Wiggins Pass and Doctors Pass Maintenance Dredging Project 2026 Grant Funded

Collier County, Florida is procuring construction services through sealed competitive bidding for the Wiggins Pass and Doctors Pass Maintenance Dredging Project 2026, a grant-funded initiative. Sealed bids are due no later than May 22, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. local time through the county's online procurement portal at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/collier-county-fl. The project involves maintenance dredging at two coastal inlet locations to restore navigable boating conditions following 2023-2024 hurricane impacts, with Wiggins Pass requiring approximately 85,000 cubic yards of material removal and disposal on beaches and nearshore areas of Delnor-Wiggins State Park, and Doctors Pass requiring approximately 37,000 cubic yards of removal from the settling basin, entrance channel, turning basin, and west channel. The successful contractor must achieve substantial completion within 90 calendar days from the Notice to Proceed (anticipated by August 23, 2026) and final completion within 120 calendar days (anticipated by September 22, 2026), with work permitted 24 hours daily, seven days per week. Qualified bidders must demonstrate three project references showing completed hydraulic dredging and coastal inlet dredging work in open water conditions; identify the hydraulic dredge equipment to be used with written certification of Draft Quality Management (DQM) equipment and National DQM Support Center certification; submit a detailed proposed project schedule; and identify minimum subcontractors for surveying and turbidity monitoring services. The contractor must maintain a minimum 14-inch hydraulic dredge capable of pumping 6,000 feet and must submit a comprehensive operations plan at least ten days prior to the pre-construction meeting. Liquidated damages are assessed at $2,667 per calendar day for failure to achieve substantial completion within the 90-day period.

The procurement does not specify minority or disadvantaged enterprise set-asides; however, the project utilizes local vendor preference provisions and is subject to federal compliance requirements including prevailing wage standards, suspension and debarment certifications, and anti-lobbying requirements applicable to contracts exceeding $100,000. Collier County will pay all county permits and fees, with bidders responsible for obtaining all other necessary permits including compliance with state environmental protection requirements and federal FEMA Public Assistance standards. The successful bidder must furnish a certified bid bond equal to five percent of the total bid amount and performance and payment bonds equal to 100 percent of the contract amount, executed by a licensed surety authorized to do business in Florida. Contractors must maintain comprehensive insurance coverage including workers' compensation, commercial general liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate, automobile liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence, watercraft liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence, and pollution liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence, and must be enrolled in the E-Verify employment eligibility verification system at bid submission. The anticipated project budget is $2,800,000, with payment based on quantities documented through pre-dredge and post-dredge surveys conducted by a registered Florida surveyor, utilizing 60 percent of mobilization costs upon demonstrating 1,000 cubic yards excavated and placed within 24 hours and the remaining 40 percent upon final completion.