Beach compatible sand supply (grant funded)

Collier County Board of County Commissioners Procurement Services Division, on behalf of the Coastal Zone Management Division, issued an Invitation to Bid (ITB #26-8632) for a grant-funded Beach Compatible Sand Supply contract. The procurement seeks qualified bidders to supply approximately 75,000 tons per year (50,000 cubic yards per year) of beach-compatible sand for coastal re-nourishment and erosion control projects, with individual projects potentially requiring up to 225,000 tons and multiple projects scheduled annually. The sand must comply with Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) Permit JCP 0331817-001-JC requirements and the County's technical specifications, including a preferred Munsell Color Value of 8 for moist samples, and must undergo comprehensive quality assurance and quality control testing as outlined in the attached Sediment QAQC Plan, which specifies grain size distribution, heavy metals screening, contaminant assessment, and physical property evaluation. Delivery is to Lowdermilk Park in Naples, Florida (1301 Gulfshore Boulevard, Naples, Florida 34102), and bidders must submit pricing on a unit cost basis with an adjustment factor of $0.20 per ton per mile for comparison purposes, calculated from the shortest allowable truck route from the mining operation to the delivery location. The contract term is three years with two optional one-year renewal periods, with prices remaining firm during the initial term; individual price increase requests may be submitted annually thereafter, subject to 30-day advance notice, supporting documentation, and Procurement Director approval. Bids are due February 26, 2026, at 3:00 PM EST and must be submitted electronically through the Collier County Procurement Services Division Online Bidding System at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/collier-county-fl. The County intends to award to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder representing the best value and may select one or more bidders on a line-item basis, establishing Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary awardees; evaluation criteria include cost management, schedule adherence, work quality, professionalism, project administration, communication skills, risk management, contract compliance, and overall customer satisfaction, as assessed through submitted reference questionnaires.

The solicitation offers local vendor preference (LVP) eligibility for Collier County and Lee County business tax receipt holders. Three upland sand sources are currently approved: Stewart's Immokalike mine, Vulcan's Witherspoon mine, and CEMEX's Lake Wales mine. All bidders must comply with extensive federal requirements, including 2 CFR Part 200 and FEMA regulations applicable to this grant-funded project, and must be enrolled in the E-Verify employment eligibility verification system at the time of bid submission. Bidders must demonstrate proper business tax receipts, professional licenses, commercial general liability insurance with limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate, workers' compensation coverage in accordance with Florida Statutes Chapter 440, and employer's liability coverage; contracts exceeding $200,000 require Performance and Payment Bonds equal to 100 percent of the contract award amount, underwritten by sureties rated A- or better by A.M. Best Company, plus a 5 percent Bid Bond. Truck haul routes are designated for Lee County (Alico/Corkscrew Route utilizing I-75) and Collier County (Vanderbilt/Pelican Bay Route and Naples Truck Route), with visual observer protocols required at specified access points to protect the Florida Panther habitat as designated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. All contractors must comply with the Monitoring Standards for Beach Erosion Control Projects (2014) and submit monitoring data concurrently to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the County, permittees, and engineering consultants. A separate contractor will be selected for transportation, delivery, and placement of materials for each maintenance project. The specific award value is not disclosed in the procurement documents; however, pricing will be evaluated on a per-ton basis with the mileage adjustment factor applied for comparison, and the County reserves the right to refuse excessive cost adjustments or terminate the contract if pricing disputes cannot be resolved.