Request for Response-Salt Marsh Restoration Project-Final Design and Permitting

The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife (MassWildlife) is issuing a Request for Response (RFR) to procure final design and permitting services for the 3,278-acre Nature-Based Trio Salt Marsh Restoration Project (NCRF 3278) located in Great Marsh spanning Newbury, Rowley, Ipswich, and Salisbury. The selected contractor must convert existing preliminary trio restoration designs (currently 95% complete) into final designs meeting all regulatory requirements, implement nature-based techniques including ditch remediation, runnels, and marsh habitat islands, and complete all required environmental permitting by February 1, 2027. Key deliverables include managing all permitting aspects, coordinating with the Great Marsh SMARTeam Review/Design members and conservation partners, and consulting with the UMass Mass Marsh Monitoring group to develop pre- and post-monitoring plans. Mandatory qualifications require bidders to demonstrate over five years of current experience permitting nature-based trio restoration projects in Massachusetts and over three years applying the 4-Tiered Restoration Methodology. The evaluation criteria, totaling 110 possible points, assess vendor experience across six weighted categories: five years of salt marsh trio restoration permitting experience in Massachusetts (20 points), five years applying 4-tier salt marsh restoration methodology (20 points), five years in trio assessment and design through final permitting (20 points), three years with Massachusetts trio pre- and post-monitoring plans (20 points), three years creating GIS maps of historic agricultural infrastructure overlaid with nature-based restoration designs (10 points), and a cost proposal at or below the $210,000 budget (10 points). The bid response deadline is April 30, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. EST via COMMBUYS, with an estimated contract start date of May 2026 and project completion required by February 1, 2027, with final invoices due by March 31, 2027.

Small Business Purchasing Program (SBPP) participants meeting best value criteria receive award preference in this procurement. The contract is designated for single award use by MassWildlife only with no renewal options available. The estimated base contract value is $150,000 for the initial 3,278 acres, with potential expansion available at supplemental per-acre rates at MassWildlife's discretion, though the total estimated contract value is listed as $250,000 or less with a maximum not-to-exceed price not exceeding $210,000 for the base scope. Bidders must provide project management costs per hour by permit type, estimated per-acre costs for final design, and a comprehensive all-inclusive maximum not-to-exceed price in their proposals. Desirable qualifications include prior coordination with Great Marsh SMARTeam scientists, experience with saltmarsh sparrow habitat considerations, and demonstrated strong report writing and GIS mapping skills. All contract funding is conditioned upon approval of NFWF grant funding, and invoices must be submitted monthly or by mutual agreement, with payment processed through the Commonwealth's standard 45-day payment cycle via Electronic Funds Transfer in accordance with applicable Massachusetts General Laws and the Office of the Comptroller's bill payment policies.