This is a service / maintenance or supply contract in Tallahassee, Florida. Contact the soliciting agency for additional information.

Leon County is seeking the services of a qualified contractor to conduct water quality sample analyses for Leon County's Water Quality Monitoring Program. The goal of the monitoring program is to provide Leon County with scientifically defensible information on chemical, physical, and biological characteristics of the COUNTY's water bodies. The data collected will be used for a variety of purposes that can be summarized in broad terms as the determination of status and trends in water quality, county wide. Leon County's specific objectives of the water quality monitoring program are as follows: o Determine whether water quality at sampling sites exceeds applicable water quality standards. o Assess the status of water quality in Leon County. o Provide analytical water quality information that describes present conditions (status) and changes (trends). o Contribute data to Leon County's water quality database. o Contribute data to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and United States Environmental Protection Agency WIN (Watershed Information Network) or equivalent environmental database. o Contribute data to the State of Florida Impaired Waters Rule (IWR), Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), and other related programs. Questions shall be submitted directly through the County's online Because of the nature of the State of Florida IWR, TMDL, and other related programs and the stringent standards that the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) has on data quality, all of Leon County's documentation requirements are based on FDEP Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Conference (NELAC) standards will also be incorporated as required. FDEP SOPs can be viewed on the Laboratories Standard Operating Procedures website at: online ontact Information Melanie Hooley Purchasing Director 1800-3 Blair Stone Rd Tallahassee, FL 32308 Email: hooleym@leoncountyfl.gov Phone: (850) 606-1600 Water Quality Monitoring Services shall consist of the provision of laboratory testing of water and sediment samples provided to the laboratory by Leon County staff for the parameters defined herein. The laboratory shall document these testing results in the manner and format defined herein. The laboratory shall adhere to strict compliance to the testing and reporting standards associated with this testing program and document said compliance and or issues of non-compliance. The laboratory shall produce data fully useable in all respects for the purposes intended by Leon County and is compliant with FDEP TMDL criteria and standard operating procedures and is acceptable and usable by Florida DEP for IWR, TMDL, and other related FDEP program purposes. Question Deadline 07/03/2024 at 4:00 PM ET The work performed under this contract will support the Leon County Water Quality Monitoring Program by providing Leon County with scientifically and legally defensible information on chemical, physical, and biological characteristics of the COUNTY's water bodies. All analyses performed by the laboratory will be uploaded into Florida DEP's and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Watershed Information Network (WIN) environmental database. In order to have the highest quality data possible, in addition to satisfying all current Florida DEP requirements for IWR, TMDL, and related data, the following will be required from laboratories. Award shall be made to the responsive, responsible vendor whose proposal is determined in writing to be the most advantageous to Leon County, taking into consideration the evaluation factors set forth in the Request for Proposals. In accordance with Section 287.05701(3), Florida Statutes, in determining whether a bidder is responsible, the County will not request documentation of or consider a bidder's social, political, or ideological interests, nor give preference to a bidder based on such interests. No other factors or criteria shall be used in the evaluation criteria that are not included in the Request for Proposal. The County reserves the right to waive any minor irregularity in proposals and to make an award in whole or in part when either or both conditions are in the best interest of Leon County. Notice of the Intended Decision will be posted on the County website at: online for a period of seventy-two (72) consecutive hours, which does not include weekends or County observed holidays. Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed in Leon County Policy No. 96-1, Purchasing Policy, or failure to post the bond or other security required by law within the time allowed for filing a bond shall constitute a waiver of proceedings. Notice of intent of bid protest shall be made in writing to the Purchasing Director, 1800-3 N. Blair Stone Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32308. The bidder shall be responsible for inquiring as to any and all award recommendation/postings. Any award recommendation may be protested on the grounds of irregularities in the specifications, procedure, or the evaluation of the proposal. Such notice of an intent to protest shall be made in writing to the Purchasing Director within 72 hours after receipt of the intended recommendation of award and the protestor shall file a formal written bid challenge within 10 days after the date in which the notice of intent of bid protest has been submitted. The notice of protest shall contain at minimum: the name of the Protestor; the Protestor's address and phone number; the name of the Protestor's representative to whom notices may be sent; the name and bid number of the solicitation; and a brief factual summary of the basis of the protest. Failure to file a notice of an intent to protest or failure to file a formal written bid protest shall constitute a waiver of all rights granted under this section. The County reserves the right to reject any and/or all proposals, in whole or in part, when such rejection is in the best interest of the County. Further, the County reserves the right to withdraw this solicitation at any time prior to final award of contract.