FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION

1875 ORANGE AVE E

TALLAHASSEE, FL 32311-6160

(850) 488-6551

LAKE KISSIMMEE REVEGETATION - SUBMERSED VEGETATION

FWC 25/26-38

INVITATION TO BID

ITB BIDDER ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM

Purpose: The intent of this bid is to obtain competitive pricing for supplying (4” liner, nursery-grown) and planting submersed aquatic plants within Lake Kissimmee (Polk County), Florida, 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 25/26-38, Page 3 of 65

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

FWC 25/26-38

SCHEDULE DUE DATE METHOD

Bid Advertised January 6, 2026 Posted on the Vendor Information Portal

(VIP)

Non-Mandatory Pre-Bid

Conference

January 13, 2026 @

1:00 PM ET

See Solicitation Scope of Work

Deadline for Questions

Must be received

PRIOR to:

January 20, 2026

@ 5:00 PM ET

See Solicitation Questions Clause

Anticipated date for Responses to Written Questions January 23, 2025 Posted on the Vendor Information Portal

SEALED BIDS DUE

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

Must be received

PRIOR to:

January 30, 2026

@ 2:00 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 January 30, 2026

@ 2:00PM 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 February 3, 2026 Posted on the Vendor Information Portal https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-38, Page 4 of 65

GENERAL CONDITIONS

FWC 25/26-38

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 25/26-38, Page 5 of 65

PROCUREMENT MANAGER

Martin Ehlen martin.ehlen@myfwc.com

ESTIMATED BUDGET

The Commission has an estimated budget for this project of $499,999.99.

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

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

DIVERSITY

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

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

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 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.

Coleman Landing Polk County (Latitude 27°826483"N / Longitude - 81°215804. Non-mandatory pre-bid at the boat ramp at Coleman Landing at Shady Oaks Recreation Area (1450 Shady Oaks Drive, Lake Wales).

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 25/26-38, Page 6 of 65

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.

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.

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-38, Page 7 of 65

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:

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-38, Page 8 of 65

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. SOLELY 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 highest number of plant-pots per allocation amount. 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 bidder who submits the highest number of plant-pots per allocation amount 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 bidder with the next highest number of plant-pots per allocation amount.

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, Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-38, Page 9 of 65

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.

NOTICE TO PROCEED

The awarded Bidder shall not initiate work under this contract until the required Insurance documentation has been received by the Commission. The Contractor may begin work once it has received an official written Notice to Proceed (Attachment B) from the Contract Manager.

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.

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 25/26-38, Page 10 of 65

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 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 25/26-38, Page 11 of 65

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 25/26-38, Page 12 of 65

SCOPE OF WORK

FWC 25/26-38

LAKE KISSIMMEE REVEGETATION -

SUBMERSED VEGETATION

PURPOSE

This Invitation to Bid entails supplying native eelgrass and Illinois pondweed plant-pots, transporting all plant pots, and planting eelgrass and pondweed plant-pots within Lake Kissimmee, Osceola County FL.

The work sites will be specified by the Project Manager/Contract Manager (Figure 1). The Project

Manager/Contract Manager will prioritize and determine the date, time, and schedule for all work.

No amount of work is guaranteed. Work may increase or decrease based on available budget.

1. INITIAL TERM COMPLETION DATE

Project shall be completed by the Contractor by June 4, 2026.

2. DEFINITIONS

2.1 PROJECT MANAGER – the representative of the governmental agency specified on the purchase order contract and/or written notice to proceed to handle daily project responsibilities for the Commission and will serve as the point-of-contact between the

Contractor and Contract Manager.

2.2 CONTRACT MANAGER – the representative of the governmental agency specified on the purchase order contract and/or written notice to proceed to review, verify, and approve receipt of services/deliverables from the Contractor; and review, verify, and approve invoices from the Contractor.

2.3 CONTRACTOR – The vendor awarded this contract.

2.4 NURSERY-GROWN – A plant grown within and supplied from a nursery registered with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) in accordance with

Sections 581.131 and 581.145, F. S. A valid Certificate of Nursery Registration will be required for each outlet from which aquatic plants shall be supplied (sold or distributed) as per Section 381.131 (2), F. S. Plants must be grown within a registered nursery facility for at least two (2) months prior to planting to qualify as a nursery-grown plant.

3. PLANT SPECIES

3.1 Eelgrass Vallisneria neotropicalis: a eelgrass plant is defined as a submersed aquatic plant with four or more leaves, a minimum of six (6) inches in length, and associated roots and runners.

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-38, Page 13 of 65

Each “plant-pot” will consist of a minimum of four (4) individual eelgrass plants with leaves and roots attached (minimum stem height = 6 inches) within a 4” biodegradable pot (Table 1;

biodegradable pots, instead of synthetic/plastic liners, are required at the time of planting as the entire pot with plants will be planted into the lake substrate). Recommended soil composition is

25% peat mixed with 75% sand. All plants must have been potted and grown for at least two (2) months prior to installation.

All eelgrass used in this project must undergo genetic analysis to verify as Vallisneria neotropicalis (Attachments C [“Detection and Mitigation Protocols for Hybrid Eelgrass in

Restoration”] and D [“Searching for Eelgrass - Sampling Protocol for the Identification of

Non-native Aquatic Plants in Florida”]).

3.2 Illinois pondweed Potemogeton illinoinsis; a pondweed plant is defined as a submersed aquatic plant with one stem, minimum of twelve (12) inches in length, possessing at least 10 leaves and associated roots and runners,.

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-38, Page 14 of 65

Each “plant-pot” will consist of a minimum of four (4) individual pondweed plants with leaves and roots attached (minimum stem height = 12 inches) within a 4” biodegradable pot (Table 1;

biodegradable pots, instead of synthetic/plastic liners, are required at the time of planting as the entire pot with plants will be planted into the lake substrate). Recommended soil composition is

25% peat mixed with 75% sand. All plants must have been potted and grown for at least two (2) months prior to installation.

4. BID SPECIFICATIONS

4.1. The proposed project budget is $ $499,999.99. The Contractor shall provide a “price-per-plant-pot” to supply eelgrass and pondweed plant-pots as specified above, transport the plant-pots to the planting sites and install plant-pots. The bid will be awarded to the responsive, responsible bidder that submits the highest “TOTAL NUMBER OF PLANT-POTS”. In the event additional funding becomes available, the awarded “price-per-plant-pot” per species may be used to procure additional plant-pots above the awarded number and original allocated funding amount.

4.2. The Contractor shall supply and plant a minimum of 95% (by number) of the species specified and then subsequently listed in the Purchase Order, in accordance with the ITB specifications or the Contractor may be found in default for that Project.

4.3. Bid pricing shall include all necessary items to perform work (plant-pots, containers, workers, boats, equipment, tools, safety equipment, maintenance of equipment, fuel, etc.) of harvesting or supplying eelgrass and pondweed plant-pots, transporting the plant-pots, and installing plant-pots at designated locations as well as providing all safety devices required by law.

4.4. The Contractor shall assume full legal and financial responsibility for permit violations resulting from the activities of their employees.

4.5. The Purchase Order and two (2) written Notice to Proceeds (Notice to Proceed for Preparation and Notice to Proceed for Installation) may be issued in entirely, or partially, to complete the project based on environmental conditions and/or budgetary constraints.

4.6. Upon receipt of a Purchase Order, the Project Manager/Contract Manager will contact the

Contractor to schedule the starting date for the project and issue a written Notice to Proceed for Preparation. The Contractor shall initiate project preparation (procurement of supplies, potting and propagation of eelgrass and pondweed plant-pots per specifications, etc.), unless otherwise specified in writing by the Contract Manager.

When environmental conditions are appropriate for planting, the Contract Manager will contact the Contractor to schedule the planting commencement date and issue a second NTP

(Notice to Proceed for Installation). The date that the work will commence will be indicated on the NTP, unless otherwise specified in writing by the Contract Manager. All work shall be completed within ninety (90) calendar days of the Notice to Proceed for Installation, unless otherwise directed by the Project Manager/Contract Manager.

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-38, Page 15 of 65

4.7. Work shall be performed during weekdays (Monday–Friday) during daylight hours (sunrise to sunset). Requests to work weekend days shall be made in writing by the Contractor. The

Project Manager/Contract Manager shall provide a response to the Contractor in writing to grant or reject requests.

4.8. The Project Manager/Contract Manager shall make a final inspection with the Contractor and determine work completeness before payment is authorized.

5. WORK EXPERIENCE

5.1. The Contractor shall have at least two (2) years of similar work experience which must be reflected in their References.

5.2. The Project Manager/Contract Manager reserves the right to inspect all equipment proposed for use by the Contractor before the work shall be awarded

6. NATIVE PLANT VERIFICATION

6.1. Eelgrass may be collected from any waterbody, as long as that waterbody has no known populations of non-native eelgrass and all individual eelgrass plants used for grow-out are verified native (V. neotropicalis) plants (“nursery out-planting”); or from “existing nursery stock” verified as native plants (Attachments C and E [“Eelgrass Propagation and

Restoration Standard Operating Procedures”]).

Pondweed may be collected from any waterbody, upon approval of the Contract Manager, for nursery grow-out / out-planting.

No collection of either species is allowed from any waterbody with hydrilla infestations.

6.2. Waterbodies with known non-native eelgrass populations are NOT eligible to supply donor material for nursery out-planting activities conducted by FWC or its contractors.

6.3. FWC will not purchase eelgrass from nursery facilities found to contain non-native eelgrass. Those facilities will be considered ineligible to bid on FWC eelgrass revegetation projects. If a vendor is awarded a bid and found to possess non-native eelgrass within their nursery or grow-out facility, they will be considered non-responsible to conduct the project and the award will be withdrawn. (Attachment E).

7. HARVESTING AND PLANTING SPECIFICATIONS

7.1. All plants shall be harvested and handled so that the root and stem material remain viable. The

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-38, Page 16 of 65

Project Manager/Contract Manager reserves the sole authority to refuse plants, at no cost to the

Commission, considered to be contaminated or of poor quality.

7.2. All plant-pots shall be devoid of debris and non-target plant parts (leaves, stems, roots, propagules) and any other exotic species (plant or non-plant, e.g., exotic snails).

7.3. All plant-pots shall be installed within 48 hours of being delivered to the project site. All plant-pots will be planted in 1-4 feet water depths, depending on the water levels and environmental conditions as specified by the Project Manager. The plant-pots will be planted in areas and in conditions that will ensure the best possibility of success.

7.4. Plant-pots (both eelgrass and pondweed) shall be installed a minimum of four (4) inches into bottom sediments to prevent pop-ups from occurring (i.e., the entire plant-pot shall be covered by lake substrate). Plant-pot pop-ups greater than 10 percent (10%) of the total number planted at any site within two (2) days shall require (at no cost to the Commission) replanting prior to payment. Replanting will be performed with new plant-pots, not plant material recovered from the work site. If the Contractor chooses not to replant, payment shall be made based on the percentage of plant-pots successfully planted (conditional on meeting minimum of 95% of species successfully planted).

7.5. Final determination of specific planting sites within Lake Kissimmee will be made prior to planting in response to environmental conditions by the Project Manager (Figure 1).

7.6. In performing the scope of work, all safety on or off the job site shall be the sole responsibility of the Contractor. The Contractor shall be solely responsible for initiating, maintaining, and supervising all safety precautions and programs regarding the work. The Contractor shall be responsible for protecting and safeguarding employees and the public relating to the work and job site.

7.7. Boat operators shall have Personal Floatation Devices for all workers and passengers on-board and shall follow all other safety requirements in accordance with state and federal law, including vessel “maximum capacity” limits for personnel, equipment, and plant transport

(http://myfwc.com/boating/safety-education/equipment/).

8. PAYMENT SPECIFICATIONS

8.1. Two payments will be allowed upon approved work progress and completion specified on the

Purchase Order/written Notice to Proceed. The first partial payment may occur when 50% of the plant-pots have been planted as determined by the Contract Manager; and a final partial payment will occur when the project is complete. All payments must be approved by the Project

Manager and the Contract Manager. Final payment will only be made if the quality of work is approved by the Project Manager/Contract Manager. The final invoice must be received no later than seven (7) calendar days following project completion as approved by the Project

Manager/Contract Manager or by June 11, 2026, whichever is earlier.

8.2. The Contractor will be paid for the number of supplied plant-pots meeting bid specification http://myfwc.com/boating/safety-education/equipment/

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-38, Page 17 of 65 requirements that are successfully planted. The Contractor and Project Manager/Contract

Manager shall agree in writing on the number of plant-pots successfully planted at the end of each planting day in accordance with the Contract Management Daily Report / Aquatic

Revegetation (EXHIBIT A). The invoice shall be representative of the total number of plant-pots successfully planted over all planting days, or for those planting days requested by the

Project Manager/Contract Manager at the time of invoice request.

9. PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS

9.1. FWC Boat Ramp Finder: https://gis.myfwc.com/BoatRampFinder/

9.2. Public Access for Planting: Coleman Landing Po lk County (Latitude 27°49 '33 .98"N /

Longitude - 8 1 ° 1 2 ' 57 . 9 0 " W ; 1450 Shady Oak Dr, Lake Wales, FL 33898

9.3. Anticipated Planting Date: mid-March to mid-June 2026 (start date dependent on water level and other environmental conditions at sole determination of the Project Manager)

TABLE 1

SPECIES COMMON NAME TYPE/SIZE ALLOCATION

AMMOUNT (US $)

Vallisneria neotropicalis Eelgrass 4” liner, Nursery-grown $300,000.00

Potemogeton illinoinsis Illinois Pondweed 4” liner, Nursery-grown $199,999.00 https://gis.myfwc.com/BoatRampFinder/

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-38, Page 18 of 65

Figure 1. Lake Kissimmee planting will occur at specified locations shown in red. Planting depth will be between 1-4 feet. Specific locations are subject to change dependent on water levels and environmental conditions.

REMAINDER OF PAGE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-38, Page 19 of 65

EXHIBIT A

LAKE KISSIMMEE SUBMERSED AQUATIC REVEGETATION

Contract Management Daily Report

Aquatic Revegetation

Project Name (PO #):

Planting Date:

Planting Location(s):

Contractor/Company/Crew Leader (including # planters):

Scheduled Contractor Work for the day (including plant spacing requested):

Additional Comments (problems, successes, etc.):

Species Planted Planting Site # Plant-pots Specified for Planting

# Plant-pots

Successfully Planted Time of Count

FWC Employee

According to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify and agree that the number and species of plant-pots listed in the table above accurately depicts the number and species of plant-pots successfully supplied and planted or relocated and planted at the end of the project shown on the face of this report and that all work was performed and material supplied in full accordance with the terms and conditions of the Contract.

FWC Project Manager (print) Date

FWC Project Manager (signature)

Contractor (print) Date

Contractor (signature)

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-38, Page 20 of 65

PRICE SHEET

CONTRACTOR SHALL NOT ALTER THE PRICE SHEET IN ANY WAY.

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

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

TO THE RESPONSIVE, RESPONSIBLE BIDDER THAT SUBMITS THE HIGHEST “TOTAL

NUMBER OF PLANT-POTS”.

Bidders must include the “PRICE PER PLANT-POT” and “NUMBER OF PLANT-POTS”. Failure to submit all required information shall result in disqualification of the bid being deemed non-responsive.

Price per plant-pot includes all costs associated with plant propagation, supply,transporting and planting.

Fill in all the required information.

Species

Common

Name

Type/Size

(A)

Allocation

Amount

(US $)

(B)

Price Per

Plant-Pot

(US $)

(C)

Number of

Plant-pots

(A / B = C)

Vallisneria neotropicalis

Eelgrass 4” liner, Nursery-grown $300,000.00 $ 1) _____________

Potamogeton illinoensis

Illinois

Pondweed

4” liner, Nursery-grown $199,999.00 $ 2) _____________

TOTAL NUMBER OF PLANT-POTS (1 + 2 = 3) 3) _____________

BY SIGNING BELOW, I ATTEST THAT I HAVE READ THE ENTIRE BID AND AGREE TO FURNISH

THE SERVICE AT THE PRICE QUOTED ABOVE. I HEREBY AFFIRM I HAVE NOT BEEN IN ANY

AGREEMENT OR COLLUSION AMONG BIDDERS IN RESTRAINT OF FREEDOM OF COMPETITION.

Contractor: ___________________________

Address: _____________________________

Print Name: __________________________

Name (sign): __________________________

Title: ________________________________

City/State/Zip: _______________________

E-Mail _______________________________

Telephone: ___________________________

REFERENCES

A minimum of three (3) separate and verifiable references, from persons or firms for whom the bidder has performed similar jobs as per the bid specifications shall be supplied with the bid. The same client may not be listed for more than one (1) reference, and no more than one (1) of the submitted references shall be related to a past project where staff necessary for the current project were unaffiliated with the bidder and/or employed by a different company. If providing an unaffiliated reference, enter the information in

Reference 4 - Collective Experience. The firms and/or contact persons should be available between the hours of 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. FWC staff will attempt to contact each selected reference by phone up to three (3) times. If any reference is not available as stated above, this may be cause for rejection of the Bidder’s bid. Provide a description (scope of work) of each job.

REFERENCE #1

Name: __________________________________________________________________________________________

Address: ________________________________________________________________________________________

Contact Person: ____________________________________ Telephone Number: _________________________

Project Dates for Work Performed (MM/YYYY): _________________________ to _________________________

Project Location: _________________________________________________________________________________

Brief description of the services performed for the project:

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-38, Page 22 of 65

REFERENCE #2

Name: __________________________________________________________________________________________

Address: ________________________________________________________________________________________

Contact Person: ____________________________________ Telephone Number: _________________________

Project Dates for Work Performed (MM/YYYY): _________________________ to _________________________

Project Location: _________________________________________________________________________________

Brief description of the services performed for the project:

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-38, Page 23 of 65

REFERENCE #3

Name: __________________________________________________________________________________________

Address: ________________________________________________________________________________________

Contact Person: ____________________________________ Telephone Number: _________________________

Project Dates for Work Performed (MM/YYYY): _________________________ to _________________________

Project Location: _________________________________________________________________________________

Brief description of the services performed for the project:

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-38, Page 24 of 65

REFERENCE #4 – COLLECTIVE EXPERIENCE

Name: __________________________________________________________________________________________

Address: ________________________________________________________________________________________

Contact Person: ____________________________________ Telephone Number: _________________________

Collective Experience Employee

First Name: __________________________________ Last Name: ___________________________________

Previous Employer’s Name: _______________________________________________________________________

Previous Position Title: ___________________________________________________________________________

Project Dates for Work Performed (MM/YYYY): _________________________ to _________________________

Project Location: _________________________________________________________________________________

Brief description of the services performed for the project:

SAMPLE REFERENCE QUESTIONNAIRE

REFERENCE:

Reference Organization Name: ___________________________________________

Reference Contact: ______________________________________________________

Reference Phone Number: _______________________________________________

For Agency use ONLY, to be…