RESOLICITATION: Request For Proposals for Biological Monitoring of Oyster Implementation for the Living Breakwaters Project

The New York State Housing Trust Fund Corporation (HTFC) is requesting proposals for biological monitoring of oyster implementation for the Living Breakwaters Project in Tottenville, Staten Island, with a proposal deadline of August 17, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. EDT and an Intent to Submit deadline of July 24, 2026. MWBE contracting goals are 15% Minority Business Enterprise and 15% Women Business Enterprise, with an additional 6% Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business goal; no incumbent contractor has been awarded an identical or substantially similar contract in the past five years.

The scope spans five contract years (2027–2031) and requires monitoring of approximately 30 million oyster spats deployed across four breakwaters (D, F, G, and H) in Raritan Bay through two restoration methods: approximately 4,494 seeded ECOncrete disks installed in 137 armor units, and three in-situ direct larvae-setting trials. The contractor must conduct annual assessments of oyster growth, mortality, recruitment, and condition; epibenthic community biodiversity surveys in Years 1, 3, and 5; field sampling of at least 30% of armor units (41 of 137); histological analysis and disease testing (MSX and Dermo) in Years 3 and 5; and annual reporting by December 31 of each year. Deliverables include a finalized sampling plan prior to Year 1, annual monitoring reports with oyster health data and size-frequency distributions, specialized laboratory reports on gonad condition and disease prevalence, and adaptive management recommendations. The contractor must hold marine biological monitoring and oyster restoration experience and comply with NYSDEC Permit No. 2-6405-00610/00007, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Permit No. NAN-2025-01009-MLO, and HTFC's Information Security Policy. Addendum No. 1 (issued July 30, 2026) amended Section 14.4.3 regarding licenses, certifications, and credentials. Questions and interviews are scheduled for September 2026, with anticipated selection also in September 2026, subject to Board approval. The contract is funded through New York State Bonded Capital Appropriations and must comply with 2 C.F.R. Part 200.