RFP for Disaster Debris Management

Indian River County, Florida is issuing RFP #2026011 for comprehensive disaster debris management services to support recovery operations following catastrophic events such as hurricanes and tornadoes. The procurement seeks to contract with one Primary Contractor and one Secondary Contractor to manage debris removal from public and private rights-of-way, beaches, and public property; establish and operate temporary Disaster Debris Management Sites (DDMS); process debris through sorting, grinding, mulching, and burning; identify and remove hazardous materials; and provide beach cleaning services for red tide or marine-related events. All work must comply with requirements established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), Florida Department of Emergency Management (FDEM), and local County ordinances. Contractors must demonstrate capacity to rapidly mobilize within 24 hours of receiving Notice to Proceed and respond to wide-scale debris volumes with minimum daily collection and transportation requirements ranging from 1,400 cubic yards for tropical storms/Category 1 events to 2,500 cubic yards for Category 4-5 hurricanes. The initial contract term is three years with an option to renew for one additional two-year term, with compensation structured on a unit pricing basis as detailed in the Fee Schedule (Exhibit B), covering all costs for labor, equipment, materials, fuel, processing, disposal, and site reclamation. Proposals must be submitted electronically through the Euna Bonfire platform by March 20, 2026, at 2:00 P.M. Evaluation criteria include Qualifications and Experience (25 points), References (15 points), Financial Information (10 points), Project Approach and Schedule (25 points), and Proposal Pricing (25 points), for a total of 100 points. Contractors must demonstrate financial capability through certified audits, third-party prepared financial statements, or Dun & Bradstreet reports and be prepared to provide performance and payment bonds ranging from $2,000,000 for Category I storms to $10,000,000 for Category V storms.

The RFP contains no designated set-asides for disadvantaged enterprises or minority-owned businesses; however, all respondents must meet strict compliance certifications including anti-human trafficking attestations, foreign entity ownership affidavits, debarment certifications, and scrutinized companies disclosures. Contractors must certify that they are not on the Scrutinized Companies that Boycott Israel List and, for contracts valued at one million dollars or more, must additionally certify they are not on the Scrutinized Companies with Activities in Sudan or Iran Petroleum Energy Sector lists and are not engaged in business operations in Cuba or Syria. All bidders must disclose any relationships between their firm and Indian River County Commissioners or County employees and submit certification that their proposal was prepared independently without collusion or prior understanding with other respondents. No incumbent contractors are identified in the RFP documentation. The contract is funded through anticipated Federal and State Public Assistance funding from FEMA and FDEM, with the County retaining 10 percent retainage from each invoice until project completion and verification that all subcontractors and suppliers have been paid. Liquidated damages of $10,000 per day apply for failure to meet minimum collection volume requirements, and additional penalties apply for failure to open pre-storm DDMS within 24 hours or post-storm sites within three days. Comprehensive general liability and auto liability insurance with minimum limits of $1 million per occurrence and $5 million aggregate are required for contract performance.