St. Johns River - Eelgrass Revegetation

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is requesting competitive bids for harvesting and planting native eelgrass (Vallisneria neotropicalis) within Lake George and Lake Monroe across Putnam, Marion, Lake, Volusia, and Seminole Counties under ITB FWC 26.27-34, with sealed bids due September 29, 2026 at 2:30 PM ET.

Prospective bidders must be registered in MyFloridaMarketPlace and SunBiz prior to bid opening and must complete mandatory site visits to Lake George (all red-identified areas) and Lake Monroe (four specified coordinates) before submitting a bid. The FWC will award the contract to the responsive, responsible bidder submitting the highest number of plants within the $1.2 million estimated budget for the initial two-year term.

The scope requires manual harvesting of eelgrass from Commission-specified donor sites, transportation, and installation at designated locations to restore submersed aquatic vegetation. The bidder must supply a minimum of 95 percent of specified plants and achieve a production standard of at least 15,000 plants per workday; failure to meet this standard carries financial penalties of $100 per day. Plants must be installed within 48 hours of harvest with roots placed a minimum of two inches into bottom sediments. If pop-ups exceed 10 percent within two days, the contractor replants at no cost to the Commission. Work must be performed Monday–Friday during daylight hours, and the FWC Project Manager must approve completion before payment authorization. Planting dates are anticipated February through June 2027 and 2028, with all work completed within ninety calendar days of Notice to Proceed.

Bids must be submitted as sealed envelopes with proper markings; digital submissions are not accepted. The bidder must supply a price per plant including all costs for harvesting, transporting, planting, equipment, workers, fuel, and required safety devices. Contractors must provide three verifiable references for similar projects and maintain workers' compensation and general liability insurance. Written questions are due September 17, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET. The anticipated award date is October 2, 2026.