Post Channel Island Reef Construction Saginaw Bay, Lk Huron

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources issued a Request for Proposal (RFP 25-2904) for post-restoration assessment services of Channel Island Reef in inner Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron, located in Saginaw County. The procurement seeks a qualified contractor to conduct a comprehensive two-year evaluation beginning in spring 2026 and continuing through the contract period ending December 31, 2027, with potential renewal for up to two additional one-year periods. The contractor must deliver extensive scientific services including water quality monitoring with dissolved oxygen data loggers deployed from November through May, fish gillnetting surveys with both large-mesh nets for spawner assessment (two sets per week on reef and control sites) and micromesh nets for egg predator identification, egg incubation potential assessments using walleye eyed eggs provided by MDNR or contractor-sourced eggs from Saginaw Bay brood, environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis to evaluate reproductive usage, underwater video documentation at three intervals, and comprehensive quarterly written reports with all findings due 30 days before contract expiration. Key deliverables include detailed work plans prescribing field methodologies and equipment specifications, weekly sampling data during spawning and incubation periods, identification of egg predators, assessment of habitat quality comparing post-construction conditions to pre-construction baselines and similar Coreyon Reef data, and evaluation of post-construction reproductive usage by adult fishes during spring and fall spawning periods. The RFP evaluation employs four equally weighted criteria (25 percent each): Product Quality, Service Capabilities, Delivery Capabilities, and responses to Vendor Questions Worksheet items. Critical deadlines include a bidders' questions deadline of August 15, 2025, with answers posted by August 20, 2025, and proposal submissions due by 3:00 p.m. Eastern on August 28, 2025, with no site visits or bidders' meetings scheduled. The contractor must appoint a dedicated Program Manager available 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST Monday through Friday, maintain quarterly reporting compliance, and demonstrate capability to manage complex scientific field operations across multiple lake locations.

The RFP does not specify set-aside designations or restrictions limiting respondent eligibility to disadvantaged enterprises or other protected classes based on the available documentation. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the solicitation materials. The contractor must comply with all State of Michigan standard contract terms including comprehensive insurance requirements, indemnification obligations, intellectual property provisions (all work product becomes State property), data confidentiality requirements, and prevailing wage requirements where applicable. Pricing requirements mandate that indirect costs be capped at 10 percent of total costs for the contract duration, with firm pricing for the initial 365-day period and adjustments permitted thereafter only upon mutual agreement supported by documented cost changes; invoices must be submitted within 45 days of contract expiration. The anticipated contract value equals or exceeds $250,000, requiring approval from the State Administrative Board. Payment will be made exclusively through Electronic Funds Transfer. While no specific budget ceiling is disclosed in the RFP materials, the contract's two-year initial term with potential two-year renewal option and comprehensive scientific requirements suggest significant financial commitment from the State.