Veterans Park East Lobe Expansion

Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners is conducting an Invitation to Bid (ITB PW 41-26) for the construction of the Veterans Park East Lobe Expansion, a public park improvement project located on Okaloosa Island, Florida. The project scope includes construction of a concrete walking path, boardwalk, statue pedestals, an irrigation well, and landscaping improvements. Bidders must submit sealed bids electronically through the OpenGov portal by 3:00 PM Central Standard Time on April 23, 2026, with a mandatory pre-bid conference scheduled for 9:00 AM on April 13, 2026 at the Okaloosa County Public Works Office (1759 S. Ferdon Boulevard, Crestview, Florida). The contract will be awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder on a unit price basis with estimated quantities provided for comparison purposes only; final payment will be based on actual quantities as determined by the Engineer. Contractors must provide a bid bond or cashier's check equal to five percent of the maximum bid price, maintain a valid Florida state contractor's license, hold performance and payment bonds equal to the full contract amount, and provide comprehensive insurance including workers' compensation and commercial general liability with minimum limits of $1,000,000. The contractor shall achieve Substantial Completion within 100 calendar days after the Notice to Proceed and final completion within 130 calendar days, with liquidated damages assessed at $904 per calendar day for failure to meet Substantial Completion deadlines on contracts valued at $299,999 and under. The detailed contract documents comprise 234 pages of technical specifications and 33 sheets of construction drawings prepared by Mott MacDonald Florida, LLC.

The procurement does not specify set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises or particular organizational types. All bidders must comply with the Immigration & Nationality Act through E-Verify, provide drug-free workplace certification, submit anti-human trafficking attestation, and register in the System for Award Management (SAM) database prior to contract award. The project is subject to a Consolidated Environmental Resource Permit and Sovereignty Submerged Lands Authorization issued by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection with a construction phase expiration date of May 31, 2027, requiring compliance with extensive environmental protection conditions including floating turbidity screens during construction, elevation requirements for boardwalks, impermeable plastic wrapping for treated pilings, and specific provisions for manatee protection, marine turtle lighting guidelines, and migratory bird protections. Progress payments will be made at ninety-five percent of work completed with five percent retainage, and final payment is due thirty days after submission of the final application and supporting documentation. The specific bid value or budget range is not disclosed in the available procurement documents; however, the liquidated damages threshold reference suggests the project may be valued at or below approximately $300,000.