Love Park Renovation

The City of Bradenton is issuing an Invitation to Bid (IFB #26-025NT) to procure construction services for the Love Park Renovation project, a neighborhood community pocket park spanning approximately 0.76 acres located at 181 11th Avenue West in Bradenton, Florida. The scope of work includes site grading, installation of hardscape features (concrete pavements, hexagon pavers, artificial turf, and rubber safety surfacing), park amenities (playground equipment, furniture, and waste receptacles), landscaping with native plantings and irrigation systems, utility connections, electrical and lighting infrastructure including decorative fixtures and security cameras, installation of public art pieces, ADA compliance measures, and crime prevention through environmental design elements on a previously demolished and cleared site. Successful bidders must be licensed general contractors authorized to conduct business in Florida and must demonstrate prior experience by submitting three Contractor Qualification Forms documenting successful completion of at least two park construction or similar site development projects of at least 0.75 acres each, with at least one project meeting or exceeding $1,000,000 in cost. The pre-proposal meeting is scheduled for April 6, 2026 at 10:00 AM at the Lobby Conference Room, 101 Old Main Street, Bradenton, FL 34205, with virtual participation available via Zoom; questions must be submitted by April 13, 2026 at 5:00 PM, with responses provided electronically through OpenGov by April 27, 2026 at 2:30 PM, which is also the bid opening date. The contract requires completion of all work to substantial completion within 180 calendar days of the Notice to Proceed, with liquidated damages of $500 per calendar day assessed for delays, and evaluation will be based on the lowest responsive and responsible bidder meeting all technical and qualification requirements.

The procurement does not identify specific set-aside designations or restrictions limiting participation to disadvantaged enterprises or minority-owned businesses, allowing all qualified general contractors meeting the stated experience and licensing requirements to submit proposals. Bidders must submit a bid bond equal to 5% of the total bid amount, and for bids of $200,000 or more, a performance and payment bond of 100% of the contract amount is required, with all bonds executed by sureties licensed in Florida and listed on the U.S. Department of the Treasury's acceptable sureties list. The contract documents reference design plans prepared by Applied Sciences and incorporate EJCDC standard general conditions with supplementary conditions establishing comprehensive insurance requirements, including workers' compensation at statutory limits, general liability with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate, and automobile liability at $1,000,000 combined single limit, with the City of Bradenton and related parties named as additional insureds. The solicitation does not identify an incumbent vendor or existing contractor, as this is a new construction project on a cleared site requiring no integration with existing infrastructure. No specific budget or award value is stated in the solicitation documents; however, bidders must calculate and include a 10% contingency in their total bid and structure costs across lump-sum items (mobilization/demobilization not to exceed 8%, maintenance of traffic not to exceed 5%, record drawings, and environmental protection not to exceed 1%) and numerous unit-price schedule items covering site work, hardscape installation, planting, irrigation, furnishings, and electrical components.