FL-pelican island NWR-survey

The Department of Interior Fish and Wildlife Service seeks commercial services to conduct Eastern black rail presence/absence surveys at Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge, with quotes due May 19, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. EST. This is a 100% small business set-aside, simplified acquisition under FAR Part 13.

Place of performance is Okeechobee, Florida, specifically the Kissimmee Bend Unit (approximately 3,312 acres) and Okeechobee Unit (approximately 1,864 acres) of the refuge. Surveys must follow the Eastern Black Rail Call-Response Survey Protocol, version 1.0, 2023 or newer. The contractor supplies all labor, equipment, materials, and supplies; surveys run sunrise to sundown, seven days per week, except during government facility closures. The contractor must maintain an adequate workforce for uninterrupted performance.

The contract period runs from June 1, 2026 through May 31, 2027 (one year base) with three option years. Award is on a best-value basis, with technical capability and past performance weighted equally and more heavily than price. The contractor must be registered in SAM with no terminations for fault or default, provide three customer references from the past five years, and submit a completed SF 18 quote, SF 30 acknowledging amendments, and a past experience/references questionnaire. A final report is due within 12 months, deliverable in MS Word, Shapefiles, Geodatabase ArcMap 10.3 or later, and GIS data format to Oliver van den Ende, Refuge Manager. Service Contract Act wage rates apply; fringe benefits include $5.55 per hour Health & Welfare, two weeks paid vacation after one year, and eleven paid holidays annually. The NAICS code is 541360, Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services; PSC is F012. Questions are due May 7, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. EST to Merenica Banks at Merenica_Banks@ios.doi.gov. All-terrain vehicles are permitted for site access; both units are accessible by foot and vehicle via existing roads and trails.