Coastal Management - Continuing Professional Engineering Services

Pinellas County is seeking multiple qualified professional coastal engineering firms to provide continuing consulting services for the County's Coastal Management Program (CMP) through a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) numbered 25-0762-RFQ-CCNAC. The procurement will secure professional services for planning, coordinating, designing, managing, monitoring, and inspecting coastal projects including beach stabilization, beach nourishment, dune walkovers, beach vegetation projects, and coastal environmental and habitat monitoring. Proposers must demonstrate extensive experience in coastal, civil, environmental, geotechnical, hydrogeological, structural, surveying, mapping/GIS, planning, construction management, and permitting services. The evaluation will utilize a 1,000-point scoring system, with 425 points for firm capabilities and professional personnel, 375 points for project experience, 50 points for previous county work volume, 25 points for minority business status, and 100 points for Small Business Enterprise (SBE) status. Proposals are due by September 4, 2025, and must be submitted through the OpenGov procurement website, with the contract term spanning 5 years and potentially including a 24-month extension.

The solicitation includes specific set-aside provisions and preferences for small, minority, and women-owned businesses, with each work assignment over $50,000 requiring at least a 10% financial commitment to a certified Pinellas County small business enterprise subconsultant. Potential funding sources include state and federal grants, potentially through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which introduces additional compliance requirements such as Buy America provisions, equal employment opportunity guidelines, and strict federal procurement regulations. Contractors must adhere to domestic product sourcing rules, ensuring that iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials are produced in the United States. While no specific incumbent vendors are mentioned, the contract will result in negotiated fully loaded rates covering profit, markup, and local travel expenses. Although a precise budget range is not specified, the contract allows for compensation determination on a case-by-case basis through either lump sum fees for defined work assignments or hourly rates for indeterminate tasks, with the county reserving the right to renegotiate rates based on market conditions.