It is recommended that the Mayor and City Commission, approve the Resolution authorizing the Administration to enter into negotiations with Blue Iguana Pest Control, Inc., d/b/a Iguana Control, the top-ranked proposer, to serve as the primary contractor. Additionally, the Resolution authorizes the Administration to negotiate with the following contractors to establish a pool of prequalified contractors for limited engagements or specific tasks: M & J Ecological LLC, and Redline Iguana Removal, LLC, the second-ranked proposers (tied), and Iguanabusters.com, LLC the fourth-ranked proposer.

This solicitation is currently under the cone of silence.

Iguanas are considered a public nuisance and health concern. The City has attempted various methods for mitigating the population. In 2019, the Facilities and Fleet Management Department initiated a pilot program removing these pests from facilities, including Brittany Bay Park, Muss Park, Pinetree Park, and Flamingo Park. Since then, the Department has continued to expand services with operating funds and through informal solicitations.

On November 3, 2021, the City awarded ITQ 2022-062-NA to Iguana Control for iguana remediation. Services began in January 2022 and have collected and humanely euthanized over 1,000 iguanas citywide. However, despite these efforts, the population continues to grow, and additional resources are being further researched and implemented.

On March 9, 2022, the Mayor and City Commission approved Resolution 2022-32073, authorizing the Administration to prioritize and remove these invasive species in the City by using the most efficient means. Additionally, the City increased funding with an additional $200,000 appropriation in the FY 2023 budget.

On September 14, 2022, the Mayor and City Commission approved an Ad Hoc Iguana Remediation Advisory Committee to study what actions other jurisdictions have taken to address similar iguana invasions, in addition to contracting with an iguana mitigation and removal program. The Administration was given direction to prioritize the iguana removal within the City Manager's purchase authority to provide a more robust program.

As a result, the Administration took the following approach to remediate the iguana population throughout the City:

·       Met with iguana removal services contractors to provide removal services on public property seven (7) days a week in areas of south, mid, and north beach.

·       Executed Emergency Purchase Authority to issue purchase orders to multiple vendors with dedicated personnel.

·       Met with vendors to review methodology and equipment used to trap and euthanize iguanas

·       Conferenced with Cayman Island government, City of Marco Island, and City of Sanibel to discuss their success mentioned during City Commission meeting.

·       Conducted meetings with Fish and Wildlife Commission to discuss State guidelines and requirements

·       Conducted meetings with all neighboring municipalities (including Miami-Dade County) to discuss their programs

·       Conducted meetings with Florida International University's Biological Sciences and Society of Herpetologists

·       Developed RFQ 2023-007-WG with the goal of seeking a longer-term solution to the issue of iguana population control.

On December 13, 2022, the Ad Hoc Iguana Remediation Advisory Committee recommended the issuance of RFQ 2023-007-WG.

On January 6, 2023, RFQ 2023-007-WG was issued. The Procurement Department issued bid notices to 5021 companies utilizing the City's e-procurement system, with 38 prospective bidders accessing the solicitation. RFQ responses were due and received on February 10, 2023. The City received proposals from the following seven (7) firms: Blue Iguana Pest Control, Inc., Enviroscapes Plus Inc., F&O Pest Management LLC, Iguanabusters.com LLC, M&J Ecological LLC, Redline Iguana Removal, LLC, and Tower Pest Control, Inc.

The proposals received from Enviroscapes Plus Inc. and F&O Pest Management LLC were deemed non-responsive for failure to provide the required Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Permit as required in the RFQ and, therefore, could not be further considered.

On April 18, 2023, the Evaluation Committee appointed by the City Manager convened to consider the responsive proposals received. The Committee was comprised of Carlos Naumann, Contracts Compliance Administrator, Parks and Recreation Department, Lindsey Precht, Assistant Director, Environment and Sustainability Department, Stacy Savett, City of Miami Beach Resident, and Santiago Sellan, Contracts Compliance Administrator, Facilities and Fleet Management Department.

The Committee was provided an overview of the project, and information relative to the City's Cone of Silence Ordinance and the Government Sunshine Law. The Committee was also provided with general information on the scope of services and a copy of each proposal. The Committee was instructed to score and rank each proposal pursuant to the evaluation criteria established in the RFQ.

The evaluation process resulted in the proposers being ranked by the Evaluation Committee in the following order (See Attachment A):

1st ranked – Blue Iguana Pest Control, Inc., d/b/a Iguana Control

2nd ranked (tied) – M & J Ecological LLC

2nd ranked (tied) – Redline Iguana Removal, LLC

4th ranked – Iguanabusters.com LLC

5th ranked – Tower Pest Control Inc

The following is a summary of the recommended firms.

Blue Iguana Pest Control, Inc.

Blue Iguana Pest Control, Inc., has been servicing the South Florida area for over 13 years. The firm consists of 24 staff members, all with diverse backgrounds and trapping skills. Blue Iguana staff are certified safety trained, conducted by licensed instructors of the Firearms Training Academy, in Davie Florida. The trappers are not only trained on safety procedures but on the most effective iguana remediation methods.

Some of the firm’s clients include the Town of Golden Beach, Florida, the Village of Key Biscayne, and the state parks in the Florida Keys which have several sites that are only accessible by boat. The City surveyed references and found them to be satisfactory.

M&J Ecological LLC

M&J Ecological is a wildlife service control company based out of Miami-Dade, Florida. M&J Ecological has been in operation for 7 years. Wildlife service control is the primary service that

the company offers, however ecological surveys, landscape consultation, and habitat restoration

are also services that are offered and have been used by private, public, and government entities

in the state of Florida, and numerous countries.

Some of the firm’s clients include the City of Miami Beach, Palm Beach Zoo, Hawks Landing POA, Zoo Miami, and the Town of Davie. The City surveyed references and found them to be satisfactory.

Redline Iguana Removal, LLC

The Redline Iguana Removal company provides professional and humane iguana removal by hand-catching, trapping, and other approved methods for iguana control, with over 15 years of experience. The firm is owned and operated by firefighters.

Some of the firm’s clients include the City of Miami Beach, Hunters Run Community and Golf Course, Bay Harbor Islands, the City of Weston, the City of Fort Lauderdale, and the City of Hallandale Beach.

The City surveyed references and found them to be satisfactory.

Iguanabusters.com, LLC

Iguanabusters.com, LLC is a veteran-owned and operated company.  Most of their trappers are either veterans and/or prior law enforcement officers.  All trappers undergo comprehensive background checks and complete periodic training to maintain proficiency in the latest removal techniques and current Florida law regarding the safe, humane removal of iguanas.

Some of the firm’s clients include the City of Lake Worth Beach, the Grove Housing Community, and Quail Ridge Community Center of Boynton Beach Florida. The City surveyed references and found them to be satisfactory.

For Fiscal Year 2023, the Facilities and Fleet Management Department has expended approximately $275,000. The Department anticipates an additional $207,000 in expenditures for the remaining months of FY 2023 (June through September).

Services for this contract will be funded through the Department’s operational budget. It is the Department’s intent to continue to budget for these services each year via the annual budgeting process.

520-1720-000349-29-413-592-00-00-00- $400,000.00

Blue Iguana Pest Control, Inc., d/b/a Iguana Control, the top-ranked proposer, has been deemed to be the most qualified to provide iguana remediation services for the City of Miami Beach. While some firms are nuisance/pest removal experts, Blue Iguana specializes in the remediation of only iguanas. Concentrating all resources on iguanas only has allowed the firm to develop expertise in this area that is difficult to match. The firm employs the largest amount of remediation staff who are trained in aggressive but humane remediation methods, including trapping methods and the use of specialized equipment. Their staff members attend mandatory annual certified safety courses including the use of appropriate firearms and effective methods for removing iguanas from various property types. The Administration will work with Blue Iguana to develop a comprehensive city-wide approach to proactively tackling the issue of iguana overpopulation.

M & J Ecological LLC, Redline Iguana Removal, LLC, and Iguanabusters.com LLC are recommended to be included in a prequalified pool that can be used for specific tasks on an as-needed basis. The firms have demonstrated sufficient experience and have demonstrated varying approaches to assist with the remediation of the iguana population. Having firms in prequalified pool that can be quickly deployed will allow the Facilities and Fleet Management Department to dispatch qualified contractors to high-need areas in a timely manner should the Primary contractor not be able to timely respond to increased demand.

For the reasons stated herein, it is recommended that the Mayor and City Commission approve the Resolution authorizing the Administration to enter into negotiations with Blue Iguana Pest Control, Inc., d/b/a Iguana Control, the top-ranked proposer, to serve as the primary contractor; further establishing a pool of prequalified contractors for specific tasks related to  iguana remediation on an as-needed basis; with respect to the prequalified contractor pool, authorizing the Administration to enter into negotiations with M & J Ecological LLC, and Redline Iguana Removal, LLC, the tied second-ranked proposers; and Iguanabusters.com, LLC as the fourth-ranked proposer; further, authorizing the City Manager and City Clerk to execute agreements with the recommended firms upon conclusion of successful negotiations by the Administration.