FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION

1875 ORANGE AVE E

TALLAHASSEE, FL 32311-6160

(850) 488-6551

Topsail Hill State Park Dune Planting

FWC 25/26-63

INVITATION TO BID

ITB BIDDER ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM

Purpose: The intent of this bid is to obtain competitive pricing for a multi-award contract with two deliverables: the propagation and delivery of approximately 20,000 native dune plants, and the installation of the plants at designated locations in the back dunes of Topsail Hill State Park, 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 25/26-63, Page 3 of 75

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

FWC 25/26-63

SCHEDULE DUE DATE METHOD

Bid Advertised February 10, 2026 Posted on the Vendor Information Portal

(VIP)

NON-MANDATORY Pre-Bid

Conference

February 17, 2026

@ 10:00 AM ET

See Pre-Bid Conference Clause

Deadline for Questions

Must be received

PRIOR to:

February 24, 2026

@ 5:00 PM ET

See Solicitation Questions Clause

Anticipated date for Responses to Written Questions February 27, 2026 Posted on the Vendor Information Portal

SEALED BIDS DUE

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

Must be received

PRIOR to:

March 6, 2026

@ 2:30 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 March 6, 2026

@ 2:30 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 March 11, 2026 Posted on the Vendor Information Portal https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-63, Page 4 of 75

GENERAL CONDITIONS

FWC 25/26-63

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 2).

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.

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 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-63, Page 5 of 75

PROCUREMENT MANAGER

Xavier Wilson

Xavier.Wilson@myfwc.com

ESTIMATED BUDGET

The Commission has an estimated budget for this project of $68,000.

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.

SUBCONTRACTS

Subcontracting IS NOT permitted pursuant to the Terms and Conditions of the Purchase Order.

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.

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.

NON-MANDATORY PRE-BID CONFERENCE CALL

A non-mandatory pre-bid conference call will be held on the date and time specified in the Calendar of

Events (Page 3). The purpose of the pre-bid conference call is to discuss the contents of this ITB and to accept verbal questions from Bidders concerning the project. The Commission will make a reasonable effort to answer verbal questions asked at the pre-bid conference call; however, Bidders should clearly understand that verbal discussions held at the pre-bid conference call shall not be binding on the Commission, and the

Commission will only issue an official written response to verbal questions subsequently submitted in writing in accordance with the Deadline for Questions clause below.

Click or tap here to enter text.Conference call phone number: 1.888.585.9008

Conference room number: 218-721-199 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 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 25/26-63, Page 6 of 75

NON-MANDATORY BIDDER SITE VISIT

A non-mandatory site visit is open to prospective bidders, allowing them to inspect the project site prior to submitting a bid. Bidders shall visit the sites on their own. FWC will only issue an official written response to questions subsequently submitted in writing in accordance with the Deadline for Questions clause below.

7525 W County Hwy 30A, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459

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

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.

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-63, Page 7 of 75

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.

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

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-63, Page 8 of 75

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.

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.

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-63, Page 9 of 75

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.

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 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.

PERMITTING

Permitting for this project, if needed, is the responsibility of the Commission. A copy of all permits shall be posted at the work site location at all times during the project. The Contractor is responsible for complying 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 25/26-63, Page 10 of 75 with all permit conditions and the Contractor shall pay any penalties arising from the Contractor’s permit violations.

WARRANTIES/DAMAGED ITEMS/DELIVERY

The Contractor shall assume full responsibility for providing or ensuring warranty coverage and/or warranty service on any and all items including goods, materials, or equipment provided to the Commission.

If Contractor is not the Manufacturer, all Manufacturer warranties must be passed through to the

Commission.

Delivery shall be made no later than the specified Delivery Date. The Contractor shall pay all costs associated with delivery and shall assume full responsibility for all item(s) damaged prior to the F.O.B.

destination delivery and agree to hold harmless the Commission of all responsibility for prosecuting damage claims.

The Contractor shall assume full responsibility for replacement of all defective or damaged goods within thirty (30) days of notice by the Commission of such defect or damage.

GUARANTEE

If products do not comply with the specifications contained herein, the Contractor shall replace the product(s), or the purchase price shall be refunded. The refund or the delivery of the replacement product(s) shall be made within thirty (30) days following the Contract Manager’s notification to the Contractor that the original product(s) was non-compliant. Costs of returning the original product(s) will be the sole responsibility of the Contractor.

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”.

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-63, Page 11 of 75

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 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-63, Page 12 of 75

SCOPE OF WORK

FWC 25/26-63

TOPSAIL HILL STATE PARK DUNE PLANTING

1. PURPOSE OR PROJECT WORKPLAN

This project is intended to improve Choctawhatchee beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus allophrys) habitat at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park by increasing dune resiliency, habitat connectivity, and diversity of food resources. The Choctawhatchee beach mouse is a federally endangered species which can only be found in sand dune habitats of Walton and Bay County, Florida. Primary threats to beach mice include habitat loss from coastal development, major storm events, sea level rise, and increased predation by non-natives. The Choctawhatchee beach mouse population at Topsail is considered the stronghold for the subspecies, and concentrating efforts to enhance dune resiliency at this site will support long-term viability of this population.

Project activities are expected to include installation of approximately 20,000 plants. Target locations will include a subset of critical habitat that has either low plant diversity or substantial dune erosion that needs to be stabilized. Sea oats (Uniola paniculata) and gulf blue stem (Schizachyrium maritimum) will be installed around the base and slope of eroding dune faces for stabilization, while coastal ground cherry

(Physalis angustifolia) and beach elder (Iva imbricata) will be strategically placed in areas where food sources are lacking. Stabilization plots will also include the above-ground addition of a 1-inch layer of wheat straw around plantings. These targeted plantings help combat erosion in the dune ecosystem and increase vegetative diversity while improving overall quality of habitat for beach mice.

1.1. Description of Good/Service

This project has two deliverables, which any contractor may optionally bid on one or both, and FWC will award to the vendor or combination of vendors who submit the lowest price for either or both of the following two tasks. 1) The contractor shall produce the requested number of native dune plant species following the methods and specifications described herein. The contractor shall provide transportation and delivery of plants and wrack/wheat straw to a designated location within the requested time period. 2) The contractor will install plants following the methods described herein at designated locations within the requested time period. The contractor shall perform to the standards in this contract.

1.2. Background

The project team is working in collaboration with USFWS, DEP, UF-IFAS, and other FWC personnel with expertise in dune restoration. Previous work demonstrated that strategic plantings of native plant species is an effective technique to restore dunes. For this project, we will implement restoration plantings to re-establish dunes in areas where they have been lost to storms and disturbance or to enhance dunes in areas where the diversity or coverage of vegetation is lower than expected. By increasing the resilience of these dune systems, this project will better enable wildlife populations to withstand potential large-scale impacts from future storms. Our work will reduce the probability that resident wildlife populations may go extinct by providing higher quality refuge areas and facilitating movement of individuals across sites and between populations.

1.3. Support of Commission Mission / Return on Investment

The mission of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is to manage fish and wildlife resources for their long-term well-being and the benefit of the people. The work detailed herein will benefit multiple wildlife species that depend on resilient dune ecosystems while also providing greater protection for our coasts, people, and infrastructure.

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-63, Page 13 of 75

2. TERMINOLOGY/ACRONYMS

• FWC – Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

• USFWS – United States Fish and Wildlife Service

• DEP – Department of Environmental Protection

• UF-IFAS – University of Florida – Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

3. DELIVERABLES

3.1. Task 1. Plant Production and Delivery

3.1.1. Plant Specifications

All plants used for this task shall adhere to technical specifications TS-1 (Appendix 1). Sea

Oats (Uniola paniculata) shall adhere to technical specification TS-2. Beach Elder (Iva imbricata) shall adhere to technical specification TS-3. Gulf Bluestem (Schizachyrium maritimum) shall adhere to technical specification TS-4. Coastal Groundcherry (Physalis angustifolia) shall adhere to technical specification TS-5. See Table 1. for total amounts required of each plant species.

3.1.2. Wheat straw/Wrack Specifications

All wheat straw or wrack shall adhere to technical specification TS-6.

Wheat straw/wrack = 14,781 ft2

3.1.3. Documentation/Criteria for Evaluating the Successful Completion of Deliverable Performance

Measure(s)

Work will be considered satisfactorily complete upon receival of products in accordance with technical specifications, which include delivery to Topsail Hill Preserve State Park (7525 W

County Hwy 30A, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459).

3.1.4. Timeline for Completion

The preferred timeframe for plant delivery is between August 3rd and August 19th, 2026. The contractor must indicate as part of their offer whether they are able to deliver the plants by

August 19th, 2026.

4. TASK 2. DUNE PLANTING

4.1. Installation Specifications

The Contractor shall provide all transportation, equipment, labor, and materials necessary to plant

Sea Oats (Uniola paniculata) 2-inch containers, Beach Elder (Iva imbricata) 4-inch containers, Gulf

Bluestem (Schizachyrium maritimum) 2-inch containers, and Coastal Groundcherry (Physalis angustifolia) 4-inch containers, at the designated restoration sites following methods described in

Appendix 1. Restoration sites include stabilization and diversity plots. Stabilization plots are those positioned at the base of eroding dunes and include Sea Oats and Gulf Bluestem. Diversity plots include Coastal Groundcherry and Beach Elder. Figures 2-7 depict approximate locations of vegetation plots. FWC reserves the right to change the locations currently listed in figures 2-7. The

FWC Project Manager will have the final say in location determination on-site at the time of planting. In addition, the Contractor shall install wheat straw and/or wrack material in designated restoration sites to slow erosion, recover dune height, and protect woody vegetation. All planting

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Project Site and properly disposed of prior to Final Acceptance and demobilization.

While navigating to project locations, the Contractor shall follow the FWC Beach Driving Best

Management Practices to avoid disturbance to shorebirds and sea turtles. Beach driving shall occur low and slow to avoid disturbance to the dune habitat. UTV driving is allowed on the beach, but restoration sites may only be accessed on-foot from the primary dunes. Vehicle driving is only allowed on paved roads within the park. Personnel shall avoid walking over vegetation and potential beach mouse burrows while traversing dune habitat.

4.2. Documentation/Criteria for Evaluating the Successful Completion of Deliverable Performance

Measure(s)

Work will be considered satisfactorily complete upon installation of all plants in accordance with technical specifications and upon removal of all containers and debris as specified in 4.1.

4.3. Timeline for Completion

The timeframe for plant installation will depend on the date of plant delivery, which may be as early as August 3rd and as late as August 19th. Installation may begin as soon as possible after delivery with a completion date before September 11th, 2026. The contractor must indicate as part of their offer whether they are able to complete installation by September 11th, 2026.

5. PERFORMANCE MEASURES

The Contractor shall perform the activities described in the Scope of Work in compliance with all terms and conditions of this Agreement. All equipment, products, or materials necessary or appropriate to perform under this Agreement shall be supplied by the Contractor. The Contractor shall be licensed as necessary to perform under this Agreement as may be required by law, rule, or regulation, and shall provide evidence of such compliance to the Commission upon request. The Contractor shall produce all supplies; and pay for all charges, fees, taxes, and incidentals that may be required for the completion of this Agreement. By acceptance of this

Agreement, the Contractor(s) warrants that it has the capability in all respects to fully perform the requirements herein and the integrity and reliability that will assure best efforts as a responsible Contractor. If the minimum level of performance is not met, ten percent (10%) of the allocated budget for that subtask (deliverable) will be withheld.

6. CONTRACT MONITORING

6.1. Programmatic

The awarded contractor shall develop a work plan and submit it to the Commission within 30 days of receipt of the purchase order. The work plan(s) shall detail the Contractor’s plan for accomplishing the work required to complete Deliverable 1 and/or Deliverable 2. The Commission shall review the Work Plan and have the Contractor make any necessary revisions prior to acceptance of the plan. The following items shall be included in the work plan as applicable to the chosen

Deliverable:

• The source(s) of all plant materials (nursery name, mailing and physical address, phone number, and name of contact person);

• A legible copy of all current and state nursery licenses and/or permits issued to the nursery, or nurseries;

https://myfwc.com/conservation/you-conserve/wildlife/beach-driving/#:~:text=Enter%20the%20beach%20only%20at,and%20turn%20off%20all%20lights.

https://myfwc.com/conservation/you-conserve/wildlife/beach-driving/#:~:text=Enter%20the%20beach%20only%20at,and%20turn%20off%20all%20lights.

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• A letter from the nursery or nurseries supplying plant materials that it has received, read, and understands the plant specifications regarding this Contract and that it will provide plant materials meeting these Specifications;

• The types of equipment the Contractor proposes to use for delivering plant materials from the nursery to the delivery site and from the delivery site to the planting site and on the planting site to transport materials, personnel, etc.;

• The Contractor’s proposed method of protecting plants from the nursery to the delivery site and from the delivery site to the Project Site;

• The Contractor’s proposed method of salt-hardening plants and watering plants prior to planting;

• The anticipated initiation of delivery and planting operations at the work location;

• The estimated duration of planting operations.

• A letter from the contractor installing the plants that they have received, read, and understand the specifications for plant installation described in this Contract.

6.2. Fiscal

Payments for Deliverable 1 will only be approved after written acceptance of all inspected plant materials by the Project Manager. Payments for Deliverable 2 will only be approved after written acceptance of inspected plants once installation is complete.

7. COMPENSATION AND PAYMENT

7.1. Fee Schedule

The total project budget available for both deliverables under this Contract is $68,000.00.

Payments will be made on a deliverables-based schedule. Compensation shall be tied to the satisfactory completion and acceptance of deliverables identified in Section 3 (Deliverables) and verified through the inspection process in Appendix 1.

7.2. Invoice Schedule

Contractor shall submit invoices no later than 30 calendar days after completion of each deliverable. The Commission will review invoices within 15 business days of receipt.

7.3. Forms and Documentation

Invoices for Deliverable 1 must be supported by itemized delivery slips, including information on species, quantity, size, date, and source. Invoices for Deliverable 2 must include information on the number and type of vegetation plots installed and dates completed. The Commission may request supporting documentation (e.g., receipts, subcontractor invoices, permits, nursery licenses) at any time. Contractor shall maintain complete and accurate financial records related to this contract for a period of three (3) years and shall make such records available to the Commission upon request.

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8. FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES

If the Contractor materially fails to accomplish the minimum levels of performance deliverables stated in section 3 or comply with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, including any Federal or state statutes, rules, or regulations applicable to this Agreement, the Commission may take one or more of the following actions; as appropriate for the circumstances:

• Temporarily withhold payments pending correction of the deficiency by the Contractor.

• Disallow (that is, deny both use of funds and any applicable matching credit for) all or part of the cost of the activity or action not in compliance.

8.1. FIGURES/IMAGES/MAPS/TABLES, ETC.

Table 1. Required amount of each plant species to be delivered to Topsail Hill Preserve State Park (7525

W County Hwy 30A, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459).

Species Amount

Sea Oats (Uniola paniculata) 5,774

Beach Elder (Iva imbricata) 2,418

Gulf bluestem (Schizachyrium maritimum) 9,007

Coastal Groundcherry (Physalis angustifolia) 2,418

Total Plants 19,617

Figure 1. The map indicates locations for entry and delivery at Topsail Hill Preserve

State Park in Walton County, FL (7525 W County Hwy 30A, Santa Rosa Beach, FL

32459).

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Figure 2. Overview of the project site within Topsail Hill Preserve State Park including general locations of stabilization and diversity plots to be planted

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Figure 3. Locations of stabilization and diversity plots accessed by Topsail Rd. Topsail Rd may be accessed by vehicle from Hwy 98 W. Truck driving is allowed on Topsail Rd, but a

UTV will be required for beach driving. UTVs may park along the beach fencing but not drive behind it. Plots will be accessed on foot from the primary dunes. Pre-existing gaps between dunes shall be used to enter and navigate backdune areas.

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Figure 4. Zoomed view of stabilization and diversity plots immediately east of Topsail Rd.

UTVs may park along the beach fencing but not drive behind it. Plots will be accessed on foot from the primary dunes. Pre-existing gaps between dunes shall be used to enter and navigate backdune areas.

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Figure 5. Zoomed view of stabilization and diversity plots south of Campbell Lake which may be accessed by Topsail Rd to the west or Pampass Grass Blvd to the east. UTVs may park along the beach fencing but not drive behind it. Plots will be accessed on foot from the primary dunes. Pre-existing gaps between dunes shall be used to enter and navigate backdune areas.

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Figure 6. Plots most easily accessed by Pampass Grass Blvd from the park’s main entrance.

Truck driving is allowed until the road ends at the circle. A UTV will be required to drive on the sand path on to the beach. UTVs may park along the beach fencing but not drive behind

it. Plots will be accessed on foot from the primary dunes. Pre-existing gaps between dunes shall be used to enter and navigate backdune areas.

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Figure 7. Plots on the eastern end of the park which may be accessed by UTV from Pampass

Grass Blvd to the west. UTVs may park along the beach fencing but not drive behind it.

Plots will be accessed on foot from the primary dunes. Pre-existing gaps between dunes shall be used to enter and navigate backdune areas.

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APPENDIX 1. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

1. TS-1 ALL PLANTS

1.1. The Commission shall approve or reject plant materials for acceptance and payment based on their adherence to specifications outlined in TS-1 through TS-6, as applicable. At a minimum, plant material shall be inspected by the Commission upon successful delivery and prior to payment. The

Commission reserves the right to reject plant materials any time prior to final inspection and acceptance.

1.1.1. Inspections shall be carried out by the Project Manager on the date of delivery.

1.1.2. Inspections shall be done through visual inspections and measurements by the Project Manager.

Inspections shall be done through random sampling of plants.

1.1.3. The Project Manager shall determine the batch is acceptable if 95% or greater of the supplied plants meet the technical specifications outlined in this contract.

1.2. The contracting nursery shall acclimate plant materials by growing plants in full sun conditions for at least ten (10) days prior to delivery. A legible copy of all current state nursery license(s) and/or permit(s) issued to the contracting nursery (or nurseries, or their Subcontractors) to be utilized by the Contractor shall be provided to the FWC prior to delivery of the plants to the project site.

1.3. Certification, via communication between the Contractor and the Commission, shall be provided that all plant materials have been produced in accordance with federal and state laws where applicable.

1.4. The Contractor, or its Subcontractor, shall secure all permits required in the transportation, collection, and propagation of nursery stock and submit a copy to the FWC, as applicable.

1.5. Plants shall be free of defects, disfiguring, sun scalding, diseases, insects, insect eggs, borers, or other forms of infections or infestation.

1.6. Plants shall be viable and actively growing as indicated by a proliferation of new root development within the container. Plants must show sufficient growth so that a soil root-ball remains formed when the plant is removed from the container. No plants shall be loose in containers.

1.7. Plants appearing discolored, shriveled, dehydrated, or otherwise damaged will be rejected and shall be removed and replaced immediately at the Contractor’s expense. Plants not meeting specifications shall be replaced at the Contractor’s expense.

1.8. The Contractor and the nursery (or nurseries) shall make available for inspection to the Commission the specified plants that are to be used for this project.

1.9. When the Contractor delivers the plants to the project site, all plants shall be packed for delivery from the nursery to the delivery site in such a manner as to ensure adequate protection against climatic, seasonal, wind damage or other injuries during transit. Special care shall be taken for prompt delivery and careful handling in loading and unloading. Damaged plants shall be rejected by the Commission and shall be removed and replaced immediately at the Contractor’s expense.

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1.10. Each individual shipment of plants to the delivery site shall be accompanied by a delivery slip indicating the following information: 1) source of plant material (nursery name), 2) species (scientific and common name), 3) plant size, 4) quantity being delivered, 5) date of delivery, and 6) date dug or packed for shipment. Shipping slips are to be signed by the Contractor. Copies of the shipping slips shall be provided to the Commission and/or its FWC Project Manager at time of plant delivery.

1.11. The growing medium shall be free of any foreign objects such as glass, shell, stones, pottery, or other debris, not generally considered standard potting media.