1450-26-R-RFQF-00001

The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) is seeking bids for a cultch material procurement and deployment project located in the Western Mississippi Sound and Biloxi Bay. The solicitation, identified as Solicitation Number 1450-26-R-RFQF-00001, requires vendors to furnish and deploy approved oyster shells or #4 aggregate stone to enhance oyster beds. Bids are due on August 19, 2025, at 2:00 PM CST, with a tentative reverse auction scheduled for August 26, 2025. The project's key deliverables include acquiring and strategically placing cultch material between October 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026, with specific deployment dates to be determined by MDMR personnel. Bidders must demonstrate prior experience in cultch material deployment, be registered in the Mississippi Accountability System for Government Information and Collaboration (MAGIC), and comply with federal and state regulations. The evaluation criteria will focus on selecting the responsive, responsible bidder who provides the maximum amount of cultch material at the lowest price per cubic yard. Bidders must submit detailed documentation proving their capability to execute the project successfully.

The contract will be awarded to qualified vendors without specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises. The maximum contract value is $1,000,000, and the contract term will be one year from the signing date, with potential extension subject to MDMR's discretion. Funding for the project comes from grant sources, specifically the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality under the RESTORE Act. Bidders must comply with various environmental and employment protection regulations, and while no incumbent vendors are explicitly mentioned, the project appears to be part of an ongoing oyster bed restoration effort in Harrison County. Vendors will need to integrate their proposed cultch material deployment with existing marine ecosystem management strategies. The procurement allows for multiple submission channels, including hand delivery, mail to the Procurement Director Rick Kinnard, or submission through the MAGIC Portal, with clear instructions to mark submissions as "Furnish and Deploy Approved Cultch Material" for the specified solicitation.