FWC 26.27-07 ITB Final.pdf

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

1875 ORANGE AVE E

TALLAHASSEE, FL 32311-6160

(850) 488-6551

ROAD MAINTENANCE GRADING PROJECT ONWILDLIFE AND

ENVIRONMENTAL AREAS (WEA) AND WILDLIFE

MANAGEMENT AREAS (WMA) IN FRANKLIN AND GULF

COUNTIES

FWC 26/27-07

INVITATION TO BID

ITB BIDDER ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM

Purpose: The intent of this bid is to obtain competitive pricing for annual maintenance grading projects of roads on Apalachicola River WEA and Box-R WMA in Franklin and Gulf County in accordance 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. 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 07.01.2026 FWC 26/27-07, Page 3 of 71

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

FWC 26/27-07

SCHEDULE DUE DATE METHOD

Bid Advertised September 23, 2026 Posted on the Vendor Information Portal (VIP)

Deadline for Questions

Must be received PRIOR to:

October 2, 2026

@ 5:00 PM ET

See Solicitation Questions Clause

Anticipated date for Responses to Written Questions October 7, 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:

October 15, 2026

@ 4:00 PM ET

Mailing Address:

Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission Attn: Purchasing 1875 Orange Ave E Tallahassee, Florida 32311-6160

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

Public Bid Opening October 15, 2026

@ 4:00 PM ET

Public Opening Options for Attendance:

-In Person- 1875 Orange Ave E Tallahassee, FL 32311-6160

-Teleconference- Conference call phone number: 1.850.270.2928

Conference room number: 908.838.32#

Anticipated Date of Intended Award October 19, 2026 Posted on the Vendor Information Portal https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 07.01.2026 FWC 26/27-07, Page 4 of 71

GENERAL CONDITIONS

FWC 26/27-07

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_purchasing_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.

PROCUREMENT MANAGER

Elbert Orellana elbert.orellana@myfwc.com 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 07.01.2026 FWC 26/27-07, Page 5 of 71

TERM

The contract will be effective three 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.

RENEWAL

The Commission has the option to renew this Contract on a yearly basis for a period up to three (3) years after the initial Contract period upon the same terms and conditions contained herein. Pursuant to Sections 287.057(1)(a)2., and 287.057(1)(a)3., Florida Statutes (F.S.), each Bidder shall supply a price for each year that a contract may be renewed.

Evaluation of bids shall include consideration of the total cost of the contract, including the total cost for each renewal year, as submitted by the Bidder.

Exercise of the renewal option is at the Commission’s sole discretion and shall be conditioned, at a minimum, on the Contractor’s satisfactory performance of this Contract and is subject to the availability of funds. The Contractor if it desires to exercise this renewal option will provide written notice to the Commission no later than thirty (30) days prior to the Contract expiration date. The renewal term shall require written approval from the Commission’s Procurement Manager.

SUBCONTRACTS

Subcontracting IS permitted pursuant to the Terms and Conditions of the Purchase Order. The Subcontractor Minority Status Report (Attachment C) shall be submitted with each invoice for payment. The List of Subcontractors (Attachment D) 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. 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 I) 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 https://www.dms.myflorida.com/agency_administration/office_of_supplier_diversity_osd/mentor_protege_program mailto:osdinfo@dms.myflorida.com https://www.dms.myflorida.com/agency_administration/office_of_supplier_diversity_osd/mentor_protege_program

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 07.01.2026 FWC 26/27-07, Page 6 of 71

558 South Murphy Road, Wewahitchka FL 32465.

VERBAL INSTRUCTION PROCEDURE

Bidders may not consider any verbal instructions as binding upon the Commission. No negotiations, discussions, or actions shall be initiated or executed by the Bidder as a result of any discussion with any Commission employee. Only those communications from the Commission that are in writing, may be considered as a duly authorized expression on behalf of the Commission.

SOLICITATION QUESTIONS

Any questions from Bidders that require an official FWC answer concerning this project shall be submitted in writing to the Procurement Manager. This includes specification inquiries, such as questions or requests for additional or altered terms and conditions. Questions to the Procurement Manager shall not constitute formal protest of the specifications or of the solicitation. Questions must be received no later than the date and time specified in the Calendar of Events (Page 3). Questions may be sent via email with the solicitation number in the subject line. It is the responsibility of the bidder to confirm receipt of questions if needed.

If questions are received, an addendum will be issued and shall be posted on the Vendor Information Portal (https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com).

LIMITATION ON BIDDER CONTACT DURING SOLICITATION PERIOD

Bidders to this solicitation or persons acting on their behalf may not contact, between the release of the solicitation and the end of the 72-hour period following the Commission posting the notice of intended award, (i.e., the 72-hour posting period excludes Saturdays, Sundays, and state holidays) any employee or officer of the executive or legislative branch concerning any aspect of this solicitation, except in writing to the Procurement Manager or as provided in the solicitation documents. Violation of this provision may be grounds for rejecting a response.

BIDDER SPECIFICATION CHALLENGE

Any protest concerning the specifications of this solicitation shall be made in accordance with PUR1001, paragraph 20, “Protests”. A notice of protest of the solicitation documents shall be made within seventy-two hours after the posting of the solicitation. Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed in Section 120.57(3)(b), F.S., shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120, F.S.

ADDENDUMS

If the Commission finds it necessary to supplement, modify or interpret any portion of the specifications or documents or answer any Bidder questions during the ITB period an addendum shall be posted on the Vendor Information Portal internet site. Each Bidder is responsible for monitoring the Vendor Information Portal website (https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com) for new or changing information relative to this procurement. The Commission bears no responsibility for any delays, or resulting impacts, associated with a Bidder’s failure to obtain the information made available through the Vendor Information Portal.

BIDDER ACKNOWLEDGMENT

In order for this bid to be valid, the bid must be completed in its entirety, signed by the Bidder and returned, as part of the bid or the bid will be rejected. By affixing your signature to the ITB Bidder Acknowledgement Form (page 2), the Bidder hereby states that the Bidder has read all bid specifications and conditions and agrees to all terms, conditions, provisions, specifications, and is currently licensed to do business within the State of Florida, if required by State or Federal Law, for the services or commodities the Bidder will provide the Commission under these bid specifications.

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 07.01.2026 FWC 26/27-07, Page 7 of 71

MANDATORY RESPONSIVE REQUIREMENTS

The Commission will not review Bids from Bidders who do not meet the mandatory responsive requirements listed in Attachment B, Mandatory Responsive Requirements. Note: The Commission will perform an initial responsiveness check.

Bids found to be non-responsive will not be considered for award. The Commission reserves the right to act upon information discovered during and after the initial responsiveness check impacting the responsibility or responsiveness of the Bid or Bidders.

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 reference requirements.

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.

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 07.01.2026 FWC 26/27-07, Page 8 of 71

MAILING INSTRUCTIONS

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

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Attn: Purchasing 1875 Orange Ave E Tallahassee, Florida 32311-6160.

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

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

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

BE DEEMED NON-RESPONSIVE AND SHALL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

SOLICITATION PUBLIC OPENING

The public opening of this bid will be conducted at the date, time and method specified on the Calendar of Events (Page 3).

BIDS RECEIVED AFTER THE SPECIFIED DATE AND TIME WILL BE REJECTED.

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

AWARDED BID/INSPECTION

The Commission will award the bid to the responsive, responsible bidder who submits the lowest bid price. If deemed necessary, an interview with the bidder by the Contract Manager may be required before the bid is awarded.

The Commission reserves the right to inspect the prospective Contractor’s materials and background record prior to making an award of the Contract. If the Contract Manager determines the lowest bidder does not have sufficient experience, equipment, etc. to meet the specifications of this ITB, the Commission reserves the right to reject the bidder and evaluate the next lowest bidder.

POSTING OF BID TABS

Bid Tabulations with Contractors identified as awarded bidders will be posted electronically as Agency Decisions on the Department of Management Services Vendor Information Portal as a Public Notice. The Agency Decision may be viewed at https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com, and will remain posted for a period of 72 hours. Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed in Section 120.57(3)(b), F.S., shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120, F.S.

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 07.01.2026 FWC 26/27-07, Page 9 of 71

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.

CERTIFICATE OF CONTRACT COMPLETION

The Contract Manager shall conduct a final inspection of the work to determine if completion has occurred. Upon satisfactory completion of the work, the Contractor shall send the Contract Manager a notarized Certificate of Contract Completion (Attachment G) and the contract shall be deemed completed upon the issuance date of such Certificate.

PERMITTING

Permitting for this project, if needed, is the responsibility of the Contractor. 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.

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.

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 07.01.2026 FWC 26/27-07, Page 10 of 71

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.

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 INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

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

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 07.01.2026 FWC 26/27-07, Page 11 of 71

SCOPE OF WORK

FWC 26/27-07

ROAD MAINTENANCE GRADING PROJECT ONWILDLIFE AND ENVIRONMENTAL AREAS (WEA) AND WILDLIFE

MANAGEMENT AREAS (WMA) IN FRANKLIN AND GULF COUNTIES

PURPOSE

The intent of this Invitation to Bid is to obtain bids for annual maintenance grading projects of roads on Apalachicola River WEA and Box-R WMA in Franklin and Gulf County in accordance with the procedures outlined in this Invitation to Bid package. The awarded Bidder (Contractor) shall provide all labor, materials, equipment, tools, transportation, supplies, mobilization/demobilization costs and insurance necessary to complete the work as outlined herein.

1. SITE LOCATION

1.1. All work will be conducted on Apalachicola River Wildlife and Environmental Area in Gulf and Franklin County and Box-R Wildlife Management Area in Franklin County (Figures 1, 2, 3 & 4).

1.2. Work may be conducted on any secondary and/or tertiary road on either of the two managed areas at the discretion of the FWC Project Manager for either area.

1.3. Apalachicola River WEA (ARWEA) is located in Gulf and Franklin counties, Florida (Figure 1). The entrance to the project area in Franklin County is located approximately 11 miles north of Eastpoint. The Gulf County location is approximately 18 miles northeast of Port St. Joe and 25 miles southeast of Wewahitchka along Saul Creek Road.

1.4. Box-R WMA is located approximately 6 miles West of Apalachicola on Highway 98 and 17 miles east of Port St. Joe on Highway 98 (Figure 2).

1.5. Job #1 consists of roads on ARWEA, Gulf County (Figure 3).

Job #2 consists of roads on ARWEA, Franklin County (Figure 4).

Job #3 consists of roads on Box-R WMA, Franklin County (Figure 2).

2. SCHEDULE AND PAYMENT

2.1. Work is expected to begin upon issuance of the purchase order. All project work shall be completed by June 1st of each year of the contract. The FWC shall, at its sole discretion, extend the completion date due to conditions beyond the Contractor’s control within the term of the contract.

2.2. The FWC reserves the right to renew the contract for up to three (3) additional one-year periods.

2.3. The FWC Project Manager for each area shall provide the Contractor with a road project list designating roads to be maintained. Upon completion of the project list, further lists may be issued, depending on available funding.

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 07.01.2026 FWC 26/27-07, Page 12 of 71

2.4. The Contractor shall schedule all road maintenance/grading activities with the FWC Project Manager for each site to ensure access to the site and to share information about hunting, logging, work projects, and other activities that may be taking place on the site.

2.5. During this project and at the discretion of the FWC, partial payments can be made upon percentage of job completed and roads finished. Payment(s) will be made after the work has been verified and has been performed to the satisfaction of the FWC. A Certificate of Partial Payment will be completed and provided to the FWC with each invoice. Ten Percent (10%) of each invoice shall be withheld from each invoice pending completion and acceptance of all project work covered under the purchase order. For final payment, a notarized “Certificate of Completion” must be completed by the Contractor and submitted to the Contract Manager with the invoice for approval and authorization. All project work shall be completed by June 1st of each year of the contract and all paperwork/invoices submitted by June 10th of each year of the contract.

3. ROAD MAINTENANCE AND GRADING SPECIFICATIONS

3.1. All road repair and construction activities shall be limited to the Apalachicola River WEA (Figures 3 and 4) and Box- R WMA (Figure 2). County roads that will not be graded, include Bloody Bluff, Gardner Landing, Sand Beach, Chason, Dump, Grain Bin, Saul Creek Road and Calf Barn Roads.

3.2. The intent of this bid is to repair specified roads (Figures 2, 3 & 4) or sections of those roads as determined by the FWC Project Manager for each area. Not all roads are to be maintained annually. Mileage completed annually will depend on available funding for each area. The FWC is estimating that 15 miles of roads to be maintained on ARWEA and 10 miles on Box-R WMA, during the first year of the initial term but may vary depending on available funding. Maintenance during subsequent years will also vary depending on available funding.

3.3. The Contractor will ensure that the entire road surface shall be harrowed including inside ditch slopes, to break up potholes, depressions and vegetation growing in the travel way. If necessary, the Contractor will remove existing vegetation that encroaches on the travel way.

3.4. The Contractor shall ensure that large holes are filled in order to achieve the specified road grade. The Contractor shall ensure that standing water be removed from the roadbed prior to placing fill. The Contractor shall ensure that the fill material be at or below optimum moisture at time of placement. All fill material shall be supplied by the Contractor. Fill material shall be approved by the FWC Project Manager and meet or exceed standard road bearing capacity (i.e. loaded logging trucks). The Contractor shall ensure that the fill be compacted with no more than a twelve inch thickness being compacted at one time. Heavy equipment will be acceptable to compact fill. It is anticipated that the Contractor will not need to purchase any fill for this project work, but will be able to utilize material on site from reshaping the road ditches.

3.5. The Contractor shall ensure that the roadbeds will be graded (ditch to ditch) to smooth the surface, fill existing depressions, and remove grass and debris. Inside ditch slopes should be reworked to 4:1 (where possible). Road travel ways should have a 2% - 4% slope. Crown should be offset from center on curves in the grade. The Contractor will obtain instructions from the FWC Project Manager on where to deposit excess material, if any.

Refer to Figure 5 for details.

3.6. Ditches will be cleared/grubbed of vegetation and other obstructions impeding water flow. The exception will be ditch plugs installed during hydrologic restoration work on the area which shall be left in place. Road shoulders will be reworked to reflect Typical Road Section Sheet (Figure 5). Road shoulders reworked to 4:1 slopes prior to this maintenance grading contract must be returned to the original condition at the completion of grading

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 07.01.2026 FWC 26/27-07, Page 13 of 71 operations. Berms of soil or vegetation shall not be left along the edges of the travel way after the grading. Edges of graded travel way will be tapered into the adjacent surface.

3.7. At hardened low water crossings there shall be a smooth transition of clearing vegetation and reshaping ditches up to the rocks. In upland, well drained road sections the FWC Project Manager may require a less extensive (shallow) ditch. The Contractor will not create a ditch in those upland areas where none previously existed without approval of FWC Project Manager.

3.8. Finish grade the minimum 14' width travel way, stabilize as per section 3.10 and then compact the entire roadbed.

The roadbed (from ditch to ditch) shall be compacted with a standard roller compactor as approved by the FWC Project Manager. The use of a crawler tractor for compaction will not be acceptable. The lowest portion of the driving surface of the roadbed must maintain a minimum elevation of 6 inches above the surrounding natural grade after this compaction, unless otherwise exempted by the FWC Project Manager (i.e. low water crossings or selected upland areas). Travel way shall have a 2-3% crown.

3.9. All work should result in a smooth roadway surface free of sand ruts, wheel ruts, grass, and potholes

3.10. The entire roadbed surface, including travel lanes, ditches, or other exposed areas must be stabilized. Brown top millet, wheat, or oats will be seeded uniformly over an area at a rate of 60 pounds per acre. Seed must be spread before final compaction.

3.11. Best Management Practices for erosion control shall be implemented and maintained at all times during construction to prevent siltation and turbid discharges in excess of Class III State Water Quality Standards pursuant to Rule 62-302, F.A.C.7. Erosion Control consist of staked hay bales, or filter cloth at the bottom of the slopes just above the water level at the time of construction and seeding all cut and fill slopes as needed.

3.12. The staked hay bales, filter cloth or other turbidity containment devices will be installed prior to commencement of construction at sites in ditches, streams and wet areas immediately downstream of disturbed areas as necessary to maintain ambient water quality conditions of the area.

3.13. Temporary onsite storage of fill material must be coordinated with the FWC Project Manager and designated at the beginning of the project. No other areas will be disturbed. All materials temporarily stored in the storage area(s) must be removed and the site graded and seeded unless approved by the FWC Project Manager.

3.14. The Contractor will return public roads to the condition that existed prior to construction including any structural components to the roadways such as culverts, low water crossings, etc. In particular, the Contractor must exercise due care when reshaping ditches in the vicinity of hardened low water crossings and culverts to not damage or impede water flow by these structures.

4. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

4.1. The Contractor shall be responsible for actions and damages caused by their personnel while on state-owned land.

The Contractor shall also be responsible for damage or destruction to state-owned, leased, or managed property, or equipment caused by the Contractor’s employees or subcontractors. This shall include damage to existing roadways, wood posts, culverts, gates, native vegetation, wildlife, and other natural resources and equipment.

4.2. Security of equipment shall be the sole responsibility of the Contractor, including theft of supplies or equipment and damages.

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 07.01.2026 FWC 26/27-07, Page 14 of 71

4.3. The Contractor shall not provide access to parties other than those performing activities associated with this project.

4.4. The Contractor shall remove all extraneous materials, equipment and litter associated with the construction from the area before final payment will be approved.

4.5. The Contractor shall use every precaution necessary to prevent pollution of rivers and streams by fuel, oils, chemicals or other harmful materials. All creeks will be kept free of Contractor-generated debris. All Contractor equipment shall be pressure washed and cleaned to be as “exotic free” as possible before moving onto state land.

4.6. Should any historical or cultural artifacts be uncovered during construction activities, the Contractor shall immediately halt construction within that area and notify the FWC Project Manager.

4.7. Stop work clause - The FWC Project Manager or his designated representative has the right to stop work if the work is not being completed as specified. Work will not renew until the deficiency or deficiencies are corrected.

4.8. The contractor shall provide detailed tracks or maps showing completion of roads selected for grading prior to payment.

4.9. FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES – If the Contractor materially fails to comply with the terms and conditions of this bid, including any Federal or State statutes, rules or regulations applicable to this bid, the Commission shall take one or more of the following actions, as appropriate for the circumstances:

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

b. Reduction of payment if correction of deficiency is not made by the Contractor.

c. Disallow all or part of the cost of the activity or action not in compliance.

d. Request refund of previously disbursed payments.

e. Wholly or partly suspend or terminate this agreement.

f. Withhold future awards for the FWC projects.

g. Take other remedies that may be legally available.

5. BID AWARD

5.1. The Bidder shall provide a price per mile for road repair/grading for each work area in accordance with the specifications contained herein. The contract will be awarded to the responsive, responsible Bidder with the lowest total bid price.

5.2. The FWC reserves the right to authorize any number of miles of work to the awarded Contractor based on funding available for each year of the contract.

5.3. The FWC reserves the right to add, delete, or substitute roads for maintenance grading based on existing road conditions, changing priorities, and funding availability.

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 07.01.2026 FWC 26/27-07, Page 15 of 71

FIGURE 1: OVERVIEW OF APALACHICOLA RIVER WEA ROADS

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FIGURE 2: BOX-R WM - POTENTIAL ROADS TO BE REPAIRED

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FIGURE 3: APALACHICOLA RIVER WEA – POTENTIAL GULF COUNTY ROADS

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FIGURE 4: APALACHICOLA RIVER WEA – POTENTIAL FRANKLIN COUNTY ROADS

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 07.01.2026 FWC 26/27-07, Page 19 of 71

FIGURE 5. TYPICAL ROAD SECTION (NOT TO SCALE) FOR PROJECT WORK AT,

APALACHICOLA RIVER WEA/BOX-R.

Clearing limits

(width necessary to rework inside ditch slopes to 4:1 or gentler)

Grading limits

20’ min. 7.0’ 7.0’ 20’ min.

No Mulching

2% crown

Natural grade Existing grade 4:1

Notes:

1. Finished roadbed shall be compacted with a standard roller compactor (Sec. 3.8) over the entire width.

2. Erosion control shall consist of seeding exposed surfaces and other Best Management Practices, as necessary (Sec

3.10, 3.11, and 3.12).

3. Borrow shall be at or below optimum moisture at time of placement unless otherwise approved by Project Manager as per section 3.4.

4. Contractor’s responsibility to insure that the crown of travel way and ditch slopes are correct to allow proper drainage.

5. Vegetation along sides of road to be removed by Contractor and grubbed including travel way, inside of ditch. Inside slopes of ditch shall be reworked to a 4:1 or gentler ditch swale as per Section 3.5 and 3.6.

REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

Travel Way

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 07.01.2026 FWC 26/27-07, Page 20 of 71

Price Sheet

FWC 26/27-07

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. PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 287.057(1)(a)1. AND 287.057(1)(a)2., F.S., EACH CONTRACTOR SHALL SUPPLY A PRICE FOR EACH YEAR THAT A CONTRACT MAY BE RENEWED (SEE RENEWAL

CLAUSE).

Bidder shall provide a price per mile for road repair/grading for each work area in accordance with the specifications contained herein. The contract will be awarded to the responsive, responsible Bidder with the lowest total bid price

Job 1 consists of roads on ARWEA, Gulf County (Figure 3).

Initial Year: Price per mile $____________________________

Renewal Year 1: Price per mile $____________________________

Renewal Year 2: Price per mile $____________________________

Renewal Year 3: Price per mile $____________________________

TOTAL Job 1 Cost = $ _____________________________________

Job 2 consists of roads on ARWEA, Franklin County (Figure 4)

Initial Year: Price per mile $____________________________

Renewal Year 1: Price per mile $____________________________

Renewal Year 2: Price per mile $____________________________

Renewal Year 3: Price per mile $____________________________

TOTAL Job 2 Cost = $ _____________________________________

Job 3 consists of roads on Box-R WMA, Franklin County (Figure 2)

Initial Year: Price per mile $____________________________

Renewal Year 1: Price per mile $____________________________

Renewal Year 2: Price per mile $____________________________

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 07.01.2026 FWC 26/27-07, Page 21 of 71

Renewal Year 3: Price per mile $____________________________

TOTAL Job 3 Cost = $ _____________________________________

TOTAL BID PRICE (Sum of Job 1, 2, and 3 totals) = $ _____________________________________

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: _________________________________

Fax: __________________________________

City/State/Zip: __________________________

Telephone: ____________________________

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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. No more than one (1) of the submitted references shall be related to a past project where staff necessary for the current project were unaffiliated with the bidder and/or employed by a different company. If providing an unaffiliated reference, enter the information in Reference 4 - Collective Experience. The firms and/or contact persons should be available between the hours of 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. FWC staff will attempt to contact each selected reference by phone up to three (3) times.

If any reference is not available as stated above, this may be cause for rejection of the Bidder’s bid. Provide a description (scope of work) of each job.

REFERENCE #1

Name: ___________________________________________________________________________________________

Address: __________________________________________________________________________________________

Contact Person: ______________________________________ Telephone Number: ____________________________

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

Project Location: ___________________________________________________________________________________

Brief description of the services performed for the project:

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 07.01.2026 FWC 26/27-07, Page 23 of 71

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 07.01.2026 FWC 26/27-07, Page 24 of 71

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 07.01.2026 FWC 26/27-07, Page 25 of 71

REFERENCE #4 – COLLECTIVE EXPERIENCE

Name: ___________________________________________________________________________________________

Address: __________________________________________________________________________________________

Contact Person: ______________________________________ Telephone Number: ____________________________

Collective Experience Employee

First Name: __________________________________ Last…