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order to Ecotech to prepare the annual report for the period January 1, 2021 -December 31, 2021, due in April, and to perform system maintenance in the interim. The low bidder, Florida Environmental Consulting, Inc. ("FEC") filed a timely protest against the intent to not award the bid, asserting award should be made in the interim and under the existing permit and bid conditions. After review, their protest was upheld and both firms were notified on January 21, 2022, of intent to award to FEC. On January 23, 2022, Ecotech submitted a timely protest of the award to FEC, asserting that the FEC bid was non-responsive, and that FEC did not meet the General Qualifications listed in the invitation to bid. The qualifications are a "m-.nimum of ten (10) years' experience with the design, permitting, construction, operation and maintenance of constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment and disposal..." and "hydro period manipulation for the maintenance of a diverse shallow marsh community." Ecotech stated "FEC's response to the bid solicitation is non-responsive" because the project experience submitted on the qualification questionnaire does not include evidence of the 10 -year experience requirement. This protest was denied because the questionnaire was completed and returned in accordance with the instructions. The bid and form did not specifically require the 10 - year general qualifications be submitted on the form in order to be responsive. FEC was asked, as authorized in the bid documents, to provide additional qualifications to document the 10 -year experience requirement. The additional qualifications submitted did not, in the Utilities department's opinion, add up :0 10 years of experience in each of the categories. However, these requirements are the same as those in every solicitation issued for these services at this Facility, including the solicitation awarded to FEC in 2011. No protest was levied by Ecotech against that award. FEC completed the initial three-year term, as well as both available one-year extensions, and received a memo from the department thanking them for the services provided at the facility. The bid documents provide that "the County reserves the right to cancel the bid, accept or reject any and all bids in whole or in part, and waive any irregularity or technicality in bids received." The response to the Ecotech protest stated staff intends to ask the Board to waive the technicality regarding any gap in the General Qualifications and the bid submitted by FEC. Ecotech's attorney, Murphy Reid L.L.P. has indicated their intent "to oppose the award of the referenced bid to Florida Environmental Consulting, Inc." as this matter is being considered by the Board. The protest documents and the Purchasing Manager's response to them are available to review in the Purchasing Division. 92