IFB # 10222002 Canine Forensics Services

The California Department of Water Resources is soliciting bids for canine forensic services to identify historic and prehistoric human remains, specifically focusing on prehistoric burial sites. The anticipated five-year contract involves conducting surveys at mitigation sites Pond 6, Pond 7, and Pond 8 in San Joaquin County, with potential expansion to other sites across Alameda, Contra Costa, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Solano, and Yolo counties. The selected contractor will be responsible for developing detailed field survey plans, executing on-the-ground detection surveys using GPS documentation, and providing comprehensive, confidential reports of their findings. To qualify, contractors must be experienced in detecting human remains and working with Tribal entities under nondisclosure agreements. Both personnel and canines must be certified in scent-specific historic human remains detection (HHRD), and canines must be current on all vaccinations, including rabies. The firm must demonstrate the capacity to survey projects exceeding 50 acres. Award will be based on the lowest responsible bid, with preferences applied for certified Small Businesses and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises. Contractors are required to maintain significant insurance coverage, including Commercial General Liability of at least 1 million dollars per occurrence and 2 million dollars aggregate. Bids must be submitted by October 22, 2026, consisting of one hardcopy and one electronic version on a USB drive. Payment for services will be made monthly in arrears within 45 days of receiving an undisputed invoice, provided the DWR Contract Manager has issued written notice of satisfactory completion.