Western Kentucky Coalfield Bat Surveys

The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) under the Tourism, Arts, and Heritage Cabinet is seeking qualified contractors to conduct comprehensive Western Kentucky Coalfield Bat Population Surveys. The procurement is a personal service contract for bat surveys across the Western Coalfields region from April 1, 2019 through December 31, 2019, with potential two-year renewal options. Specific deliverables include conducting mist net surveys at up to 20 sites, summer acoustic surveys at up to 20 sites, visual bridge inspections, and attaching radio transmitters to up to 5 Indiana or Northern long-eared bats. All surveys must adhere to United States Fish and Wildlife Service Indiana Bat Summer Survey Guidance, with field sampling occurring between May 15 and August 15, 2019. Evaluation criteria will allocate 300 points to qualifications and experience (25 points per year of threatened bat survey experience in Kentucky, with maximum points for five years of bat species identification) and 250 points to cost proposal. The RFP was released on March 8, 2019, with written questions due by March 15, 2019, and proposals due by March 26, 2019, at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

Mandatory requirements for contractors include possessing valid Federal and State endangered species permits, appropriate photography equipment, two complete sets of bat processing equipment, USFWS-approved acoustic survey hardware and software, and a minimum of three rabies-vaccinated staff members. Kentucky resident bidder and qualified bidder preferences will apply as established under KRS 45A.490, 45A.492, and 45A.494. No online bidding is permitted; proposals must be submitted in three sealed parts (technical proposal, cost proposal, and proprietary information) in physical form to the KDFWR Purchasing Section in Frankfort, Kentucky. The contract award is contingent upon approval by the Finance and Administration Cabinet Secretary and filing with the Legislative Research Commission Government Contract Review Committee. While no specific contract value is identified in the RFP, the contract will cover bat survey activities in Elliott County and other areas within the Western Kentucky Coalfield region. Proposals will be evaluated based on both technical qualifications and cost-effectiveness, with the lowest-cost proposal receiving maximum points.