Artificial Reef Construction, Transportation, and Deployment- AR2609 NRDA EscaRosa

Escambia County is seeking proposals for an Artificial Reef Construction, Transportation, and Deployment project (AR2609 NRDA EscaRosa) located approximately 5 nautical miles southeast of Pensacola Pass in the Gulf of Mexico. The procurement involves manufacturing, transporting, and precisely deploying approximately 25 Patch Reefs within a 2 square nautical mile site at water depths of 45-65 feet, with modules to be placed approximately 500 feet apart. Contractors must provide hollow concrete modules with specific design requirements, focusing on habitat complexity, durability, and marine life support. The evaluation process will score proposals across five criteria: module construction/durability (20 points), habitat value (20 points), horizontal and vertical stability (20 points), deployment capability (20 points), and price (20 points). Key dates include a pre-solicitation meeting on November 7, 2025, a question submission deadline of November 20, 2025, and a proposal response deadline of December 1, 2025 at 10:00 am. The estimated construction date is March 2026, with a project completion deadline of May 1, 2026. Contractors must demonstrate at least three similar "Patch Reef" artificial reef deployments at comparable depths within the past three years.

The solicitation does not specify explicit set-aside designations or restrictions on responding organizations. The total project funding is $450,000, with Escambia County reserving the right to reject all submissions or select a submittal to be funded at a lower amount. Contractors must provide comprehensive insurance documentation, including Protection & Indemnity (Marine Liability) with $1,000,000 per occurrence/$2,000,000 policy aggregate, Maritime Workers Compensation with $1,000,000 limits, and Marine Pollution liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence/$2,000,000 aggregate. Insurers must have a minimum AM Best Rating of VIII, with an "A" or better rating preferred. The project is funded through the Florida Artificial Reef Program and is part of the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) Phase III Early Restoration Plan related to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Successful contractors will be responsible for module replacement at no cost to the county if any damage is discovered during inspections conducted within 1-3 weeks after deployment. The final number and specific coordinates of reef modules will be determined by Escambia County upon receipt of module pricing.