Specifications include, but are not limited to: 1. The Authority is issuing this RFP to receive Proposals from qualified firms (Proposers) to provide Habitat Mitigation Services. 2. This procurement will be based on the combined Technical Proposal, Cost Proposal and Interview scores. Responsive Proposals submitted in response to this RFP will be evaluated with the intent of awarding an Agreement to the highest ranked Proposer. 3. The selected Proposer may be working with government agencies including the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Surface Transportation Board (STB), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS), California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), California Public Works Board (PWB), California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), California Department of General Services (DGS), other partnering agencies, and contractor(s) on the California High-Speed Rail Project. 4. The Agreement period will start upon DGS approval of the Agreement and will be for a term of 11 years, unless amended pursuant to the resulting Agreement. The Work will start with a Notice to Proceed (NTP) as determined by the Authority. No Work shall be initiated by the Contractor prior to the effective date of the Agreement and until an NTP, or limited NTP, is given by the Authority Contract Manager to the Contractor on any particular task. The successful Proposer shall work at the direction of the Authority to satisfy habitat mitigation requirements of the CDFW and the USFWS for (1) California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense) aquatic habitat, (2) hairy Orcutt grass (Orcuttia pilosa) occupied habitat (habitat management lands), and (3) vernal pool habitat suitable for but unoccupied by hairy Orcutt grass into which salvaged hairy Orcutt grass seed, duff, and soil from occupied habitat will be successfully translocated by the successful Proposer pursuant to the resulting Agreement (enhancement and translocation lands). The successful Proposer shall ensure that this habitat mitigation will serve to meet permitting obligations for the Authority’s Merced to Fresno project section, particularly the USFWS Biological Opinion (BO) (08ESMF00-2012-0248) and the CDFW Incidental Take Permit (ITP) 2081-2013-025-04, as amended.
