Public Relations and Project Management Services for Restore Lagoon Final Phase

The University of Central Florida (UCF) has issued an Invitation to Negotiate (ITN 2025-08OCSA) seeking a comprehensive Public Relations and Project Management services provider for the Restore Lagoon Inflow Research project, a three-year state-funded initiative in Orange County, Orlando. The selected supplier will support a complex scientific research project involving the design, construction, operation, and removal of a temporary ocean-water recirculation system to study ecological responses in the Indian River Lagoon. Deliverables include developing a communication plan, preparing news releases, managing social media content, supporting UCF leadership, coordinating interdisciplinary team meetings, and maintaining project communication calendars. Evaluation criteria will assess proposers across five key areas: experience and qualifications (20 points), project staff qualifications (20 points), responsiveness to project scope (25 points), overall pricing (25 points), and conformance to ITN requirements (10 points). Key deadlines include questions due by January 5, 2026, at 5:00 PM EST, and proposals due January 20, 2026, at 3:00 PM EST, with a contract commencement date of February 15, 2026.

Proposers must demonstrate a minimum of three years in business operation, with at least one prior engagement communicating technical or scientific information for a university. The primary account lead must possess a minimum of five years of relevant professional experience and commit to remaining assigned throughout the 36-month project duration. Insurance requirements include General Liability insurance with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate, Workers' Compensation insurance aligned with Florida Statute, and Auto Liability insurance if campus vehicle operations are involved. The contract will be structured as a fixed-fee arrangement with no anticipated additional funding, though UCF reserves the right to consider change orders under exceptional circumstances. Proposals are limited to 18 pages of narrative content and must be submitted through the UCF Bonfire Web Portal, with no specific budget range or award value explicitly stated in the solicitation. The state of Florida is tax-exempt, and all invoices must be submitted to kNEXT with proper contract and purchase order references.