Aluminum built Airboat, Engine and Trailer

The City of Tampa is seeking bids for a specialized aluminum-built airboat for its Marine Unit, designed to support waterway patrols and search-and-rescue operations in Florida's diverse aquatic environments. The procurement, identified as Bid No. 25-P-00016, requires a custom airboat measuring a minimum of 16' x 8' with a marine-grade 5086 aluminum hull of 3/16th inch thickness. The boat must be powered by a Pleasurecraft 7.4 LSX marine engine with 525 horsepower and accompanied by a tandem-axle aluminum trailer. Technical specifications include comprehensive emergency lighting, communication equipment, specialized seating configurations, a Garmin GPS/Fish finder, Sonetics intercom system, and specific mounting requirements for police equipment. Bids will be received until 3:30 pm on Tuesday, December 24, 2024, with an initial award period of one year and potential renewal options for two additional one-year periods. The City will evaluate bids based on the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, reserving the right to award by division or aggregate total.

The solicitation includes strong emphasis on minority and women-owned business enterprise (WMBE) participation, with detailed guidelines for good faith efforts in soliciting and engaging Women/Minority Business Enterprises (WMBE) and Small Local Business Enterprises (SLBE). Bidders must complete documentation such as DMI Forms 10 and 20, reporting all subcontractors solicited and utilized, and provide evidence of meaningful outreach efforts. The department budget for this procurement is $127,772.00, with the total cost to be determined by bidders' line-item pricing for specific components. Contractors must comply with federal regulations, local ordinances related to employment practices, and provide comprehensive documentation including the MBD-30 Payments Form and MBD-40 Letter of Intent. Resources such as the Small Business Development Center and Hillsborough NAACP Empowerment Center are recommended to help recruit and place WMBE/SLBE firms. The procurement process is structured to promote transparency, fairness, and open competition while supporting diverse business participation.