Operation and Management of Contractor-Operated Correctional Facilities – Lake City CF

The Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) is issuing an Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) number FDC-ITN-25-071 for the operation and management of the Lake City Correctional Facility, a minimum/medium/close custody male youthful offender facility located in Columbia County. The facility has a total capacity of 893 beds for inmates 17 years of age and under, with the procurement seeking a comprehensive contractor to manage security, inmate services, health care, educational and vocational programming, food service, and maintenance. Potential contractors must demonstrate at least ten years of experience in correctional facility management and provide a reply bond of 5% of the total proposal price. The evaluation methodology will use a 70/30 scoring approach, with 70% allocated to technical evaluation criteria and 30% to pricing. A mandatory site visit is scheduled for April 7, 2025, and the reply submission deadline is May 23, 2025. The initial contract term will be three years from the Service Commencement Date (July 1, 2026), with options for successive two-year renewal terms. Key deliverables include maintaining American Correctional Association (ACA) accreditation, meeting specific inmate program participation requirements, and providing monthly reporting and performance measurements.

The solicitation includes several provisions to ensure vendor qualification and compliance, including requirements for vendors to be financially stable with a Dun & Bradstreet Financial Stress Score of 1-4 and compliance with various state statutory requirements. While no specific set-aside designations are prominently mentioned, the procurement encourages documentation of minority, women-owned, or veteran-owned business certifications. The estimated annual contract value is $38,451,732, with pricing mechanisms calculated at 90% occupancy (guaranteeing payment for 804 inmates) and additional rates for inmates exceeding that threshold. Contractors must provide a performance bond or irrevocable letter of credit of $8 million or the average annual contract price upon execution. Unique requirements include maintaining all data within the United States, participating in E-Verify, and complying with regulations regarding scrutinized companies, foreign countries of concern, and forced labor. The contract includes comprehensive HIPAA compliance requirements and mandates strict confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements to protect sensitive correctional facility information.