Disaster Base Camp Services

Sarasota County is seeking proposals for Disaster Base Camp Services through a Request for Proposals (RFP) designed to establish comprehensive support facilities for deployed disaster responders. The procurement aims to secure turnkey services including sleeping accommodations, food service, dining facilities, hygiene and laundry facilities, and off-duty recreation areas for emergency personnel. Proposers must demonstrate experience providing disaster base camp services to a minimum of 500 people across at least two prior incidents, with preferred qualifications including experience with Category 3 or higher hurricane incidents and prior work in Florida. The County intends to award up to three contracts with an initial three-year term, and contractors must be capable of mobilizing and establishing services within 48 hours of receiving a purchase order. Services are categorized by capacity: Type I (up to 1,000 responders), Type II (up to 500 responders), Type III (up to 250 responders), and Type IV (up to 100 responders). Proposals must be submitted through OpenGov Procurement by January 7, 2026, with potential presentations and interviews required for the three highest-scoring proposers if estimated annual costs exceed $350,000 or if scoring differences are minimal.

The contract opportunity appears to have no specific set-aside designations or restrictions on organizational types, with emphasis on comprehensive service capabilities rather than specific enterprise classifications. The procurement anticipates potential Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant funding, which renders local and American business preferences inapplicable to the award. Contractors must maintain robust insurance coverage, including Workers' Compensation with $500,000 employer liability limits, Commercial General Liability with $1,000,000 per occurrence, Business Automobile Liability with $1,000,000 combined single limits, and Umbrella/Excess Liability with $5,000,000 limits. Pricing will be submitted through a Pricing Table in the OpenGov portal, with the County retaining flexibility to request services as individual line items. Cancellation fees are structured progressively, ranging from 10 percent of pro-rated daily costs for early cancellations to full daily rates plus an additional pro-rated day for late closure notices. While specific budget ranges are not explicitly stated, the comprehensive insurance and service requirements suggest a substantial potential contract value for qualified vendors.