of bid rejection for non-responsiveness.

Non-Responsive: Any submission that does not comply with this ITB in any way, does not contain all the properly signed forms, supplements or deviates from the Bid requirements or has an incomplete Price Sheet may be considered nonresponsive at the discretion of the Procurement Manager.

Responsible Vendors: The Commission shall only consider responsible vendors. Responsible vendors are those that have, in the sole judgment of the Commission, the financial ability, experience, resources, skills, capability, reliability and business integrity necessary to perform the requirements of the contract. The Commission may also consider references and quality to determine the responsibility of the bid. The Commission reserves the right to use any information, whether supplied through the Bidder’s submission or otherwise obtained, in determining responsibility.

Sealed Bid: In response to an Invitation to Bid (ITB), a sealed bid is the final submission of a bid from a vendor prior to the bid deadline, after which no further submissions will be considered.

Rejection of Bids: The Commission reserves the right to reject any and all bids and to waive any minor irregularity in the submissions received in response to this ITB. The Commission reserves the right to consider all information, whether submitted or otherwise, to determine responsiveness and responsibility and to reject bids accordingly.

Name of Business: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Contact Person Name: _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Business Address: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

City: ____________________________ State: _____________________________ Zip code: ______________________________________

Phone: ___________________________ Fax: _______________________________ Email: ______________________________________

Federal Employer Identification Number: ____________________

The undersigned attest to the following:

“We understand all of the terms, conditions and the specifications contained herein and agree to abide by all of the terms, conditions and the specifications in their entirety.

Authorized Signature (Manual): ________________________________________________________________________________________

Authorized Signature Name (Typed) and Title: __________________________________________________________________________

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 24/25-107, Page 3 of 71

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

FWC 24/25-107

SCHEDULE DUE DATE METHOD

Bid Advertised August 6, 2025 Posted on the Vendor Information Portal

(VIP)

Deadline for Questions

Must be received

PRIOR to:

August 13, 2025

@ 5:00 PM ET

See Solicitation Questions Clause

Anticipated date for Responses to Written Questions August 19, 2025 Posted on the Vendor Information Portal

SEALED BIDS DUE

(REMEMBER: The bid number should be clearly marked on envelope)

Must be received

PRIOR to:

August 26, 2025

@ 1:00 PM ET

Mailing Address:

Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation

Commission

Attn: Purchasing

1875 Orange Ave E

Tallahassee, Florida 32311-6160

Submissions are due BEFORE the date and time of the public opening.

Public Bid Opening August 26, 2025

@ 2:00 PM ET

Public Opening Options for Attendance:

-In Person-

1875 Orange Ave E

Tallahassee, FL 32311-6160

-Teleconference-

Conference call phone number:

1.888.585.9008

Conference room number: 218-721-199

Anticipated Date of Intended

Award September 2, 2025 Posted on the Vendor Information Portal https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 24/25-107, Page 4 of 71

GENERAL CONDITIONS

FWC 24/25-107

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC or Commission) mission is to manage fish and wildlife resources for their long-term well-being and the benefit of people. The Commission administers six (6) major programs including habitat and species conservation, freshwater fisheries management, law enforcement, marine fisheries management, hunting and game management and fish and wildlife research.

A Bidder submitting a bid shall be registered in the MyFloridaMarketPlace (MFMP) system and where required, the Sunbiz system prior to the bid opening. Business entities which must be on file with Sunbiz include the following foreign and domestic entities: Corporations for and not for profit, Limited Liability

Companies (LLC), Limited Partnerships (LP) including Limited Liability Limited Partnerships (LLLP), and organizations doing business under a fictitious name (DBA). A Bidder may not be considered for an award, if not registered in the MFMP and Sunbiz system. The Bidder’s registration address and federal employer identification (FEID) number should match the Bidder’s address and FEID number listed on the

Bidder Acknowledgment form (page 1).

Certified Minority-owned, Woman-owned and Service-Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises, as certified by the State of Florida Office of Supplier Development, are encouraged by the Commission to participate in the bidding process.

Bids from Bidders shall include all necessary equipment to complete the job. The bidder is required to supply all specified documentation when submitting a bid for this project.

Please note:

• The terms “Contract,” “Agreement” and “Purchase Order” are used interchangeably in the document.

• The terms “Commodities” and “Goods” are used interchangeably in the document.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

PUR 1000 and PUR1001 are hereby incorporated by reference. PUR1000 and PUR1001 can be found at the

Department of Management Services website at the following link:

https://www.dms.myflorida.com/business_operations/state_purchasing/state_agency_resources/state_purc hasing_pur_forms

The following terms and conditions take precedence over the PUR1001 and PUR1000 forms where applicable. The Commission objects to and shall not consider any additional terms or conditions submitted by a Bidder or Contractor, including any appearing in documents attached as part of a Bidder’s response.

In signing and submitting its bid, a Bidder agrees that any additional terms or conditions, whether submitted intentionally or inadvertently, shall have no force or effect. Failure to comply with terms and conditions, including those specifying information that must be submitted with a bid, shall be grounds for rejecting a bid.

https://www.dms.myflorida.com/business_operations/state_purchasing/state_agency_resources/state_purchasing_pur_forms https://www.dms.myflorida.com/business_operations/state_purchasing/state_agency_resources/state_purchasing_pur_forms

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 24/25-107, Page 5 of 71

The terms and conditions of Attachment A, Purchase Order Terms and Conditions, are hereby incorporated into this solicitation. Any contract resulting from this solicitation will include the terms and conditions of this solicitation and the terms and conditions contained in Attachment A.

PROCUREMENT MANAGER

Martin Ehlen martin.ehlen@myfwc.com

TERM

The contract will be effective for two (2) years beginning upon issuance of first Purchase Order.

If circumstances constituting Force Majeure have occurred, or if anything occurs beyond the Contractor’s control, the Contractor shall submit an extension request in writing. The Project Manager and Contract

Manager will review the extension request and if they determine it is justified, will forward to the Bid

Request Inbox (bidrequest@myfwc.com) for procurement review and approval/disapproval.

RENEWAL

The Commission has the option to renew this Contract for a period up to one (1) year after the initial

Contract term of two (2) years upon the same terms and conditions contained herein. Pursuant to Sections

287.057(1)(a)2., and 287.057(1)(a)3., Florida Statutes (F.S.), each Bidder shall supply a price for each year that a contract may be renewed. Evaluation of bids shall include consideration of the total cost of the contract, including the total cost for each renewal year, as submitted by the Bidder.

Exercise of the renewal option is at the Commission’s sole discretion and shall be conditioned, at a minimum, on the Contractor’s satisfactory performance of this Contract and is subject to the availability of funds. The Contractor if it desires to exercise this renewal option will provide written notice to the

Commission no later than thirty (30) days prior to the Contract expiration date. The renewal term shall require written approval from the Commission’s Procurement Manager.

SUBCONTRACTS

Subcontracting IS permitted pursuant to the Terms and Conditions of the Purchase Order. The

Subcontractor Minority Status Report (Composite Exhibit I) shall be submitted with each invoice for payment. The List of Subcontractors (Composite Exhibit I) shall be included with bid submission.

DIVERSITY

The Commission is committed to supporting Florida’s diverse business industry and population through ensuring participation by minority, women, and veteran-owned business enterprises in the economic life of the state. The State of Florida Mentor Protégé Program connects minority, women, and veteran-owned business enterprises with private corporations for business development mentoring. We strongly encourage contractors doing business with the State of Florida to consider this initiative. For more information on the

Mentor Protégé Program, please contact the Office of Supplier Development at (850) 487-0915 or osdinfo@dms.myflorida.com.

mailto:bidrequest@myfwc.com?subject=Extension%20Request https://www.dms.myflorida.com/agency_administration/office_of_supplier_diversity_osd/mentor_protege_program mailto:osdinfo@dms.myflorida.com

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 24/25-107, Page 6 of 71

FWC encourages diversity in its procurement program and requests that all subcontracting opportunities afforded by this solicitation enthusiastically embrace diversity. The award of subcontracts should reflect the vast array of citizens in the State of Florida. Bidders can visit the Office of Supplier Development website for information on certified business enterprises that may be considered for subcontracting opportunities. However, pursuant to Section 287.05701 F.S., the Commission may not request documentation of or consider a vendor’s social, political, or ideological interests when determining if the vendor is a responsible vendor, nor give preference to a vendor based on the vendor’s social, political, or ideological interests.

VERBAL INSTRUCTION PROCEDURE

Bidders may not consider any verbal instructions as binding upon the Commission. No negotiations, discussions, or actions shall be initiated or executed by the Bidder as a result of any discussion with any

Commission employee. Only those communications from the Commission that are in writing, may be considered as a duly authorized expression on behalf of the Commission.

SOLICITATION QUESTIONS

Any questions from Bidders that require an official FWC answer concerning this project shall be submitted in writing to the Procurement Manager. This includes specification inquiries, such as questions or requests for additional or altered terms and conditions. Questions to the Procurement Manager shall not constitute formal protest of the specifications or of the solicitation. Questions must be received no later than the date and time specified in the Calendar of Events (Page 3). Questions may be sent via email with the solicitation number in the subject line. It is the responsibility of the bidder to confirm receipt of questions if needed.

If questions are received, an addendum will be issued and shall be posted on the Vendor Information Portal

(https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com).

LIMITATION ON BIDDER CONTACT DURING SOLICITATION PERIOD

Bidders to this solicitation or persons acting on their behalf may not contact, between the release of the solicitation and the end of the 72-hour period following the Commission posting the notice of intended award, (i.e., the 72-hour posting period excludes Saturdays, Sundays, and state holidays) any employee or officer of the executive or legislative branch concerning any aspect of this solicitation, except in writing to the Procurement Manager or as provided in the solicitation documents. Violation of this provision may be grounds for rejecting a response.

BIDDER SPECIFICATION CHALLENGE

Any protest concerning the specifications of this solicitation shall be made in accordance with PUR1001, paragraph 20, “Protests”. A notice of protest of the solicitation documents shall be made within seventy-two hours after the posting of the solicitation. Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed in Section

120.57(3)(b), F.S., shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120, F.S.

ADDENDUMS

If the Commission finds it necessary to supplement, modify or interpret any portion of the specifications or documents or answer any Bidder questions during the ITB period an addendum shall be posted on the https://www.dms.myflorida.com/agency_administration/office_of_supplier_diversity_osd/mentor_protege_program https://www.dms.myflorida.com/agency_administration/office_of_supplier_diversity_osd/mentor_protege_program

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 24/25-107, Page 7 of 71

Vendor Information Portal internet site. Each Bidder is responsible for monitoring the Vendor Information

Portal website (https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com) for new or changing information relative to this procurement. The Commission bears no responsibility for any delays, or resulting impacts, associated with a

Bidder’s failure to obtain the information made available through the Vendor Information Portal.

BIDDER ACKNOWLEDGMENT

In order for this bid to be valid, the bid must be completed in its entirety, signed by the Bidder and returned, as part of the bid or the bid will be rejected. By affixing your signature to the ITB Bidder Acknowledgement

Form (page 2), the Bidder hereby states that the Bidder has read all bid specifications and conditions and agrees to all terms, conditions, provisions, specifications, and is currently licensed to do business within the

State of Florida, if required by State or Federal Law, for the services or commodities the Bidder will provide the Commission under these bid specifications.

REFERENCES

Each prospective Bidder shall provide a minimum of three (3) references for similar projects completed.

Current contact names and phone numbers shall be included with the bid package. See the attached references form for more detail.

EQUAL BIDS

In the event that there is no multiple award contemplated in the ITB, and the Commission receives equal bids eligible for award, the Commission will comply with the following, as applicable: sections 287.057(12), 287.082, 287.087,287.092, 295.187(4)(a), and 295.187(4)(b), F.S. In order to clarify the Bidders’ status with regard to the applicable statutory preference requirements, the Commission may request information from

Bidders with equal bids. A Bidder will not be permitted to amend or supplement its Bid in response to such request for clarification. If the tie has not been broken by application of the aforementioned statutes, the

Commission will proceed with a random selection to decide the award.

SUPPORTING / SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

The Commission requires that bidders submit all required technical, specification, and other supporting information with their bid, so that a detailed analysis and determination can be made, by the Contract

Manager that the product/service offered meets this ITB’s specifications and that other requirements of this ITB have been met. However, provided a bid meets the requirements for a definite, firm, unqualified, and unconditional offer, the Commission reserves the right to request supplemental information from the bidder after the bids have been opened to ensure that the products/services offered completely meet this

ITB’s requirements. The requirement for such supplemental information will be at the reasonable discretion of the Commission and may include the requirement that a bidder will provide a sample product(s) so that the Commission can make a first-hand examination and determination.

A bidder's failure to provide this supplemental information or the product sample(s), within the time set by the Commission, will cause the Commission to consider the Contractor non-responsive and reject the

Contractor’s bid.

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 24/25-107, Page 8 of 71

CONFIDENTIALITY/PUBLIC RECORDS LAW

Bidders are cautioned that Florida law generously defines what constitutes a public record and grants broad rights of public access to those records; see, for example, section 119.07, F.S. If a Bidder believes that its response contains information that is confidential or exempt from disclosure under Florida Law, the Bidder shall clearly segregate and mark that information (for example, stamp each page "Confidential" and place it in an envelope marked "Confidential") and briefly describe in writing the grounds and specific legal citations for claiming exemption from the public records law. If after the notice of intended decision or thirty

(30) days after bid opening, whichever is earlier, the Commission receives a public record request related to the solicitation, the Commission will provide copies of public records that are not exempt to the requester.

The Commission will endeavor to provide notice to the Bidder of all public records requests received related to documents provided by the Bidder that were marked pursuant to this paragraph. In no event shall the

Bidder hold the Commission or any of its employees or agents liable for disclosing, or otherwise failing to protect the confidentiality of, information submitted in response to this solicitation.

MAILING INSTRUCTIONS

All bids shall be submitted in a SEALED ENVELOPE addressed to:

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Attn: Purchasing

1875 Orange Ave E

Tallahassee, Florida 32311-6160.

The envelope shall be plainly marked on the outside with: BID NUMBER, DATE AND TIME OF THE BID

OPENING.

THE COMMISSION IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OPENING OF ANY ENVELOPES THAT ARE NOT PROPERLY

MARKED.

PLEASE NOTE: The Commission’s official business hours of operation are 8:00 AM–5:00 PM ET, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays and state holidays. Selecting delivery services, such as next day first delivery, may result in attempted delivery prior to opening or closing, and the Commission will not be available to accept those deliveries. THE COMMISSION IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR LATE SUBMISSIONS DUE TO COMPLICATIONS

RELATED TO SELECTED DELIVERY SERVICES. DIGITAL SUBMISSIONS SHALL BE DEEMED NON-RESPONSIVE

AND SHALL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

SOLICITATION PUBLIC OPENING

The public opening of this bid will be conducted at the date, time and method specified on the Calendar of

Events (Page 3). BIDS RECEIVED AFTER THE SPECIFIED DATE AND TIME WILL BE REJECTED.

Any person with a qualified disability shall not be denied equal access and effective communication regarding any bid/proposal documents or the attendance at any related meeting or bid/proposal opening. If accommodations are needed because of a disability, please contact the Purchasing Section at (850) 488-6551 at least three (3) workdays prior to the opening.

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 24/25-107, Page 9 of 71

AWARDED BID/INSPECTION

The Commission will award the bid to the responsive, responsible bidder who submits the lowest bid price.

If deemed necessary, an interview with the bidder by the Contract Manager may be required before the bid is awarded.

The Commission reserves the right to inspect the prospective Contractor’s materials and background record prior to making an award of the Contract. If the Contract Manager determines the lowest bidder does not have sufficient experience, equipment, etc. to meet the specifications of this ITB, the Commission reserves the right to reject the bidder and evaluate the next lowest bidder.

POSTING OF BID TABS

Bid Tabulations with Contractors identified as awarded bidders will be posted electronically as Agency

Decisions on the Department of Management Services Vendor Information Portal as a Public Notice. The

Agency Decision may be viewed at https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com, and will remain posted for a period of 72 hours. Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed in Section 120.57(3)(b), F.S., shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120, F.S.

Awarded Bidders are instructed not to proceed until a Purchase Order, Formal Written Contract, Lease, Notice to Proceed, or some other form of written notice is given to the Contractor by the Commission. A company or person who proceeds prior to receiving a Purchase Order, Formal Written Contract, Lease, Notice to Proceed, or some other form of written notice from the Commission does so without a contract and at their own risk.

Sealed bids, proposals, or replies received by an agency pursuant to a competitive solicitation are exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution until such time as the agency provides notice of an intended decision or until thirty (30) days after opening the bids, proposals, or final replies, whichever is earlier.

SCOPE CHANGES AFTER CONTRACT EXECUTION

The Commission shall provide written notice to the successful bidder thirty (30) days in advance of any

Commission required changes to the technical specifications and/or scope of service that affect the successful bidder’s ability to provide the service as specified herein. Any changes that are other than purely administrative changes will require a change order.

FWC CONTRACT MANAGER

The FWC employee identified as the Contract Manager shall perform the following on behalf of the FWC:

• review, verify, and approve receipt of services/deliverables from the Contractor;

• submit requests for change orders/amendments/renewals, if applicable;

• review, verify, and approve invoices from the Contractor; and, if applicable, complete the

Certificate of Contract Completion form; and

• maintain an official record of all correspondence between the Commission and the Contractor and forward the original correspondence to the Procurement Manager for the official file.

https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/ http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0100-0199/0119/Sections/0119.07.html

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 24/25-107, Page 10 of 71

DELIVERABLES

The following services or service tasks are identified as deliverables for the purposes of the subsequent

Contract:

a. Performance of all services set forth in the Scope of Work.

b. Submission of all invoicing, supporting documentation, Corrective Action Plans and reports.

LIQUIDATED DAMAGES

If the Contractor fails to complete the work or the conditions of the Purchase Order and/or Change Orders by the completion date, the Commission shall have the right to deduct liquidated damages from any amount due and payable to the Contractor. Liquidated damages shall be assessed in the amount of $200.00 per calendar day of delay. Exceptions to this provision may be made if a delay is attributable to circumstances that are clearly beyond the control of the Contractor. The burden of proof of unavoidable delay shall rest with the Contractor and shall be supplied in a written form and submitted to the Contract Manager.

MATERIAL AND EQUIPMENT ON COMMISSION PROPERTY

If the Commission allows the Contractor to have project materials or equipment delivered to and/or stored upon the Commission-managed or owned property before, during, or after the term of the project, the

Contractor will be fully and solely responsible for all expenses and liability incurred as a result of the delivery or storage. Should the Commission, in its sole discretion, determine that any project materials or equipment stored on its property must be moved in response to an emergency, the Contractor shall hold harmless, indemnify, defend, and may be responsible for costs of any reasonably necessary actions taken by the Commission.

AUTHORIZED COMPENSATION

It is understood and agreed that all compensation under this ITB is specifically limited to the Contractor’s bid price accepted by the Commission, and to the specific procedure for payment established in this ITB and the Purchase Order executed pursuant to it. The Commission is not liable for any costs, fees, expenses or any other compensation whatsoever incurred or charged by the Contractor, other than the bid price paid for the work specifically described in the Scope of Work, which work is actually accomplished and invoiced by the Contractor subsequent to the Commission’s notice to proceed (or other notice to begin work). Thus, the Commission is not liable for any costs incurred or charged by the Contractor in anticipation of responding to, or performing work described in, this ITB including, but not limited to, equipment or personnel procured by the Contractor in anticipation of such work. The Commission is not responsible to the Contractor for any loss or damages resulting from circumstances unforeseen at the time of publication of this ITB including, but not limited to, those resulting from a “force majeure”.

ADDITIONAL LEGAL REQUIREMENT

All corporations seeking to do business with the State shall, at the time of submitting a bid, be on file with the Department of State in accordance with provisions of Chapter 607, F.S.; similarly, partnerships seeking to do business with the State shall, at the time of submitting such bid, have complied with the applicable

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 24/25-107, Page 11 of 71 provisions of Chapter 620, F.S. For further information on required filing and forms, please go to the following sites: http://sunbiz.org or http://dos.myflorida.com.

USE OF CONTRACT BY OTHER STATE AGENCIES AND ELIGIBLE USERS

As provided in Chapter 60A-1.045, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.), and Section 287.042(16), F.S., other State of Florida agencies may purchase from the resulting contract of this ITB, provided that the

Department of Management Services has determined the contract’s use is cost effective and in the best interest of the State, and with the Contractor’s consent.

Other State of Florida governmental entities and eligible users may also request of the Contractor to be able to use this contract. If the Contractor agrees to other entities to utilize this ITB contract, such agencies shall coordinate their use of this contract with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in order to reduce scheduling conflicts.

CONDITIONS AND SPECIFICATIONS

The bidder is required to examine carefully the conditions and specifications of this bid and to be thoroughly informed regarding any and all requirements of the conditions and specifications.

REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

http://www.sunbiz.org/ http://dos.myflorida.com/

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 24/25-107, Page 12 of 71

SCOPE OF WORK

FWC 24/25-107

STATE REEF FISH SURVEY MAIL SURVEY

PURPOSE

A. DESCRIPTION OF GOOD/SERVICES

Statement of Purpose: The purpose of the request is to solicit bids from vendors to conduct a monthly mail survey of recreational anglers to obtain information on their fishing activity in

Florida. On a monthly basis, approximately 10,000 households will be sampled to receive the survey. The mail survey will have three (3) separate mailings each month: one (1) - a full survey sent to selected angler households; (2) - a postcard reminder to selected households and; three (3) -a second full survey to households from which completed surveys have not yet been received. The sample size of each mailing is variable to limit contacts to households who have already responded.

The vendor will be responsible for the printing and distribution of all three (3) monthly mailings according to the schedules described in this statement of work. The vendor will be responsible for providing a list of invalid or inaccurate address information. The overall objective of this project is to improve the quality of information available to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation

Commission (FWC) for the management of important reef fish species in Florida.

B. BACKGROUND

Historically, the offshore private boat component of Florida’s saltwater recreational fishery has not been as well represented in fishery-dependent monitoring programs as its inshore counterpart in terms of data quality or volume. Several factors that contributed to this problem included: the regional and seasonal nature of the offshore fisheries that target important reef fishes, and the lower likelihood of encounter in either the non-targeted angler intercept (catch) surveys or the

Fishing Effort Survey (FES: general survey used to collect information on all recreational saltwater fishing trips). In 2015, the Gulf Reef Fish Survey (GRFS) was established to improve the quality of information available to fisheries management. The goal of the GRFS was to better identify the population of anglers who fish offshore for reef fishes so that they may be sampled more efficiently and provide information needed to better characterize and quantify catch and effort. This was achieved through the requirement of the GRFS designation on a saltwater fishing license for all saltwater recreational anglers sixteen years of age and older, including resident seniors, who planned to fish in the Gulf of America for the following species: red and vermilion snappers, gag, black and red groupers, almaco jack, greater amberjack, banded rudderfish and gray triggerfish.

When anglers purchase a fishing license they are provided the option to participate in the GRFS.

The list of participating anglers formed the basis for a mail survey sample frame to gather information on fishing activity from selected households.

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 24/25-107, Page 13 of 71

The success of the GRFS led to the statewide expansion and rebranding of the survey to the State

Reef Fish Survey (SRFS). The expansion added Florida’s Atlantic coast and the Florida Keys to the survey coverage, and three additional species were added: Hogfish, Yellowtail Snapper, and Mutton

Snapper. The monthly mail survey will be used to obtain information about the angler’s previous month’s trips and will include questions on the number of trips taken, the dates of the fishing trips, the general area/location where fishing took place, and the species that were targeted.

C. SUPPORT OF COMMISSION MISSION

The stated mission of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is “Managing fish and wildlife resources for their long-term well-being and the benefit of people.” Effective management of those resources depends on the quality of information used to inform management decisions. The work conducted by this purchase order will improve the information available to managers to inform the decision making process. The work specifically addresses deficiencies in recreational fisheries effort data. Since 2018, the FWC Division of Marine Fisheries Management has relied upon data from the GRFS/SRFS to set recreational fishing seasons for Red Snapper along the west coast of Florida and track landings against a state-specific allocation of the Gulf-wide recreational quota. Long-term authority to manage the recreational fishery for Red Snapper in state and federal waters adjacent to the Gulf coast of Florida was delegated to FWC in 2020 through

Amendment 50 to the federal Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of

America. Data from the SRFS is now also used to track acceptable catch limits for many SRFS species including red and gag grouper in the Gulf of America and mutton and yellowtail snapper statewide.

D. DEFINITIONS

BRM – Business Reply Mail

FDM – Fisheries Dependent Monitoring

FES – Fishing Effort Survey

FWC - Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

GRFS – Gulf Reef Fish Survey

MRIP – NOAA Fisheries Marine Recreational Information Program which includes the Fishing

Effort Survey and the Access Point Angler Intercept Survey

SRFS – State Reef Fish Survey

USPS – United States Postal Service

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 24/25-107, Page 14 of 71

1. SPECIFIC PROJECT DELIVERABLES & ASSOCIATED TASKS

1.1. The vendor will complete monthly mail-outs of the State Reef Fish Survey. The vendor will be responsible for the printing and mailing of all survey materials. Three (3) monthly mailings are required. All mailings will be mailed at the standard bulk mail rate and postage will be covered by

FWC’s Bulk Mail Permit. FWC will provide necessary Postage Due indicia and USPS permit numbers for all envelope printing to cover postage. All postage is covered by FWC’s Postage Due and

Bulk Mail permits.

1.1.1. Task 1

The first mailing will be a survey directed to reef fish anglers and will include a generic cover letter, survey questionnaire with variable data, species identification guide and a postage paid business return envelope (#10 envelope size). The cover letter is to be printed in black and white on both sides of an 8.5”X11” sheet of 24 LB paper. The scannable survey questionnaire is four pages and is to be printed on both sides of an 11”X17” sheet (folded once – 8.5”X11”)) and an 8.5”X11” sheet that will be inserted inside the 11”X17” folded sheet. The 8.5” X 11” species identification guide will be printed one-sided in full color on 100 LB matte paper and is to be collated into the survey packet. The BRM

#10 envelope will also be collated into the survey packet. Once the survey packet is assembled, it is folded to fit into a 6” X 9” windowless booklet envelope. The following text will be printed on the flap of the 6” X 9” envelope: “YOUR RESPONSE IS IMPORTANT.” The printed scannable survey questionnaire form has specific weight and print color requirements for scanning: Print will be in two colors, with data boxes in color and text in black, 40 – 60 LB paper weight. The FWC will provide a survey template (PDF or Adobe Illustrator format) to the vendor for printing the first week of the month prior to the mailing. The scannable survey questionnaire contains variable data on one side each of the 11”X17” sheet and the 8.5”X11” sheet. The variable data identifies the recipient angler by name and by a unique angler identifier in all survey mailings. The angler name, unique identifying number along with address information will be provided by FWC in both datasets to be used for mailing the survey packets.

1.1.2. Task 2

The second mailing will be a 4” X 6” postcard printed in black and white with FWC logo. The purpose of the postcard is to thank anglers who have completed and returned their survey and to remind anglers who may not have completed and mailed their survey to mail their completed survey as soon as possible. The recipient mailing list may be a subset of the first mailing depending upon the quantity of completed surveys received at the time of the second mailing.

1.1.3. Task 3

The third mailing will be a second mailing of the survey packet as described for the first mailing

(above). The recipient mailing list may be a subset of the first mailing depending upon the quantity of completed surveys received at the time of the third mailing.

2. MAIL DETAILS

2.1. There will be three (4) address files (XLSX format) provided by FWC to the vendor each month. The first address file will either be a full list of anglers with the State Reef Fish Angler Designation

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 24/25-107, Page 15 of 71

(around 700,000 addresses) to be checked quarterly or a subset list of all new State Reef Fish Angler

Designation recipients (around 80,000 addresses) in the non-quarterly months. The vendor will conduct analysis for bad addresses on this list of designation holders provided by FWC for each month. After that address file is checked, three separate address files (up to 10,000 anglers) will be sent to the vendor for the purposes of the mailing tasks. Each modified address file will be a subset of the previous address file sent in the same month. Services are to begin at the start of the next full month, after the initial term starts.

2.2. The expected number of mail pieces will be up to 10,000 for the first mailing, around 8,500 pieces for the second mailing, and around 7,500 pieces for the third mailing. These mail piece counts are approximate and anywhere between 6,000-10,000 pieces of mail should be expected for a given mailing. For each mailing the vendor will receive a single data file of angler addresses with unique identifiers for each recipient to be printed on the survey questionnaire form. The same identifier will be used for anglers that receive a postcard or second survey. The address file to be checked for bad addresses will be provided by FWC to the vendor on the 2nd day of the month or if the 2nd falls on the weekend, the file will be provided to the vendor on either the 1st day of the month if it falls on a Friday, or the subsequent Monday. The vendor will certify the addresses within 48h of receiving the file. FWC will provide the first address file for mailing within 48h of receiving the clean address file. The vendor will complete the first mailing by the 5th business day of receiving the address file or by the 10th of the month (whichever allows more time). FWC will send the 2nd address file for mailing four (4) business days after sending the 1st address file for mailing. The second mail-out anglers must be completed by the 15th of the month or by the 5th business day of receiving the file from FWC (whichever allows more time). FWC will send the 3rd address file for mailing seven

(7) business days after sending the 1st address file for mailing. The third mailing must be completed by the 22nd of the month or within five (5) days of receiving the file address list for mailing (whichever allows more time). Annual and monthly schedules for mailings are shown in figures 1 and 2 in

Section 3: Schedule for services.

2.3. FWC will be the recipient of completed surveys and undeliverable surveys. FWC will conduct all associated scanning and data entry, and analyses of all completed surveys. No survey data entry will be required of the vendor.

2.3.1 The return address on the envelopes for the first and third mailings will be:

Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission

Fish and Wildlife Research Institute – SRFS

100 Eighth Ave SE

St Petersburg, FL 33701-9935

2.3.2 The return address on the postcards for the second mailing will include the

FWC logo. The postcard return address is:

FWC

Fish and Wildlife Research Institute-FDM

100 Eighth Avenue SE

St. Petersburg, FL 33701

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 24/25-107, Page 16 of 71

3. OPTIONAL TASKS

3.1 In an effort to optimize the survey, FWC may elect to conduct periodic testing throughout the purchase order timeline. These tests will either include mailings in addition to the aforementioned State Reef Fish Survey outlined in Tasks 1-3 above (hereafter referred to as the “Original Survey”) or they will just modify the print content of the Original Survey, and are as follows:

3.1.1 Option 1 – Full Side-by-Side Test:

The Full Side-by-Side Test is a modified version of the Original Survey, such that the print content of the survey questionnaire is modified but the physical characteristics are not. FWC may elect to conduct this test with a varying portion of the full sample size, e.g. 5,000 recipients will get the original survey outlined in

Tasks 1-3, while the remaining 5,000 recipients will receive the Full Side-by-Side

Test survey. The total quantity of the mailing will still be 10,000 surveys, but there will be additional printing plate requirements on the press for the two different survey questionnaires.

3.1.2 Option 2 – Non-Response Test:

The Non-Response Test will be in addition to the Original Survey. This test will include a generic cover letter, survey questionnaire with variable data, and a postage paid business return envelope (#10 envelope size); it will consist of three mailings: 1) Survey packet containing cover letter, questionnaire, and return envelope; 2) Reminder postcard as described in Task 2 above; 3) a second mailing of the survey packet that was sent in the first mailing.

The cover letter is to be printed in black and white on both sides of an 8.5”X11” sheet of 24 LB paper. The scannable survey questionnaire contains variable data on one side and is to be printed two-sided in two colors, with data boxes in color and text in black, on 8.5”X11” sheet of 40 -60 LB paper. The BRM #10 envelope will be collated into the survey packet. Once the survey packet is assembled, it is folded to fit into a 6” X 9” windowless booklet envelope. The following text will be printed on the flap of the 6” X 9” envelope: “YOUR RESPONSE IS IMPORTANT.” The FWC will provide a survey template (PDF or Adobe Illustrator format) to the vendor for printing. The variable data identifies the recipient angler by name and by a unique angler identifier in all survey mailings. The angler name, unique identifying number along with address information will be provided by FWC in both datasets to be used

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 24/25-107, Page 17 of 71 for mailing the survey packets. The assembled survey packets and reminder postcard will be delivered to the post office. Postage is covered by FWC. This will be run as a monthly basis as needed. Please quote the following quantities for a month:

Quantity: 2,000 – 2,499

Quantity: 2,500 – 2,999

Quantity: 3,000 – 3,499

Quantity: 3,500 – 3,999

3.1.3 Option 3 – Shorter Survey Test:

The Shorter Survey Test is a modified version of the Original Survey, such that the

8.5”X11” sheet that is inserted inside the 11”X17” folded sheet is omitted. Therefore, Tasks 1-3 will be mailed as outlined except that Tasks 1 & 3 will be modified to remove this extra sheet. Therefore, the content of the mailing envelopes will be: 1) a cover letter is to be printed in black and white on both sides of an 8.5”X11” sheet of

24 LB paper, 2) a scannable survey questionnaire is four pages and is to be printed on both sides of an 11”X17” sheet (folded once – 8.5”X11”), 3) a 8.5” X 11” species identification guide to be printed one-sided in full color on 100 LB matte paper and is to be collated into the survey packet, and 4) a BRM #10 envelope to be collated into the survey packet. This will be run as a monthly basis as needed. Please quote the following quantities for a month:

Quantity: 2,000 – 2,499

Quantity: 3,000 – 3,499

Quantity: 4,000 – 4,499

Quantity: 5,000 – 5,499

3.1.4 Option 4 –Larger Sample Size Test:

The Larger Sample Size Test is a modified version of the Original Survey, such that the print content of the survey questionnaire is modified but the physical characteristics are not. This survey will be sent out in the same sample size as the

Original Survey. Therefore, in each month 10,000 original surveys and 10,000 test surveys will be mailed as outlined in Tasks 1-3. In addition to the larger sample size, there will be additional printing plate requirements on the press for the two different survey questionnaires. This will be run as a monthly basis as needed.

3.1.5 Option 5 – Tear-Off Postcard Test:

The tear-off postcard survey will have three mailings, where Task 2 matches the original survey and Tasks 1 & 3 are modified. These mailings will be in a tear-off postcard style. The full size is 9” x 18” and will be printed front and back with 2 color

(a Pantone color and black) and folded. There will be perforation on the bottom

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 24/25-107, Page 18 of 71 panel. This will be run as a monthly basis as needed. Please quote the following quantities for a month:

Quantity: 2,000 – 2,499

Quantity: 3,000 – 3,499

Quantity: 4,000 – 4,49

Quantity: 5,000 – 5,499

4. MINIMUM VENDOR QUALIFICATIONS

4.1. We require a local company to conduct the service as we reserve the right to visit sites at will to conduct inspections of the mail packets.

5. MINIMUM LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE

5.1. Performance standards are measured by the vendor’s record of adherence to the deadlines set forth in the schedule for services. The FWC must be advised immediately if any deadline cannot be met or when survey printing or mailing errors such as recipient-address mismatches are known by the vendor. The vendor will be responsible for any re-mailing costs due to vendor errors in printing and mailing.

6. MONITORING OF DELIVERABLES

6.1. FWC reserves the right to make in-person inspections of deliverables. A FWC representative will have the option for vendor site visits to validate dates of mailings and to check mailings for quality and accuracy.

7. DOCUMENTATION / CRITERIA USED AS EVIDENCE OF PERFORMANCE

7.1. Reports will be limited to notifications of work performed. Specifically, the vendor will provide written notification to the designated FWC representative at the time of completion, when each of the three (3) mailings have been completed. A report of bad addresses will be reported to FWC within

48 hours of receiving the full address list. FWC will also receive a copy of the USPS Qualification

Report for recordkeeping purposes. Notification by email is preferred.

8. PRORATION

8.1. Partial payments will be processed at a prorated amount, determined by two factors: the number of packets sent and the completeness of those packets. Proration based on the number sent will be calculated by dividing the actual number of surveys mailed by the number of addresses provided by

FWC in each mailing list. FWC mailing list names will vary depending on State Reef Fish Survey subscribers. Proration based on the completeness of packets will be calculated by dividing the

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 24/25-107, Page 19 of 71 number of items actually included in the mailing packet by the number of items that were meant to be included in the packet per this scope of work.

9. TIMELINE FOR COMPLETION

9.1. Figure 1. Project Calendar. Shaded portion represents FWC responsibilities. Start date is issuance of purchase order.

Task/Month 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Receipt of fill address list from FWC for address check x x x x x x x x x x x x

Receipt of sample frame from FWC for Mail-outs 1, 2, and 3 x x x x x x x x x x x x

Mail-out 1: Survey x x x x x x x x x x x x

Mail-out 2:

Postcard reminder x x x x x x x x x x x x

Mail-out 3: Survey x x x x x x x x x x x x

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 24/25-107, Page 20 of 71

9.2. Figure 2. Calendar for monthly mail survey schedule.

All Months

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

22 23 24 25 26 27 28

29 30 31

Key to monthly calendar

FWC provides full address dataset for address accuracy check.

Vendor provides list of bad addresses from address accuracy check.

FWC provides address file for first mailing.

Date of first mail-out (or five (5) business days following receipt of first FWC mailing address list)

FWC provides address file for second mailing.

Date of second mail-out (or five (5) business days following receipt of second FWC mailing

FWC provides address file for third mailing.

Date of third mail-out (or five (5) business days following receipt of third FWC mailing

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 24/25-107, Page 21 of 71

PRICE SHEET

FWC 24/25-107

STATE REEF FISH SURVEY MAIL SURVEY

CONTRACTOR SHALL NOT ALTER THE PRICE SHEET IN ANY WAY.

Price quoted shall not contain any Federal or State sales or use taxes. The bidder recognizes that the State of Florida, by virtue of its sovereignty, is not required to pay taxes on services, goods and/or equipment purchased incident to such service. Quoted price shall include all necessary items to complete the project.

ALL ITEMS SHALL BE BID OR THE BID WILL BE REJECTED. THE BID WILL BE AWARDED TO

THE RESPONSIVE, RESPONSIBLE BIDDER THAT SUBMITS THE LOWEST TOTAL PRICE.

PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 287.057(1)(a)1. AND 287.057(1)(a)2., F.S., EACH CONTRACTOR SHALL

SUPPLY A PRICE FOR EACH YEAR THAT A CONTRACT MAY BE RENEWED (SEE RENEWAL

CLAUSE).

Prices bid must be the total cost for printing and mailing the quantity specified in each box.

NOTE: All mailings for all years MUST originate from the state of Florida.

BID PRICES FOR INITIAL TERM (PO Issuance – 2 years from PO Issuance):

TABLE A-C

TABLE D

6,001-

6,500 mail pieces

6,501-

7,000 mail pieces

7,001-

7,500 mail pieces

7,501-

8,000 mail pieces

8,001-

8,500 mail pieces

8,501-

9,000 mail pieces

9,001-

9,500 mail pieces

9,501-

10,000 mail pieces

Line

Item

Total

A. Original

Survey –

Task 1

B. Original

Task 2

C. Original

Task 3

Initial Term Total (Add lines A, B, and C):

Setup Fee Line Item Total

D. Option 1 – Full Side by…