Fund Management for Panther Payment for Ecosystem Services Program

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is seeking competitive pricing for fund management services required to disburse payments to private landowners for maintaining panther habitat on their land, primarily in Collier, Hendry, and Lee counties. The selected contractor will be responsible for establishing and maintaining a financial account for the program funds, as well as disbursing the funds to eligible applicants within 10 business days. The contract is expected to be for one year, with FWC having the option to renew for up to two additional years. FWC has an estimated budget of $200,000 for this project and requires the contractor to have prior experience managing and disbursing funds for wildlife and/or habitat conservation programs. The contractor will be allowed to charge no more than a 10% overhead multiplier. Sealed bids are due by August 4, 2023, and the anticipated award date is August 9, 2023.

FWC encourages participation from minority, women, and veteran-owned businesses. There are no incumbent vendors or current contractors listed, and no existing infrastructure or technology that requires integration. The contract award value is not explicitly stated, but the $200,000 estimated budget provides an indication of the possible award range.