2025-042 Water Based Fire Suppression and Backflow Contractor Services

The City of St. Cloud, Florida, through Invitation to Bid (ITB) #2025-042, is establishing a pool of qualified contractors for water-based fire suppression and backflow contractor services across multiple city facilities. The procurement seeks contractors capable of performing comprehensive fire protection and backflow services, with strict qualification requirements including successful completion of at least ten commercial water-based fire suppression and backflow projects valued at $5,000 or more within the past five years. Contractors must be licensed in accordance with Florida Statutes and comply with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards. The bid was released on February 9, 2025, with questions due by February 28, 2025, and final responses required by March 13, 2025, at 2:00 pm, with mandatory electronic submission through the city's procurement portal. Evaluation criteria will focus on contractors' ability to meet minimum qualifications, with the city reserving the right to select contractors for projects under $5,000 and solicit additional proposals for larger projects. The pricing structure includes hourly labor rates for different worker classifications and a percentage markup for materials and additional labor.

The solicitation does not explicitly indicate specific set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises. The proposed contract has an initial term of three years with options to extend for two additional one-year periods, allowing for potential price increase requests submitted 60 days prior to expiration. Contractors will be required to maintain comprehensive insurance coverage, including $1,000,000 per occurrence general liability, $2,000,000 aggregate liability, workers' compensation, and automobile liability. The contract mandates E-Verify compliance and adherence to public records laws. While specific budget ranges are not detailed, the procurement suggests an ongoing, as-needed service contract with potential for multiple project assignments. Contractors will be expected to respond to emergency work requirements and provide warranty services, with the city maintaining flexibility in contractor selection and project assignment based on demonstrated capabilities and competitive pricing.