FWC 25.26-48 Final.pdf

FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION

1875 ORANGE AVE E

TALLAHASSEE, FL 32311-6160

(850) 488-6551

Private Recreational Discard Camera Monitoring

FWC 25/26-48

INVITATION TO BID

ITB BIDDER ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM

Purpose: The intent of this bid is to obtain competitive pricing for 20 electronic monitoring systems (EMS) that can be temporarily installed on private recreational fishing vessels with accompanying video review software and technical support. EMS will be used to monitor patterns of released fish in the Tampa Bay region, 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: _____________________Contractor’s License 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 25/26-48, Page 3 of 61

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

FWC 25/26-48

SCHEDULE DUE DATE METHOD

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

(VIP)

Deadline for Questions

Must be received PRIOR to:

January 13, 2026

@ 5:00 PM ET

See Solicitation Questions Clause

Anticipated date for Responses to Written Questions

January 16, 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:

January 23, 2026

@ 3:30 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 January 23, 2026

@ 3:30 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

January 28, 2026 Posted on the Vendor Information Portal

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GENERAL CONDITIONS

FWC 25/26-48

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.

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PROCUREMENT MANAGER

Adrian Wiggins Adrian.Wiggins@myfwc.com

TERM

The contract will be effective two years 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.

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.

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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.

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.

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SUPPORTING/SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

The Commission requires that bidders submit all required technical, specification, and other supporting information with their bid, so that a detailed analysis and determination can be made, by the Contract Manager that the product/service offered meets this ITB’s specifications and that other requirements of this ITB have been met. However, provided a bid meets the requirements for a definite, firm, unqualified, and unconditional offer, the Commission reserves the right to request supplemental information from the bidder after the bids have been opened to ensure that the products/services offered completely meet this ITB’s requirements. The requirement for such supplemental information will be at the reasonable discretion of the Commission and may include the requirement that a bidder will provide a sample product(s) so that the Commission can make a first-hand examination and determination.

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

CONFIDENTIALITY/PUBLIC RECORDS LAW

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

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

The Commission will endeavor to provide notice to the Bidder of all public records requests received related to documents provided by the Bidder that were marked pursuant to this paragraph. In no event shall the Bidder hold the Commission or any of its employees or agents liable for disclosing, or otherwise failing to protect the confidentiality of, information submitted in response to this solicitation.

MAILING INSTRUCTIONS

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

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Attn: Purchasing 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.

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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.

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;

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• 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.

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

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-48, Page 10 of 61 and the Purchase Order executed pursuant to it. The Commission is not liable for any costs, fees, expenses or any other compensation whatsoever incurred or charged by the Contractor, other than the bid price paid for the work specifically described in the Scope of Work, which work is actually accomplished and invoiced by the Contractor subsequent to the Commission’s notice to proceed (or other notice to begin work). Thus, the Commission is not liable for any costs incurred or charged by the Contractor in anticipation of responding to, or performing work described in, this ITB including, but not limited to, equipment or personnel procured by the Contractor in anticipation of such work. The Commission is not responsible to the Contractor for any loss or damages resulting from circumstances unforeseen at the time of publication of this ITB including, but not limited to, those resulting from a “force majeure”.

ADDITIONAL LEGAL REQUIREMENT

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

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SCOPE OF WORK

FWC 25/26-48

PRIVATE RECREATIONAL DISCARD CAMERA MONITORING

1. DESCRIPTION OF GOODS/SERVICES

1.1. Statement of Purpose: The purpose of the request is to solicit bids for 20 electronic monitoring systems (EMS) that can be temporarily installed on private recreational fishing vessels with accompanying video review software. These cameras and software will be used to document private angler fishing trips and their associated catch and discards of important reef species in Florida. The EMS units will be used to record and store video coverage of the full fishing vessel to record fishing activity and precise temporal and location data. The systems will need to be small, portable, autonomous units that can be temporarily installed and easily removed after the vessel has completed its final fishing trip as part of the research project. Each EMS must be equipped with two cameras to maximize the view of the boat and fishing activity, a power source that persists for the entirety of the fishing trip, a control panel that stores footage and provides local access to view the camera feeds, and a GPS unit that collects accurate location information. The video review software will need to allow for rapid viewing and annotation of the video for various fishing behaviors.

Support and training for the use of the EMS equipment and software, as well as technical support, must be provided.

1.2. The overall objective of this project is to improve the quality of recreational discard information available to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) for the management of important reef fish species in Florida.

2. BACKGROUND

2.1. The magnitude of private recreational discards remains poorly understood for many fisheries in the United States. Typically, private recreational discard rates are estimated using dockside intercept survey data which rely on angler recall, are challenging to validate, and often lack key details on discard characteristics, such as size or fishing injuries. Accurate information on private recreational discard rates is vital to assessing the status of fisheries stocks, particularly since the magnitude of regulatory discards now exceeds directed harvest for many highly targeted species (e.g., red snapper, gag, red grouper, and greater amberjack in the Gulf Region). Additionally, Florida has the largest recreational fishery in the United States and many of these fish are caught primarily or exclusively in Florida waters. Therefore, accurately accounting for recreational discard data from Florida is particularly important.

2.2. Direct monitoring of angler behavior is widely regarded as one of the most reliable methods for obtaining accurate discard information. NOAA Fisheries has used at-sea observers on commercial fishing vessels since 1972 and began piloting electronic monitoring systems (EMS) in 2013. Florida has been collecting vital discard information using at-sea observers on for-hire vessels in the Gulf since 2009. However, the magnitude of private recreational vessels has made the broad use of at-sea observers to monitor discards of this fleet impractical. Instead of sampling all recreational fishing boats we intend to use EMS to directly monitor a subset of private recreational fishing trips, and this footage will be used to validate the magnitude and characteristics of discards for comparison with existing data streams in the region. For each quarter (three-month period) starting May 2026 to October of 2027, fifteen private recreational vessels will be selected to participate by temporarily installing an EMS and recording two offshore fishing trips per month. This will amount to

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-48, Page 12 of 61 approximately 4,320 hours of video from 540 recorded trips on as many as 90 different recreational vessels. Given the project goals, the EMS will need to be small, portable, and autonomous.

Accompanying software for video review will need to provide efficient means of capturing fisheries dependent data, while ensuring data security and meeting agency software requirements.

3. SUPPORT OF COMMISSION MISSION

3.1. The stated mission of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is “Managing fish and wildlife resources for their long-term well-being and the benefit of people.” Effective management of those resources depends on the quality of information used to inform management decisions. The work conducted by this purchase order will improve the information available to managers to inform the decision-making process. The work specifically addresses deficiencies in recreational fisheries discard data.

3.2. Currently, to address discard knowledge gaps in the private recreational fishing fleet, data from the for-hire fleet, where it is available, is often used as the best available proxy. This occurs despite concerns that the for-hire and private recreational fleets may not have similar discard patterns.

Given that the private recreational fleet is significantly larger than the for-hire fleet, relying on for-hire data as a proxy may result in substantial over- or underestimation of total recreational discards, especially if discard patterns between the two fleets are not well aligned. Consequently, assessing the degree of congruence in discard patterns between the two fleets is a critical and urgent assessment and management objective. EMS data collected through this purchase will enhance our understanding of private recreational discards and assess the extent to which their magnitude and characteristics can be reliably estimated using existing data streams.

4. DEFINITIONS

4.1. FDM – Fisheries Dependent Monitoring

4.2. EMS – Electronic Monitoring System

4.3. NOAA – National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

4.4. FWC - Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

5. SPECIFIC PROJECT DELIVERABLES & ASSOCIATED TASKS

5.1.1. Task 1 – EMS & Accessories

a. Vendor will be responsible for delivering 20 EMS units (cost to include commodities, labor, and shipping, as separate line items in the cost sheet) that meet the specifications outlined below by April 30, 2026. Vendor will be responsible for providing all necessary accessories for the operation of the units onboard >20 ft private recreational fishing vessels. For example, any external batteries, chargers, casing, data storage devices, cables, and mounting devices, as needed. A user manual must be provided to FWC for EMS units with the shipment(s) of goods.

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5.1.2. EMS specifications

a. Two camera-system minimum

b. Camera resolution minimum of 1080p/2MP at 30 frames per second

c. Camera minimum field of view of 120 degrees

d. Preference for smaller and lighter cameras

e. Temporary mounting capabilities,

f. Preference for adherence to a variety of materials (fiberglass, wood, plastic, metal)

g. Mounting MUST not require any permanent modifications be made to the mounting surface.

h. Small – all system components (including the camera) must fit in a 12in x 12in x 12in box (Maximum volume =1,720 cubic inches)

i. DC battery powered for at least 12hrs of continuous operation

j. Battery charger must be included

k. Data storage for at least 12hrs of continuous operation without overwriting

l. Data must be encrypted and stored locally

m. GPS equipped for accurate location information of fishing locations

n. System must be able to withstand a minimum of 24 months at-sea without water intrusion, corrosion, and UV degradation.

o. System must be operable in temperatures ranging from 32 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

5.1.3. Task 2 – Video Review Software

a. Vendor will be responsible for delivering a software platform that will allow for annotation and data collection from the footage and GPS data collected by the EMS units that meet the specifications outlined below (cost to include software and any subscription requirements or other software dependencies). A user manual must be provided to FWC for the software with the software delivery.

5.1.4. Software specifications

a. Allows for at least 8 users

b. Vendor must provide the following titles or processes to FWC regarding the software platform:

i. Information Security Policy

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ii. Data Protection Policy

iii. Incident Response Plan

iv. Access Control Policy/RBAC Policy

v. SOC 2 Type II Report (or similar)

vi. ISO/IEC 27001 Certification

vii. Penetration Testing Reports/Audit Reports

viii. Service Level Agreements

ix. Disaster Recovery Plan

x. System Architecture and Security Design (including details on how data is logically and physically separated)

xi. Data Encryption Policy

xii. Data Retention and Disposal Policy

xiii. Data Breach Notification Procedures

xiv. Security Monitoring, Logging, and Audit Logs and Reporting Policy

xv. Multi-Factor Authentication Policy

c. Vendor will need to specify precisely where the system will live. For example, if it is in the cloud, FWC will need to know the provider (Azure, AWS, GCP, etc.), what regions it is deployed under, and if it’s GOV/Fed Ramp.

d. Software must provide a means to sync the two video camera streams for a side-by-side view that facilitates an efficient review process.

e. Software must provide the capability to collect data on trip date, trip duration, trip departure and return location, fishing station location and duration, target species, angler specific catch and discard information, including species name, disposition, release method, and additional annotation to quantify EMS coverage (e.g. image quality issues, catch handling outside the field of view etc.). Some additional data fields may be required, so configuration flexibility is preferred.

f. Software with image capture and/or annotation functionality is preferred

5.1.5. Task 3 - Technical Support

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a. Vendor will be responsible for providing at least one training (as requested) for the EMS units, and at least one training (as requested) for the video review software. An EMS training must be accommodated as requested, within five business days of request. A one-month testing period for software configuration is preferred. Vendor will be responsible for providing technical support and troubleshooting for both the EMS units and the software for the duration of the project (24 months).

6. MINIMUM VENDOR QUALIFICATIONS

6.1. Vendor must be a NOAA (or equivalent) approved Electronic Monitoring Service Provider that produces equipment designed for the marine fisheries monitoring space, with an understanding of the data needs for fisheries dependent monitoring. Vendor must include a copy of their NOAA (or equivalent) EMS permit with a bid submittal. Any bids without an EMS permit will be deemed non-responsive. Vendor must be able to produce durable, seaworthy electronic monitoring systems (EMS) that meet the specifications outlined in the deliverables (section 5) with accompanying software for video review that meets the software specifications listed in the deliverables (section 5).

7. MINIMUM LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE

7.1. Performance standards are measured by the vendor’s record of adherence to the deadlines set forth in the schedule for services. The FWC must be advised immediately if any deadline cannot be met, of any changes to the primary components of the EMS units, accessories or software during the production period that are different to the description provided in the bid, and if any of the deliverables will not meet the required specifications. The vendor will be responsible for producing, testing and shipping 20 EMS units with all EMS accessories by April 30, 2026. EMS units received in nonworking order shall be repaired and/or replaced and provided to FWC within 2 weeks of receipt of the unit from FWC unless otherwise agreed upon by the project manager.

7.2. The vendor will be responsible for providing the review software within 2 months of issuance of the purchase order, training FWC staff on the review software either in person or virtually, and providing technical support for the EMS systems and review software within one business day of FWC request for the duration of the project.

8. MONITORING OF DELIVERABLES

8.1. FWC reserves the right to request frequent written communication about the status of the deliverables, request trainings as described above, and request documentation of technical support provided.

9. DOCUMENTATION/ CRITERIA USED AS EVIDENCE OF PERFORMANCE

9.1. Tracking information for shipment(s) of deliverables must be provided to FWC upon shipment. FWC will test each EMS unit within 60 days of receipt to determine working order and provide written confirmation to the vendor. Any documented technical issues by FWC must be addressed by the vendor, within 60 days of notification, and documented through written communication. Any shipping costs associated with the repair/replacement of nonworking units will be the responsibility of the vendor A user manual must be provided to FWC for EMS units with the shipment(s) of goods.

An EMS training must be accommodated as requested, within five business days of request.

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-48, Page 16 of 61

Software must be provided with installation instructions, user manual, and a training must be accommodated as requested. Technical support hours must be tracked by the vendor and provided to FWC upon request.

10. FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES

10.1. Partial payments will be processed as EMS units and accessories are received and working order is confirmed by FWC (within 60 days of receipt of shipment). FWC will only pay for EMS received in working order. Every week past the April 30, 2026 delivery date that the EMS are received will result in a 10% deduction in the total payment made for that unit. The penalty would be incurred the first day after the deadline and then a week later another 10% reduction would be applied, and so on. Full payment for software and software dependencies will be processed upon delivery. 10% of the total software cost will be deducted from the final payment for each week late that the software is delivered. Partial payments will be processed for technical support as hours are accrued and invoiced up to 100 hours. 10% of the total technical support cost will be deducted from the final payment for each day late that the support is provided. Payments for trainings will be provided upon successful completion of each training.10% of the total training cost will be deducted from the final payment for each day late that the training is provided.

11. TIMELINE FOR COMPLETION

Table 1. Project Calendar. Start date is issuance of purchase order.

Timeline Description of Task(s) To Be Completed

To begin upon issuance of purchase order

1. Vendor production of EMS units

2. Vendor delivery and configuration of the video review software -First three months after issuance of purchase order

1. Vendor provides training and collaborative configuration of software as requested by

FWC

No later than April 30, 2026

1. All 20 units must be delivered by vendor to

FWC

2. Vendor can deliver EMS units in batches for partial payments upon confirmation of working order

No later than May 30, 2026 1. Final payment will be made by FWC upon confirmation of working order for all 20 EMS units

May 1 – December 31, 2026 1. FWC will deploy EMS systems and complete video review for all trips

2. Vendor provides technical support for EMS units and video review

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-48, Page 17 of 61

PRICE SHEET

FWC 25/26-48

CONTRACTOR SHALL NOT ALTER THE PRICE SHEET IN ANY WAY.

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

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

TO THE RESPONSIVE, RESPONSIBLE BIDDER THAT SUBMITS THE LOWEST TOTAL

PRICE.

Prices bid must be the total cost for the completion of Tasks 1 through 3 described in the deliverables section, to include production and shipment of 20 EMS units and associated accessories (Tables A & B), video review software (Table C), and technical support (Table D) for the duration of the project.

Bid must include a thorough description of the EMS and its component parts, as well as a thorough description of the software, to assess whether the vendor meets deliverable specifications. Vendors can provide their descriptions of goods and services to meet specification requirements on separate pages included with their submission, so long as they notate in the description column that it is on a separate sheet.

Table A

EMS Production and Delivery of 20 units

Description of goods or services to meet the specification requirements

Unit Price Total Cost for 20

Units

EMS Unit

Component part assembly labor

Shipping

Total Cost for EMS Production and Delivery of 20 units (No Accessories)

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-48, Page 18 of 61

Table B

EMS Accessories

Description of goods or services to meet the specification requirements

Unit Price Total Cost for 20

Units

Battery

Charger

Casing

Cables

Data Storage Devices

Mounting Devices

Shipping

Other

Total Costs for EMS Accessories

Table C

Software Platform and dependencies

Description of goods or services to meet the specification requirements

Unit Price Total Cost for 8

Users

Software

Software Dependencies (as required)

Software Configuration (as available)

Total Costs for Software Platform and dependencies

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-48, Page 19 of 61

Table D

Technical support for the duration of the project

Description of goods or services to meet the specification requirements

Unit Price Total Cost for 100 hrs or two trainings (EMS and software)

Technical Support for EMS units up to

100 hrs /per hr

Technical Support for Software up to

100 hrs /per hr

Initial Trainings as requested

/per training

Total Costs for Technical support for the duration of the project

TOTAL BID PRICE: $_____________________________________

(Add Table totals for Tables A, B, C and D)

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: _________________________________

Signed: ___________________________________

Print Name: ______________________________

Title: ____________________________________

City/State/Zip: ____________________________

Phone: ___________________________________

Fax: _____________________________________

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:

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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 25/26-48, Page 22 of 61

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 25/26-48, Page 23 of 61

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:

REFERENCE QUESTIONNAIRE

REFERENCE:

Reference Organization Name: ___________________________________________ Reference Contact: ______________________________________________________ Reference Phone Number: _______________________________________________

For Agency use ONLY, to be completed following the bid opening:

The following questions will be asked of the client reference, as chosen at the discretion of the Agency.

1. Did the vendor stay within the approved timeline/budget?

Excellent Above Satisfactory Satisfactory Fair Poor

Comments:

2. Did the vendor maintain clear communication?

3. How satisfied was your organization with the vendor's skill, knowledge, cooperativeness, and…