Support New Citrus Research at A. H. Whitmore Foundation Farm

The Florida Department of Citrus is seeking to contract with the Florida Citrus Research Foundation (FCRF), a private non-profit organization, to manage research and caretaking activities at the A.H. Whitmore Foundation Farm in Polk County, Florida. The services required include evaluating and determining the need for repairs, maintenance, and upgrades to the farm's infrastructure to support current and future citrus research activities. The contract term is from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, with an estimated dollar amount of $360,000. The justification for this single-source acquisition is that the FCRF is uniquely positioned to oversee the necessary work at the A.H. Whitmore Foundation Farm, as it is the organization that owns and partially manages the farm in support of USDA-ARS breeding research and other citrus research initiatives. Due to the challenges faced by the citrus industry, it is critical to maintain and upgrade the farm's facilities to continue supporting existing and future citrus variety research.

This is not a request for bid or proposal, but rather a notice that the Department intends to enter into an agreement with the FCRF as a single-source provider. The Department will post notice of its intended decision to enter into an agreement with the FCRF pursuant to Section 120.57(3), Florida Statues. There are no set-aside designations or restrictions on the types of organizations that can respond. The incumbent vendor is the FCRF, and the existing infrastructure and technology at the A.H. Whitmore Foundation Farm will need to be integrated into the proposed services.