Bat Hibernacula Surveys

The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) issued Request for Proposal (RFP) 660 2300000336 on April 12, 2023, soliciting competitive proposals for bat hibernacula surveys and white-nose syndrome (WNS) monitoring services in Elliott County and throughout Kentucky. The procurement requires qualified contractors to conduct winter hibernacula surveys in up to 10 caves designated by KDFWR between January 1, 2024, and April 30, 2024, with Indiana bat surveys prioritized between January 15 and February 15, 2024, and all remaining counts completed by February 28, 2024. Survey work must adhere to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Indiana Bat Hibernacula Survey Guidelines, and contractors must coordinate daily with KDFWR and USFWS personnel, obtain landowner permissions, document findings with field notes and photographs, and submit final reports and data in KDFWR-specified format by April 15, 2024. Proposals were due by 12:00 PM EDT on April 24, 2023, with vendor written questions due by April 17, 2023, and KDFWR responses provided by April 20, 2023. The initial contract term is one year from the award date, with options to renew for two additional two-year periods upon mutual agreement. Mandatory qualifications include valid federal and state permits to conduct threatened and endangered bat surveys in Kentucky, a minimum of five years' experience with winter identification of cave bat species, at least three trained staff members with vertical caving certification, demonstration of WNS fungus identification experience within the last 5-10 years, and multiple sets of caving gear for sole use in Kentucky caves. Technical proposals are evaluated on a maximum of 400 points (executive summary: 100 points; qualifications: 200 points; professional references: 100 points), while cost proposals are evaluated on a maximum of 100 points, for a total possible score of 500 points.

Contractors must meet resident bidder and qualified bidder status requirements established by the Commonwealth of Kentucky, including authorization to transact business in Kentucky, compliance with corporate income tax filings, unemployment insurance contributions, and active workers' compensation coverage for one year prior to the advertisement date. Qualified bidder status may also include nonprofit corporations furthering purposes under KRS Chapter 163 or qualified nonprofit agencies for individuals with severe disabilities that employ individuals with severe disabilities for at least seventy-five percent of direct labor man hours and are registered in good standing with the Kentucky Secretary of State. Pricing shall be submitted as a firm fixed unit cost on a per-site basis, with vendors responsible for calculating all necessary materials, transportation, and software costs; the Commonwealth of Kentucky is tax-exempt, and vendors must exclude federal excise tax and state sales or use tax from proposed costs. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the solicitation documents, and no specific budget range or award value is disclosed. All proposals must be submitted electronically through the Kentucky Vendor Self Service (VSS) platform in three separate documents: technical proposal, cost proposal, and proprietary information. The KDFWR reserves the right to request best and final offers and to negotiate with the top-ranked vendor, proceeding to subsequent vendors if necessary.