FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION

1875 ORANGE AVE E

TALLAHASSEE, FL 32311-6160

(850) 488-6551

Bulrush Revegetation - St. Johns River Lakes

FWC 25/26-69

INVITATION TO BID

ITB BIDDER ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM

Purpose: The intent of this bid is to obtain competitive pricing for planting bulrush (relocate wild-collected bulrush from FWC supplied donor sites) within St. Johns River Lakes, , 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. We have examined the site in reference to the specifications contained within this ITB and have familiarized ourselves with the entire site and have examined carefully the extent of the work that is needed.”

Authorized Signature (Manual): ________________________________________________________________________________________

Authorized Signature Name (Typed) and Title: __________________________________________________________________________

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-69, Page 3 of 69

DRAFT CALENDAR OF EVENTS

FWC 25/26-69

SCHEDULE DUE DATE METHOD

Bid Advertised February 19, 2026 Posted on the Vendor Information Portal

(VIP)

Deadline for Questions

Must be received

PRIOR to:

February 26, 2026

@ 5:00 PM ET

See Solicitation Questions Clause

Anticipated date for Responses to Written Questions March 2, 2026 Posted on the Vendor Information Portal

SEALED BIDS DUE

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

Must be received

PRIOR to:

March 10, 2026

@ 2:00PM ET

Mailing Address:

Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation

Commission

Attn: Purchasing

1875 Orange Ave E

Tallahassee, Florida 32311-6160

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

Public Bid Opening March 10, 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 March 12, 2026 Posted on the Vendor Information Portal https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-69, Page 4 of 69

GENERAL CONDITIONS

FWC 25/26-69

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 25/26-69, Page 5 of 69

PROCUREMENT MANAGER

Martin Ehlen martin.ehlen@myfwc.com

ESTIMATED BUDGET

The Commission has an estimated budget for this project is of $850,000.00 for the initial term..

TERM

The contract will be effective for 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 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.

MANDATORY BIDDER SITE VISIT

It is mandatory that prospective bidders inspect the project sites prior to submitting a bid. Bidders must visit the sites marked in red on the maps as well as visit shorelines of lakes proposed for planting. This will enable bidders to familiarize themselves with the scope of work. Bidders shall visit the sites on their own.

The Site Visit Mandatory Attestation-Individual Bidder Attendance form (Attachment B) must be completed by the Contractor and submitted with the bid package. FWC will only issue an official written response to verbal questions subsequently submitted in writing in accordance with the Deadline for Questions clause below.

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 25/26-69, Page 6 of 69

.Boat ramps at: Lake Jesup, Lake Harney, Lake Monroe, Lake Beresford, Lake Dexter, Lake Woodruff, and

Lake George.

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

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-69, Page 7 of 69

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

REFERENCES

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

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

EQUAL BIDS

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

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

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

SUPPORTING/SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

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

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

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

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

Contractor’s bid.

CONFIDENTIALITY/PUBLIC RECORDS LAW

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

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

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

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 25/26-69, Page 8 of 69

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Attn: Purchasing

1875 Orange Ave E

Tallahassee, Florida 32311-6160.

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

OPENING.

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

MARKED.

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

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

AND SHALL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

SOLICITATION PUBLIC OPENING

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

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

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

AWARDED BID/INSPECTION

The Commission will award the bid to the responsive, responsible bidder who submits the lowest bid with the highest number of plants. 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 with the highest number of plants 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.

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-69, Page 9 of 69

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

SCOPE CHANGES AFTER CONTRACT EXECUTION

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

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

FWC CONTRACT MANAGER

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

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

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

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

Certificate of Contract Completion form; and

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

DELIVERABLES

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

Contract:

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

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

LIQUIDATED DAMAGES

If the Contractor fails to complete the work or the conditions of the Purchase Order and/or Change Orders by the completion date, the Commission shall have the right to deduct liquidated damages from any amount due and payable to the Contractor. Liquidated damages shall be assessed in the amount of $100.00 per calendar day of delay. Exceptions to this provision may be made if a delay is attributable to circumstances that are clearly beyond the control of the Contractor. The burden of proof of unavoidable delay shall rest with the Contractor and shall be supplied in a written form and submitted to the Contract Manager.

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.

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 25/26-69, Page 10 of 69

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”.

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.

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

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-69, Page 11 of 69

USE OF CONTRACT BY OTHER STATE AGENCIES AND ELIGIBLE USERS

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

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

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

CONDITIONS AND SPECIFICATIONS

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

REMAINDER OF PAGE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-69, Page 12 of 69

SCOPE OF WORK

FWC 25/26-69

BULRUSH REVEGETATION - ST. JOHNS RIVER LAKES

PURPOSE

This Invitation to Bid entails harvesting bulrush from existing stands in Lake Jesup (Seminole County) and Lake Monroe (Volusia County) and relocating to multiple lakes along the St. Johns River including

Lake Harney, Lake Monroe, Lake Beresford, Lake Woodruff, Lake Dexter, and Lake George. All work sites

(Figure 1, 2, & 3) will be specified by the FWC Project Manager, including the number of plants installed in each lake, in response to environmental conditions and program budgets. The FWC Project Manager will prioritize and determine the date, time, and schedule for all work.

1. INITIAL TERM COMPLETION DATES

1.1. The completion date for the initial term of this project will be 2 years from the issuance of the first purchase order.

2. DEFINITIONS

2.1. RELOCATED PLANT – A plant manually collected (harvested) from an existing stand (donor site) within a public water body, transported either to another public water body or within the same and planted.

3. PLANT SPECIES

3.1. BULRUSH – Giant bulrush Schoenoplectus californicus. A bare root bulrush plant is defined as a single intact (not split or torn) rhizome of at least 2 inches in length, with at least one live stem of a minimum length of four feet and associated roots. Stems shall not be cut back unless specified by the FWC Project Manager.

4.

SPECIES COMMON NAME TYPE/SIZE

ALLOCATION

AMOUNT

(US $)

Schoenoplectus californicus giant bulrush

Relocation (Bare-Root, Public

Wild Collection) from FWC specified Donor Waterbody; 2-inch rhizome

$850,000.00

5. BID SPECIFICATIONS

5.1. The proposed project budget is $850,000.00 for the initial term. Project budget during the initial term may increase or decrease depending on environmental conditions and program budgets.

5.2. The Contractor shall provide a price-per-plant to harvest plants from Lake Jesup and Lake Monroe and relocate those plants to specified lakes along the St. Johns River. The Contractor must also

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-69, Page 13 of 69 provide the number of plants to equal the allocation amount (allocation amount divided by price-per-plant = number of plants to be supplied and planted), e.g., allocation amount = $250,000 and price-per-plant is $1.00, so number of plants = 250,000). Bid will be awarded to the responsive, responsible bidder that submits the highest “NUMBER OF PLANTS”. In the event additional funding becomes available, the awarded price-per-plant may be used to procure additional plants above the awarded number and original allocated funding amount.

5.3. Bid pricing shall include all necessary items (plants, containers, workers, boats, equipment, maintenance of equipment, fuel, etc.) to perform work of harvesting bulrush plants, transporting the plants, and installing bulrush plants at designated locations as well as providing all safety devices required by law.

5.4. Upon receipt of a Purchase Order, the FWC Contract Manager will contact the Contractor to schedule the starting date for the project and issue a written notice to proceed.

5.5. All work shall begin on the agreed-upon commencement date as listed on the written notice to proceed.

5.6. The commencement date shall be defined as the first day the Contractor attempts to harvest wild-collected plants from an approved donor lake.

6. PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS

6.1. 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 FWC

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

6.2. The FWC Project Manager and/or Contract Manager will make periodic inspections with the

Contractor and determine work completeness. At the end of each planting day, the FWC Project

Manager or Contract Manager and Contractor must agree to the number of plants installed and document number of plants installed using Exhibit A.

6.3. This project is expected to occur during the months of March, April and May (one for each State fiscal year) during both years of the initial term since the initial term is two years with no renewal.

All work shall be completed within sixty (60) calendar days of each work commencement date, unless otherwise stated in writing by the FWC Project Manager or Contract Manager.

7. SUPPLYING AND PLANTING SPECIFICATIONS

7.1. Bulrush plants will be harvested from Lake Jesup and Lake Monroe and planted into specified lakes within the St. Johns River. Supplied bulrush plants shall be bare root wild-collected and rinsed to remove sediment, debris and/or non-target plant parts (leaves, stems, roots, propagules) and any other exotic species (plant or non-plant, e.g., hydrilla, exotic snails). All plants shall be handled and transported in such a way that the root and stem material remain viable. Once plants are harvested and placed into bundles, the plants must be wrapped in moist burlap and kept moist until installed.

The FWC Manager on site (Project or Contract) reserves the absolute authority to refuse plants, at

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-69, Page 14 of 69 no cost to the Commission, considered by the Commission to be contaminated or of poor quality. All harvested plants shall be planted within 48 hours of being harvested.

7.2. Bulrush planted on Lake Monroe will be harvested from donor sites within Lake Monroe. Lake

Jesup will be used as the donor site for all other lakes unless instructed otherwise in writing by the

FWC Project Manager.

7.3. Final determination of specific planting sites within the St. Johns River Lakes will be made prior to planting in response to environmental conditions.

7.4. Each plant will be planted individually in the substrate to a depth of approximately 4 inches. The

FWC Project Manager will determine plant spacing and schematic based on environmental conditions and program budgets.

8. SITE CONDITIONS

8.1. Harvesting and planting locations will occur over moderately firm bottom and in water depths less than 3.5 feet. On the larger lakes, inclement weather may cause hazardous conditions, including large waves or flooding.

9. PRODUCTION STANDARD

9.1. The Contractor must provide enough manpower and equipment to plant a minimum of 10,000 bulrush plants each day planting occurs. This performance outcome shall be measured upon completion of each workday and documented using Exhibit 1. Any deviation from the performance standard due to unforeseen conditions must be approved by the FWC Project Manager or Contract

Manager. Work may be suspended during unsafe weather conditions. It is the Contractor’s responsibility to determine what conditions are safe for their equipment and crew. The Contractor must notify the FWC Project Manager or Contract Manager if unsafe weather conditions prevent work.

10. WORK AREA

10.1. Public Access: Use the link below to find all public boat ramps accessible for this project. While project sites will typically be within 5 miles of a boat ramp, some sites may be up to 12 miles from the nearest access point.

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

10.3. Lake Jesup: Lake Jesup Park and Boat Ramp, Seminole County (Latitude 28.7267 / Longitude -

81.2639 W); 5951 S Sanford Ave, Sanford, FL

10.4. Lake Monroe: Wayside Park Boat Ramp, Seminole County (Latitude 28.836429 / Longitude -

81.323859); 150 US-17 N, Sanford, FL 32771

10.5. Lake Beresford: French Landing Boat Ramp, Volusia County (Latitude 28.946687, Longitude -

81.343939); 2100 West French Ave, Orange City, FL 32763

10.6. Lake Harney: C.S. Lee Park, Seminole County, (Latitude 28.715731°, Longitude -81.035699); 4600

FL-46, Geneva, FL 32732 https://gis.myfwc.com/BoatRampFinder/

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-69, Page 15 of 69

10.7. Lake George/Dexter/Woodruff: Astor Boat Ramp, (Latitude 29.162757°, Longitude -81.524923°);

55445 Front St., Astor, FL 32102

10.8. Lake George: Lake George Boat Ramp (Latitude 29.201662, Longitude -81.577721); 58300 Lake

George Road, Astor, FL 32102

10.9. Lake George: Shell Harbor Marina Park (Latitude 29.217105, Longitude -81.53341207); 1800 Shell

Harbor Road, Pierson, FL 32180

10.10. Lake George: Juniper Hunt Club Boat Ramp (Private): (Latitude 29.247126, Longitude -81.637505);

18537 Juniper Hunt Club Rd, Fort McCoy, FL 32134

10.11. Lake George: Salt Springs Run Marina Boat Ramp (Latitude 29.349682, Longitude -81.730354);

25711 NE 134th Place, Salt Springs, FL 32134

11. WORK EXPERIENCE

11.1. The Contractor shall have at least three (3) years of similar work experience as reflected in their

References.

11.2. The FWC Project Manager or Contract Manager reserves the right to inspect all equipment proposed for use by the Contractor..

12. SAFTEY

12.1. 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.

12.2. 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/).

13. PAYMENT SPECIFICATIONS

13.1. The Contractor will be paid for the number of supplied plants meeting bid specification requirements that are successfully planted. The Contractor and onsite FWC Manager (Project or Contract) shall agree in writing on the number of plants successfully planted at the end of each planting day in accordance with the Contract Management Daily Report / Aquatic Revegetation (EXHIBIT 1). The

Contractor may submit a total of four invoices, unless otherwise requested by the FWC Contract

Manager. Invoices shall be representative of the total number of plants successfully planted over all planting days, or those planting days requested by the FWC Contract Manager at the time of invoice request.

13.2. Partial payments may be requested upon completion of work specified in the Purchase Order. Initial payment may be requested when 25% of the project is completed and approved by both the FWC http://myfwc.com/boating/safety-education/equipment/

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-69, Page 16 of 69

Project Manager and Contract Manager. Partial payments will also be accepted when 50% and 75% of the project are completed and approved by the FWC Project and Contract Managers. Final payment will only be authorized once the project is completed and quality of work is approved by the FWC Project and Contract Managers. The final invoice must be received no later than seven (7) calendar days following project completion and prior to June 12, 2026.

14. GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS

14.1. If the Contractor does not meet bid specifications or the Contractor no longer agrees to fulfill any further Purchase Order Contracts, the Commission reserves the right to award all future work to the next lowest bidder or reissue a bid request.

14.2. Failure to comply with any or all contract specifications may result in the Contractor’s immediate termination and final payment shall be only for work completed and approved by the FWC Project or Contract Manager.

14.3. The Contractor shall not discharge or permit discharge into the waters, streams, lakes, rivers, canals, ditches, or reservoirs any fuels, oils, bitumen, chemicals, pollutants, or other harmful materials. The Contractor shall investigate and comply with all Federal, State, County, and

Municipal laws concerning pollution of rivers and streams. If any Contractor-generated waste material is dumped or spilled, the Contractor shall remove the material and restore the area to its original condition prior to being disturbed.

14.4. The Contractor, Contractor’s employees, agents, or subcontractors shall not allow or cause to be allowed any weapons, animals, alcohol, drugs, illegal substances, or unauthorized personnel to be taken on to or used on any of the property subject to this contract including but not limited to easement property, work sites, or adjacent state property. The Contractor shall always enforce strict discipline and good order among employees and shall not employ on the work any unfit person or anyone not skilled in the work assigned.

14.5. The Contractor shall provide and maintain sufficient protection for the lives and health of employees and other persons, preventing of damage to property, materials, and equipment. To this end, the

Contractor shall comply with all applicable state, federal, and local governmental safety laws, rules, regulations, and codes.

14.6. The Contractor, or their employees, shall not intentionally harm any wildlife.

14.7. All media contacts or press releases will be conducted by the Commission. The Contractor may not do their own PR.

14.8. The FWC will obtain all permits necessary to complete the project. The Contractor shall assume full legal and financial responsibility for any permit violations resulting from the activities of their employees.

15. FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES

15.1. For any day that the minimum production standard of 10,000 bulrush plants is not installed, $100.00 will be deducted from the total amount owed to the Contractor. The FWC Project or

Contract Manager can waive the financial consequences amount if the delay is due to circumstances beyond the Contractor’s control.

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-69, Page 17 of 69

Figure 1. Bulrush harvest locations (donor sites) in Lake Jesup indicated by the shoreline marked in red.

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-69, Page 18 of 69

Figure 2. Bulrush harvest locations (donor sites) in Lake Monroe indicated by shoreline marked in red.

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-69, Page 19 of 69

Figure 3. Map showing locations of FWC specified donor waterbodies and lakes bulrush may be planted.

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-69, Page 20 of 69

EXHIBIT A

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-69, Page 21 of 69

PRICE SHEET

FWC 25/26-69

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 NUMBER OF PLANTS

WITHIN THE ESTIMATED BUDGET ALLOCATION AMOUNT OF $850,000 ACROSS THE TWO-YEAR

INITIAL TERM.

Price per plant includes all costs associated with supplying and planting. Completely fill in all requested information.

SPECIES

COMMON

NAME

TYPE/SIZE

ALLOCATION

AMOUNT

(US $)

A

PRICE PER

PLANT

(US $)

B

NUMBER OF

PLANTS

(A / B = C)

C

Schoenoplectus californicus giant bulrush

Relocation (Bare-

Root, Public Wild

Collection) from FWC

Specified Donor

Waterbody; 2-inch rhizome

$850,000.00 $_____________ #_____________

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: _____________________________________

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 3.12.2025 FWC 25/26-69, Page 22 of 69

REFERENCES

FWC 25/26-69

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.

As stated in the Scope of Work Section 3 “The Contractor shall have at least three (3) years of similar work experience as reflected in their References.”

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 25/26-69, Page 23 of 69

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 25/26-69, Page 24 of 69

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 25/26-69, Page 25 of 69

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

FWC 25/26-69

REFERENCE:

Reference Organization Name: ___________________________________________

Reference Contact: ______________________________________________________

Reference Phone Number:…