Coastal Engineering - South Siesta Key Beach Restoration

Sarasota County is seeking professional engineering services for the South Siesta Key Beach Restoration project through a Request for Professional Services (RPS). The procurement involves comprehensive coastal engineering management, including design, permitting, construction phase support, monitoring, and maintenance planning for a beach restoration initiative spanning approximately 2.1 miles of shoreline. The project will restore 207,600 cubic yards of storm-damaged sand and requires a consultant to provide detailed deliverables such as preliminary and final design, permits from USACE and FDEP, bathymetric surveys, sediment sampling, and annual coastal profile surveys. Proposers must be registered with the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation and include at least one registered Professional Engineer licensed in Florida. The evaluation will be conducted by a Professional Services Review Committee using a five-point scoring scale, with the top three proposers advancing to presentations or interviews. The anticipated construction start date is November 1, 2026, with a proposal due date of January 15, 2026, and the county planning to award a County Cooperative Purchasing Agreement (CCNA) Project Specific Agreement for the project's duration.

The procurement appears open to all qualified engineering firms, with a preference for contractors demonstrating experience in coastal restoration projects, bathymetric surveying, and permit acquisition. While no specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises are explicitly mentioned, the solicitation emphasizes qualifications over price and encourages broad participation. The project is funded through federal and state grants, with potential supplemental local funding, though specific budget ranges are not definitively stated. Insurance requirements are comprehensive, mandating $1,000,000 commercial general liability, $1,000,000 professional liability, workers' compensation compliance, $5,000,000 umbrella/excess liability, and $1,000,000 marine liability if vessels are used. The contract is associated with FEMA and the Florida Division of Emergency Management, which introduces additional compliance requirements including federal regulations on debarment, equal employment opportunity, and domestic preference for U.S.-produced materials. The project's permit modification documents indicate the work will involve careful environmental monitoring, particularly regarding hardbottom habitat protection and sand placement specifications.