Environmental Monitoring and Biological Sampling Services for the Newport Bay Watershed

The County of Orange, OC Public Works, is soliciting proposals via Request for Proposal (RFP) for Environmental Monitoring and Biological Sampling Services for the Newport Bay Watershed to support compliance with Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requirements for selenium and organochlorine compounds across the 152-square-mile watershed. The primary services include fish tissue sampling, bird egg collection, fish habitat and community surveys, chemical analysis coordination, data processing, Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) development comparable to California's Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program guidelines, and regulatory reporting across four critical monitoring areas: lower Peters Canyon Wash, lower San Diego Creek and San Joaquin Marsh, Upper Newport Bay, and Big Canyon Wash. Respondents must demonstrate a minimum of five years of environmental monitoring experience, expertise in fish and avian tissue sampling, capability to obtain required permits from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and experience developing comprehensive QAPPs. Deliverables include a minimum of 30 fish tissue samples, field data documentation, habitat survey reports, and a final report addressing regulatory compliance questions within three months of analytical data availability. The RFP was released on February 17, 2026, with a question submission deadline of March 3, 2026 at 2:00 PM and a proposal closing date of March 17, 2026 at 2:00 PM; all proposals must be submitted electronically via the County's eProcurement Portal, with no facsimile or email submissions accepted. Evaluation will occur on a 900-point scale if interviews are conducted, with points allocated for firm background and qualifications (175 points), key personnel and staffing (150 points), work plan and project approach (125 points), response organization (25 points), and model contract compliance (25 points), plus a 100-point cost proposal scale where the lowest price receives full points and other bids are scored proportionally.

A five to eight percent preference is available for certified Orange County Local Small Business (OCLSB) and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) firms that meet minimum qualifications. The contract is structured as a time and materials agreement with compensation based on hourly classification rates for Wildlife Biologist/Toxicologist/Project Manager (120 estimated hours), Senior Environmental Scientist/Aquatic Ecologist (300 estimated hours), Environmental Scientist/Wildlife Biologist (500 estimated hours), Senior Ecologist/Reviewer/QC (80 estimated hours), and Project Controls (60 estimated hours), though actual quantities will vary based on County needs. Reimbursable expenses such as equipment rental, printing, and approved travel costs require pre-authorization by the County Project Manager with supporting receipts. The contractor must maintain Commercial General Liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence/$2,000,000 aggregate), Professional Liability Insurance ($2,000,000), Automobile Liability ($1,000,000), and Pollution Liability insurance ($1,000,000) with the County named as additional insured. No specific contract ceiling amount or budget range is disclosed in the RFP; this figure will be determined during post-award negotiations. The maximum contract term is five years with potential extension options requiring Board of Supervisors approval, with contract execution expected within ten days of award notification and invoicing submitted monthly in arrears with net 30-day payment terms.