Professional Services for Choctawhatchee Unpaved Roads Project

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is seeking professional services for the Choctawhatchee Unpaved Roads Project through a Request for Statements of Qualifications (RFSOQ 2025013). The project focuses on updating original plans for roadway and drainage improvements across twelve unpaved road-stream crossings in Holmes and Washington Counties, originally developed under the Deepwater Horizon Program. Required services include field verification, utility location, geotechnical investigations, design revisions, gopher tortoise surveys, permit reapplications, and limited post-design and construction phase services. Respondents will be evaluated based on a 231-point scoring system covering past performance, technical response, company background, qualifications, project management, and personnel. Key procurement dates include a response deadline of May 19, 2025, at 3:00 PM, with a public opening on May 20, 2025, at 10:00 AM. Minimum qualifications require respondents to be registered with MyFloridaMarketPlace and employ a Professional Engineer with a valid certificate of authorization.

The contract, funded through the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) Trustee and Florida Trustee Implementation Group, will run from execution date until June 30, 2028, with no renewal options. While no specific set-aside designations were explicitly mentioned, the DEP intends to make a single award but reserves the right to award to one or multiple respondents. The project's primary objective is to improve water quality and habitat in the Lower Choctawhatchee River Basin by addressing erosion and sedimentation from unpaved roads. Successful respondents will be evaluated on their expertise in watershed assessments, environmental permitting, roadway design, and knowledge of local environmental conditions. Compensation will be structured on a fixed price and cost reimbursement basis, with reimbursement limited to other direct costs as outlined in the project documentation. The contract includes multiple compliance requirements, including provisions for public records, security, confidentiality, and adherence to state and federal regulations.