Experimental Asian Carp Fishing Gear

The Commonwealth of Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) issued Request for Proposal (RFP) 758 2000000118 to solicit proposals for testing experimental Asian carp fishing gears and methods designed to increase harvest efficiency in Kentucky and Barkley lakes. The procurement seeks multiple contract awards to qualified entities presenting viable proposals for developing and testing new commercial fishing technologies to support invasive species control and commercial fishing industry development. Testing must be conducted by Kentucky-licensed commercial fishermen with at least one KDFWR staff member present at all test events, with the Commonwealth scheduling all sampling locations, dates, and times. Eligible vendors must provide detailed technical proposals addressing executive summary, company background, technical approach, and scheduling flexibility to accommodate KDFWR observers; however, no cost proposal is required. Evaluation criteria are based on pass/fail assessments of gear description and expectations, vendor expertise, and schedule flexibility, with the Commonwealth reserving the right to negotiate with the highest-ranked vendor and proceed to lower-ranked vendors if agreement cannot be reached. The RFP was released on November 27, 2019, with proposals accepted on a rolling basis and a final closing date of November 27, 2020, at 3:30 PM EST, submitted via secure file transfer at https://ftp.ky.gov. No vendor's conference was scheduled, and no in-person bidder presentations were required during the proposal phase.

Bidders claiming resident status must submit a notarized Resident Bidder Affidavit affirming continuous compliance with Kentucky tax, unemployment insurance, and workers' compensation requirements for one year prior to the contract advertisement date, and the Commonwealth has indicated potential preference consideration for qualified resident bidders. Entities may also qualify for consideration as qualified bidders under nonprofit corporation or qualified nonprofit agency classifications for individuals with severe disabilities as defined under KRS 45A.465(3), with supporting documentation required upon request. All bidders must submit mandatory compliance documentation including Kentucky Tax Registration, Secretary of State certification for foreign entities, signed affidavits confirming campaign finance law compliance and prohibition on boycotts per Executive Order 2018-905, and proof of compliance with KRS 11A.236 regarding debarment provisions. The solicitation does not specify an overall contract value or budget range in available documentation. The initial contract term is one year from the effective award date, with two optional one-year renewal periods available upon mutual agreement of the parties; notably, the Commonwealth will not make payments to contractors for evaluation of experimental gears and methods, as vendors retain all responsibility for equipment, sampling gear, personnel costs, and legal disposal of harvested fish, though vendors may retain ownership of intellectual property developed and sell harvested Asian carp to buyers of their choice.