QTE 26-012 Mowing Services for Clerk's Annex and County Owned Cemeteries

Citrus County, Florida is soliciting competitive bids through procurement QTE 26-012 for comprehensive mowing and grounds maintenance services at five county-owned locations: Stage Pond Cemetery (2 acres), Stage Stand Cemetery (6.5 acres), Hernando Cemetery (1 acre), Pine Hill Cemetery (2.5 acres), and the Clerk of Court Annex (1.5 acres), totaling approximately 13.5 acres. The contract requires the selected contractor to provide mowing, edging, line trimming, weed control, minor pruning, hedging, and debris cleanup services with approximately 25 service visits annually, with frequency adjusted seasonally and potentially reduced to zero visits during winter months. Performance standards mandate grass height between 3.5 to 4 inches, adherence to the one-third cutting rule, use of sharp blades, and consistent mowing patterns in accordance with industry standards and OSHA safety requirements. The contractor must submit detailed service visit reports via email to the County Project Manager and provide weekly summary communications, along with monthly invoices itemized by location and service date for payment within 45 days of verification. Two mandatory pre-bid conferences are scheduled for January 27, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. and January 29, 2026, at 2:00 p.m., with written questions due by February 9, 2026, at 4:00 p.m., and sealed bids due February 17, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. via the OpenGov online portal, with public bid opening scheduled for February 17, 2026, at 2:15 p.m. via Microsoft Teams. Bidders must demonstrate a minimum of two years of commercial mowing experience, maintain active business registration in Florida, and comply with mandatory insurance requirements including Commercial General Liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence/$2,000,000 aggregate), Automobile Liability ($1,000,000 combined single limit), and Workers Compensation in compliance with state law.

No set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises or restrictions on organization type are specified in the solicitation documents. The solicitation does not identify any incumbent vendors or current contractors, nor does it reference existing infrastructure or technology requiring integration beyond standard email and Microsoft Teams communication platforms. The contract term is two years from the date of execution with options to renew for three additional one-year periods contingent upon satisfactory performance and mutual agreement, with potential automatic extension for up to 120 calendar days during procurement transition periods. Citrus County has appropriated approximately $21,500 for this solicitation based on a price-per-service-visit compensation model, with the county reserving the right to adjust funding based on availability and to award to a single bidder or split awards among multiple qualified bidders. The successful bidder must register with myCOI for certificate of insurance management at an annual cost of $19.95 and comply with E-Verify employment verification requirements. Board approval of the contract award is tentatively scheduled for April 28, 2026, with annual pricing increase requests capped at the lesser of the consumer price index or five percent, supported by detailed justification and manufacturer documentation.