FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES

Request for Proposals (RFP) No: RFP DOA 25 26 80

Title: North Florida Mobile Irrigation Lab Services

Channcen Bell, Procurement Officer

407 S. Calhoun Street, SB-8 Mayo Building Tallahassee, FL 32399-0800

Bids@FDACS.gov

Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed in Section 120.57(3), Florida Statutes, or failure to post the bond or other security required by law within the time allowed for filing a bond shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120, Florida Statutes. Protests must be filed with the Agency Clerk, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, The Holland Building, 600 South Calhoun Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399.

mailto:Bids@FDACS.gov

ADVERTISEMENT NUMBER: RFP DOA 25 26 80

SECTION 1 Introduction

1.1 Statement of Purpose

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS or Department) issues this Request for Proposals (RFP) for the provision of Mobile Irrigation Lab (MIL) services by providing irrigation system technical evaluations and assistance that aid agricultural Producers meet Best Management Practices (BMPs). The specific services being sought under this RFP are set forth in APPENDIX I - Scope of Work.

This RFP and all activities leading toward contract issuance are conducted pursuant and subject to Chapter 287, Florida Statutes (F.S.), and Rule Chapter 60A-1, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.). The Department intends to award a single contract for a three (3) year period to the responsive Respondent whose Proposal is determined to be the most advantageous to the State.

Alternatively, the Department reserves the right, at is sole discretion, to make no award at all.

1.2 Timeline

All required actions must be completed by the date and time indicated on the Timeline below. The Timeline will be strictly adhered to in all actions relative to this RFP unless modified by the Department by written addendum posted on the Vendor Information Portal (VIP) located at:

https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/. The VIP will be the single resource for all RFP public notices and information in accordance with Rule Chapter 60A-1.021, F.A.C.

EVENT DATE/TIME (ET) LOCATION

Release of RFP May 11, 2026 Vendor Information Portal https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/search/bids

Last day for Vendors to Submit Questions.

No questions will be accepted after this date.

May 15, 2026

5:00PM

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Email: Bids@FDACS.gov

Anticipated Posting of Written Responses to

Vendor Questions May 19, 2026 Vendor Information Portal https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/search/bids

Sealed Proposals Due June 4, 2026

5:00PM

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services – Mayo Building

407 S. Calhoun Street, SB-8 Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0800

Public Proposals Opening June 5, 2026 10:00AM Teleconference Number: (877)273-4202

Conference Room Number: 585 608 901

Evaluation Phase (Anticipated) June 5 – 10, 2026

Notice of Agency Decision / Intent to Award

(Anticipated) June 15, 2026 Vendor Information Portal https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/search/bids

1.3 Addenda to this RFP

The Department reserves the right to make changes to this RFP by posting addenda on the VIP.

Interested parties are responsible for monitoring the VIP for any posted addenda.

https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/ https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/search/bids mailto:Bids@FDACS.gov

1.4 Procurement Officer

The Procurement Officer, acting on behalf of the FDACS, is the sole point of contact for official meetings, questions, and all procurement related matters relating to this solicitation.

The Procurement Officer for this RFP is:

Channcen Bell, Procurement Officer Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Email: Bids@FDACS.gov

**ALL EMAILS TO THE PROCUREMENT OFFICER SHOULD CONTAIN THE SOLICITATION

NUMBER IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF THE EMAIL. **

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, excluding 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 officer or as provided in the solicitation documents. Violation of this provision may be grounds for rejecting a response.

1.5 Contract Term

The initial term of a Contract awarded pursuant to this RFP will be three (3) years. Upon agreement of the Parties, the Contract may be renewed for an additional three (3) years in accordance with Section 287.057(14), F.S. Notwithstanding the term described herein, the Contract may be terminated in accordance with Article 7 of the Contract.

1.6 Definitions

In addition to the definitions provided in the PUR 1001, the following definitions apply to this RFP document:

1) Best Management Practice (BMP): A means, practice, or combination of practices determined by the coordinating agencies, based on research, field testing and expert review, to be the most effective and practicable on-location means, including economic and technological considerations, for improving water quality in agricultural and urban discharges.

2) Business Day: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, inclusive, except for State holidays specified in Section 110.117, F.S., or State closures designated by the Department.

3) Contract: An agreement between the Department and a Contractor that results from this

RFP.

4) Contractor: A Respondent that is awarded and executes a Contract with the Department.

5) Office Of Agriculture Water Policy (OAWP): an Office within the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) which coordinates with agricultural Producers, industry groups, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the university system, and the Florida water management districts to develop and implement Agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs) addressing both water quality and water conservation.

mailto:Bids@FDACS.gov

6) Producer: A person or entity engaged in the production of agricultural products.

7) Proposal: A formal submission provided to the Department in response to this RFP.

8) Respondent: A Vendor that submits a Proposal to the Department in response to this RFP.

9) Vendor Information Portal (VIP): The self-service portal where vendors can register, receive electronic purchase order information, and receive information on upcoming solicitations.

10) Vendor: A potential provider of commodities and/or contractual services, as those terms are defined in Section 287.012, F.S., to the Department.

1.7 General Instructions and Special Instructions

Pursuant to Rule 60A-1.002, F.A.C., the General Instructions to Respondents, PUR 1001, are incorporated in this RFP by reference. There is no need to return this document with Proposals.

This RFP document constitutes the Special Instructions to Respondents. In the event of a conflict between the terms in PUR 1001 and this RFP document, the RFP document will take precedence over all terms in the PUR 1001 unless a conflicting term in the PUR 1001 is required by any section of the Florida Statutes, in which case, the term contained in the PUR 1001 shall take precedence.

Specific references to MyFloridaMarketPlace (MFMP) usage for this RFP as stated in paragraphs 3 and 5 of the PUR 1001 are not applicable.

1.8 Conflicts and Order(s) of Precedence

All Proposals are subject to the terms of the following provisions of this RFP, which in case of conflict shall have the following order of precedence:

1) Addenda, in reverse order of issuance,

2) Appendix I, Scope of Work,

3) RFP, including attachments, exhibits, and appendices (other than Appendix I),

4) PUR 1001, General Instructions to Respondents. and

5) PUR 1000, General Contract Conditions.

1.9 Mandatory Requirements

The Department has established certain requirements with respect to submissions to be submitted by Respondents. The use of “shall”, “must”, or “will” (except to indicate simple futurity) in this RFP indicates a requirement or conditions from which a material deviation may not be waived by the Department. A deviation is material if, in the Department’s sole discretion, the deficient Proposal is not in substantial accord with the RFP requirements, provides an advantage to one Respondent over other Respondents, or has a potentially significant effect on the quantity or quality of service.

Material deviations cannot be waived. The words “should” or “may” in this RFP indicate desirable attributes or conditions but are permissive in nature. A deviation from, or omission of, such a desirable feature will not in itself cause rejection of a Proposal.

SECTION 2.0 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

2.1 Scope of Work

A Contractor awarded a Contract pursuant to this RFP will perform MIL services as described in APPENDIX I - Scope of Work.

https://dms-media.ccplatform.net/content/download/2934/file/PUR%201001%20General%20Instructions%20to%20Respondents.pdf https://www.dms.myflorida.com/content/download/2934/file/PUR%201001%20General%20Instructions%20to%20Respondents.pdf https://www.dms.myflorida.com/content/download/2933/file/PUR%201000%20%28General%20Contract%20Conditions%29.pdf

Mandatory Requirements for Qualified MIL

1) The requirements outlined in APPENDIX I;

2) Practical knowledge of irrigation system management and/or design; and

3) Practical knowledge of basic soil properties and how to measure basic irrigation water quality parameters.

2.2 Objective

To facilitate the delivery of MIL services and ensure that these water conservation and water quality benefits continue to be available to growers who have adopted BMPs in the Northern Regions of the State, through the evaluation of their irrigation systems and recommendations for structural and/or management improvements to those systems.

2.3 Background

The Department’s OAWP is authorized to develop and adopt agricultural BMP and to assist agricultural Producers in implementing the BMP. These BMP include the establishment of MIL and other measures to document irrigation efficiency and provide water conservation recommendations.

Under a Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP), agricultural landowners, Producers, and growers are required by law to implement and maintain all applicable adopted BMP in accordance with Section 403.067(7), F.S., to reduce water demand and water quality impacts on water resources or perform water quality monitoring. Landowners/Producers who implement BMP are entitled to a presumption of compliance with state water quality standards. The use of MIL to evaluate irrigation systems is a BMP in accordance with adopted BMP manuals under Rule Title 5M, F.A.C.

There are seven (7) different types of irrigation systems used by Producers in Florida: Micro Spray, Drip, Sprinkler, Gun, Seepage, Linear, and Center Pivot. These systems irrigate agricultural crops depending on factors such as the water requirements, configuration, size, planting, and harvesting requirements of each type of crop. In the Northern Region, at least 90% or more of the irrigation systems are center pivot irrigation systems.

An MIL is a team of multiple technicians who do onsite evaluations of agricultural irrigation systems, to determine their efficiency and provide recommendations to the Producer on how to improve such efficiency and therefore conserve water.

The MILs covering the Northern Region of the State conducted 234 irrigation system evaluations on over 20,000 acres from January to June 2025. The estimated water savings from these evaluations was 1.06 billion gallons per year (2.90 million gallons per day (mgd)).

Due to the success of this MIL service over the years, as evidenced by the above, FDACS is committed to continuing and improving the MIL program to support the State's agricultural industry.

2.3.1 Current Service Delivery

As of April 2025, there are approximately 1,094 agricultural sites with adopted BMPs in counties located in North Florida that are likely to have at least one (1) irrigation system.

The table below breaks them down by county in each region:

Adopted BMP per Northern Region County Name Notice of Intent (NOI)

/ Location Count County Name Notice of Intent (NOI) / Location Count

Alachua 106 Jackson 121 Baker 3 Jefferson 24 Bay 2 Lafayette 72

Bradford 5 Leon 8 Calhoun 11 Liberty 0

Clay 3 Madison 51 Columbia 29 Nassau 2

Dixie 28 Okaloosa 5 Duval 12 Putnam 41

Escambia 9 Santa Rosa 7 Flagler 21 St. John’s 49

Franklin 0 Suwannee 170 Gadsden 23 Taylor 6 Gilchrist 157 Union 7

Gulf 0 Wakulla 1 Hamilton 87 Walton 10 Holmes 12 Washington 12

APPENDIX II – Map shows the geographic location of each NOI within each county and a geographic distribution of these NOIs for the entire Northern Florida regions that these counties comprise.

APPENDIX III – Minimum Number of Irrigation Systems Available for An Evaluation contains a table with the estimated minimum number of irrigation systems present and available for assessment during fiscal years 25/26, 26/27, and 27/28 for the counties listed in the tables above.

2.3.2 Respondent Requirements

Respondents must meet the minimum monthly number of on-site field irrigation system evaluations within a year (12 months) and the minimum total for that year (12-month period) as outlined in APPENDIX I - Scope of Work, Section 1.7.

SECTION 3 Solicitation of Proposals

3.1 Advertisement

This RFP is hereby advertised on the State of Florida, Vendor Information Portal. To find the RFP or other related information, enter Agency “Department of Agriculture” and click on “Advertisement Search” at the bottom of the web page. If unable to download the document(s), contact the FDACS Procurement Officer listed in Section 1.4.

3.2 MyFloridaMarketPlace (MFMP) Registration

Each Vendor desiring to sell commodities or contractual services as defined in Section 287.012, F.S., to the State is prequalified to do so and shall register in the MFMP system, unless exempted under Rule 60A-1.033(3), F.A.C. Information about the registration process is available and registration may be completed on the VIP website. Interested persons lacking internet access may request assistance from the MFMP Customer Service at (866) 352-3776.

Vendors should register for the following United Nations Standard Products and Services (UNSPSC) Class/Group Commodity Code(s) pertaining to this RFP:

60104200: Water testing and conservation and ecology 70131706: Watershed management 70171501: Water quality assessment services 70171502: Water resources planning services 70171503: Ground or surface water surveying 70171504: Water resources mapping services 70171600: Water quality management services 70171601: Water quality management 70171700: Irrigation system maintenance and management services 70171708: Irrigation advisory services 70171709: Irrigation systems management services

3.3 Question-and-Answer Period

Vendors may submit written questions regarding the solicitation to the Procurement Officer by the deadline listed in Section 1.2, Timeline. Oral questions or questions submitted after the deadline may not be acknowledged.

Questions topics may include, but are not limited to, requests for clarification regarding the terms, conditions, or requirements of the RFP or its attachments, or any processes described in those documents. If terms included in the Contract are impractical or, for legal or operational reasons, impossible, Vendors are encouraged to submit questions drawing attention to those issues.

**PLACE THE SOLICITATION NUMBER IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF ALL EMAILS CONTAINING

QUESTIONS.**

The Department requests that Vendors submit questions in the following format:

Question # Vendor Name RFP Section RFP Page # Question

Questions do not constitute a formal protest of the specifications, or of the solicitation.

The Department will answer timely submitted questions though an addendum posted on the VIP.

SECTION 4 Proposal Submission

4.1 Proposal Format

To expedite the evaluation process, it is essential that Respondents follow the format and instructions contained herein.

The Department is requesting a combination of physical original and digital copies of Proposals for this RFP. Hard copies and electronic (USB) copies must be divided into volumes containing the information below. The Respondent’s Proposal should clearly identify each Volume and Tab, as listed below, with an index tab or other similar type of identification. All pages should be sequentially numbered. Each Proposal should be prepared simply and economically, providing a concise, straightforward delineation of the Respondent’s capabilities to satisfy the requirements of this RFP.

Respondents are encouraged to focus on completeness and clarity in their Proposals. Elaborate bindings, colored displays, and promotional material are discouraged.

Proposals should include all requested forms and information listed below. Failure to provide all of the requested information may result in disqualification of the Proposal or a zero-point score for the relevant evaluation criteria. See Section 5, Proposal Evaluation, for information regarding how the Department will evaluate Responses.

VOLUME I: GENERAL INFORMATION & PRICING

TAB A General Information (No Points will be awarded for VOLUME I – TAB A)

The Respondent must provide:

1) A completed and signed ATTACHMENT A – FDACS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

FORM. The signed original of this form must be included in the original hard copy of the Proposal package.

2) A completed and signed ATTACHMENT B – CONFLICT OF INTEREST

STATEMENT. The signed original of this form must be included in the original hard copy of the Proposal package.

3) A completed, signed, and notarized ATTACHMENT C – NON-COERCION FOR

LABOR OR SERVICES AFFIDAVIT. The signed and notarized original of this form must be included in the original hard copy of the Proposal package unless the Respondent is a governmental entity.

4) The Respondent’s Award Preference Documentation (if any). See Section 6.2, Award Preferences, for more information. Failure to provide the documentation requested below will result in the applicable preference not being applied to the Respondent.

a. Certified Business Enterprise: The Respondent must provide a copy of its certification to receive this preference.

b. Drug-Free Workplace Program: The Respondent must provide a signed

ATTACHMENT D – CERTIFICATION OF DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE

PROGRAM to receive this preference. The signed original of this form must be included in the original hard copy of the Proposal package.

c. Certified Veteran Business Enterprise: The Respondent must provide a copy of its certification pursuant to Section 295.187(5), F.S., to receive this preference.

5) A completed and signed ATTACHMENT E – FORM PUR 7801. The signed original of this form must be included in the original hard copy of the Proposal package. The Respondent must either certify (by checking in the blank next to “Yes”) or mark N/A (by checking in the blank next to “N/A”) for each certification, as applicable.

6) A completed and signed ATTACHMENT F – FOREIGN COUNTRY OF CONCERN ATTESTATION. The signed original of this form must be included in the original hard copy of the Proposal package.

7) A completed and signed ATTACHMENT H – REFERENCES. References should be three (3) customers for whom the Respondent has provided similar services to the services sought in this RFP. References must be current or former clients of the Respondent. The Department will not accept subcontractor / proposed personnel or personal references of a member of the Respondent as a substitute for customer references.

The Department reserves the right to contact each Respondent customer reference to verify the information provided and validate the Respondent’s performance.

Past performance with the Department will constitute a reference, whether listed or not, and will be used by the Department to determine the Respondent's ability to perform satisfactory services like those described in this RFP. Unsatisfactory past performance with the Department will result in rejection of the Respondent’s Proposal.

TAB B Price Proposal (20 Points Maximum)

The Respondent must provide a completed and signed APPENDIX IV – Price Proposal.

The Respondent’s pricing shall encompass all services the Respondent is offering to provide in response to this RFP in the format provided by the Department.

Respondent must provide a fixed unit price for each different type of irrigation system to be evaluated by the MIL service. This unit price shall be all inclusive of all services, supplies, and equipment necessary to perform the functions listed in the APPENDIX I - Scope of Work to include all costs associated with the performance of the evaluations (i.e. overhead, salary, fringe benefits, travel to MIL meetings, site evaluations, equipment and equipment maintenance, etc.).

The State Fiscal Year (FY) is from July 1st – June 30th. The irrigation system unit price per evaluation will be a fixed rate per fiscal year. Respondent’s must include a unit price for each FY listed in the Original three (3) year term, and each FY listed in the Optional Renewal three (3) year term. The Total Calculated Price Per Unit will be divided by three

(3) to determine the Total Average Price Per Unit. Any additional travel expenses will require prior written approval by the Department, and will only be reimbursable subject to the requirements in compliance with Section 112.061 F.S.

The Procurement Officer will calculate the Total Average Sum for A. Original Term, and B. Renewal Term to determine the Price Response Score pursuant to Section 4 (A) of this RFP. To be deemed responsive, the Respondent must complete and sign both Part A and B of Appendix IV – Price Proposal.

VOLUME II: TECHNICAL RESPONSE (270 Points Maximum)

TAB A Statement of Qualifications (50 Points Maximum)

1) The Respondent must provide a detailed narrative demonstrating its qualifications and operational readiness to perform all required MIL services, and that it is capable of beginning services as soon as July 1, 2026. The narrative must clearly describe the Respondent’s staffing, resources, equipment, subcontractors (if applicable), and overall capacity to ensure uninterrupted commencement of services on the required start date.

The Department reserves the right to request supporting documentation verifying the Respondent’s ability to begin services by July 1, 2026.

2) The Respondent should provide an organizational chart that identifies the

Respondent’s personnel who will perform the services, if awarded; their roles and responsibilities; and their background, experience, and a summary of what makes each person suitable for their designated role and their ability to successfully perform their duties, and the services more generally. The summary should include applicable information regarding experience, trainings, certifications, and licenses held by the identified personnel or subcontractors.

3) The Respondent should provide a description of the percentage of time the personnel identified by the Respondent will be available to provide the services required under this RFP. Explain how the Respondent will balance any other workload/projects to ensure service will be timely provided to the Department as required.

4) (If applicable) The Respondent should provide the subcontractors the Respondent proposes to use (other than those required to be utilized through Vendor lists managed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection) on ATTACHMENT H – LIST OF SUBCONTRACTORS. For each subcontractor proposed, provide a brief narrative of the subcontractor’s proposed roles and responsibilities.

Subcontractors not yet known do not need to be listed. If subcontractors are not yet known, identify how subcontractors will be utilized.

The Respondent must have determined, to its own complete satisfaction, that each listed subcontractor has been successfully engaged in this particular type of business for a reasonable length of time and is qualified both technically and financially to perform the phase of this work listed herein. The Department shall have the right to examine the qualifications of any subcontractor and to request additional documentation of a subcontractor’s technical and financial qualifications. The Department reserves the right to request proof of any licenses or certifications required of subcontractors. The Department, in its sole discretion, shall have the right to prohibit the use of any subcontractor that does not satisfactorily meet the business experience, technical, or financial qualifications necessary to perform the services sought in this RFP.

TAB B Relevant Experience / Past Performance (50 Points Maximum)

The Respondent should provide narrative of the Respondent’s prior relevant experience / past performance with providing irrigation system evaluation services like those sought in this RFP. The narrative should reflect the Respondent’s ability to perform the MIL services sought in this RFP and provide relevant examples of performing similar services.

The Respondent’s demonstrated prior relevant experience / past performance must include at a minimum, projects which comprise the references submitted in VOLUME I – TAB A. Failure to provide accurate, relevant, and verifiable project references may result in reduced scoring of the Respondent’s Proposal.

TAB C Approach and Methodology (150 Points Maximum)

1) The Respondent should provide a full description of the Respondent’s plan for carrying out the services sought in this RFP.

2) The Respondent should provide a draft implementation plan that addresses the elements that would be required under the Contract. See APPENDIX I - Scope of Work, for further information on these requirements.

VOLUME III: REDACTED PROPOSAL (No Points will be awarded for VOLUME III)

If a Respondent considers any portion of the documents, data, or record submitted in response to this solicitation to be exempted by law from disclosure as a public record, the Respondent must provide Department with a separate “Redacted Copy” of its Proposal at the time of Proposal submission.

Any Proposal content submitted to the Department which is asserted to be exempted by law from disclosure as a public record shall be clearly marked “exempt,” “confidential,” or “trade secret” (as applicable), with the statutory basis for such claim of exemption specifically identified in writing on each and every such page. Failure to segregate and clearly identify any such content shall constitute a waiver of any claimed exemption as applied to the portion of the Proposal or other document in which the content is set forth.

IF A RESPONDENT FAILS TO SUBMIT A REDACTED COPY WITH ITS PROPOSAL AS

DESCRIBED HEREIN, THE DEPARTMENT IS AUTHORIZED TO PRODUCE THE ENTIRE

DOCUMENT(S), DATA, OR RECORDS SUBMITTED BY THE RESPONDENT IN ANSWER TO A

PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST. THE STATE OF FLORIDA DOES NOT CONSIDER PRICE TO

BE CONFIDENTIAL.

4.2 Contract Terms and Conditions

A draft Contract is provided as APPENDIX V - CONTRACTUAL SERVICES AGREEMENT- DRAFT. By submission of a Proposal, the Respondent agrees to the State of Florida Contract conditions set forth therein. In the case of conflict between the PUR 1000 General Contract Conditions and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Contractual Service Agreement, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Contractual Service Agreement shall prevail, unless the conflicting term in the PUR form is required by any section of the Florida Statutes, in which case the term contained in PUR1000 shall take precedence.

This document does not need to be returned with your Proposal. Respondents must not submit additions, objections, or modifications to this draft Contract with their Proposals.

4.3 Respondent-Generated Terms

The Department objects to and shall not consider any different or additional terms or conditions submitted by a Respondent, including any appearing in documents attached as part of a Respondent’s Proposal. In submitting a Proposal, Respondent agrees that any additional or different terms or conditions, whether submitted by Respondent intentionally or inadvertently, shall have no force and effect and shall be grounds for rejecting a Proposal. Respondent’s failure to agree to comply with the Department’s terms and conditions, including those specifying information that must be submitted with a Proposal, shall be grounds for rejecting a Proposal.

The purchase order or Contract issued by the Department as a result of this RFP shall incorporate all terms and conditions identified herein. No oral agreements or representations shall be valid or binding upon the Department or the Respondent unless expressly contained herein or by a written addendum to this RFP published on the VIP by the Department.

4.4 Cost of Preparation

Neither the Department nor the State of Florida is liable for any costs incurred by a Vendor in response to this RFP.

4.5 Instructions for Proposal Submission

The following submission instructions apply to all Proposals:

1) Respondents must submit:

Volume I, Tabs A and B • 1 hardcopy original

• 1 digital copy on USB drive (individual files for Tabs A and B)

Volume II, Tabs A, B, and C • 1 hardcopy original

• 1 digital copy on USB drive (individual files for Tabs A, B, and C)

Volume III (if applicable) • 1 digital copy on USB drive (individual file for Volume III)

Note: All digital copies may be submitted on the same USB drive.

2) All Proposals must be submitted in a sealed envelope/package with the relevant RFP number clearly marked on the outside of the envelope/package. Department staff will not be held responsible for the inadvertent opening of a Proposal if it is not properly sealed, addressed, or identified.

3) Proposals must be delivered to the address listed below by the date and time listed in

Section 1.2, Timeline.

407 S. Calhoun Street, SB-8 Mayo Building Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0800

Proposals may be delivered by United States Postal Service (USPS) mail, courier (FedEx/UPS), or hand delivered; however, Vendors are cautioned shipment via USPS may not be guaranteed to be received by the Department on the scheduled due date / time.

Electronic (email/fax) submission of Proposals will not be accepted for this RFP.

4) It is the Respondent’s responsibility to assure its Proposal is delivered to the proper place and time as stipulated in the Timeline.

5) Proposals received late (after the due date and time listed in the Timeline) will not be accepted, nor considered. A Proposal being postmarked or clocked in by FedEx, UPS or U.S. Postal Service does not constitute the Proposal being received in the Purchasing Office, and such evidence will not be accepted by the Department.

6) A Respondent will not be permitted to modify its Proposal after submission unless the

Department, at its sole discretion, has made a request for additional information.

4.6 Public Records

Any and all documents submitted in response to this RFP shall be considered public record pursuant to Chapter 119, F.S.

4.7 Withdrawal of Proposal

A submitted Proposal may be withdrawn by submitting a written request for its withdrawal to the Department. The withdrawal request must be signed by an authorized representative of the Respondent and must be received within 72 hours after the submission date indicated in the Timeline. Any submitted Proposals shall remain valid for 90 days from the submission date.

4.8 Disqualification of Respondents

More than one (1) Proposal from an individual, firm, partnership, corporation, or association, under the same or different names, will not be considered. Reasonable grounds for believing that a Respondent is interested in more than one Proposal for the same work will cause the rejection of all Proposals in which such Respondents are believed to be interested.

If there is reason to believe that collusion exists among the Respondents, any or all Proposals will be rejected. No participants in such collusion will be considered in future solicitations for the same work. Falsifications of any entry made on the Respondents’ offer will be deemed a material irregularity and will be grounds for rejection.

4.9 No Social, Political, or Ideological Interests Considered

In accordance with Section 287.05701, F.S., the Department will not request documentation of or consider a Vendor’s social, political, or ideological interests when determining if the Vendor is a responsible Vendor or give preference to a Vendor based on the Vendor’s social, political, or ideological interest.

4.10 Cooperation with Inspector General

By submission of a Proposal, the Respondent understands its duty, pursuant to Section 20.055(5), F.S., to cooperate with the Inspector General in any investigation, audit, inspection, review, or hearing, in the event Respondent is awarded the Contract. The Respondent will comply with this duty and ensure that subcontracts issued under the Contract, if any, impose this requirement, in writing, on its subcontractors.

SECTION 5 Proposal Evaluation

5.1 Public Opening

The Public Opening for this RFP will be conducted at the date, time, and location (via teleconference) noted in the Timeline. During the Public Opening, Proposals will be physically opened, and the names of Respondents will be announced. Respondents are not required to attend.

5.2 Special Accommodations

Any person with a disability requiring special accommodations at the Public Meeting for Opening of Proposals shall contact the Procurement Officer at least five (5) working days prior to the event.

If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact this office using the Florida Relay Services by dialing 7-1-1, TTYor visit https://www.ftri.org/relay for assistance.

5.3 Proposal Administrative Review

Each Respondent shall submit a Proposal that conforms to all mandatory requirements as outlined in this RFP solicitation. A Proposal that does not conform to the requirements, or contains material deviations from the specifications, will be rejected as non-responsive and not reviewed further.

Material requirements of this RFP are those without which adequate analysis and comparison of Proposals is impossible, or those that affect the competitiveness of Proposals. The Department seeks to maximize competition and reserves the right to seek clarification from Respondents to obtain non-material information to complete a responsiveness review. A Respondent’s failure to timely provide required information may cause the Respondent to be deemed non-responsive and therefore be disqualified from further consideration.

Non-responsive Proposals may include, but are not limited to, those which:

1) fail to utilize, complete, and/or submit the mandatory prescribed forms;

2) include terms and conditions contrary to the requirements of this solicitation;

3) do not contain authorized signatures; and

4) are not in conformance with the requirements and instructions contained herein.

5.4 Evaluation Procedure

Responsive Proposals will be evaluated and scored as provided in the table below.

270 Points Available

Price Proposal (Scored by Procurement Officer) Price Proposal (Volume I, Tab B) Up to 20 Points Available

Technical Response (Scored by Evaluators) Statement of Qualifications (Volume II, Tab A) Up to 50 Points Available Relevant Experience / Past Performance (Volume II, Tab B) Up to 50 Points Available Approach and Methodology (Volume II, Tab C) Up to 150 Points Available https://www.ftri.org/relay

Price Proposal Score (20 Points Maximum): The Procurement Officer will calculate each Respondent’s Price Response Score as described below using the Respondent’s completed APPENDIX IV – Price Proposal. The Procurement Officer will utilize the Total Average Sum for A. Initial Term and B. Renewal Term to determine the Initial and Renewal Term Points.

Initial Term Points + Renewal Term Points = Price Response Score

A. Initial Term Points (10 Points Possible): The Respondent with the lowest Total Average for the Initial Term will receive 10 Initial Term Points. Other Respondents’ Initial Term Scores will be calculated as follows:

(Lowest Respondent’s Total Average Sum) / (Respondent’s Total Average Sum) = Y

Y x 10 = Initial Term Points

B. Renewal Term Points (10 Points Possible): The Respondent with the lowest Total Average for the Renewal Term will receive 10 Renewal Term Points. Other Respondents’ Renewal Term Scores will be calculated as follows:

(Lowest Respondent’s Total Average Sum) / (Respondent’s Total Average Sum) = Z

Z x 10 = Renewal Term Points

C. Technical Response Score

The appointed evaluation committee will utilize the point system set forth in Attachment I - Evaluator Score Sheet, to individually score responsive Proposals. For each responsive Respondent, the Procurement Officer will average the Respondent’s scores from each evaluator to determine the Respondent’s Technical Response score.

D. Total Points

For each Respondent, the Procurement Officer will calculate the Respondent’s Price Response Score and Technical Response Score to determine that Respondent’s Total Points Awarded.

The Procurement Officer will rank Respondent’s Proposals based on the Total Points Awarded from the Respondent with the highest Total Points Awarded to the Respondent with the lowest number of Total Points Awarded.

SECTION 6 Award

6.1 Basis of Award

A Contract may be awarded to the responsible and responsive Respondent that the Department determines will provide the most advantageous service to the State based on Total Points Awarded.

The Department intends to award a single Contract under this RFP but reserves the right to make no award.

In the event the selected Respondent is subsequently unwilling to execute a Contract or is found not to be responsible or responsive, the Department, at its sole discretion, may proceed with the next highest-scored Respondent.

An award from this advertisement does not constitute an official purchase order or Contract, agreement, or commitment on behalf of the State.

6.2 Award Preferences

If the total awarded points for two or more Respondents is equal, the Department shall determine the order of award in accordance with Sections 287.057(12), 287.087, and 295.187(4), F.S.

6.3 Rejection of Proposals

The Department reserves the right to reject any Proposals, when such rejection is in the best interest of the State of Florida, and to reject the Proposal of any Respondent who the Department determines is not in a position to satisfactorily perform the Contract.

Respondents whose Proposals, past performance, or current status do not reflect the capability, integrity, or reliability to fully and in good faith perform the requirements of the Contract may be rejected as not being responsible Vendors as defined in Section 287.012, F.S. The Department may request additional information pertaining to the Respondent’s ability and qualifications to accomplish all services described in this RFP as deemed necessary during the RFP or after Contract award.

6.4 Viewpoint Consideration Prohibited

The Department may not request documentation of or consider a Vendor’s social, political, or ideological interests when determining if the Vendor is a responsible Vendor. The Department may not give a preference based upon a Vendor’s social, political, or ideological interests.

6.5 Protest Procedures

Pursuant to Section 120.57(3), F.S., a Notice of Protest or Formal Written Protest must be filed with the Department’s Agency Clerk. Filings may be made physically at:

The Holland Building 600 South Calhoun Street Tallahassee, Florida 32399

Physical filings received after regular Business Hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., ET) will be deemed filed the next Business Day. Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed in Section 120.57(3), F.S., or failure to post the bond or other security required by law within the time allowed for filing a bond shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120, F.S.

6.6 Modification after Contract Execution

During the term of the Contract, the Department may unilaterally require changes (altering, adding to, or deducting from the Specifications) provided such changes are within the general scope of this solicitation.

The Respondent may request an equitable adjustment in the price(s) or delivery date(s) if the change affects the cost or time of performance. Such equitable adjustments require the express written approval of the Department’s contract manager or designee and a written contract amendment.

6.7 MyFloridaMarketPlace (MFMP) Transaction Fee

The State of Florida, through the Department of Management Services, has instituted MFMP, a statewide eProcurement system pursuant to Section 287.057(24), F.S. All payments issued by Agencies to registered Vendors for purchases of Commodities or Contractual Services under Chapter 287, F.S., shall be assessed the Transaction Fee of one percent (1%) of the total amount of the payments received from the State or Eligible Users, as prescribed by Rule 60A-1.031, F.A.C., or as may otherwise be established by law.

Vendors shall pay the Transaction Fee and are subject to automatic deduction of the Transaction Fee when automatic deduction becomes available. Vendors shall submit any monthly reports required pursuant to Rule 60A-1.031, F.A.C. All such reports and payments are subject to audit.

The Department will have grounds for declaring the Vendor in default if the Vendor fails to comply with the payment of the Transaction Fee or reporting of payments, which may subject the Vendor to being suspended from business with the State of Florida.

6.8 Vendor Substitute W-9

The Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS) requires all Vendors that conduct business with the state to electronically submit a Substitute W-9 Form to https://flvendor.myfloridacfo.com.

Forms and answers to frequently asked questions are located on that website once a registration has been completed. DFS may assist Vendors with questions and may be contacted at (850) 413-5519, or FLW9@myfloridacfo.com.

The awarded Respondent must have a valid W-9 on file with the DFS prior to issuance of a Contract. This may be completed by the Respondent post-award.

[REMINDER OF PAGE LEFT BLANK INTENTIONALLY]

https://flvendor.myfloridacfo.com/ mailto:%20FLW9@myfloridacfo.com

ATTACHMENT A

FDACS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

AND CONSUMER SERVICES

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Solicitation Number: RFP DOA 25 26 80

Solicitation Title: North Florida Mobile Irrigation Lab Services

PROPOSAL DUE:

June 04, 2026; 5:00P.M.

SUBMIT PROPOSAL TO:

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Procurement Office 407 S. Calhoun Street, SB-8 Mayo Building Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0800

PUBLIC OPENING OF PROPOSALS:

June 05,2026; 10:00A.M.

Respondent Name:

**If a fictitious name is used, include registered name (e.g., XYZ, Inc. DBA ABC):

Respondent Mailing Address: Phone Number:

Toll Free Number:

Email Address: Fax Number:

FEID Number: Type of Business Entity (Corporation, LLC, partnership, etc.):

Respondent Contacts: Provide the information requested below for the Respondent’s primary contact and, if available, secondary contact.

These individuals must be available to be contacted by telephone or attend meetings as may be appropriate regarding the solicitation.

PRIMARY CONTACT SECONDARY CONTACT

Contact Name and Title: Contact Name and Title:

Address: Address:

Phone Number: Phone Number:

Fax Number: Fax Number:

Email Address: Email Address:

By signing and submitting this Acknowledgement Form:

1. The Respondent verifies that it has read and complies with all terms and conditions contained in this solicitation and that the product and/or services offered by the Respondent will conform to the specifications of this solicitation without exception.

2. The Respondent certifies that the signature provided by the Respondent below is provided by an authorized representative who can legally bind the Respondent.

Authorized Signature:

Date of Signature:

Name of Authorized Signer:

Title of Authorized Signer:

ATTACHMENT B

CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT

I, _______________________, as an authorized representative of ______________________________

(Respondent), pursuant to Section 287.057(19), Florida Statutes, certify that no member of the

Respondent’s organization, nor any person having interest in the Respondent’s organization, has done any of the following:

1) Participated in the drafting of this solicitation;

2) Received a contract that was not procured pursuant to Section 287.057(1)-(3), Florida Statutes, to perform a feasibility study concerning the scope of work contained in this solicitation; or

3) Developed a program for future implementation concerning the scope of work contained in this solicitation.

Signature of Authorized Representative Date

Printed Name

Title

Solicitation Number

FDACS-01342 Rev. 10/24

WILTON SIMPSON

COMMISSIONER

I, _____________________________________________, having been duly sworn, hereby affirm:

1. Pursuant to section 787.06(13), F.S. when a contract is executed, renewed, or extended between a nongovernmental entity and a governmental entity, as defined in section 287.138(1), F.S., an officer or a representative of the nongovernmental entity must attest under penalty of perjury that the nongovernmental entity does not use coercion for labor or services as defined in section 787.06, F.S.

2. I am an officer or representative of ___________________________________ (nongovernmental entity), a legal entity organized under the laws of the State of ______________________, with its principal place of business located at _____________________________________________________________________.

3. Pursuant to section 787.06(13), F.S., I hereby attest, under penalty of perjury, that the nongovernmental entity does not use coercion for labor or services as defined in this section 787.06(2), F.S.

4. I understand that any false statement made in this affidavit may subject me and the nongovernmental entity to legal consequences.

5. I declare that the information provided herein is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Executed this ______ day of _______________, 20_______.

Signature

Printed Name

Title Position

Nongovernmental Entity Name

STATE OF _________________

COUNTY OF________________________

Sworn to or affirmed and signed before me by means of physical presence or online notarization this

________ day of _______________, 20_____ by ___________________________________________ who is personally known to me or who produced _________________________ as identification.

Notary Public

(Notarial Seal) Printed Name

FDACS-01364 07/24

ATTACHMENT C

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

NON-COERCION FOR LABOR OR SERVICES AFFIDAVIT

ATTACHMENT D

Bureau of General Services

CERTIFICATION OF DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE PROGRAM

Pursuant to Section 287.087, Florida Statutes, whenever two or more bids, proposals or replies that are equal with respect to price, quality and service are received by the state or by any political subdivision for the procurement of commodities or contractual services, a bid, proposal or reply received from a business that certifies that it has implemented a drug-free workplace program shall be given preference in the award process.

In order to have a drug-free workplace program, a business shall:

1) Publish a statement notifying employees that the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession, or use of a controlled substance is prohibited in the workplace and specifying the actions that will be taken against employees for violations of such prohibition.

2) Inform employees about the dangers of drug abuse in the workplace, the business's policy of maintaining a drug-free workplace, any available drug counseling, rehabilitation, and employee assistance programs, and the penalties that may be imposed upon employees for drug abuse violations.

3) Give each employee engaged in providing the commodities or contractual services that are under bid a copy of the statement specified in subsection (1).

4) In the statement specified in subsection (1), notify the employees that, as a condition of working on the commodities or contractual services that are under bid, the employee will abide by the terms of the statement and will notify the employer of any conviction of, or plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, any violation of chapter 893 or of any controlled substance law of the United States or any state, for a violation occurring in the workplace no later than five (5) days after such conviction.

5) Impose a sanction on or require the satisfactory participation in a drug abuse assistance or rehabilitation program if such is available in the employee's community, by any employee who is so convicted.

6) Make a good faith effort to continue to maintain a drug-free workplace through implementation of this section.

As the person authorized to sign the statement, I certify that this firm complies fully with the above requirements.

VENDOR'S SIGNATURE

FDACS-01218 03/23

ATTACHMENT E

FORM PUR 7801

(08/2024, Rule 60A-1.002, F.A.C.)

Vendor Certification Form

I hereby certify the following on behalf of the vendor identified below:

Customer Indicator (Required, N/A, Determined by Vendor)

Vendor Indicator

Does the Vendor Certify?

Certification

Required ___ YES

Regardless of the dollar value of the goods or services provided, in accordance with the requirements of section 287.135(5), F.S., the vendor is not participating in a boycott of Israel and is not on the State Board of Administration’s “Quarterly List of Scrutinized Companies that Boycott Israel,” available at https://www.sbafla.com/governance/global-governance-mandates/

___ N/A

If the goods or services to be provided are $1 million or more, in accordance with the requirements of section 287.135, F.S., the vendor is not on the Scrutinized Companies with Activities in Sudan List or the Scrutinized Companies with Activities in the Iran Terrorism Sectors List (collectively, “Scrutinized List of Prohibited Companies”);

does not have business…