Walton County Tower Sites

Walton County, Florida, through its Board of County Commissioners and Sheriff's Office, is issuing an Invitation to Negotiate (ITN No. 24-26) for designing and installing 14 new tower sites to support a Project 25 (P25) radio communications system. The procurement seeks qualified, Florida-licensed contractors to develop comprehensive tower infrastructure, including 200-300 foot self-supporting towers, 12' x 20' communications equipment buildings, standby generators, and associated infrastructure. The project's primary objective is to enhance mission-critical public safety communications and integrate current and future broadband technologies. Evaluation criteria will weight cost proposals at 40%, project team qualifications at 25%, implementation schedule at 20%, and point-by-point ITN requirement responses at 15%. Key dates include a mandatory pre-proposal conference on May 20, 2024, at 9:00 AM, a deadline for questions on May 30, 2024, at 12:00 PM, and proposal submissions due on June 17, 2024, at 2:00 PM central standard time. Potential oral interviews are scheduled for June 27, 2024, with an anticipated contract award on August 13, 2024.

The ITN does not explicitly mention set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises. The county is pursuing a public-private partnership model, where the successful contractor will receive long-term leases on county-owned property and potential future revenue sharing from commercial tenants. While no incumbent vendors are identified, the project requires integration with existing public safety communication infrastructure. The technical specifications demand comprehensive services including site design, construction, engineering, equipment installation, implementation, operator training, and warranty services. Although a specific budget range is not disclosed, the county aims to minimize capital and recurring costs through this procurement. The contract term will be based on the negotiated project schedule for installation, training, testing, and system acceptance, with contractors expected to provide detailed pricing for capital costs, monthly lease terms, potential tower ownership reversion, and revenue sharing arrangements.