Disaster Recovery Debris Removal Services

The City of Palm Bay, Florida (Brevard County) is issuing RFP 29-RFP-26, a Request for Proposals for comprehensive Disaster Recovery Debris Removal Services following federally declared disasters or emergencies. The procurement seeks to award contracts to one Primary Contractor, one Secondary Contractor, and one Tertiary Contractor to provide emergency debris clearance, removal, reduction, and disposal operations across Palm Bay's 863 linear miles of roads and 88.7 square miles of city roads. Key services include emergency roadway clearance, first and second pass debris removal from public rights-of-way, Temporary Debris Storage and Reduction (TDSR) site management, vegetation management, hazardous and industrial materials handling, load ticket management, technical support, and project management coordination with FEMA and City staff to ensure all work qualifies for FEMA Public Assistance Category A reimbursement. Contractors must deploy a representative to Palm Bay Public Works within twelve hours of notification and commence work within twenty-four hours of receiving a Notice to Proceed, with the contract term spanning twenty-four months with three optional twelve-month extensions for a maximum of sixty months. Pricing is evaluated at 25 percent of the total proposal score, with the lowest proposed cost receiving maximum points. The virtual pre-proposal meeting was held February 18, 2026, with a questions deadline of February 24, 2026, at 5:00 PM; proposals were due March 10, 2026, at 9:00 AM, with proposal opening and name reading at 10:30 AM. All work must comply with FEMA Public Assistance Program guidelines, the Davis-Bacon Act, prevailing wage requirements, Clean Air Act, Federal Water Pollution Control Act, and equal employment opportunity provisions.

Contractors must demonstrate minimum bonding capacity of $500,000 per event with ability to increase as necessary, carry comprehensive insurance including $1,000,000 each occurrence/$2,000,000 general aggregate Commercial General Liability, and comply with all federal, state, and local environmental, safety, and regulatory requirements. The Prime Contractor must perform a minimum of thirty percent of total contract value with its own forces, with all subcontractors requiring pre-approval and valid Florida licenses; the City will withhold a ten percent retainage fee until work completion. No retainer or standby payments will be made; payment is contingent only upon specific City-requested and approved services. Bidders must submit certifications regarding lobbying compliance and debarment and suspension status, with civil penalties of $10,000 to $100,000 per violation for non-compliance. The incumbent contractor, Thompson Consulting Services, LLC, currently provides debris monitoring services under a contract expiring May 31, 2026. The fee schedules contain 44 and 63 distinct line items respectively, covering equipment, personnel, and specialized debris removal services priced on a per-unit basis (cubic yards, each, per tree, pounds, or linear feet). Historical data indicates the most recent contract activation in October 2024 for Hurricane Milton resulted in approximately 50,000 cubic yards of debris collected and $647,695.70 in payments; approved disposal locations include Brevard County Landfill and Brevard County Disposal Facility, with designated debris management sites at OSMOSIS and DORCHESTER for yard trash. The anticipated award and contract start date are on or before June 1, 2026.