Statewide Day-Use Mooring Buoy Program Management

The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Aquatic Resources (DLNR-DAR) is requesting proposals for statewide Day-Use Mooring Buoy Program Management support across five tasks over a twelve-month performance period, with proposals due September 8, 2026 at 2:00 PM HST and questions due August 24, 2026 at 2:00 PM HST.

The scope encompasses administering and coordinating the statewide DMB program (currently 223 mooring sites established in 1991), inspecting, maintaining, and repairing existing mooring buoys, assisting with network expansion, conducting public outreach and stakeholder engagement, and identifying additional funding opportunities. The contractor must maintain a dive team of at least three members with a designated supervisor, all possessing current First Aid and CPR certifications and OSHA compliance training. Mooring buoy systems include specified components: 80-pound lift hard-shell buoys with center tubes, three-quarter-inch nylon three-strand line, stainless steel thimbles and seizing wire, galvanized steel shackles and chain, and anchor systems (Hawaiian Eye-bolt pin anchors for hard substrates or Manta Ray earth anchors for loose substrates).

Minimum qualifications require at least ten years' experience in buoy inspection, repair, and maintenance; a valid State Contractor's license (Classification "A" or "C-68UW"); and general liability insurance of $1 million per incident and $2 million aggregate, with the State named as additional insured. Funding is limited to Ocean Stewardship special funds and subject to availability. The contractor must maintain Hawaii Compliance Express (HCE) compliance at the time of invoicing.

Evaluation uses a 100-point scale: Relevant Subject Matter Experience (30 points), Technical Approach (25 points), Compliance & Administrative Capacity (20 points), Stakeholder Engagement & Outreach Experience (15 points), and Budget Feasibility & Cost Efficiency (10 points), with a minimum qualifying score of 65 points required. Notice of Award is expected by September 16, 2026, with contract commencement anticipated by October 15, 2026. The initial term is twelve months, with an option to extend for up to four additional months without re-bidding, contingent upon funding availability, satisfactory performance, and program priorities.