FWC 24.25-34 Final.pdf

FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION

1875 ORANGE AVE E

TALLAHASSEE, FL 32311-6160

(850) 488-6551

INVITATION TO BID

FWC 24/25-34

TIMBER INVENTORY MULTI-AREA

ITB BIDDER ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM

Purpose: The intent of this bid is to obtain competitive pricing for the development of timber inventory data, per the specifications contained herein, on select Wildlife Management Areas and Wildlife and Environmental Areas. 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 Companies: The Commission shall only consider responsible companies. Responsible companies 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.

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 3.27.2024 FWC 24/25-34, Page 2 of 58

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

FWC 24/25-34

SCHEDULE DUE DATE METHOD

Bid Advertised November 1, 2024 Posted on the Vendor Information Portal

(VIP)

Deadline for Questions

Must be received

PRIOR to:

November 8, 2024

@ 5:00 PM ET

See Deadline for Questions Clause

Anticipated date for Responses to Written Questions November 14, 2024 Posted on the Vendor Information Portal

SEALED BIDS DUE

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

Must be received

PRIOR to:

November 19, 2024

@ 4:00 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 November 19, 2024

@ 4:00 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 November 22, 2024 Posted on the Vendor Information Portal https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.27.2024 FWC 24/25-34, Page 3 of 58

GENERAL CONDITIONS

FWC 24/25-34

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 Diversity, 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.

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.

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 3.27.2024 FWC 24/25-34, Page 4 of 58

PROCUREMENT MANAGER

John Nordmeyer john.nordmeyer@myfwc.com

ESTIMATED BUDGET

The Commission has an estimated budget for this project of $350,000.00.

TERM

The contract will be effective one year upon issuance of 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 on a yearly basis for a period up to one (1) years after the initial Contract period 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 (Attachment B) shall be submitted with each invoice for payment.

The List of Subcontractors (Attachment C) 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 Diversity at (850) 487-0915 or osdinfo@dms.myflorida.com.

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 Diversity website for information on certified business enterprises that may be considered for subcontracting opportunities.

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 https://www.dms.myflorida.com/agency_administration/office_of_supplier_diversity_osd/mentor_protege_program

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.27.2024 FWC 24/25-34, Page 5 of 58

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 2). 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

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 1), 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.

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.27.2024 FWC 24/25-34, Page 6 of 58

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.

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

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.27.2024 FWC 24/25-34, Page 7 of 58

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.

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 2). 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.

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 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 3.27.2024 FWC 24/25-34, Page 8 of 58 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.

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 $100.00 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.

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”.

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.27.2024 FWC 24/25-34, Page 9 of 58

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 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.

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

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.27.2024 FWC 24/25-34, Page 10 of 58

SCOPE OF WORK

FWC 24/25-34

TIMBER INVENTORY MULTI-AREA

PURPOSE

The purpose of this project is to obtain and provide timber inventory data, populate the attributes associated with the Timber Stand Maps in an ArcGIS Geodatabase, and provide timber assessment reports for the Wildlife Management Areas (WMA)/Wildlife Environmental Areas (WEA) selected for inventories based on budget availability.

We are requesting the collection of forest inventory data detailing the make-up of productive forested stands within the managed lands where timber stand maps were previously developed. The selected vendor will plan the inventories, collect the data, provide data to FWC for a check cruise, then complete all data analysis, draft a report, and populate the attributes in the geodatabase. FWC will own the contracted data and other deliverables.

1. INITIAL TERM COMPLETION DATE

1.1. Project shall be completed by the Contractor and invoiced by June 10, 2025 unless there are unforeseen circumstances, and an extension is approved by the FWC Project Manager in advance of the deadline. The renewal year, if exercised and depending on budget availability, will have a similar completion date and would only include areas that are not completed during the initial year.

2. MAJOR DELIVERABLE

2.1. The successful vendor will provide raw inventory data that allows for a check cruise to audit the data, run analysis, and populate an ArcGIS file geodatabase (.gdb) that provides timber inventory data for stand polygons covering each WMA/WEA selected for the project. The successful vendor will also provide a report describing the inventory and major findings as well as the information included in typical timber inventory reports. Note: A Timber Stand Map ArcGIS layer will be provided, so stand mapping will not be required.

2.2. As the vendor completes data collection on an area, they must provide the data to allow for check cruises. FWC staff will have 3 weeks to conduct the check cruise and provide feedback. Once FWC has the opportunity to validate the data via the check cruise, the vendor will use the data to calculate stand attribute values, populate the geodatabase for the area, and provide the populated geodatabase and a report on the inventory to the FWC. It is acceptable for the vendor to provide individual area’s deliverables in advance of the deadline and submit invoices for partial payment as individual areas are determined to be final by FWC.

3. FWC MANAGED AREAS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF TIMBER POLYGONS

3.1. FWC staff will select the specific areas to inventory based on the bids (prices quoted) and budget availability. See Table 1 for a list of all areas under consideration and Figure 1 for their relative location.

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.27.2024 FWC 24/25-34, Page 11 of 58

4. AVAILABLE DATA

4.1. FWC can provide the awarded contractor with existing ArcGIS resources to help complete this project and inform bid prices. Existing resources contain the following:

• FWC WMA/WEA Unit boundary layer

• Current TIMBER STAND MAP layer

• Current ROADS geodatabase

• Current INFRASTRUCTURE geodatabase

• Current NATURAL COMMUNITY geodatabase

• Current BOUNDARY geodatabase

• Current MANAGEMENT UNIT geodatabase

• Current Land Management Information System (LMIS) data on treatments that may inform stand delineation (e.g., timber harvests or plantings), if requested.

4.2. All stand and plot level data will be provided in a file geodatabase (xxx.gdb) with the projection settings specified below:

• Projected Coordinate System: NAD_1983_2011_Florida_GDL_Albers (WKID 6439)

• Projection: Albers

• False Easting: 400000.00000000

• False_Northing: 0.00000000

• Central_Meridian: -84.00000000

• Standard_Parallel_1: 24.00000000

• Standard_Parallel_2: 31.50000000

• Latitude_Of_Origin: 24.00000000

• Linear Unit: Meter

• Geographic Coordinate System: GCS_NAD_1983_2011

• Datum: D_NAD_1983_2011

• Prime Meridian: Greenwich

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.27.2024 FWC 24/25-34, Page 12 of 58

• Angular Unit: Degree

5. TIMBER INVENTORY REQUIREMENTS

5.1. Except for FWC provided maps and associated shapefiles listed above, Contractor must have the capability to supply all equipment and personnel necessary to complete the Forest Inventories by the established deadline as per the Scope of Work. Sub-contractors, if used, must be approved by the FWC and provide documentation of their certification and experience conducting forest inventory services prior to beginning work. If subcontractors are utilized, the awarded vendor will retain full responsibility for the work and products delivered.

5.2. The Timber Inventory will start with the FWC provided Timber Stand Map and geodatabase. The

Timber Inventory project vendor will add attribute values to each polygon identified in the Timber

Stand Map, and the successful vendor will use an approach based closely on the Florida Forest

Service (FFS) Timber Inventory Procedures with some data and comment fields unique to FWC as included in the Scope of Work.

5.3. The awarded vendor will need to spend extensive time in the field, collecting the data required to complete the Timber Inventory as per the Scope of Work.

5.4. FWC staff will review the timber inventory data and the vendor shall address all reasonable comments and recommended revisions or corrections prior to submitting the final version.

5.5. The selected vendor should review the Regulation Brochure for each area to determine hunting season dates. While not required, it is recommended that field workers wear fluorescent orange during active hunting seasons.

5.6. The selected vendor will need to coordinate with FWC Area staff (contact details will be provided) prior to field activities to become aware of on-going management activities (e.g., prescribed burning, etc.), coordinate access to certain roads, or other factors that may influence fieldwork.

5.7. FWC reserves the right to work with the awarded contractor on minor modifications that create an enhanced or more efficient product.

6. METHODS FOR COLLECTION OF TIMBER INVENTORY FIELD DATA

6.1. Establishing the Ground Plots for Data Collection:

6.1.1. Naming of Plots: Each plot will have a unique name in the data table. The plot name will begin with the Stand ID name as provided in the Timber Stand Map geodatabase and have a two-digit unique identifier beginning with ‘-01’ and preceding up to ‘-30’.

6.2. Number of Plots

6.2.1. One plot for every five (5) acres. A minimum of three (3) plots per stand is required, with a maximum number of 30 plots per stand. For inaccessible stands, one (1) plot for every 100 acres or 3 clustered plots for every 300 acres with a minimum of 3 plots.

6.2.2. The cruise will only use a systematic sample location cruising method. Cruise lines will be 10 chains apart, and sample locations will be located every 5 chains along lines to achieve the

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.27.2024 FWC 24/25-34, Page 13 of 58 desired sample of one location per 5 acres, with a minimum of 3 locations per stand and a maximum of 30 locations per stand. A description of the method of cruise should be included in the report.

6.3. Marking Plot Locations

6.3.1. Upon establishing the plot locations, each cruiser will perform the inventory in the most efficient manner, usually starting on the perimeter and at the northernmost tree in the plot. Upon arriving at a plot location do the following:

a. Once at plot center, tie a 1–2-foot piece of flagging to the first tally tree (preferred) or a nearby shrub if no tree is available. On this flagging (using a sharpie or other indelible pen), write the plot number, cruiser initials, and date. Make sure the plot numbers on the ground match up with the plot numbers on the map feature and datasheet. This flagging should be visible from a distance and will be used by check cruise personnel to find the plot.

b. Tie another piece of flagging about 6-12 inches long and secure it into the ground with a nearby stick to mark the plot center.

6.3.2. Follow this procedure for every plot, numbering them using the same point number as referenced on the tablet. Make sure the plots are marked in such fashion that they can be found by cruise check personnel.

a. Note: If you arrive at the plot location but the plot extends into an area which does not belong as part of the stand (road, another stand, etc.), walk into the stand you are sampling at least

66 feet and put the plot at this location.

6.4. Inventory Procedure – Measuring Trees

6.4.1. Once the plot has been established and marked, start with the northernmost tree and work around clockwise until you return to the first tree. If two trees appear to be on the exact same azimuth, measure the inner tree first, followed by the outer tree.

6.5. Volume Plots

6.5.1. Using a prism/plot, and the guidelines established in the “Marking Plot Location” section, obtain the trees considered to be ‘in” the plot. Selecting the correct BAF or radius for the stand: Use whatever will give you 5-8 trees for 60% of the plots inventoried. If your cruise did not capture that, go back to your plots with a smaller BAF prism and redo them. For borderline trees (if using a prism), the limiting distance (tree location from the plot center flagging to the center of the tree [pith] and the diameter) will determine whether the tree is in or out.

a. This is crucial because no other factor has more of a detrimental effect on volume than missing a tree or counting a tree that is ‘out’ of the plot.

6.5.2. On a typical volume plot, record:

• SpC Fill in the species.

• Rp If regeneration is viable √ or (1) (Regeneration Potential = Rp).

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• Num 1 or if regeneration is viable enter the amount.

• DBH Fill in DBH.

• Ht Fill in the total height for pine.

• CrRatio Fill in the crown ratio.

• Health Healthy or diseased.

• History Default value (1); indicating tree is alive.

• BA Pine Basal Area (average and range (high/low) for each stand).

• Snags Presence of standing dead trees.

• Stand type Natural or planted.

• Pine Species Composition (% of stand by species, at each volume plot).

• Hardwood Species Composition (% of stand by species, at each volume plot).

• Soil disturbance description: Not disturbed, bedded, ditched, rutted, hog rooting, etc. Capture this information in a drop-down field for each stand.

6.5.3. 1/1000th -acre Ground Cover Plot

a. Select the different observed ground covers at the plot and the percentages for each of the sample areas by plot. Percentages must add up to 100%. Groundcover types will be broadly classified as:

• % Bare Ground Dominated (Mineral Soil)

• % Duff / Leaf Litter / Needle cast Dominated

• % Wiry Graminoid (Grass) and Herb Dominated

• % Mixed Shrub and Grass/Herb Dominated

• % Shrub Dominated

6.5.4. 1/100th-acre Regeneration Plot

a. Count every pine seedling within a radius of 11.78 feet of plot center. Seedlings are pine tree specimens with a total height above 1 foot high and below 4.5 feet, except for longleaf pine, where you measure seedlings with a root collar at least 0.75 inches in diameter regardless of height.

6.5.5. 1/40th-acre Sub-merchantable/Midstory Plot

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a. Count every pine sapling within a radius of 18.6 feet of plot center. Saplings are pine tree specimens. For each species, record each observed 1-inch DBH class below the 5-inch DBH class. Take a stem count of each tree of that species and DBH class. Then record an average of the heights and crown ratios of that species and DBH class entry. The most efficient way to complete this is by taking a few reference measurements then completing via ocular estimation.

6.5.6. 1/40th-acre Seedling Survival Inventory (Recently Planted Stands Only)

a. For seedling survival, the plot size is 1/40th acre. Record pine species and tree count.

Seedlings are pine tree specimens with a total height less than 1 foot high.

6.5.7. Pre-merchantable Planted Pine Inventory

a. For pre-merchantable plots, use plot size to capture 5 to 8 trees. Record the same information as if on a volume plot.

6.5.8. Inventory Procedure – Species

a. Record the species of the tree being measured.

6.5.9. Inventory Procedure – Diameter

a. To record diameter, first measure the exact diameter using a diameter tape. For consistency, measure trees on the uphill side of the tree at 4.5 feet from the ground. If a defect or knot occurs at breast height, measure just above the defect or knot. The goal is to get the volume as accurately as possible, excluding any extreme measurements.

b. Record the diameter or diameter class for all types of trees (generalized below).

• Five-inch class 4.6” – 5.5”

• Six-inch class 5.6” – 6.5”

• Seven-inch class 6.6” – 7.5”

• Etc.

6.5.10. Inventory Procedure – Height

a. Record the height of three (3) randomly selected trees from each diameter class present in the stand. To do this efficiently, use your clinometer to measure several tree heights at the plot and use this to estimate the height of the other trees.

6.5.11. Total Height (Ht.): Estimate dead, measure live.

a. Record the total height for any pine tree that has normal form and branching. If a pine tree forks, has abnormally large branches, or is not a typical pine tree form, use merchantable height. For live trees, measure from the tree the appropriate distance for the clinometer that

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.27.2024 FWC 24/25-34, Page 16 of 58 you are using. Take readings for the top of the tree and the bottom. Add or subtract the numbers as necessary to get a height measurement.

6.5.12. Height of Sawtimber (Hs): Live trees only.

a. Use this if the Sawtimber or Chip-N-Saw section of the tree will not meet the 8” top diameter for Sawtimber or 6” top diameter for Chip N Saw. Measure with a clinometer from the bottom of the tree to the section the log will need to be cut at due to the fork or other defect. Record this in total feet for the Hs. DO NOT use this code for pulpwood trees.

6.5.13. Height of Pulpwood (Hp): Live trees only.

a. Use this code if a tree (any species) has a broken top. Measure the total height of the tree from the bottom of the tree to the top of the tree where it has been broken using a clinometer.

Since pulpwood is a merchantable classification, any trees that are of merchantable size but fail to meet merchantability criteria will be excluded from stand data but may be noted in the comments field when present.

6.5.14. Inventory Procedure – Crown Ratio

a. When height is taken, crown ratio must be estimated. Crown ratio can be found by measuring total feet of live crown and dividing it by the total feet of the bole or tree height. Round to the nearest 10 percent. The base of the crown of the tree will start with the lowest live branch that is not isolated from the rest of the crown.

6.5.15. Inventory Procedure – Product

a. Pine Product Classes:

1. Pine Pulpwood (mulch for South Fl slash pine) – 4.6” DBH and up, at least one 16’ log and up to a three-inch top diameter outside bark.

2. Pine Chip-N-Saw – 8.6” – 11.5” DBH a minimum 24’ length and up to a six-inch top diameter outside bark.

3. Pine Sawtimber – 11.6” DBH and up, at least one 16’ log, and up to an eight-inch top diameter outside bark.

6.5.16. Inventory Procedure – Site Index

a. Collect data from three site trees per stand. If there are only 1-5 plots for the stand, put the site trees in any plots, just try to sample trees which are as spread out as evenly as possible across the stand. If no site trees exist on the sample plots, but a nearby section of the stand has adequate site trees growing in the same soil, use the neighboring site trees. All site index trees need to be the same species within a stand and must be the dominant species. If, for example, you are inventorying a mixed slash pine/loblolly pine stand, pick the species which you think is best suited for the soil/terrain. Off-plot site trees should be no further than 66 feet (1 chain) from plot center, except in pine dominant stands projected as having less than

50 live trees/acre, in which case off-plot site trees may be within 198 feet (3 chains).

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b. Information on occurrence of Cat I and II invasive non-natives and known tree pests (bugs, blight, laurel wilt, etc.) will be recorded as ‘present’ in the attribute field when observed onsite during ground verification visits. Brief details of what was observed will be recorded in the notes/comments field.

c. When collecting site trees, measure any dominant pine tree or co-dominant pine tree. A site tree is at least 20 years old or older. For site index trees, use base age 50, because the forest vegetation simulator used for growth assumes the values given are from site index curves referencing base age 50. Listed below is the SilvAssist mobile plot cruise data entry form. If

SilvAssist is not used by the vendor, the software used must have similar and compatible capabilities.

• SpC If not already recorded as a volume tree, fill in the species.

• Rp If regeneration is viable √ or (1) (Regeneration Potential = Rp)

• Num Enter 1

• DBH If not already recorded as a volume tree and the DBH is not to the nearest 1/10th of an inch, fill in DBH to the nearest 1/10th of an inch.

• Ht If not already recorded as a volume tree, fill in the total height of the site tree.

• CrRatio If not recorded as a volume tree, fill in the crown ratio of the site tree.

• Tree Product Auto Assign (should not be a tree that is downgraded)

• Health Healthy; only a healthy tree can be a site index tree.

• History Default value (1); tree must be alive, dead trees are not allowed.

• SgB Single bark thickness (measured in 1/10th of an inch)

• Op √ or (1) if the tree is an off-plot site index tree. This is key to preventing the program from using the site tree in volume calculations.

• Age Total age based on the tree core, site index trees are 20 years or older.

After counting the rings add 3 years to the age for all pine species other than longleaf pine. Add 5 years to the age for longleaf pine.

• RdG Radial growth (last 10 years of growth rings measured to 1/10th of an inch).

7. STAND LEVEL GEODATABASE ATTRIBUTES

7.1. Attributes to be populated within the provided Stand Level Geodatabase should include, but not be limited to the below attributes. For attributes derived from plot and volume data, the average across the stand should be used unless described otherwise.

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• Date: date of inventory

• FWC Area Name: already included

• FWC Area Unit: already included

• StandID: already included

• Acres: already included (update if any modifications to stand polygons are made)

• Stand Origin: Natural or Planted (while this attribute is already included, it should be field verified to ensure accuracy and changed as necessary)

• Stand Composition: Pine or Mixed (while this attribute is already included, it should be field verified to ensure accuracy and changed as necessary).

o Pine: 80+% of stand is pine o Mixed: 20 – 79% of stand is pine o Hardwood: 80+% of stand is hardwood.

• Forest Type: use standardized coding and definitions that stratify each stand based on dominate and co-dominate trees present (pine [by species] and/or hardwood trees based on defined percentages). A list of codes with definitions utilized shall be provided as a deliverable.

• Percent of Stand that is Longleaf Pine: (include all age classes within the percentage)

• Pine Basal Area:

o Average o Min.

o Max.

• Stand Age:

• Age Structure: even-aged, uneven-aged, two-aged

• Pine Product Class:

o Pulp Wood: Tons / Acre o Chip & Saw: Tons / Acre o Saw Timber: Tons / Acre

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• Regeneration o # Pine Seedlings/acre o # Pine Saplings/acre

• Site Index

• Accessible for Harvest: Yes/No; based on location to existing roads and site conditions

• Groundcover:

o % Bare Ground Dominated (Mineral Soil) o % Duff / Leaf Litter / Needle cast Dominated o % Wiry Graminoid (Grass) and Herb Dominated o % Mixed Shrub and Grass/Herb Dominated o % Shrub Dominated

• Evidence of Soil Disturbance: list type (None, Bedded, Ditched, Rutted, Hog Rooting, Other)

• Number of Snags Present: (none, low, moderate, high)

• Presence of Invasive Plants: list species observed

8. REQUIRED DATA SUMMARIES

8.1. Area wide volume of merchantable timber, by species, in each of the above size classes.

8.2. Acres in longleaf dominated stands (50+% of the canopy level trees are longleaf).

8.3. Acres where longleaf pine present but not the dominant pine species (<50%).

8.4. Acres non-longleaf but pine dominated stands (>50%).

8.5. Acres of hardwood dominated stands (>50%).

8.6. Histogram (bar or pie charts) showing the distribution of pine size classes by area.

8.7. Distance to nearest timber mill or biomass fuel facility that will accept each type of merchantable timber found on a managed area, at the time the report is completed (as this information will change over time). This will likely include a list of mills as each facility will not accept all timber types for processing.

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9. CERTIFICATIONS

9.1. The Vendor must be a, or have staff that are, Society of American Foresters Certified Forester(s).

The Vendor shall furnish a copy of technical certification(s).

9.2. The Vendor must have, or have staff that have, adequate ESRI ArcGIS experience to complete this project.

10. REFERENCES

10.1. Each prospective Bidder shall provide a minimum of three (3) references for natural area projects completed of similar scope and ArcGIS complexity. Current contact names and phone numbers shall be included with the bid package using the included References Form.

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11. TABLES AND FIGURES

11.1. Table 1: FWC managed areas, FWC Region, total acres to be sampled, number of timber stands, and expected number of sample points that are included in this Scope of Work. FWC reserves the right to only select a subset of these managed areas based on budget availability and bid pricing. See Figure 1 for relative locations.

Area Name

FWC

Region

Total

Stand

Acres

Mixed Stands Pine Stands

No. of

Timber

Stands

Expected

# of points

No. of

Timber

Stands

Expected

# of points

Aucilla WMA NW 13,627 6 46 333 2,445

Box R WMA NW 5,781 16 70 181 1,039

Joe Budd WMA NW 1,327 4 15 46 234

L. Kirk Edwards

WEA

NW 1,783 0 0 24 115

Andrews WMA NC 3,511 3 53 3 24

Big Bend WMA -

Jena Unit

NC 15,424 4 20 85 449

Big Bend WMA -

Tide Swamp Unit

NC 19,538 4 13 143 1,021

Fort White WEA NC 1,654 7 29 20 142

Lafayette Forest

WEA

NC 2,145 2 9 42 220

Suwannee Ridge

WEA

NC 1,438 3 13 29 192

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11.2. Figure 1: FWC Managed Areas Under Consideration for Timber Inventory

REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

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PRICE SHEET

FWC 24/25-34

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…