Sale of Surplus Salmon Carcasses & Eggs from WDFW Hatcheries

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is conducting a Request for Qualifications and Quotations (RFQQ) No. 25-00017 to solicit organizations interested in purchasing and removing surplus salmon carcasses and eggs from WDFW hatcheries located across multiple Washington counties, including Franklin, Grant, Grays Harbor, Chelan, and Yakima. The procurement requires a qualified contractor to collect all categories of fish and eggs from state, federal, and local hatchery facilities, including good quality, low quality, and unusable fish, with mandatory donation of good quality male fish to Northwest Harvest food bank. Key requirements include obtaining a $500,000 performance bond, holding a WDFW license as a wholesaler/processor, and demonstrating capability to handle high-volume perishable product transportation across the state. Bidders must provide processed fish protein to Northwest Harvest at no cost and submit detailed annual reports. The solicitation timeline includes a pre-bid conference on December 23, 2025, proposal submissions due by January 26, 2026 at 2:00 PM, evaluation completion by January 30, 2026, potential oral interviews February 2-6, 2026, and contract award announcement on February 11, 2026. The evaluation will allocate 60 points for cost, 20 points for food bank donations, and 40 points for qualifications and experience.

The RFQQ encourages participation from disadvantaged, minority-owned, and women-owned business enterprises, though no specific set-aside requirements are established. Bidders must be registered with the Washington Electronic Business Solution (WEBS) system and possess appropriate vehicles, equipment, storage capacity, and staffing to handle perishable products across multiple geographic locations simultaneously. The contract will run from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2029, with potential renewal for up to six years, and an estimated initial contract volume ranging from $7.8 million to $20.1 million. Contractors must comply with Washington State Department of Agriculture and FDA standards, maintain commercial general liability insurance of at least $1,000,000, and provide food-grade containers and refrigeration. The procurement does not identify incumbent vendors and requires a single prime contractor, though subcontracting is permitted with WDFW's approval. Pricing will be fixed on a per-fish basis across six condition categories, with monthly invoicing and potential late payment penalties of 1-5% depending on payment delay duration.