Phosphorus remediation in the ocklawaha prairie restoration area

The St. Johns River Water Management District is seeking proposals from firms interested in partnering on a project to remediate phosphorus in the Ocklawaha Prairie Restoration Area (OPRA) in Polk County, Florida. The project is eligible for funding through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's (FDEP) Innovative Technologies Grant Program, which supports initiatives that evaluate and implement innovative technologies and short-term solutions to combat algal blooms and nutrient enrichment, restore and preserve Florida waterbodies, and implement water quality treatment technologies. The District is inviting proposals for projects that focus on preventing, mitigating, or cleaning up harmful algal blooms through nutrient reductions, as well as improving the ability to predict and monitor algal blooms. The successful respondent will be responsible for all monitoring, equipment, installation, maintenance, and final removal over a two-year period from October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2025. Proposals will be evaluated based on the respondent's experience with lanthanum-based products for phosphorus remediation, organizational capabilities, technical and scientific merit, and cost-effectiveness. The total available budget for this project is $1,100,000, and funding is contingent upon the District's receipt of grant monies from FDEP.

The solicitation does not specify any set-aside designations or restrictions on the types of organizations that can respond. The District may select one or more proposals for partnership under the FDEP Innovative Technologies Grant Program. The deadline for submitting proposals is August 21, 2023, and the District will screen and review the proposals in accordance with the Program's key funding considerations, scientific and technical merit, alignment with District priorities, and outstanding resource management needs.