Regional stormwater facilities maintenance

Sarasota County, Florida is seeking a contractor for Regional Stormwater Facilities Maintenance through Invitation for Bids (IFB #252794AMS), with proposals due on January 8, 2026, through the OpenGov Procurement portal. The contract will cover comprehensive stormwater facilities maintenance across approximately 804.5 acres, including six designated regional sites like Briarwood, Catfish Creek, and Celery Fields. Services include managing nuisance and exotic vegetation, applying herbicides, conducting planting services, and performing six preventive maintenance visits annually on wetlands, upland buffer zones, littoral shelves, and permitted mitigation areas. Bidders must submit a minimum of two references per service type for work performed within the last seven years and demonstrate capability to bring sites into compliance within six months of contract execution. Maintenance work is permitted Monday through Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., with an anticipated initial contract term of three years. Evaluation will focus on the lowest total bid price from responsive and responsible bidders, with hourly labor rates covering preventive maintenance, vegetation removal, herbicide applications, trash collection, and planting services.

The solicitation does not specify set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises, and local or American business preferences are not applicable due to grant funding requirements. Contractors must obtain a $50,000 performance bond and maintain comprehensive insurance coverage, including Workers' Compensation, Commercial General Liability, Business Automobile Liability, Pollution Liability, and potentially Marine Liability. All personnel applying pesticides must hold a valid Florida Commercial Pesticide Applicator's license with Category 5A and Category 21 endorsements. The contractor will be required to use the County's Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) for work order management and reporting at no additional cost. While specific budget ranges are not explicitly stated, the solicitation includes pricing structures for hourly labor rates and material markup, with estimated usage figures provided but not guaranteed. The contract will require adherence to strict environmental regulations, including considerations for bird breeding seasons and native planting specifications across different ecological zones.