Cemeteries - Ground Maintenance Services

The City of Ocala, Florida is requesting bids for grounds maintenance services at city-owned cemeteries in the northeast and northwest sections of the municipality under ITB 08202600000119, with bids due September 16, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. EST and mandatory pre-bid attendance on September 3, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. A local-vendor preference allows vendors located within Marion County and within 5% of the low bid to contract at 1% less than that amount, provided they meet residency and operational requirements.

Bidders must be located within 50 miles of City Hall (110 SE Watula Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471), with proof of business address required. The scope includes mowing, edging, weed-eating, chemical spraying, and general upkeep of designated cemetery areas and city-owned rights-of-way in the northeast and northwest sections, as mapped in Exhibit C. The contractor must own and provide photographic documentation with serial numbers for specific equipment: two zero-turn mowers, three gas-powered weed-eaters, two gas-powered edgers, two chemical sprayers, hedge clippers, and various handheld maintenance tools.

The contract term is three years with two optional one-year renewal periods available with written consent of both parties. Formal questions are due September 11, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. EST. Bid submissions must be made electronically through www.bidocala.com or www.prorfx.com; no alternative methods are accepted. Bidders must comply with Florida Statutes 287.087 (Drug Free Workplace) and 448.095 (E-Verify employment eligibility verification) and provide references from the previous three years. All submitted materials become public records under Florida Statute Chapter 119. A transaction fee applies.