Submerged Cultural Resources Remote Sensing Investigation

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is soliciting responses under RFP 2027004 for submerged cultural resources remote sensing investigation services, with responses due December 15, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Respondents must be registered with MyFloridaMarketPlace before contract execution and must comply with Florida Department of State Division of Historical Resources requirements, including obtaining a 1A-32 Archaeological Research Permit and submitting a Research Design Proposal for departmental approval.

The contractor will conduct remote sensing across approximately 225 acres of seagrass marker investigation areas and coral protection zones, plus a 74-acre focused investigation around Indian Key, within Lignumvitae Key Submerged Land Managed Area and John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. Work uses integrated magnetometer, sidescan sonar, subbottom profiler, depth finder, and GPS equipment to identify Native American sites and Euro-American shipwrecks, informing decisions on channel markers, buoys, and regulatory signage. All deliverables are due June 1, 2027, with a 1% daily invoice reduction for delays beyond that date.

Pricing is per acre on Form D for both the initial and renewal terms, using 225 acres for response purposes only. Payment follows services rendered, and the draft contract guarantees no minimum work volume. The initial term runs from execution through June 30, 2027, with up to three renewal years at the Department's discretion. The draft contract is fixed-price, prohibits subcontracting without prior written Department consent, requires E-Verify, and applies a 1% MyFloridaMarketPlace transaction fee to all payments. Commercial general liability minimums are $250,000 per occurrence and $500,000 aggregate. No retainage, liquidated damages, or payment and performance bonds apply.

Evaluation totals 230 points: past performance (75 points, 25 per reference from three clients), technical response (105 points, including 90 for qualifications and experience), and pricing (50 points, split equally between initial and renewal terms). The Department reserves the right to make a single award or multiple awards.

Questions are due November 17, 2026. No pre-response conference or site visit will be held. The public opening is December 16, 2026, and the anticipated award is on or about January 25, 2027.