Sarasota County Landscape Maintenance Services Solicitation

This is an Invitation for Bids (IFB #262798MN) issued by Sarasota County, Florida for comprehensive landscape maintenance services countywide. The solicitation encompasses recurring turf, tree, shrub, and bed maintenance services across approximately 201 county-owned and operated properties, including parks, office buildings, libraries, fire stations, water and wastewater facilities, and 276 lift stations organized into four geographic service zones. Services include mowing, trimming, edging, pruning, weed control, herbicide application, and bed maintenance performed either Monday through Friday (8 a.m. to 6 p.m.) or on weekends with maintenance frequencies of either year-round (every 7 days) or seasonal (every 7 days April 1 through October 31; every 14 days November 1 through March 31). The solicitation was posted on February 10, 2026, with bids due by March 9, 2026. The County anticipates awarding up to four separate three-year contracts with a maximum of two zones per bidder based on lowest total price per zone.

Minimum qualifications require verifiable experience within the past seven years in herbicide and pesticide application, turf care, and tree, shrub, and palm care, with successful bidders maintaining valid Florida Commercial Restricted Use Pesticide Applicator Licenses in Categories 3, 6, and 21 throughout the contract term. Bidders must demonstrate a minimum of two references showing at least three property locations under a single contract with minimum annual value of $50,000, with at least one reference from a governmental institution. Required insurance includes Workers' Compensation ($500,000 minimum Employers Liability), Commercial General Liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate), Business Automobile Liability ($1,000,000 combined single limit), and Pollution Liability coverage ($1,000,000 per claim). Selected contractors must post a performance bond of $50,000 per awarded zone and comply with Sarasota County's Integrated Pest Management standards including required monthly IPM reporting forms. The County does not apply local or American business preferences due to grant funding requirements, with no designated set-asides for disadvantaged enterprises. While specific contract values are not disclosed, the three-year initial term across four zones with 201 service locations suggests a substantial multimillion-dollar opportunity.