Commercial Water-Based Charter Boat and Tour Operator Permits

Sarasota County ("County"), a political subdivision of the State of Florida, will receive bids on the date indicated in OpenGov Procurement ("OpenGov"), the County's electronic procurement portal, for the purpose of selecting qualified commercial water-based charter boat and tour operators to participate in a permit program allowing charter fishing and guided tour services from designated County parks as stated herein.

It is the intent of the County to award contract(s) to the responsive and responsible Bidder(s) submitting the highest price(s) per annual permit fee per Park Location within a specific Zone, subject to the maximum permit capacities established for each Park Location within that Zone.

Sarasota County has established the Commercial Water-Based Charter Boat and Tour Operator Permit Program (the "Program") to authorize qualified and permitted operators (the "Permit Holder(s)") to provide recreational charter fishing and excursion tours from designated County-owned or operated parks and water access facilities.

The Program is structured by geographic zone and designated park location. Permits awarded under this solicitation shall be assigned to a specific park location within the applicable zone. The number of permits issued is limited to two (2) permits per company, per zone.

Permit Fees

• The minimum allowable bid per annual permit is **$1,200.00** each.
• Each awarded Permit Holder shall pay the amount bid per permit annually.
• Permit fees shall be paid in full prior to issuance or renewal of the permit.

Permit Requirements

• Valid State of Florida Vessel Registration
• A United States Coast Guard (USCG) Uninspected Passenger Vessel (UPV) Safety Examination Decal, with the safety examination completed within the preceding one (1) year.
• A valid Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Saltwater Charter License, as required for recreational fishing charter operations.
• A Valid United States Coast Guard (USCG) Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessel (OUPV) license (commonly referred to as a "Six-Pack" license) or higher credential
• Active Registration with the State of Florida Division of Corporations (Sunbiz)
• Participation in a USCG-compliant Drug Consortium/Third Party Administrator (C/TPA) program
• Commercial operations under this Permit are limited to vessels with a USCG-certified gross tonnage of 25 GRT (Gross Register Tonnage) or less

Vessel Allocation and Substitution

Each awarded permit authorizes a maximum of one (1) vessel to operate actively within the permitted area at any given time. All vessels operated under a permit, including primary, secondary, backup, or replacement vessels, must be pre-approved by the County prior to entering service and must independently meet all applicable permit and solicitation requirements.

Refer to the Submittal Instructions section in OpenGov for instructions on how to submit a bid. Bidders are advised to review the General Terms and Conditions of Solicitations which are available in OpenGov.

All bidders must complete the required forms and information included in the Vendor Questionnaire section of OpenGov. Completed forms and other requested documents must be uploaded with bidder's response in OpenGov. All bidders must complete the Pricing Table provided in OpenGov.

Bidder must provide references demonstrating their experience providing commercial water-based charter fishing services and/or guided excursion tour services within the past five (5) years preceding the submission deadline in OpenGov. A minimum of 2 references from separate entities are required.

It is the intent of the County to award contract(s) to the responsive and responsible Bidder(s) submitting the highest price(s) per annual permit fee per Park Location within a specific Zone [...]. In the event of a tie, the IFB tie-breaking procedures identified in the Sarasota County Procurement Manual will apply.

Insurance: Workers' Compensation in accordance with Florida Statutes, Chapter 440, with Employers Liability of a minimum limit of $500,000.00 per accident/per disease/per employee. Marine Protection and Indemnity Liability Insurance with limits of not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence.

The County anticipates an initial contract term of three (3) years.