Original ITB-Purchase of Species Habitat Conservation Credits

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), District 1 Procurement Office, is issuing an Invitation to Bid (ITB) for the purchase of species habitat conservation credits to offset Sand and Bluetail Mole Skink habitat impacts associated with FDOT projects throughout the district, primarily in Polk, Hardee, and Highlands Counties. The procurement seeks both Skink conservation credits and Scrub Jay credits on an as-needed basis through a 24-month term contract commencing from the award date. The anticipated habitat impact involves approximately 10 acres requiring roughly 20 Skink credits, though the Department does not guarantee any specific quantity of mitigation credits will be purchased. Pricing must be submitted as firm, net, delivered prices on a per-credit basis for each credit type, with delivery of credits required within 14 days of purchase order receipt and payment rendered upon formal adjustments to state and federal ledgers confirmed by appropriate regulatory agencies. Qualified bidders must be actively registered in MyFloridaMarketPlace, possess approved banking instruments (permits), and have available federal and/or state wetland mitigation bank credits at the time of bid submission. Technical questions must be submitted by April 30, 2026, with questions and answers posted by May 4, 2026. Bids are due electronically by May 19, 2026 at 9:00 AM, with public bid opening at 11:00 AM at FDOT's Bartow, Florida location and the intended award decision posted at 2:00 PM the same day. The Department reserves the right to conduct on-site inspections of mitigation sites and review bidder documentation prior to contract execution to verify credit availability and compliance with technical specifications, as well as to purchase credits from multiple bidders to achieve the lowest overall cost.

No specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises are outlined in this procurement; however, a 5% price preference applies to Florida-based vendors when competing against out-of-state vendors whose states do not grant reciprocal preferences. Bidders whose principal place of business is outside Florida must provide a written legal opinion regarding their state's preference policies. All bidders must complete required forms including the Bid Sheet, In-State Preference Form, and Vendor Certification Regarding Scrutinized Companies Lists. All payments are subject to MyFloridaMarketPlace transaction fees. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the available documentation. No specific award value or budget range is disclosed in the ITB; however, the Department may utilize excess purchased credits on future projects, indicating potential for expansion beyond the initial anticipated 20 Skink credits needed.