FWC.25.26.15 RFP Final.pdf

FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION

1875 ORANGE AVE E

TALLAHASSEE, FL 32311-6160

(850) 488-6551

Environmental Consulting Services for Deepwater

Horizon Restoration

FWC 25/26-15

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

RESPONDENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM

Purpose: The intent of this RFP is to obtain competitive responses for environmental consulting services related to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The Respondent(s) must have documented extensive and successful experience providing support services for natural resource restoration, conservation, and/or management activities, per the specifications contained herein. Only responsive and responsible Respondents will be considered for award of this

RFP.

Responsive: To be responsive, a response must constitute a definite, firm, unqualified and unconditional offer to meet all the material terms of this RFP. 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 RFP and which, for reasons of policy, must be complied with at risk of response rejection for non-responsiveness.

Non-Responsive: Any submission that does not comply with this RFP in any way, does not contain all the properly signed forms, supplements or deviates from the RFP requirements or has an incomplete Cost Sheet may be considered nonresponsive at the discretion of 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 Respondent. The Commission reserves the right to use any information, whether supplied through the Respondent’s submission or otherwise obtained, in determining responsibility.

Sealed Proposal: In response to a Request for Proposals (RFP), a sealed proposal is the final submission from a vendor prior to the proposal deadline, after which no further submissions will be considered.

Rejection of Reponses: The Commission reserves the right to reject any and all responses and to waive any minor irregularity in the submissions received in response to this RFP. The Commission reserves the right to consider all information, whether submitted or otherwise, to determine responsiveness and responsibility and to reject responses accordingly.

Name of Business: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Contact Person Name: _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Business Address: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

City: ____________________________ State: _____________________________ Zip code: ______________________________________

Phone: ___________________________ Fax: _______________________________ Email: ______________________________________

Federal Employer Identification Number: ____________________ Contractor’s License Number: _______________________________

I certify that this RFP response is submitted without prior understanding, agreement, or connection with any corporation, firm, or person submitting a response for the same professional services and is in all respects fair and without collusion or fraud. I agree to abide by all conditions of this RFP and certify that I am authorized to sign this acknowledgement for the Respondent.

Authorized Signature (Manual): ________________________________________________________________________________________

Authorized Signature Name (Typed) and Title: __________________________________________________________________________

Date: _________________________________________

Request for Proposal – Revised 6.25.2025 FWC 25/26-15, Page 3 of 68

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

FWC 25/26-15

SCHEDULE DUE DATE METHOD

RFP Advertised October 8, 2025 Posted on the Vendor Information Portal (VIP)

Deadline for Questions

Must be received

PRIOR to:

October 17, 2025

@ 5:00 PM ET

See Deadline for Questions Clause

Anticipated date for Responses to

Written Questions October 27, 2025 Posted on the Vendor Information Portal (VIP)

SEALED RESPONSE DUE

(REMEMBER: RFP number should be clearly marked on envelope)

Must be received

PRIOR to:

November 10, @ 3:00/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 Response Opening

November 10, @ 3:00PM ET

Public Opening Location:

1875 Orange Ave E

Tallahassee, FL 32311-6160

-Teleconference-

Conference call phone number: 1.888.585.9008

Conference room number: 218-721-199

Evaluation Period

From

November 11, to

November 17, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation

Commission

Anticipated Date of Intended

Award

November 18, Posted on the Vendor Information Portal (VIP) https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/

Request for Proposal – Revised 6.25.2025 FWC 25/26-15, Page 4 of 68

GENERAL CONDITIONS

FWC 25/26-15

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 Respondent submitting a response shall be registered in the MyFloridaMarketPlace (MFMP) system and, where required, the Sunbiz system prior to the RFP 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 Respondent may not be considered for an award if not registered in the MFMP and Sunbiz system. The Respondent’s registration address and federal employer identification (FEID) number should match the Respondent’s address and

FEID number listed on the Respondent Acknowledgment form (page 1).

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.

Response from Respondent shall include all necessary equipment to complete the job. The Respondent is required to supply all specified documentation when submitting a response for this project.

Please note:

• The terms “Contract,” “Agreement” and “Purchase Order” are used interchangeably in the document.

• The terms “Commodities” and “Goods” are used interchangeably in the document.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

PUR 1000 and PUR1001 are hereby incorporated by reference. PUR1000 and PUR1001 can be found at the

Department of Management Services website at the following link:

https://www.dms.myflorida.com/business_operations/state_purchasing/state_agency_resources/state_purc hasing_pur_forms

The following terms and conditions take precedence over the PUR1001 and PUR1000 forms where applicable. The Commission objects to and shall not consider any additional terms or conditions submitted by a Respondent or Contractor, including any appearing in documents attached as part of a Respondent’s response. In signing and submitting its response, a Respondent 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 response, shall be grounds for rejecting a response.

The terms and conditions of the Sample Contract, are hereby incorporated into this solicitation. Any contract resulting from this solicitation will include the terms and conditions of this solicitation and the terms and conditions contained in Attachment A .

https://www.dms.myflorida.com/business_operations/state_purchasing/state_agency_resources/state_purchasing_pur_forms https://www.dms.myflorida.com/business_operations/state_purchasing/state_agency_resources/state_purchasing_pur_forms

Request for Proposal – Revised 6.25.2025 FWC 25/26-15, Page 5 of 68

PROCUREMENT MANAGER

Randy Golightly

Randolph.Golightly@myfwc.com

ESTIMATED BUDGET

The Commission has an estimated budget for this project of $4,500,000.00 for the potential ten (10) year term (original five (5) year term plus an additional five (5) years of renewal).

TERM

The Contract will be effective five years upon issuance of the Contract.

If circumstances constituting Force Majeure have occurred, or if anything occurs beyond the Contractor’s control, the Contractor may request in writing an extension of Completion Date. 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 for a period of five (5) 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, each Contractor shall supply a price for each year that a contract may be renewed. Evaluation of responses shall include consideration of the total cost of the contract, including the total cost for each renewal year, as submitted by the Contractor.

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 NOT permitted pursuant to the Terms and Conditions of the Contract.

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. Respondents 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 mailto:bidrequest@myfwc.com?subject=Extension%20Request https://www.dms.myflorida.com/agency_administration/office_of_supplier_diversity_osd/mentor_protege_program mailto:osdinfo@dms.myflorida.com https://www.dms.myflorida.com/agency_administration/office_of_supplier_diversity_osd/mentor_protege_program https://www.dms.myflorida.com/agency_administration/office_of_supplier_diversity_osd/mentor_protege_program

Request for Proposal – Revised 6.25.2025 FWC 25/26-15, Page 6 of 68 vendor is a responsible vendor, nor give preference to a vendor based on the vendor’s social, political, or ideological interests.

VERBAL INSTRUCTION PROCEDURE

Respondents may not consider any verbal instructions as binding upon the Commission. No negotiations, discussions, or actions shall be initiated or executed by the Respondent 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 Respondents 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 Respondent 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.

LIMITATION ON RESPONDENT CONTACT DURING SOLICITATION PERIOD

Respondents 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 agency posting the notice of intended award, (note 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.

RESPONDENT SPECIFICATION INQUIRIES

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 Respondent questions during the solicitation period, an addendum shall be posted on the Vendor Information Portal website. Each Respondent is responsible for monitoring the Vendor

Information Portal for new or changing information relative to this procurement. The Commission bears no responsibility for any delays, or resulting impacts, associated with a Respondent’s failure to obtain the information made available through the Vendor Information Portal.

SPECIFICATIONS FOR RESPONSE PRESENTATION

Each response shall be prepared simply and economically, providing a straightforward, concise delineation of Respondent’s capabilities to satisfy the requirements of this RFP. Elaborate binding, colored displays, and promotional materials are not required. However, examples of services provided may be included as attachments to the response. Emphasis in each response must be on completeness and clarity of content.

To expedite the evaluation of responses, it is essential that Respondents follow the format and instructions https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/

Request for Proposal – Revised 6.25.2025 FWC 25/26-15, Page 7 of 68 contained herein. All costs associated with preparing a response to this RFP is the sole responsibility of the

Respondent.

MANDATORY RESPONSIVENESS REQUIREMENTS FOR RESPONSE SUBMISSION

Response submission should be organized as follows:

TAB A. Respondent Acknowledgment Form (Mandatory)

For this response to be considered responsive, the Respondent Acknowledgement Form (page 2) must be completed in its entirety, signed by the Respondent and returned as part of the response. Otherwise, the response will be deemed non-responsive. By affixing your signature to the Respondent

Acknowledgement Form, the Respondent hereby states that the Respondent has read all response 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 Respondent will provide the Commission under these response specifications.

TAB B. References (Mandatory) — Attachment B

The Respondent shall complete and submit the References form enclosed herein, to provide a minimum of three (3) references for similar projects completed. Current contact names, phone numbers and email addresses shall be given. This information shall be provided on the Reference Form, enclosed herein, and submitted with the response. The References form shall be completed correctly in its entirety and returned as part of the RFP response, or the response shall be deemed non-responsive.

TAB C. Executive Summary (Mandatory) (limited to one (1) page)

The Respondent shall present a high-level summary of the proposed project, including the reasoning behind the proposed approach of the implementation. The Executive Summary shall be submitted as part of the RFP response or the response shall be deemed non-responsive.

TAB D. Respondent Background and Organizational Structure (Mandatory) (limited to three (3) pages)

The Respondent shall provide information on the historical background of the Respondent and on the

Respondent’s organizational structure. This shall include years in operation and years involved in work related to this project. In addition, Respondents shall present the organizational structure of the proposed team and outline the responsibilities of each team member, as applicable. Only personnel who are current employees of the Respondent shall be identified.

TAB E. Respondent’s Knowledge and Experience (Mandatory) (limited to twenty (20) pages)

The Respondent shall present the knowledge and experience of the Respondent and the Respondent’s team. The following topics must be addressed:

a. respondent’s knowledge of and experience in the Deepwater Horizon NRDA, with a focus on post-settlement restoration planning activities in Florida.

b. respondent’s knowledge of and experience in RESTORE, with a focus on logistical and support planning of restoration activities in Florida.

c. respondent’s knowledge of and experience in GEBF, with a focus on activities in Florida.

d. respondent’s knowledge of and experience in restoration planning.

Request for Proposal – Revised 6.25.2025 FWC 25/26-15, Page 8 of 68

e. respondent’s knowledge of natural sciences.

f. respondent’s knowledge and ability facilitating stakeholder engagement and mass communications.

g. respondent’s knowledge of and experience with NEPA.

h. respondent’s knowledge of and experience with OPA.

i. respondent’s knowledge of and experience in Environmental Permitting and Regulatory

Compliance

j. respondent’s knowledge of and ability to create Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of

1973 compliant documents.

❖ In addition, Respondent must provide at least one (1) tangible end work product sample for review (not counted in page limit).

TAB F. Qualifications and Experience of Proposed Personnel (Mandatory) (no page limit)

Each Team member’s experience and examples of qualifications to perform assigned tasks should be outlined. This includes the resume or curriculum vitae for individuals proposed for each core position.

Resumes should be kept to one page if possible.

Qualifications of personnel can only be presented as part of the Respondent’s proposal for individuals who are currently employed by the Respondent, not individuals the Respondent proposes to hire if they are awarded a contract. In an appendix to this section, the Respondent shall supply resumes or curricula vitae showing the qualifications of the individual(s) who will perform the work, including experience in similar services outlined in this Solicitation.

The following describes the functional responsibilities of the core roles the successful Respondent will be expected to provide in fulfilling tasks stemming from this solicitation. For each resume submitted, the Respondent should clearly identify which of these core roles the individual is qualified to fill, regardless of the individual’s actual professional title and experience.

Core Role: Program Manager – Functional Responsibilities:

• Providing executive-level consultation services to the Commission

• Providing senior-level interface with the Commission and managing daily operations

• Ensuring the timely performance and completion of all contractual obligations

• Organizing and directing the overall performance of the contract

• Possessing the authority to make binding decisions on behalf of the successful Respondent(s)

• Formulating organizational strategy and directing major strategic initiatives

• Ensuring that goals and objectives are accomplished within budgetary parameters

• Developing and maintaining Commission relationships

• Assisting on large, complex, or multi-discipline engagements

• Allocating financial and human resources and material assets

• Formulating and enforcing work standards

• Participating in the design phase of tasks and ensuring their successful execution

Core Role: Project Manager – Functional Responsibilities:

• Assisting in the management of the day-to-day operations

• Ensuring the quality and timely completion of projects

• Providing technical and subject matter expertise in fulfillment of tasks

• Participating as a senior team member providing high-level consulting services

• Planning, organizing, and executing project tasks in the successful delivery of services

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• Developing and defining strategic visions

• Planning, directing, controlling, scheduling, coordinating, and organizing the management of tasks

• Providing Commission interface in fulfillment of tasks

• Possessing authority and responsibility for the execution of tasks

• Planning, organizing, and overseeing all subordinate work efforts

• Ensuring quality standards and work performance on all tasks and projects

• Organizing, directing, and managing support services

Core Role: Senior Level Scientist/Technician/Planner – Functional Responsibilities:

• Applying professional consultative scientific or technical expertise in fulfillment of tasks

• Planning, organizing, executing, and controlling project tasks in the successful delivery of services

• Interfacing with the Commission on a day-to-day basis to ensure delivery of project status

• Applying a broad set of management skills and technical expertise as a project leader

• Providing solutions through analysis

• Directing subordinates in the completion of tasks

• Organizing, directing, and managing support services

• Assigning tasks and overseeing projects

• Directing project activities in fulfillment of tasks and deliverables

Core Role: Junior Level Scientist/Technician/Planner – Functional Responsibilities:

• Applying a broad set of subject matter and technical expertise

• Directing the completion of projects within estimated timeframes and budget constraints

• Organizing, directing, and managing support services

• Serving as a member of a team performing mid-level assignments

• Providing solutions through analysis

Core Role: Administrative Support – Functional Responsibilities:

• Coordinating and providing administrative support services to consulting staff

• Supporting the production of deliverables and performing administrative functions required to complete tasks

• Providing graphics and editorial support services and desktop publishing services

• Creating Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 compliant documents

• Maintaining version control of project documents

• Providing direct support to consulting staff, including supporting the development of all tasks and deliverables

Core Role: Stakeholder Engagement Coordinator – Functional Responsibilities:

• Developing and implementing proposals for stakeholder engagement

• Preparing and disseminating stakeholder materials using plain language

• Preparing and presenting information at meetings and stakeholder events

• Working closely with the Commission’s Community Relations Director and associated staff on media relations and social media outreach

• Preparing and distributing social media to stakeholders and partners

• Coordinating and staffing formal and informal public meetings and stakeholder events

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(Note: The functional responsibilities as listed in these core role specifications are not necessarily descriptive of any single position in the class. The omission of specific statements does not preclude management from assigning specific duties not listed herein if such duties are a logical assignment to the position.)

TAB G. Cost Sheet (Mandatory) Attachment C

TAB H. Addendum (if applicable)

SUPPORTING/SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

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

A respondent’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 respondent non-responsive and reject the respondent’s proposal.

CONFIDENTIALITY/PUBLIC RECORDS LAW

Respondents are cautioned that Florida law generously defines what constitutes a public record and grants broad rights of public access to those records (e.g., section 119.07, F.S.). If a Respondent considers any portion of the documents, data or records submitted in their Response to this solicitation to be confidential, proprietary, trade secret or otherwise not subject to disclosure pursuant to Chapter 119, F.S., the Florida

Constitution or other authority, the Respondent must mark the document as “Confidential.” The

Respondent shall also provide the Commission with a separate PDF redacted copy of its Response and briefly describe in writing the grounds and specific legal citations for claiming exemption from public records law. This redacted copy shall contain the Commission’s solicitation name, number and the

Respondent’s name on the cover and shall be clearly titled “Redacted Copy.” The Redacted Copy should only redact those portions of material that the Respondent claims is confidential, proprietary, trade secret or otherwise not subject to public disclosure pursuant to Chapter 119, F.S., the Florida Constitution or other authority. If after the notice of intended decision or thirty (30) days after response opening, whichever is earlier, the Commission receives a public record request related to the solicitation, the Commission will provide the Redacted Copy to the requestor. If the Respondent fails to properly indicate any material enclosed in their Response is confidential, the Commission is authorized to produce documents, data or records in their entirety as submitted to the Commission in answer to a public records request. The

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

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MAILING INSTRUCTIONS

The Contractor shall submit one (1) original and three (3) separate electronic copies (on flash drive) of their response in a SEALED ENVELOPE addressed to:

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Attn: Purchasing, Randy Golightly

1875 Orange Avenue East

Tallahassee, Florida 32301

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

OF THE RESPONSE OPENING.

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

MARKED.

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

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

RESPONSIVE AND SHALL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

SOLICIATION PUBLIC OPENING

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

Events (Page 3). RESPONSES 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 response documents or the attendance at any related meeting or response 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.

SELECTION AND EVALUATION OF RESPONSES

An evaluation committee consisting of three (3) State of Florida representatives with collective knowledge and experience related to the solicitation’s program area will independently evaluate and score each

Respondent’s response. The Evaluation Criteria Scoring Sheet (Attachment D) will be used by the evaluation committee to assign scores to all evaluated responses designated as responsive.

Scores will be averaged for all evaluation committee members and ranked by the highest to lowest average score. Respondents must score at least 300 points to be considered for award. The contract will be awarded to the responsive and responsible Respondent with the highest-ranked average score.

GENERAL EVALUATION CRITERIA

General evaluation criteria include the following:

1. The Commission reserves the right to accept or reject any or all responses received and reserves the right to make an award without further discussion of the responses submitted. Therefore, responses should be initially submitted as outlined in the Mandatory Responsiveness

Requirements for Response Submission and Economy of Presentation sections.

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2. Non-responsive responses shall include, but are not limited to, those that:

a. are irregular or are not in conformance with the requirements and instructions contained herein;

b. fail to utilize or complete prescribed forms; or

c. have improper or undated signatures.

3. The Commission may waive minor irregularities in the responses received that are merely a matter of form and not substance, and the corrections of which are not prejudicial to other respondents.

A NON-RESPONSIVE RESPONSE WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

EVALUATION SCORING FACTORS

Scoring criteria include:

The summary of evaluation factors with point value assigned to each can be found in Attachment D, Evaluation Criteria Scoring Sheet. These, along with the general requirements, will be used in the evaluation of Respondent responses.

EVALUATION FACTOR MAXIMUM POINTS AVAILABLE

Executive Summary/ 10

Respondent Background and Organizational Structure 20

Respondent Knowledge and Experience 240

Qualifications and Experience of Proposed Personnel 125

Client References 20

Cost 30

TOTAL: 445

Points will be awarded on the basis of the following evaluation factors:

1. Executive Summary (10 points)

High‐level synopsis of the response will be evaluated based on clarity and ability for methodology to meet FWC needs.

2. Respondent Background and Organizational Structure (20 points)

The Respondent’s Background and Organizational Structure will be evaluated based on the

Respondent’s years in operation, years involved in work related to this project, and its proposed organizational structure for implementing the work as presented in the response.

3. Respondent Knowledge and Experience (240 points)

The Knowledge and Experience of the Respondent and the Respondent’s team will be evaluated on the following topics:

Request for Proposal – Revised 6.25.2025 FWC 25/26-15, Page 13 of 68

a) respondent’s knowledge of and experience in the Deepwater Horizon NRDA, with a focus on post-settlement restoration planning activities in Florida.

b) respondent’s knowledge of and experience in RESTORE, with a focus on logistical and support planning of restoration activities in Florida.

c) respondent’s knowledge of and experience in GEBF, with a focus on activities in Florida.

d) respondent’s knowledge of and experience in restoration planning.

e) respondent’s knowledge of natural sciences.

f) respondent’s knowledge and experience in facilitating stakeholder engagement and mass communications.

g) respondent’s knowledge of and experience with NEPA.

h) respondent’s knowledge of and experience with OPA.

i) respondent’s knowledge of and experience in Environmental Permitting and Regulatory

Compliance.

j) respondent’s knowledge of and ability to create Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of

1973 compliant documents.

4. Qualifications and Experience of Proposed Personnel (125 points)

Respondent’s proposed Team Members will be evaluated on their ability to meet the functions of the identified core positions for which they are proposed to fill.

5. Client References (20 points)

The client reference questionnaire has four (4) questions, and each question is worth one (1) – five

(5) points. Therefore, the total points available for an individual client reference questionnaire is a maximum of twenty (20) points. Please see the Sample Reference Questionnaire, which is part of

Attachment B, to see the questions and assigned point values. Please note that if a client reference cannot be contacted as described in Attachment B (References), then a point value of zero (0) will be assigned to that corresponding client reference questionnaire. The three (3) individual scores, one for each of the three client references contacted, will be added together and then divided by three (3) to determine the final point value for the client reference section.

For example: Client reference one was scored at 16 points, Client reference two was scored at 18 points, and Client reference three was scored at 19 points. The three (3) scores would then be added up for a total of 51 points, which would then be divided by three (3). This would result in a final score of 17 (51 / 3 = 17) for the Client Reference portion of the Evaluation Criteria Scoring.

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6. Cost (30 points)

The evaluation of each Respondent’s cost proposal will be conducted based on the cost formula below.

The Respondent submitting the lowest cost will receive the maximum points for the cost element of the evaluation. The other respondent's scores will be based on a relative percentage of the dollar amount higher than the lowest cost or price submitted by the lowest priced Respondent.

Formula for Cost Factor:

𝐴 ÷ 𝑁 × (𝐵) = 𝐶

A = Lowest total proposed cost (including renewals)

N = Proposed cost for Respondent under review

B = Number of maximum points awarded for lowest response

C = Score awarded to next lowest cost

NOTE: Each evaluator independently chooses the score based on their own judgment. Failure of the

Respondent to provide any of the information required in their RFP response shall result in a score of zero

(0) for that element of the evaluation. Additionally, if the lowest total proposed cost is zero ($0), ‘A’ in the formula will automatically be substituted with $0.01. If the proposed cost for the respondent under review is zero ($0), ‘N’ in the formula will also be substituted with $0.01.

POSTING OF RESPONSE TABULATION

Response Tabulation, with recommended award, 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 on the Vendor Information Portal, 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), Florida Statutes, shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120, Florida Statutes.

Awarded Respondents are instructed not to proceed until a Purchase Order, Formal Written Contract, Lease, Notice to Proceed, or some other form of written notice is given to the Contractor by the Commission.

A company or person who proceeds prior to receiving a Purchase Order, Formal Written Contract, Lease, Notice to Proceed, or some other form of written notice from the Commission does so without a contract and at their own risk.

Sealed responses, proposals, or replies received by an agency pursuant to a competitive solicitation are exempt from Section 119.07(1) and Section 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 responses, proposals, or final replies, whichever is earlier.

CONTRACT

The successful Respondent’s response and the Written Agreement shall form the contract between the parties. In the event there is any disagreement between the documents, the parties shall refer first to the http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0100-0199/0119/Sections/0119.07.html

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Request for Proposal then to Contractor’s response. The Commission reserves the right to revise the Written

Agreement as necessary to meet the requirements of this RFP.

SCOPE CHANGES AFTER CONTRACT EXECUTION

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

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

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 (e.g., renewal letters, vendor name change letter).

DELIVERABLES

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

Contract:

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

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

LIQUIDATED DAMAGES

If the Contractor fails to complete the work or the conditions of the Contract and/or Amendments 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 $0 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.

AUTHORIZED COMPENSATION

It is understood and agreed that all compensation under this RFP is specifically limited to the Contractor’s response price accepted by the Commission, and to the specific procedure for payment established in this

RFP and any Contract or task assignment 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 response 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 RFP, 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 RFP including, but not limited to, those resulting from a “force majeure”.

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ADDITIONAL LEGAL REQUIREMENT

All corporations seeking to do business with the State shall, at the time of submitting a response, be on file with the Department of State in accordance with provisions of Chapter 607, Florida Statutes; similarly, partnerships seeking to do business with the State shall, at the time of submitting such response, have complied with the applicable provisions of Chapter 620, Florida Statutes. 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, F.A.C., and Section 287.042(16) F.S., other State of Florida agencies may purchase from the resulting contract of this RFP, 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 RFP 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 Respondent is required to examine carefully the conditions and specifications of this RFP and to be thoroughly informed regarding any and all requirements of the conditions and specifications.

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

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SCOPE OF WORK

FWC 25/26-15

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTING SERVICES FOR DEEPWATER HORIZON RESTORATION

PURPOSE

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (hereinafter referred to as the Commission and/or

FWC) is requesting proposals from qualified vendors for professional environmental consulting services to assist FWC with natural resource restoration activities related to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The service requires a unique combination of expertise and experience with environmental consulting; large, complex project/program management; stakeholder management and public engagement; and a commitment to and understanding of Florida’s unique environment. This is a combination of perspective, expertise, experience, and delivery capability.

This service is anticipated to include, but is not limited to, the following task assignments:

A. Restoration planning and implementation under the Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage

Assessment (NRDA) settlement;

B. Logistical and support planning of restoration activities related to the Resources and Ecosystems

Sustainability, Tourism Opportunities, and Revived Economy of the Gulf Coast Act of 2012 (RESTORE

Act);

C. Activities related to the Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund (GEBF) administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF);

D. Public/Stakeholder engagement, including facilitating and planning in‐person and webinar meetings that may require renting public venues and audio/video equipment, developing and printing related materials; stakeholder relations; and communications through traditional and social media;

E. Scoping, identification, generation, development, and evaluation of project and program concepts;

F. Restoration planning, including conceptual project design, spatial and environmental analysis, cost estimation, budget production, adaptive management development, and the drafting and editing of planning and proposal documents using best available science;

G. Planning activities related to the design and implementation of project, program, resource, and cross‐ resource monitoring efforts;

H. Participating in working groups or technical groups;

I. Conducting gap analyses of future restoration needs or evaluations of overall project/program impacts for the development of adaptive management;

J. Conducting regulatory compliance analysis, permitting, and related tracking and reporting;

K. Converting documents to achieve compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; and

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L. Logistical planning and execution, including attending regular meetings and teleconferences associated with the above activities.

Respondents must be able to provide detailed documentation of successful experience in providing these services. Only responsive and responsible Respondents will be considered for award of this Request for

Proposal (RFP). The contract will be awarded to the responsive and responsible Respondent with the highest ranked average score. Assigned work will be tasked by the Commission as needed. Specific work assignments and deliverables will be determined by the scope of each task assignment as deemed necessary by the Commission.

DELIVERABLES

Specific work assignments, deliverables, and performance measures will be determined by the Commission for each task and described in each task assignment.

FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES

In accordance with Section 287.058(1)(h), F.S., each Scope of Work, shall contain clearly defined deliverables. If the successful Respondent fails to produce deliverables within the time frame specified by the Scope of Work, the Commission reserves the right to implement the financial consequences at their discretion. These consequences are outlined in Attachment A, Vendor Contract.

Successful Respondent’s Performance. The successful Respondent shall perform the activities described in the Scope of Work in a proper and satisfactory manner. Unless otherwise provided for in the Scope of Work, any and all equipment, products or materials necessary or appropriate to perform under this solicitation shall be supplied by the successful Respondent. The successful Respondent shall obtain all necessary local, state, and federal authorizations necessary to complete this project, and the successful Respondent shall be licensed as necessary to perform under this solicitation as may be required by law, rule, or regulation; the successful Respondent shall provide evidence of such compliance to the Commission upon request. The successful Respondent shall procure all supplies and pay all charges, fees, taxes and incidentals that may be required for the completion of this project. By acceptance of the contract, the successful Respondent warrants that it has the capability in all respects to perform the requirements and the integrity and reliability that will assure good-faith performance as a responsible successful Respondent. The successful

Respondent shall immediately notify the Commission’s Contract Manager in writing if its ability to perform under the Contract is compromised in any manner during the term of the Contract. The Commission shall take appropriate action, including potential termination of this solicitation in the event the successful

Respondent’s ability to perform becomes compromised.

REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

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ATTACHMENT A

FWC 25/26-15

FLORIDA FISH & WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION

VENDOR CONTRACT

STATE OF FLORIDA

FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION

This contract is entered into by and between the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, whose address is 620 South Meridian Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1600, hereafter “Commission” or

“FWC,” and Contractor Name, Contractor FEID, whose address is Contractor Address, hereinafter

“Contractor,” collectively, “Parties.

INTRODUCTORY CLAUSES

The Commission and Contractor intend to partner together to Enter a brief project/service description;

The Commission has awarded this Contract pursuant to the requirements of Sections 287.057, Florida

Statutes (F.S.); and Such benefits are for the ultimate good of the State of Florida, its resources, wildlife, and public welfare.

TERMS OF THE CONTRACT

The Commission and the Contractor, for the considerations stated in this Contract, agree as follows:

SECTION 1. PROJECT…