Derelict Vessel Removal, Transport, and Disposal - Kees Bayou Barge WM2629

Escambia County Marine Resources Division (MRD) is submitting an application to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) Derelict Vessel Removal Grant Opportunity Announcement. As required in the application, Escambia County must provide individual price quotes for each proposed Derelict Vessel. This Price Quote seeks the total price for floating, removal, transport and tipping fees associated with the vessel’s disposal at an authorized landfill approved by MRD in Escambia County (Please contact MRD before submitting price quote) of the following vessel:

Vessel Name:   Kees Bayou Barge

Length: 30ft *Prospective bidders should verify* : 

Color:  Brown

Make:   Unknown Barge

Registration: None

Location: Kees Bayou (approx. 30 18.7630 N, 87 28.5660 W)

FWC Case No: FWC26ON0039900

Project Details

• Reference ID: WM2629
• Department: Natural Resources
• Department Head: Chips Kirschenfeld (Director)

Important Dates

• Questions Due: 2026-06-11T21:00:00.000Z

Evaluation Criteria

• Important Instructions for Electronic Submittal —

  Escambia County is accepting electronic quote submissions. Bidders shall create a FREE account with OpenGov Procurement by signing up at https://procurement.opengov.com/signup. Once you have completed account registration, browse back to this page, click on "Submit Response", and follow the instructions to submit the electronic bid.

• Scope of Work or Project Details —

  Contractor Responsibilities

  Work to begin within 7 calendar days of the Notice to Proceed (NTP).  Project expected to be completed within 14 calendar days of issuance of the NTP.  Adverse weather days may allow for an extension but must be requested in writing and approved by the Marine Resource Division.

  Contractor will also deliver batteries/flares/propane tanks found on board the vessel to Hazardous Household Waste at the landfill. 

   

  The following best management practices (BMP’s) will be employed by the marine contractor during the removal of derelict vessels.  The marine contractor selected for the project will be required to show proof of their ability to meet the BMP requirements with their contingency of equipment, staff and expertise in the removal of derelict vessels.

  Compliance with these BMP’s will be monitored by the County and by local Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission law enforcement officers. These BMP’s are as follows:

  A. All Work Is To Meet The Following Requirements:

  1. Operations are to be limited to daylight hours Monday through Friday. 

  2. Operations are to be staged from an upland area.               

  3. All work is to be performed in a manner that avoids and/or minimizes impacts to live bottom and other resource areas (e.g., seagrass beds, oyster beds, wetlands, mangroves, and other sensitive habitats) while approaching, working in, and leaving the derelict vessel site.

  4. All work shall avoid impacts to manatees, sea turtles, and other species listed by the state and federal government as threatened or protected.

  5. The Contractor will remove all contaminants and pollutants including fuels, batteries, paints, solvents, and engine from the derelict vessel prior to extraction. Any contaminant or pollutant found to be contained within a derelict vessel shall be removed by the Contractor, placed in an approved container, and disposed of properly. The placement of an absorbent blanket on the surface of the water around the derelict vessel within the turbidity barrier is required where free floating product (gas/oil) is observed.

  6. The Contractor is to provide appropriate best management practices (BMPs) approved by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for erosion control and turbidity protection while each derelict vessel is being removed. In areas of low to moderate currents, a Type II floating turbidity barrier will be installed within a ten (10) foot radius of the vessel being removed prior to starting any removal activities. The turbidity barrier shall be anchored to the bottom of the waterway.

  7. The Contractor is to provide appropriate BMPs for erosion control and turbidity prevention around the vessels/barges being used to remove the derelict vessel and around the perimeter of any upland staging site (where necessary).

  8. The Contractor is to monitor turbidity levels throughout removal work.

  9. In an effort to reduce turbidity, a crane, winch and/or approved alternate method is to be used to raise the derelict vessel from the water.

  10. The Contractor will assess turbidity levels and allow them to return to an acceptable level similar to pre-project condition prior to removal of turbidity measures.

  11. The dragging of vessels is to be avoided both on and off-shore. All vessels/barges used in vessel removal shall continually monitor water depths to avoid running aground.

  12. The Contractor will load derelict vessels onto a barge and/or flat bed truck (or similar) for proper disposal.

  B. For Derelict Vessels That Are Floating or Lightly Aground:

  1. The vessel is to be pumped out as needed and extracted (floated out) during high water.

  2. Following extraction, the vessel is to be towed from the grounded location to a boat ramp or other removal point while avoiding and/or minimizing impacts to live bottom areas.

  C. For Derelict Vessels That Are Hard Aground:

  1. The vessel is to be approached using shallow draft vessels.

  2. The vessel is to be extracted using a crane from a shallow draft deck barge, by hand using the best available tools, or similar approach to minimize impacts to the site and surrounding areas.

  D. For Derelict Vessels Sunken in Shallow Water:

  1. Install and inflate flotation bags as needed.

  2. Lift the vessel with barge mounted crane or similar equipment

   

  In addition to the above, Escambia County requires the contractor to:

  1. Prior to transport to the landfill, fuel tanks must be pumped out by a licensed operator and the contents handled as contaminated.  Fuel tanks less than 20 gallons may stay in the vessel.  Fuel tank(s) larger than 20 gallons must be removed from the vessel.  If the tanks are larger than 20 gallons, the tanks must be perforated, then flattened, and then the tanks can be placed with the vessel or vessel debris for removal to the landfill.
  2. Holding tanks for sewage or grey water must be pumped out by a licensed operator.
  3. The Contractor is to photo-document all removal activities with photographs taken before, during and after removal, as well as final disposal at landfill. The Contractor will provide a daily written report of all removal activities to the County with photographs. 
  4. Contractor will verify with Perdido Landfill that they are able to receive the vessel.  If the vessel is too large to be safely transported via trailer to the landfill, or too large to fit through the scales at the landfill, the vessel will need to be demolished at an appropriate upland site, and placed into dumpsters prior to transport.
  5. Contractor will transport vessel to pre-authorized landfill; contractor will obtain pre-authorization from Escambia County Marine Resources Division regarding landfill selection and disposal. The contractor will pay the tipping fees for the vessel. 
  6. No items may be salvaged from the vessel during the removal/disposal process.

  Escambia County Responsibilities

  1. Provide Contractor with written documentation of vessel and “Derelict Vessel” status and authorization for removal.
  2. Ensure contractor’s insurance coverage meets Escambia County requirements.  (see below) 
  3. Oversight of the removal project.  To the extent possible, the Marine Resources Division will have someone available to be on scene during the removal operation. 
  4.   Escambia County’s Perdido Landfill is the preferred disposal site. Perdido Landfill scales can accommodate trucks and trailers 10’ wide by 69’ long *Contractor should verify prior to submitting price quote*
• Insurance Requirements —

  See attached document: Insurance requirements for DV vessel removal-12-8-2025 Risk Mng for Escambia County Standard Insurance Requirements and Certificates.

   

  At the time of submittal, please include a letter from your insurance company stating that your company has or can obtain the required insurance levels.  A COI will later be required in order for your company to proceed if selected. 

• Indemnification —

  Contractor agrees to save harmless, indemnify, and defend County and Architect/Engineer and their, agents, officers and employees from any and all claims, losses, penalties, interest, demands, judgments, and costs of suit, including attorneys' fees and paralegals' fees, for any expense, damage or liability incurred by any of them, whether for personal injury, death, property damage, direct or consequential damages, or economic loss, including environmental impairment, arising directly or indirectly on account of or in connection with the Work done by Contractor under this Agreement or by any person, firm or corporation to whom any portion of the Work is subcontracted by Contractor or resulting from the use by Contractor, or by any one for whom  Contractor is legally liable, of any materials, tools, machinery or other property of County.  County and Contractor agree the first $100.00 of the Contract Amount paid by County to Contractor shall be given as separate consideration for this indemnification, and any other indemnification of County by Contractor provided for within the Contract Documents, the sufficiency of such separate consideration being acknowledged by Contractor by Contractor's acceptance and execution of the Agreement.  The Contractor's obligation shall not be limited by, or in any way to, any insurance coverage or by any provision in or exclusion or omission from any policy of insurance.  The Contractor agrees to pay on behalf of Escambia County, as well as provide a legal defense for the County, both of which will be done only if and when requested by the County, for all claims made.  Such payment on the behalf of the County shall be in addition to any and all other legal remedies available to the County and shall not be considered to be the County's exclusive remedy.

Submission Requirements

• I understand that this is a written quote request not a formal bid or solicitation. (required)
• I confirm that the pricing submitted in the Pricing Table is valid for the purposes of this written quote request (required)
• Quote Form (required) —

  Upload your SIGNED Quote form.

• Supporting Documents or Specifications and PQR Form (required) —

  Please add completed PQR form and any additional supporting documents.

• Proof of Sunbiz Registration (required) —

  Please provide proof of Sunbiz registration in your submission packet for the quote.  Vendors outside the State of Florida are still eligible to participate in purchases with Escambia County, but you must register in Sunbiz before we can issue a payment or finalize the award. 

• W-9 (required) —

  Please Provide a copy of your W-9. If awarded the quote, the department will need your W9 to add you to our system for issuing a Purchase Order. 

• Proof of Contractor Licensure (required) —

  Vertical Construction requires a contractors license.

• Would you like to use the electronic pricing table through OpenGov to collect pricing information ? (required) —

  You will not need a signed quote form from the vendor if you use the pricing table, their pricing table is their quote, and vendor responses will be easily tabulated for you upon review of the quotes to see lowest, most responsive, and responsible quote. 

• Does your quote request involve any insurance requirements? (required) —

  If the vendor is on County property performing work etc. Insurance requirements must be listed in the quote request and should be confirmed by Risk Manager before posting.  A Certificate of Insurance will be required.

• Do you require any type of contractor's license for the scope of work? (required) —

  Vertical construction will usually require a Division 1 Contractor's License and the vendor will need to upload proof of the licensure with their quote submission. If unsure, email contractorlicense@myescambia.com to verify license requirement before submitting quote.