Salmon and Egg Harvesting and Buying Concessions RFP

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources issued Request for Proposal No. 2000000001805 for Salmon and Egg Harvesting and Buying Concessions on June 4, 2020, with a proposal deadline of June 25, 2020 at 3:00 p.m. EST. Bidders' questions must be submitted by June 11, 2020, with responses posted by June 16, 2020. This solicitation seeks a professional services contractor to harvest and process surplus Pacific salmon and salmon eggs from six salmon weirs located on five Michigan streams, with operations commencing August 1, 2020. The base contract term is three years (August 1, 2020 through July 31, 2023) with one optional one-year renewal period at the State's discretion. The contractor will be responsible for harvest operations at weir sites and central processing facility operations, including all labor, equipment, supplies, and utilities (100 percent of utilities and 50 percent of landline telephone costs). Based on historical data, average annual harvests total 211,743 pounds of salmon and 17,246 pounds of eggs. The base bid covers three mandatory weir locations (Little Manistee River, Upper Platte, and Swan River), with three additional alternate bid locations (Lower Platte, Boardman River, and Medusa Creek). Deliverables include establishing a central processing facility with at least 500 square feet of dedicated work space for DNR staff, compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local fish processing and sale laws, and comprehensive insurance coverage including $1,000,000 commercial general liability, $5,000,000 umbrella liability, $1,000,000 automobile liability, workers' compensation, and $1,000,000 environmental/pollution liability. The contractor must price services on two bases: an annual base fee for all harvest and production services, and a per-pound price paid to the State for all harvested salmon and eggs.

The RFP documents provided do not specify set-aside designations or restrictions limiting the types of organizations eligible to respond, nor do they identify any incumbent vendors or current contractors. The solicitation prohibits processing of surplus salmon within the Platte River Watershed per a State Circuit Court Order and requires all salmon and eggs be clearly labeled as Michigan products without adulteration from out-of-state fish sources. The contractor must comply with Michigan Food Law, Code of Federal Regulations Part 110, and contaminant testing requirements. Liquidated damages of $1,000 plus $500 per day apply for late or improper completion, and $1,000 per individual per day for unauthorized removal of key personnel. The specific award value or budget range for the base annual fee is not disclosed in the available documentation, though the contract structure involves the State paying an annual base fee to the contractor while the contractor pays the State a per-pound price for harvested products.