Airboat Build with Engine

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is soliciting competitive bids for the fabrication and delivery of a complete heavy-duty airboat with engine through an Invitation to Bid (ITB) process. The procurement is taking place within Leon County, Florida. The deliverable is a new 15-foot aluminum hull airboat equipped with a 525 horsepower 7.4L Levitator MS.70 engine, fully operational upon delivery and capable of transporting five occupants in both high and low water conditions for use as a state workboat that meets comprehensive marine safety and construction standards. Key required qualifications include manufacturer registration in MyFloridaMarketPlace and SunBiz prior to bid opening, a minimum of 12 consecutive months in business constructing airboats, and a minimum of 20 airboats constructed since establishment. Bidders must provide at least three verifiable references for similar projects and submit pricing on a Price Sheet with separate line items for motor and hull prices, excluding federal and state sales taxes but including all necessary items for project completion. Critical deadlines include February 2, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET for submission of questions, February 12, 2026 at 3:30 PM ET for sealed bid submission and public bid opening, and an anticipated award date of February 17, 2026, with project completion required by May 22, 2026. The FWC will award the contract to the responsive, responsible bidder submitting the lowest total price and reserves the right to reject any and all bids. Evaluation criteria emphasize price competitiveness and bidder compliance with registration and qualification requirements.

No specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises or restrictions limiting organizational types are identified in the available procurement documents. The FWC will provide an existing 2015 Ram-Lin tandem axle aluminum airboat trailer designed for a 15' x 8' airboat to the successful contractor, eliminating the need for bidders to include trailer costs in their proposals. The contract includes a one-year warranty on the hull and non-engine components and a three-year warranty or 200-hour engine warranty, whichever comes first, on the engine and related components. Liquidated damages of $100.00 per calendar day apply for failure to meet the May 22, 2026 completion date unless delay is beyond the contractor's control. The contract term is one year from issuance of the Purchase Order with force majeure considerations for extensions. No specific budget range or award value is published in the solicitation documents; however, bidders should structure proposals to be cost-competitive while meeting all technical specifications and warranty requirements outlined in the ITB.