Boat Operations Training Services

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is procuring boat operations training services through a single-source acquisition for Leon County. The procurement seeks to contract with the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) to deliver specialized law enforcement training courses over a three-year term from July 2, 2026, through July 1, 2029. The training curriculum includes five core courses: Basic Crew Member, Boat Operator for Search and Rescue (BOSAR), Tactical Operator, Pursuit and Stop, and Small Vessel Rad-Nue Detection. All graduates must receive nationally recognized credentials that meet U.S. Coast Guard standards and are accepted by all 56 states and territories. The FWC has justified this as a single-source procurement because NASBLA's BOAT program courses are the only courses nationally recognized by all states, territories, and the U.S. Coast Guard, and only NASBLA-credentialed instructors and NASBLA-coordinated courses can result in entry into the national database of trained and credentialed crew members. Prospective vendors must submit written information demonstrating their ability to provide these described services no later than February 18, 2026, at 2:00 PM ET, with the posting remaining active for a minimum of seven business days.

This is not a competitive sealed bid or proposal solicitation but rather an invitation for single-source vendor information submission, meaning interested parties are restricted to those capable of providing NASBLA-administered training services. No specific set-asides for disadvantaged enterprises or minority-owned businesses are mentioned in the available documentation. The estimated contract value is $425,000.00 for the three-year term. The selected contractor must warrant full capability to perform all contract requirements, demonstrate integrity and reliability for good-faith performance, and comply with Chapter 287 of the Florida Statutes and all other applicable state and federal laws and regulations. The procurement was reviewed and approved by multiple FWC personnel, including Captain Thomas VanTrees from the Division of Law Enforcement, Operational Support, along with management and purchasing officials.