Lochloosa Slough Preserve (South) - Alachua County Preserves Hunting Services Agreement

Alachua County Board of County Commissioners (hereinafter, the “County” or “Alachua County”) is seeking proposals for RFP 27-238-MM Lochloosa Slough Preserve (South) - Alachua County Preserves Hunting Services Agreement from qualified individuals or entities (hereinafter, referred to as "Hunter” or the “proposer”) for the provision of Contractual Services to allow limited hunting opportunities in exchange for caretaking, maintenance, security and any other agreed upon services on the Property(ies).

The following apply to this request for proposal: Instruction to Proposers, Terms and Conditions, Insurance, Scope of Work, Proposal Requirements and Organization, Request for Proposal Selection Procedures, Evaluation Phases, Attachments, Submittals and Sample Agreement.

Background

Location: Alachua County is located in North Central Florida. The County government seat is situated in Gainesville. Gainesville is located 70 miles southwest of Jacksonville, 129 miles southeast of Tallahassee, 140 miles northeast of Tampa - St. Petersburg and 109 miles northwest of Orlando. Alachua County has a population of over 250,000 and a regional airport. The County itself consists of a total area of 969 square miles.

Form of Government: Alachua County is governed by a Board of five (5) elected County Commissioners and operates under the established County Manager Charter form of government. In addition to the five County Commissioners, there are five elected Constitutional Officers: Supervisor of Elections, Sheriff, Clerk of the Court, Tax Collector, and the Property Appraiser. The Alachua County Attorney also reports to the Board.

Project Details

• Reference ID: RFP 27-238-MM
• Department: Land Conservation Program
• Department Head: Stephen Hofstetter (Director)

Important Dates

• Questions Due: 2026-06-28T04:00:00.000Z
• Pre-Proposal Meeting: 2026-06-11T13:00:00.000Z — Veterans Memorial Park 7400 SW 41st Place Gainesville, FL 32608

Evaluation Criteria

• Experience and Ability of Hunters (30 pts) —
  1. Does the overall described experience of the hunters in the group demonstrate competency in doing this type of work? 
  2. Have the hunters previously been in an agreement with a governmental agency, non-profit, or private landowner allowing hunting or other use of the property in exchange for land management caretaking services? If so, what was the schedule of services and responsibilities?
  3. Is the team makeup appropriate for the project?
  4. Based on the questions above, award points as follows:
     1. 20-30 points - Exceptional Experience
     2. 10-19 points - Average Experience
     3. 0-9 points - Minimal Experience
• Hunters Ability to Meet Caretaking Services Schedule and Requirements (30 pts) —
  1. Did the Hunters develop a workable approach to the expected caretaker services? Does the proposal specifically address the County’s needs and priorities, including appropriate amount of time dedicated to completing services, adequate response time, communication, and reporting expectations?
  2. Does the Hunters’ proposal embody a “conservation mindset” in alignment with the Alachua County Forever Program mission and goals?
  3. Does the proposal specifically address equipment available for the caretaking services and is the equipment adequate to accomplish the expected services?
  4. Does the proposal indicate the hunters will, or will not meet time, attention, labor, equipment, and materials requirements? Is the team makeup appropriate for the caretaking services with adequate hunters available to complete the expected services in consideration of all participants’ indicated external commitments?
  5. Are the hours assigned to the various team members for each task appropriate? Do the hunters have the availability to complete all the expected services?
  6. Was all required paperwork submitted and completed appropriately and organized per the RFP?
  7. Is the proposal specific to the site applied for? Did the proposal contain an excessive amount of generic boilerplate language or irrelevant information?
  8. Based on the questions above, award points as follows:
     1. 20-30 points – Excellent Proposal
     2. 10-19 points – Good Proposal
     3. 0-9 points – Poor Proposal
• Value-Added Services (10 pts) —
  1. Are there factors, such as valued-added services, or unique abilities, which would make an appropriate, desirable impact on the project?
     1. If the answer is yes, award from one (1) to ten (10) points and note reasons.
     2. If the answer is no, award zero (0) points and note reasons.
• Location Consideration (10 pts) —
  1. Procurement will award points to Hunter(s) for Local Preference based on the following criteria:
     1. Award 10 points if all members of the hunting group have resided in Alachua County for at least twelve (12) months prior to the advertisement of a Request for Proposal, Request for Qualifications, etc.; and
     2. Award 5 points if 50% - 99% of the members of the hunting group have resided in Alachua County for at least twelve (12) months prior to the advertisement of a Request for Proposal, Request for Qualifications, etc.; and
     3. Award 1 point if less than 50% of members of the hunting group have resided in Alachua County for at least twelve (12) months prior to the advertisement of a Request for Proposal, Request for Qualifications, etc.; and
     4. Award 0 points if no member of the hunting group has resided in Alachua County for at least twelve (12) months prior to advertisement of a Request for Proposal, Request for Qualifications, etc.
• Hunters Proximity to Site (10 pts) —
  1. This factor assigns points based on the proximity of the hunters’ residency to the site according to the following criteria:
     1. Award 10 points if at least one member of the hunter group resides within 1 mile of the property.
     2. Award  8 points if at least one member of the hunter group resides within 5 miles of the property.
     3. Award  6 points if at least one member of the hunter group resides within 10 miles of the property.
     4. Award  3 points if at least one member of the hunter group resides within 25 miles of the property.
     5. Award 0 points in no members resided within 25 miles of the property.
• Volume of Previous Hunting Opportunity (VOW) awarded by the County (10 pts) —

  Points Provided by Procurement.

  1. Groups will be assigned 1-10 points based on the number of years any of the members have been party to a license agreement or otherwise received permission to hunt on County properties, except in the capacity of a paid trapper.
  2. The Procurement Services Division will work with the department to verify information submitted by the hunters. Based on that process, Procurement will determine the number of points the hunter is eligible to receive based on the following scoring.
     1.   0 previous agreements = 10 points
     2.   1 previous agreement    =   7 points
     3.   2 previous agreements  =  5 points
     4.   3 previous agreements  =  3 points
     5.   4 or more previous agreements = 1 point

Submission Requirements

• Acknowledge that you have reviewed all Addendum(s) issued with this solicitation. (required)
• Mandatory Pre-Bid Attendance (required) —

  Confirm that you attend the Mandatory Pre-Bid meeting, and that you signed the Sign-in Sheet matching your submitting vendor name?

• Authorization to Submit Proposal (required) —

  The response must be submitted with the proposer’s name by a person who is legally authorized to enter into a contractual relationship on behalf of the Hunter. An authorized representative who is not an officer may submit the proposal; in this case the Hunter must say yes to the Submittals section granting authorization to the officer or authorized representative to execute on behalf of the Hunter.

  Are you authorized to submit this RFP?

• Public Record Trade Secret or Proprietary Confidential Business Information Exemption Request (required) —

  As a proposer, any document you submit to Alachua County may be a public record and be open for personal inspection or copying by any person. In Florida ‘public records” are defined as all documents, papers, letters, maps, books, tapes, photographs, films, sound recordings, data processing software, or other material, regardless of the physical form, characteristics, or means of transmission, made or received pursuant to law or ordinance or in connection with the transaction of official business by any agency. Section 119.011, F.S. A document is subject to personal inspection and copying unless it falls under one of the public records exemptions created under Florida law.

  Answer NO if:

  NO PART OF YOUR SUBMISSION IS EXEMPTION FROM FLORIDA PUBLIC RECORDS LAW

  No part of the proposal submitted is exempt from disclosure under the Florida public records law, Ch. 119, F.S.

  Answer Yes if:

  ALL OR PART OF YOUR SUBMISSION IS CLAIMED BY YOU TO BE EXEMPT FROM FLORIDA PUBLIC RECORDS LAW AND YOU AGREEMENT TO INDEMNIFY AND DEFEND ALACHUA COUNTY

  The following parts of the proposal submitted are exempt from disclosure under the Florida public records law because: (list exempt parts and legal justification - e.g., trade secret): ___________________________

  By claiming that all or part of the proposal is exempt from the Florida public records law, the undersigned proposer agrees to protect, defend, indemnify and hold the County, its officers, employees and agents free and harmless from and against any and all claims arising out of a request to inspector copy the proposal. The undersigned proposer agrees to investigate, handle, respond to, provide defense (including payment of attorney fees, court costs, and expert witness fees and expenses up to and including any appeal) for and defend any such claim at its sole cost and expense through counsel chosen by the County and agrees to bear all other costs and expenses related thereto, even if they (claims, etc.) are groundless, false, or fraudulent.

• Public Record Trade Secret or Proprietary Confidential Business Information Exemption Request (required) —

  I CLAIM THAT THAT THE FOLLOWING PARTS OF MY PROPOSAL ARE EXEMPT FROM FLORIDA PUBLIC RECORDS LAW AND AGREE TO INDEMNIFY AND DEFEND ALACHUA COUNTY

  The following parts of the proposal submitted are exempt from disclosure under the Florida public records law because: (list exempt parts and legal justification - e.g., trade secret): ___________________________

  Please designate what portion of your proposal, if any, qualifies to be exempt from inspection and copying.

  By claiming that all or part of the proposal is exempt from the public records law, the undersigned proposer agrees to protect, defend, indemnify and hold the County, its officers, employees and agents free and harmless from and against any and all claims arising out of a request to inspector copy the proposal. The undersigned proposer agrees to investigate, handle, respond to, provide defense (including payment of attorney fees, court costs, and expert witness fees and expenses up to and including any appeal) for and defend any such claim at its sole cost and expense through counsel chosen by the County and agrees to bear all other costs and expenses related thereto, even if they (claims, etc.) are groundless, false, or fraudulent.

• Public Record Trade Secret or Proprietary Confidential Business Information Exemption Request (required) —

  Upload your complete submittal with non-redacted information in a single pdf file.

• Drug Free Workplace (required) —

  In accordance with §287.087, Florida Statutes

  Do you certify that you meet the following:

  1. Publish a statement notifying employees that the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession or use of a controlled substance is prohibited in the workplace and specifying the actions that will be taken against employees for violations of such prohibition.

  2. Inform employees about the dangers of drug abuse in the workplace, the business's policy of maintaining a drug-free workplace, any available drug counseling, rehabilitation, and employee assistance programs, and the penalties that may be imposed upon employees for drug abuse violations.

  3. Give each employee engaged in providing the commodities or contractual services that are under proposal a copy of the statement specified in subsection (1).

  4. In the statement specified in subsection (1), notify the employees that, as a condition of working on the commodities or contractual services that are under this proposal, the employee will abide by the terms of the statement and will notify the employer of any conviction of, or plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, any violation of Chapter 1893 or of any controlled substance law of the United States or any state, for a violation occurring in the workplace no later than five (5) days after such conviction.

  5. Impose a sanction on, or require the satisfactory participation in a drug abuse assistance or rehabilitation program if such is available in the employee's community, by any employee who is so convicted.

  6. Make a good faith effort to continue to maintain a drug-free workplace through implementation of this section.

  As the person authorized to sign the statement, I certify that this firm complies fully with the above requirements.

• Vendor Eligibility (required) —

  Confirm that the submitting proposer has not been placed on any of the list's below:

  Convicted Vendor List

  Suspended Vendor List

  Discriminatory Vendor List

  Scrutinized List of Prohibited Companies

  Federal Excluded Parties List

• Conflict of Interest (required) —

  The proposer certifies that to the best of its/his/her knowledge or belief, no elected/appointed official or employee of the County is financially interested, directly or indirectly, in the purchase of the goods or services specified on this proposal. (Select yes, if there is no conflict of interest)

• Location Consideration (required) —

  Do you meet the Alachua County Location Consideration, found in Instruction to Proposers?

• Hunters Proximity to Site (required)
• Lead Hunter Submittal —

  The Hunter Submittal is the basis of the written proposal and should be filled in completely by the Hunters.

• Letter of Interest (required) —

  Hunters should include a letter indicating the Hunter's interest in and knowledge of the project and willingness to provide the services.

• Lead Hunter Questionnaire (required) —

  The Lead Hunter shall be the responsible agent, for all dealings, communications, or notices or contracts between the County and the Hunter by completing and returning this Responsible Agent Form. Any notice or communication to or from the responsible agent shall be deemed to be a communication to the Hunter.

  Upload Completed Questionnaire

• Upload Completed Reference Check Forms (required) —

  Upload Completed Reference Check Form

• Second Hunter
• Upload Completed 2nd Hunter Questionnaire (required) —

  The 2nd Hunter shall be the alternate responsible agent, for all dealings, communications, or notices or contracts between the County. Any notice or communication to or from the responsible agent shall be deemed to be a communication to the Hunter.

  Upload completed Hunter Questionnaire

• Upload Completed 2nd Hunter Reference Check Form (required) —

  Each Hunter in the group must provide three (3) references, excluding relatives. Each hunter shall fill in their appropriate contact information and then send this form to their reference to fill out the ratings below. All references should be submitted to Alachua County with the Hunter Group’s full proposal

• Third Hunter
• Upload Completed 3rd Hunter Questionnaire (required) —

  Upload Completed Hunter Questionnaire

• Upload Completed 3rd Hunter Reference Check Form (required) —

  Each Hunter in the group must provide three (3) references, excluding relatives. Each hunter shall fill in their appropriate contact information and then send this form to their reference to fill out the ratings below. All references should be submitted to Alachua County with the Hunter Group’s full proposal

• Fourth Hunter
• Upload Completed 4th Hunter Questionnaire (required) —

  Upload Completed 4th Hunter Questionnaire

• Upload Completed 4th Hunter Reference Check Form (required) —

  Each Hunter in the group must provide three (3) references, excluding relatives. Each hunter shall fill in their appropriate contact information and then send this form to their reference to fill out the ratings below. All references should be submitted to Alachua County with the Hunter Group’s full proposal

• Hunting Group —

  Provide the requested information for the services listed below.

• Submit Site Activity Report (provide an answer based on schedule and details in Scope of Services). (required) —

  How often will you perform this task?

  Responsible Hunter(s).

• Site Security Inspection of Property (provide an answer based on schedule and details in Scope of Services) (required) —

  How often will you perform this task?

  Estimated time per inspection.

  List key items or features you will monitor.

  Responsible Hunter(s)

• Interior Inspection – drive roads, firebreaks, check and address concerns (provide an answer based on schedule and details in Scope of Services). (required) —

  How often will you perform this task?

  Estimated time per inspection.

  List key items or features you will monitor work you may do.

  Responsible Hunter(s)?

• How long will it take you to inspect the Property after a security/maintenance complaint or issue is brought to your attention (provide an answer based on schedule and details in Scope of Services)? (required) —

  Estimated Time

• Post (where needed), replace, and maintain no trespass signs on Property boundary (signs provided by County) according to FL Statutes 810.11, (5)(a) “Posted Land”. (required) —

  Anticipated schedule for posting and maintaining No Trespass signs.

  Estimated time to complete posting/maintenance?

  Responsible Hunter(s)?

• Clean up legacy solid waste from the Property (provide an answer based on schedule and details in Scope of Services). (required) —

  Describe your approach to accomplishing this task.

  Responsible Hunter(s)?

• Clean up trash and debris deposited on Property, adjacent right-of-way, and assigned trailheads (provide an answer based on schedule and details in Scope of Services). (required) —

  Estimated time to complete harrowing and mowing if it was specified as follows:

  Mow the designated roads and fire breaks:; harrow (assume all harrowing is over previously mo

  Can clean-up be accomplished as soon as possible or within 2 weeks of occurrence?

  Responsible Hunter(s)

• Mow assigned roads, trails, and firebreaks (if listed in Scope of Services). (required) —

  Aanticipated schedule.

  Estimated time to complete each mowing.

  Provide make, model, and year of the equipment you will use to mow. Specify whether it is owned by a member of your group or how it will be obtained (i.e. rent, purchase, borrow).

  Responsible Hunter(s).

• Conduct prescribed burn preparation of assigned firebreaks (if listed in Scope of Services). (required) —

  Anticipated schedule.

  Estimated time to complete prescribed burn preparation.

  Provide make, model, and year of the equipment you will use to prepare the firebreaks. Specify whether it is owned by a member of your group or how it will be obtained (i.e. rent, purchase, borrow).

  Responsible Hunter(s).

• Vertically trim assigned roads, trails, and firebreaks (if listed in Scope of Services). (required) —

  Anticipated schedule.

  Estimated time to complete trimming.

  Describe your approach to the trimming.

  Responsible Hunter(s).

• Trailhead maintenance (if listed in Scope of Services). (required) —

  How often will you perform this task?

  Estimated time per inspection.

  List key items or features you will monitor and work you may do.

  Responsible Hunter(s).

• Conduct intensive fence maintenance around the Property (if listed in Scope of Services). (required) —

  Anticipated schedule.

  Estimated time to complete activities.

  List key items or features you will monitor and work you may do.

  Provide make, model, and year of the equipment you will use to prepare the firebreaks. Specify whether it is owned by a member of your group or how it will be obtained (i.e. rent, purchase, borrow).

  Responsible Hunter(s).

• Repair, install, and/or replace fences and gates (if listed in Scope of Services). (required) —

  Anticipated schedule.

  Estimated time to complete activities.

  List key items or features you will monitor and work you may do.

  Estimate how long it will take you to address problems (trespass or encroachment) once observed.

  Responsible Hunter(s).

• Have any of the hunters ever harvested feral hogs? (required)
• Indicate who and where, and indicate how many years each person has harvested hogs? (required) —

  How many years each person has harvested hogs?

  Where?

  What methods were used to harvest hogs?

• Do the Hunters currently own equipment necessary to trap and harvest hogs? (required)
• Describe your equipment Number of traps? Type of traps/doors? Other equipment? (required) —

  Describe your equipment

  Number of traps?

  Type of traps/doors?

  Other equipment?

• Do you own hog dogs? (required)
• Hog Control (required) —

  Please describe how you would control hogs on the Property, include control methods, disposal of hogs, monitoring, and permits.

  NOTE: All hogs must be euthanized prior to removal from Property.

• Value-added Services (required) —

  Other services may be needed on the Property as detailed in the Scope of Services for each preserve. If any the Hunters listed in the Submittal Section I possesses specific skills, expertise or equipment to perform any of these Value-added Services, describe these in detail, including prior experience, specialty equipment the Hunter(s) own(s), and any pertinent training or licenses the Hunter(s) possess(es).

• Pictures of Equipment to be used. (required) —

  Upload photos of equipment.

• Acknowledgement of Requirements (required) —

  Did you review and complete all the required documents, attachments, addenda and questions and answers?

• How long will it take you to inspect the Property after a security/maintenance complaint or issue is brought to your attention (required) —

  Estimated time.

• What type of project will this be? (required)
• Software Requirements (required) —

  Does this project involve any software requirements, whether it's cloud-based or local?

• Advertisement for RFP (required) —

  Does the RFP need to be publicly advertised in the Local Newspaper?

• Mandatory Pre-Bid Attendance (required) —

  Is there a Mandatory Pre-Bid meeting required for this solicitation?

• Do you require a Electronic Pricing Table? (required)
• Insurance Requirements (required) —

  Which Insurance will you need for this RFP?

• Do you require a Performance Bond? (required)
• Bonding Requirements (required) —

  Do you require Bid Bonds for this Solicitation?

  Required for Projects over $100K and P & P bonds are required for Projects over $200K.

• Initial Term Start Year (required) —

  What year does the term start on.

  Example: 2023

• Initial Term End Year (required) —

  Example: 2023

• Number of Renewal Periods (required) —

  Example: two (2)

• Renewal Year Length (required) —

  Example: two (2)