FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION

1875 ORANGE AVE E

TALLAHASSEE, FL 32311-6160

(850) 488-6551

St. Johns River – Eelgrass Revegetation

FWC 26/27-34

INVITATION TO BID

ITB BIDDER ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM

Purpose: The intent of this bid is to obtain competitive pricing for the harvest and planting of wild native eelgrass within multiple locations on the St. Johns River to replace lost submersed aquatic vegetation and improve habitat for fish, wildlife and recreational opportunities, 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 07.01.2026 FWC 26/27-34, Page 3 of 67

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

FWC 26/27-34

SCHEDULE DUE DATE METHOD

Bid Advertised September 10, 2026 Posted on the Vendor Information Portal (VIP)

Deadline for Questions

Must be received PRIOR to:

September 17, 2026

@ 5:00 PM ET

See Solicitation Questions Clause

Anticipated date for Responses to Written Questions

September 22, 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:

September 29, 2026

@ 2:30 PM ET

Mailing Address:

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

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

Public Bid Opening September 29, 2026

@ 2:30 PM ET

Public Opening Options for Attendance:

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

-Teleconference- Conference call phone number: 1.850.270.2928

Conference room number: 894.158.042

Anticipated Date of Intended Award October 2, 2026 Posted on the Vendor Information Portal https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 07.01.2026 FWC 26/27-34, Page 4 of 67

GENERAL CONDITIONS

FWC 26/27-34

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

Xavier Wilson xavier.wilson@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 26/27-34, Page 5 of 67

ESTIMATED BUDGET

The Commission has an estimated budget for this project of $1,200,000.00.

TERM

The contract will be effective two year(s) 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 (Attachment C) shall be submitted with each invoice for payment. The List of Subcontractors (Attachment F) 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 D) 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. Bidders must visit the sites identified in Figures 1 and 2 where eelgrass will be harvested and plantings will be installed. For Lake George, Bidders must visit all areas identified in red. For Lake Monroe, Bidders must visit the four (4) identified locations (coordinates).

28.864674° -81.257498° 28.861920° -81.252124° 28.860363° -81.249965° 28.856883° -81.294586° 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 26/27-34, Page 6 of 67

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 26/27-34, Page 7 of 67

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 26/27-34, Page 8 of 67

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 26/27-34, Page 9 of 67

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

SCOPE CHANGES AFTER CONTRACT EXECUTION

The Commission shall provide written notice to the successful bidder thirty (30) days in advance of any Commission required changes to the technical specifications and/or scope of service that affect the successful bidder’s ability to provide the service as specified herein. Any changes that are other than purely administrative changes will require a change order.

FWC CONTRACT MANAGER

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

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

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

• review, verify, and approve invoices from the Contractor; and, if applicable, complete the Certificate of Contract Completion form; and

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

DELIVERABLES

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

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

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

NOTICE TO PROCEED

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

LIQUIDATED DAMAGES

If the Contractor fails to complete the work or the conditions of the Purchase Order and/or Change Orders by the completion date, the Commission shall have the right to deduct liquidated damages from any amount due and payable to the Contractor. Liquidated damages shall be assessed in the amount of $100.00 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.

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 26/27-34, Page 10 of 67

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.

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 26/27-34, Page 11 of 67

SCOPE OF WORK

FWC 26/27-34

ST. JOHNS RIVER – EELGRASS REVEGETATION

PURPOSE

This Invitation to Bid entails the harvesting and planting of eelgrass within Lake George and Lake Monroe (Putnam, Marion, Lake, Volusia, and Seminole Counties). The work sites will be specified by the FWC Project Manager or Contract Manager (Figure 1 & Figure 2). Plants will be installed inside Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (Commission or FWC)-constructed fenced enclosures (but may also be installed outside fenced enclosures at the Commission’s discretion). The FWC Project Manager or Contract Manager will prioritize and determine the date, time, and schedule for all work.

1. INITIAL TERM COMPLETION DATE

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. PROJECT MANAGER – The Project Manager is the representative of the governmental agency specified on the purchase order contract and/or written notice to proceed.

2.2. CONTRACTOR – The vendor awarded this contract.

2.3. RELOCATED PLANT – A plant manually harvested from an existing stand (donor site) within a public water body and transported to another area of the same water body and planted; or transported to another public water body and planted.

2.4. FENCED ENCLOSURE – A fenced area constructed in the water to protect aquatic plants from herbivores

(grazing by fish and wildlife).

3. PLANT SPECIES

3.1. Eelgrass (Vallisneria neotropicalis); a bare root eelgrass plant is defined as a submersed aquatic plant with one or more rhizomes and associated roots possessing at least four (4) leaves, each a minimum of four (4) inches in length.

4. BID SPECIFICATIONS

4.1. The proposed project budget is $1,200,000.00 for the initial term. Project budget during the initial term may increase or decrease depending on pricing received, environmental conditions and program budgets. The Contractor shall provide a price-per-plant to harvest eelgrass from Commission-specified donor sites, transport the plants to the planting sites and install plants. The bid will be awarded to the responsive, responsible bidder that submits the highest “NUMBER OF PLANTS”. In the event additional

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 07.01.2026 FWC 26/27-34, Page 12 of 67 funding becomes available, the awarded price-per-plant may be used to procure additional plants above the awarded number and original allocated funding amount.

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

4.3. Bid pricing shall include all necessary items to perform the work (plants, containers, workers, boats, equipment, maintenance of equipment, fuel, etc.) of harvesting eelgrass plants, transporting the plants, and installing plants at designated locations, as well as providing all safety devices required by law. The FWC Project Manager may have the Contractor cut harvested eelgrass plants back to a specified height before planting in response to environmental conditions.

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

4.5. The Purchase Order and written Notice to Proceed may be issued either entirely or partially to complete the project based on environmental conditions and/or budgetary constraints.

4.6. 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.

a. All work shall begin on the agreed-upon commencement date as listed on the written Notice to

Proceed.

b. The commencement date for harvesting/planting shall be defined as the first day the Contractor attempts harvesting/planting at the donor/recipient lake.

4.7. Work shall be performed during weekdays (Monday–Friday) during daylight hours (sunrise to sunset).

Requests to work weekend days shall be made in writing by the Contractor. The FWC Contract Manager shall provide a response to the Contractor in writing to grant or reject requests.

4.8. The FWC Project Manager, Contract Manager, or designee shall make a final inspection with the Contractor at the end of each day planting occurs and determine work completeness before payment is authorized.

5. WORK EXPERIENCE

5.1. The Contractor shall have a minimum of three (3) years of experience performing work similar in nature and scope to the services required under this solicitation. The required experience shall be demonstrated through the Respondent’s references.

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

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6. COMMISSION SPECIFIED DONOR SITES

6.1. Lake Monroe is anticipated to be the public waterbody plant donor site (harvest location for relocated plants) for this project. Environmental conditions can change unexpectedly; therefore, the Commission reserves the sole right to select another waterbody as the donor site if necessary. Any additional public waterbody plant donor sites selected for this project will occur a maximum of 150 miles from recipient waterbody locations.

7. HARVESTING AND PLANTING SPECIFICATIONS

7.1. All plants shall be harvested and handled so that the root and stem material remain viable. The FWC Project Manager or Contract Manager reserves the sole authority to refuse plants, at no cost to the

Commission, considered to be contaminated or of poor quality.

7.2. All plants shall be rinsed to remove sediment, debris, non-target plant parts (leaves, stems, roots, propagules), and/or any other exotic species (plant or non-plant, e.g., exotic snails).

7.3. All harvested plants shall be installed within 48 hours of being harvested.

7.4. Plant roots shall be installed a minimum of two (2) inches into bottom sediments to prevent pop-ups from occurring. Plant pop-ups greater than 10 percent (10%) of the total number planted at any site within two (2) days shall require (at no cost to the Commission) replanting prior to payment. Replanting will be performed with new plant stock and not plant material recovered from the work site. If the

Contractor chooses not to replant, payment shall be made based on the percentage of plants successfully planted.

7.5. Final determination of specific planting sites and plant spacing will be made prior to planting, in response to environmental conditions.

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

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

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

8. SITE CONDITIONS

8.1. Harvesting and planting locations will occur over moderately firm lake bottom and in water depths less than 3.5 feet.

https://myfwc.com/boating/safety-education/equipment/

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 07.01.2026 FWC 26/27-34, Page 14 of 67

9. WORKING WITHIN FENCED ENCLOSURES

9.1. Planting activities will likely occur inside Commission-constructed fenced enclosures. The Contractor will be required to make entry into the fenced enclosures by cutting zip ties and peeling back fencing to create an entry point. At all times while work occurs within the fenced enclosure, the fencing material shall be placed back to its functional form to ensure herbivores cannot enter the enclosure while planting occurs. Upon completion of daily planting activities, the Contractor will be required to close each fence entry point by re-installing all zip ties cut during entry, ensuring proper fence tension and contract with the lake bottom to limit herbivores from entering the enclosure. The FWC Project Manager will supply the Contractor with all zip ties necessary to fulfill this requirement.

10. PRODUCTION STANDARD

10.1. This performance outcome shall be measured upon completion of each workday and documented using EXHIBIT J. If the Contractor fails to plant the minimum of 15,000 eelgrass plants during any workday, the applicable financial consequence specified in Section 12.1 shall apply for that workday. Any deviation from the performance standard due to unforeseen conditions must be approved by the FWC Project

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

11. PROJECT DELIVERABLES

11.1. The Contractor awarded this bid will be required to use a sub-meter GPS to measure area planted each day planting occurs. The area planted will be verified by the FWC Project Manager. Number of plants installed each day will be extrapolated based on the known area planted and requested plant spacing.

For example, plants installed on 2-foot centers equate to 10,890 plants installed per acre planted.

Therefore, the FWC Project Manager will verify installed plants conform to specified plant spacing and the number of plants installed will be determined through area extrapolation. For this process to work it is important that plant spacing be accurate and the Contractor may be required to run lines aiding with plant installation to keep uniform rows and spacing.

11.2. The Contractor must document daily planting activities (size of area planted, number of plants installed, planting location) each day planting occurs. The Contractor will be required to keep daily planting activities separate and submit an excel spreadsheet listing size of area planted, number of plants installed and planting location (planting location data shall be provided in .KML format) as a package with each invoice.

12. FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES

12.1. For any day that the minimum production standard of 15,000 eelgrass plants is not installed, $100.00 will be deducted from the total amount owed to the Contractor. The FWC 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 07.01.2026 FWC 26/27-34, Page 15 of 67

13. PAYMENT SPECIFICATIONS

13.1. Payment shall be made upon completion of work specified on the Purchase Order/written Notice to

Proceed. 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

Project Manager and Contract Manager. Partial payments will also be accepted when 50% and 75% of the project are completed and approved by both the FWC Project Manager and Contract Manager. Final payment will only be authorized once the project is completed and quality of work is approved by the

FWC Project Manager and Contract Manager. The final invoice must be received no later than seven (7) calendar days following project completion, and prior to the second Friday in June during each year work occurs.

13.2. The Contractor will be paid for the number of supplied plants meeting bid specification requirements that are successfully planted. The Contractor and the FWC Project Manager, or designee, 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 J). The invoice shall be representative of the total number of plants successfully planted over all planting days, or for those planting days requested by the FWC Project Manager or Contract Manager at the time of invoice request.

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.

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

14.3. 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.

14.4. The Contractor shall provide and maintain sufficient protection for the lives and health of employees and other persons, preventing 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.

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

14.6. All media contacts or press releases will be conducted by the Commission. The Contractor may not do their own public relations regarding this project.

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 07.01.2026 FWC 26/27-34, Page 16 of 67

14.7. 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. PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS

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

15.2. Public Access (Lake George):

a. Lake George Boat Ramp, Volusia County (Latitude 29.201575° N / Longitude -81.57776° W; 58300

Lake George Road, Astor, FL 32102).

b. Shell Harbor Boat Ramp, Volusia County (Latitude 29.218736° N / Longitude -81.53215° W; 1800

Shell Harbor Rd, Pierson, FL 32180).

c. Salt Springs Run Marina and Landing, Marion County (Latitude 29.34961°N / Longitude 29.34961°

W; 25711 NE 134 Place, Fort McCoy, FL 32134)

d. Drayton Island Ferry Public Boat Ramp, Putnam County (Latitude 29.38586° N / Longitude -

81.63801° W; 122 Drayton Island Ferry Road, Georgetown, FL 32139).

15.3. Public Access (Lake Monroe):

a. Lake Monroe Park, Volusia County, (Latitude 28.84014° N / Longitude -81.32149° W; 975 U.S.

Highway 17-92; Debary, FL 32713).

b. Mariner’s Cove Park, Volusia County, (Latitude 28.85666° N / Longitude --81.23940° W; 1199

Enterprise Osteen Road; Deltona, FL 32725).

c. Sanford Marina Island Boat Ramp, Seminole County, (Latitude 28.81564° N / Longitude -

81.26520° W; 531 North Palmetto Avenue; Sanford, FL 32771).

d. Anticipated Planting Dates: February-June 2027 and February- June 2028

e. All work shall be completed within ninety (90) calendar days of the issued Notice to Proceed, unless otherwise directed by the FWC Project Manager or Contract Manager. The FWC Project

Manager will track the number of eelgrass plants installed each day, and the FWC Project Manager and/or Contract Manager will communicate with the awarded Contractor, based on the issued Purchase Order, to ensure the project is completed in accordance with the specifications.

https://gis.myfwc.com/BoatRampFinder/

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 07.01.2026 FWC 26/27-34, Page 17 of 67

Table 1.

SPECIES COMMON NAME TYPE/SIZE ALLOCATION

AMMOUNT (US $)

Vallisneria neotropicalis Eelgrass Bare Root

Relocated Plant Public Wild-Collected

$1,200,00.00

Figure 1. – Lake George: planting will occur at specified locations show in red. Planting depth will be between 0-3 feet. Specific locations are subject to change dependent on environmental conditions. Yellow tacks indicate public boat ramps.

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 07.01.2026 FWC 26/27-34, Page 18 of 67

Figure 2. – Lake Monroe: Commission specified eelgrass donor site location (green tack). Specific locations are subject to change dependent on environmental conditions. Yellow tacks indicate public boat ramps.

REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

Ch. 287 Invitation to Bid – Revised 07.01.2026 FWC 26/27-34, Page 19 of 67

EXHIBIT J

FWC 26/27-34

ST. JOHNS RIVER – EELGRASS REVEGETATION

Contract Management Daily Report Aquatic Revegetation

Project Name (PO #):

Planting Date:

Planting Location(s):

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

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

Additional Comments (problems, successes, etc.):

Species Planted Planting Location Size of Area

Planted

# Plants Successfully

Planted FWC Employee

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

Project Manager (print) _____________________________________ Date_________________

Project Manager (signature) _________________________________

Contractor (print) __________________________________________ Date_________________

Contractor (signature) __________________________________

PRICE SHEET

CONTRACTOR SHALL NOT ALTER THE PRICE SHEET IN ANY WAY.

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

ALL ITEMS SHALL BE BID OR THE BID WILL BE REJECTED. THE BID WILL BE AWARDED TO THE RESPONSIVE, RESPONSIBLE BIDDER THAT SUBMITS THE LOWEST

TOTAL PRICE.

SPECIES

COMMON

NAME

TYPE/SIZE

A. ALLOCATION AMOUNT

(US $)

B. PRICE PER PLANT

(US $)

C. NUMBER OF PLANTS

(A / B = C)

Vallisneria neotropicalis

Eelgrass

Bare Root Relocated Plant

Public Wild- Collected

$1,200,000.00 $ ___________ # ___________

Bidders must include the “PRICE PER PLANT” and “NUMBER OF PLANTS”. Failure to submit all required information shall result in disqualification of the bid.

“Price per plant includes all costs associated with harvesting, transporting and planting. Fill in all the required information.”

BY SIGNING BELOW, I ATTEST THAT I HAVE READ THE ENTIRE BID AND AGREE TO FURNISH THE SERVICE AT THE PRICE QUOTED ABOVE. I HEREBY AFFIRM I HAVE NOT BEEN IN ANY AGREEMENT OR COLLUSION AMONG BIDDERS IN RESTRAINT OF FREEDOM OF COMPETITION

Contractor: ________________________________

Address: ___________________________________

Signed: ____________________________________

Print Name: ________________________________

Title: ______________________________________

City/State/Zip: ______________________________

Phone: ____________________________________

Fax: _______________________________________

REFERENCES

A minimum of three (3) separate and verifiable references, from persons or firms for whom the bidder has performed similar jobs as per the bid specifications shall be supplied with the bid. 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:…