Key West Lighthouse Giftshop Renovations

Monroe County, Florida, through the Board of County Commissioners, is issuing a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) for interior renovation of the Key West Lighthouse Giftshop Building located at 938 Whitehead Street, Key West, Florida. The procurement encompasses comprehensive renovation work including demolition and reconfiguration of interior walls, demolition of existing tile flooring with replacement by new epoxy flooring, demolition and replacement of existing plumbing and lighting fixtures, and relocation of existing electrical panels. The contractor must provide all labor, materials, equipment, permits, and means necessary for completion, with full responsibility for obtaining City of Key West Building Department and Historic Architectural Review Commission (HARC) approvals and associated permitting fees. All work must comply with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation, as the site is a historic structure dating to 1848. Selection criteria include relevant experience (25 points), project approach and quality control (15 points), staffing and project team composition (25 points), and overall proposal including price (35 points). The non-mandatory pre-proposal conference is scheduled for Friday, February 20, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at the Key West Lighthouse; the deadline for Requests for Information is March 2, 2026; sealed proposals are due by 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 12, 2026, via the Bonfire electronic bidding platform; the Selection Committee meeting is anticipated for March 24, 2026; the Board award date is April 15, 2026; and substantial completion is required by December 30, 2026 (240 calendar days from commencement).

Monroe County extends local business preference of up to 2.5 percent to qualified local enterprises, with an additional 2.5 percent preference available if a local business subcontracts fifty percent or more of the work to other local businesses. All proposals must be submitted exclusively through the Monroe County Bonfire electronic bidding platform; submissions by email, mail, or in-person delivery will not be accepted, and the bid opening will be conducted virtually via Zoom. The contractor must maintain required insurance throughout the contract term, including workers' compensation at statutory limits with employer's liability of $1,000,000, general liability of $500,000 combined single limit, and vehicle liability of $300,000 combined single limit. A proposal security equal to five percent of the maximum bid price is required, and a public construction bond equal to the contract cost is mandatory unless the contract is $200,000 or less. Liquidated damages provisions apply based on contract amount and delay duration. The RFP does not specify a budget range or estimated award value, but the local business preference structure and insurance requirements suggest a substantial public works project with significant financial commitments.