2025 French Broad 06010106 Cold Stream and Riparian Wetland Full Delivery Mitigation Credits

The solicitation issued by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) seeks proposals under RFP number 16-1606687433 for full delivery projects aimed at providing cold or cool stream and riparian wetland mitigation credits within the French Broad River Basin, specifically Cataloguing Unit 06010106. This procurement calls for ecological mitigation projects that comply with applicable federal, state, and local permits and adhere to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Wilmington District Stream Mitigation Guidelines. Vendors are required to deliver 3,000 cold/cool stream mitigation credits and 3 riparian wetland mitigation credits through activities such as restoration, enhancement, or preservation, utilizing all necessary labor, materials, equipment, and monitoring. Wetland-only projects are expressly prohibited, with stream projects being acceptable. The submission deadline is February 17, 2026, with proposals evaluated primarily on technical merit and cost through a combined evaluation formula that integrates technical scores with pricing to determine best value for the State. The solicitation emphasizes compliance with North Carolina’s legal, regulatory, and procedural requirements, including vendor registration in the state Electronic Vendor Portal, adherence to nondiscrimination and affirmative action policies, and incorporation of the North Carolina General Terms and Conditions in the resulting contract. The procurement process prohibits gifts or conflicts of interest involving state employees and mandates certifications such as E-Verify and HUB (Historically Underutilized Business) documentation. Evaluation will focus on technical factors assessed through field reviews and scoring sheets, alongside sealed cost proposals reflecting adjusted credit costs. Deliverables must conform to specific formatting, accuracy, and monitoring standards and will be inspected on-site with final acceptance granted administratively by DEQ representatives. Submission packages must include multiple required attachments such as pricing, vendor information, certifications, task deliverables, and project boundary data. Although no predefined contract value or pricing data is provided within the solicitation documents, milestone-based payments are outlined, and vendors must disclose the locations of work, including any outside the United States. The contract terms promote sustainability and environmental stewardship consistent with the goals of enhancing and preserving aquatic and riparian ecosystems in the French Broad River Basin. Ariel Smallwood, Environmental Specialist at DEQ, serves as the primary point of contact for this solicitation.