West Bay Estuarine Habitat Restoration - Phase VI

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is seeking competitive bids for the West Bay Estuarine Habitat Restoration - Phase VI project in Bay County, Florida. The procurement involves constructing up to 67 subtidal oyster reefs along the western shore using large (16-18") native Florida limestone aggregate. Qualified bidders must be a Certified General or Specialty Marine Contractor capable of deploying limestone materials using shallow draft deck barges that can navigate 3-foot water depths and deliver minimum loads of 13 cubic yards per trip. The project requires comprehensive marine construction work, including providing all materials, equipment, labor, transportation, supervision, and necessary insurance. Key project timelines include a non-mandatory pre-bid conference on March 7, 2025, at 10:00 AM ET, with questions due by March 18, 2025, at 5:00 PM ET. Sealed bids must be received prior to March 31, 2025, at 3:30 PM ET, with an anticipated award date of April 7, 2025. The contract term extends twelve months after Substantial Completion, which must be achieved within 60 calendar days of Notice to Proceed, with Final Completion required within 20 days thereafter.

The FWC encourages diversity in procurement through the State of Florida Mentor Protege Program, which connects minority, women, and veteran-owned businesses with private corporations. Bidders must be registered in the MyFloridaMarketPlace (MFMP) system and with Sunbiz prior to bid opening. The project requires substantial insurance coverage, including Workers Compensation, Commercial General Liability ($1M per occurrence, $2M aggregate), Automobile Liability ($1M combined single limit), and Longshoremen's insurance. For bids exceeding $100,000, a bid guarantee of 5% and performance/payment bonds of 100% are mandatory. Bidders must submit a Confidentiality Exemption Form to obtain technical specifications and construction plans, and digital bid submissions will not be accepted. While no specific budget range is explicitly stated, the comprehensive insurance and bonding requirements suggest a significant project scale. Liquidated damages of $250 per calendar day will be applied for delays beyond the Substantial Completion deadline, indicating the project's time-sensitive nature and potential financial implications for non-compliance.