City Complex - Ground Maintenance Services

The City of Ocala is requesting bids on ground maintenance services for the Public Works Department facility at 1805 NE 30th Avenue, Ocala, Florida under ITB08202600000120, with bids due September 17, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. EST and a mandatory pre-bid meeting on September 3, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. A local-vendor preference applies to bids exceeding $50,000, allowing local vendors within five percent of the low bid to contract at one percent less than the low bid amount.

Bidders must hold a valid commercial applicator license from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and demonstrate five years of prior experience in mowing and ground maintenance services. The scope includes professional landscaping and mowing of City-owned right-of-way parcels and designated areas as specified in the Mowing Boundary Map (Exhibit C), with all necessary labor, equipment, tools, and materials to be provided by the contractor. Mowing work must be completed on weekends only.

The initial contract term is three years with two optional one-year renewal periods, subject to negotiation and not to exceed three percent annual price increases unless mitigating market conditions exist. Bidders must submit three years of references, comply with Florida's E-Verify system requirements, and maintain drug-free workplace compliance. Responses must be submitted electronically through www.bidocala.com or www.prorfx.com and become public record under Florida Statute Chapter 119.

Formal questions are due September 11, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. EST. Bidders must arrive on time or within 10 minutes of the mandatory pre-bid meeting start time to maintain eligibility. Prohibited communications with City officials during the solicitation process may result in bid disqualification and a three-year debarment from City contracts. The City Project Manager is Dudley Bess at 352-351-6734 or dbess@ocalafl.gov.