Disaster Logistics Services

Sarasota County, Florida is issuing an Invitation for Bids (IFB) to procure disaster-related logistics services to support the County's disaster response and recovery operations. The procurement seeks to award up to two contracts to responsive and responsible bidders offering the lowest total bid prices, with an anticipated initial contract term of three years. The contractor must provide personnel and equipment to perform three-phase logistics support and transportation services consisting of loading from staged locations, point-to-point transport, and offloading to receiving areas. The required vehicle fleet includes 16-foot and 26-foot box trucks with ramps and lift gates, semi-trucks with 53-foot trailers in standard, reefer, and lift-gate configurations, and flatbed trucks capable of transporting intermodal containers. All drivers and co-drivers must maintain Commercial Driver's Licenses recognized by Florida, and the contractor must maintain an active U.S. Department of Transportation number issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Bidders must provide two verifiable commercial, industrial, or governmental references within the past seven years demonstrating experience in ground transport operations, loading and unloading operations, and load configuration. Bid submissions are due by March 23, 2026, and must be submitted through OpenGov Procurement at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/scgov. Pricing must include all trip charges, mileage, vehicle charges, travel time, and labor within hourly rates, with only on-site time billable to the County, and the County will activate the contract via phone or email notification with the contractor required to respond within 12 hours confirming its ability to support the County.

The contractor must maintain comprehensive insurance coverage including Workers' Compensation insurance per Florida Statutes Chapter 440 with Employers Liability limits of $500,000 per accident/disease/employee, Commercial General Liability coverage with limits of not less than $1,000,000 each occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate, Business Automobile Liability with limits of $1,000,000 combined single limit, and Bailee's Customer Property insurance or equivalent for County property in contractor's possession with limits of full replacement cost. No local and American business preferences apply due to grant funding requirements, though the Disaster Grant Funded Provisions document mandates consideration of small businesses and minority-owned enterprises for subcontracting opportunities. The contractor is responsible for all sustainment costs including food, lodging, fuel, and maintenance, and must maintain equipment in good working order in compliance with the Florida Commercial Motor Vehicle Manual. The contract is subject to federal regulations from 2 CFR Part 200 Uniform Guidance, FEMA requirements, and State of Florida statutes, with specific compliance obligations including equal employment opportunity standards, domestic preference for U.S.-produced goods, and various certifications and attestations. No specific budget range or award value is provided in the solicitation documents; however, contracts exceeding $250,000 are subject to enhanced contractual requirements and dispute resolution procedures through Florida courts.