Grounds Maintenance for City Ditches

The City of St. Cloud, located in Polk County, Florida, is seeking a contractor to provide comprehensive grounds maintenance services for city ditches through Invitation to Bid (ITB) No. 2023-196. The procurement targets a single contractor responsible for mowing, trimming, and weed control across sixteen distinct parcel locations totaling approximately 12.33 acres. Services include up to twelve mowing cycles per year, with no guaranteed minimum number of cycles, and will cover various ditch locations throughout the city identified in detailed exhibits. Bidders must submit electronic responses through ProcureNow by December 19, 2023, at 2:00 pm, with a non-mandatory pre-bid conference scheduled for November 30, 2023, at 10:00 am on Brown Chapel Road. Qualified contractors must provide unit costs per square foot, with pricing calculated by multiplying unit costs against location square footage and estimated annual cycles. Bidders are required to be registered with the Florida Department of State, possess valid occupational licenses, and demonstrate capability to perform comprehensive landscape maintenance services.

The solicitation does not specify specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises, but mandates broad compliance with federal and state requirements including equal opportunity employment, Davis-Bacon Act provisions, and E-Verify employment verification. Contractors must maintain comprehensive general liability insurance with minimum $1,000,000 per occurrence coverage and workers' compensation insurance. The initial contract term is three years, with potential extensions for two additional one-year periods, suggesting a potential total contract duration of five years. While specific budget ranges are not explicitly detailed, the contract allows for electronic funds transfer or P-card payments consistent with Florida's Prompt Payment Act. The city reserves the right to terminate the contract with 30 days' written notice, and all potential disputes will be resolved in Osceola County, Florida. Successful bidders must be prepared to provide all necessary labor, materials, and equipment to meet the city's comprehensive maintenance requirements across the specified ditch locations.