ITB 26-183 Mowing & Landscaping Services for Citrus County Zone 2 Properties

Citrus County, Florida is requesting bids on mowing and landscaping services for Zone 2 properties across Beverly Hills, Lecanto, Floral City, and Inverness under ITB 26-183, with bids due October 6, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Bidders may submit proposals for one, two, or all three geographic areas (Area 1: Beverly Hills and Lecanto; Area 2: Floral City; Area 3: Inverness), and the County reserves the right to award individual areas or combinations thereof to one or more responsive and responsible bidders.

Services include mowing turf areas at approximately three inches for Bahia grass, string trimming around obstacles, mechanical edging of sidewalks and landscape beds, pruning and trimming of shrubs and hedges, weed removal and vegetation control, debris removal and disposal, and inspection during each service visit with notification to the County of damage, safety hazards, irrigation deficiencies, vandalism, or other conditions requiring corrective action. All landscaped areas must be maintained in neat, healthy, safe, and aesthetically pleasing condition throughout the contract term. The County operates approximately 18 properties totaling 28.78 acres across Zone 2 on a schedule ranging from 20 to 30 visits annually, with seasonal variations of one to five monthly visits depending on growing conditions.

The contractor must furnish all labor, supervision, commercial-grade equipment, tools, materials, and transportation at its own expense and maintain adequate backup personnel and equipment to prevent service interruptions. Minimum equipment requirements include commercial-grade zero-turn and walk-behind mowers, string trimmers, edgers, blowers, hedge trimmers, pole pruners, and hand tools. The County has appropriated approximately $72,436 for services. The contract term is two years with an option to renew for three additional one-year periods, conditioned on satisfactory performance and mutual agreement. Fee increases for renewal periods are capped at the lesser of the annual Consumer Price Index or 5 percent.

Mandatory pre-bid conferences are scheduled for September 14, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. and September 16, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. at the Grounds Maintenance Conference Room in Lecanto. Questions are due September 28, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. Board approval of the award is scheduled for December 1, 2026. Bidders must demonstrate a minimum of two years of commercial mowing experience, maintain active Florida business registration, and attend at least one pre-bid conference. The County requires Commercial General Liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence / $2,000,000 general aggregate, Automobile Liability of $1,000,000 combined single limit, Workers Compensation in compliance with state law, and Cyber Liability if IT systems are involved. All insurance documentation must be registered through myCOI at $19.95 annually. Failure to correct deficiencies within three business days of written notice incurs liquidated damages of two times the contract unit price for the first occurrence, with escalating penalties including $500 plus corrective work costs for subsequent occurrences within six months, and potential contract termination for a third documented occurrence.