Unmanned Aerial Services, Professional Engineering Services

Pinellas County, Florida is conducting a competitive procurement under the Consultants' Competitive Negotiation Act (CCNA) for unmanned aerial services and professional engineering services on a continuing as-needed basis. The Request for Qualification (RFQ #26-0370-CCNAC) seeks qualified engineering firms to provide unmanned aerial vehicle services to multiple county departments, with deliverables including topographic surveys, ecological assessments and mapping, infrastructure and asset inspections, construction inspection services, shoreline and marine structure inspections, and emergency damage assessments. The anticipated work consists of both on-demand services requiring deployment within 12-24 hours for urgent needs and planned projects, with eligible projects limited to those with construction costs not exceeding $2 million and professional service fees not exceeding $200,000 per project. Proposers must hold a valid FAA Remote Pilot Certificate with UAS rating, maintain Professional Surveyor and Mapper licensure in Florida for survey work, comply with all federal and state regulations including FAA Part 107, prohibit the use of drones manufactured by Chinese companies such as DJI, and provide certificates of insurance including workers' compensation, general liability, professional liability, and aviation liability coverage. Evaluation will be based on 1,000 points, distributed across firm ability and qualifications (425-450 points), experience with similar projects and past performance (375 points), volume of work previously awarded by the county (50 points), minority business status (25-50 points), Pinellas County Small Business Enterprise certification (100 points), and office location relative to the Tampa Bay region (25-75 points). The deadline for written questions is March 27, 2026, at 3:00 PM Eastern Time, with all submittals due by April 7, 2026, at 3:00 PM Eastern Time via the OpenGov Procurement platform, and no site visit is required.

The contract includes a set-aside requirement mandating that each work assignment valued at $50,000 or greater incorporate a minimum 10 percent financial commitment to a certified Pinellas County Small Business Enterprise subconsultant, unless the prime firm itself qualifies as an SBE. The procurement includes small business enterprise incentives, as Pinellas County SBE certification carries significant evaluation weight at 100 points, and minority business status contributes an additional 25-50 points toward the total evaluation score. All proposers must comply with mandatory affidavits including a Human Trafficking Affidavit and a Foreign Countries of Concern Affidavit certifying that the firm and its controlling interests are not owned or controlled by specified foreign governments including the People's Republic of China, the Russian Federation, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, or Syria. The initial contract term is five years from the award date with two optional 12-month extensions, each subject to performance evaluation and rate renegotiation based on current market conditions. Compensation will be negotiated on a per-work-assignment basis using an agreed-upon fee schedule, with all compensation fully loaded to include profit, markup, and local travel expenses within the Tampa Bay metropolitan statistical area, while out-of-area travel is reimbursed per Florida Statute 112.061 and County policy. The evaluation committee will review proposals in April 2026, with a contract award recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners anticipated in July 2026, though no specific contract value or budget ceiling is disclosed in the procurement documents.