Active SLED Opportunity · FLORIDA · GAINSE VILLE
AI Summary
The City of Gainesville, Florida, seeks a brokerage firm to market and sell development parcels at the City-owned Cornerstone Development, supporting local economic growth and revitalization. The project includes marketing commercial real estate pads near key community facilities with a focus on diverse business support.
The Cornerstone Development is a City-owned, pad-ready commercial development located approximately two miles east of downtown Gainesville. The site benefits from prior site approvals that streamline development timelines, proximity to established medical, research, transit, and community facilities, and a planned senior living facility nearby. The City seeks an experienced brokerage firm to actively market available development pads and parcels and assist in securing qualified purchasers.
The Cornerstone Development is comprised of two phases, Cornerstone I and Cornerstone II. Cornerstone I consists of two built parcels and three vacant. The 31,000-SF Gainesville Training, Educational and Community Center (“GTEC Center”) and the 25,000-SF Merieux Nutrisciences building (“Merieux”) occupy two built-out lots of the six originally comprising the Cornerstone Campus.
GTEC Center is an incubator for small, local and diverse businesses in Gainesville and also contains the offices of the Gainesville Community Reinvestment Area (“GCRA”), which is the City department charged with revitalizing East Gainesville, Downtown and a portion of the area surrounding the University of Florida Campus. The Center (see Exhibit A, C and D for location) was first constructed in 2000 as North Central Florida’s first high-tech incubator, but its utility declined after the Dot Com Crash of 2001 and with the construction of two incubators by the University of Florida in the City of Alachua. GTEC now serves a broader base of entrepreneurs, currently housing 16 businesses—94% minority-owned and 50% women-owned—while supporting workforce training, certification exams, and community events.
With its pivot to serving small, local and diverse businesses in East Gainesville, the GCRA is planning for a $5.5 million refurbishment and rebranding of the GTEC Center. A 2021 analysis and feasibility study identified issues with outdated facilities, including oversized labs, limited small office spaces, and insufficient community areas. Community input through surveys, meetings, and focus groups emphasized the need for modernizing GTEC to enhance programming, community access, and support for minority-owned and locally focused businesses. Recommendations included creating flexible office spaces, improving common areas, and expanding entrepreneurial training. On February 19, 2026, the Gainesville City Commission approved a contract with local company D.G. Scorpio Construction to renovate the building. Construction is expected to be completed by January 2028.
These upgrades will position the GTEC Center as a key driver of local economic development, fostering small business growth and revitalizing East Gainesville. The GTEC Center refurbishment is expected to begin in spring 2026 and be completed by spring 2028.
Mérieux NutriSciences (see Exhibit A, C and D for location) is a global food safety and quality partner — offering testing, labeling, auditing, consulting, sensory, training and research services to the food & nutrition industry that has been located at Cornerstone since 2015. Headquartered in Chicago, Mérieux NutriSciences has grown from a single laboratory founded in Chicago Heights, IL, in 1967 to a global presence throughout North, Latin and South America, Europe, Middle-East, Africa and Asia Pacific. Present in 27 countries, Mérieux NutriSciences employs more than 8,000 people worldwide with more than 100 accredited laboratories. With a primary focus on food safety and quality, the company delivers services in various business sectors.
Cornerstone II lies west of SE 21st Street and is approximately 21 acres in size. It includes the 9,000 sf UF Health Clinic, which opened in August 2024, providing much-needed healthcare services to the community. The clinic’s construction came from a combined $4.5 million of City and County funds from the American Relief Plan Act funds. With the completion of a $3.8 million roadway and stormwater infrastructure project in July 2025, Cornerstone 1 and II finally were connected.
Another key component of Cornerstone II is the proposed Regional Transit System (RTS) transfer station, funded by a $4.1 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration. Once completed, this hub will strengthen transportation options for East Gainesville, supporting both economic growth and improved mobility for residents and workers, who currently travel to the Rosa Parks Downtown Station to connect with most RTS routes. Construction design and permitting are currently underway, and construction is anticipated to begin in early 2026. The City expects to release a solicitation in April, select a vendor in May, receive approval from the City Commission in June and start construction in October.
Gainesville is the largest city and also the county seat of Alachua County. It serves as the cultural, educational and commercial center for the north central Florida region.
The city provides a full range of municipal services, including police and fire protection; comprehensive land use planning and zoning services; code enforcement and neighborhood improvement; streets and drainage construction and maintenance; traffic engineering services; refuse and recycling services through a franchised operator; recreation and parks; cultural and nature services; and necessary administrative services to support these activities. Additionally, the city owns a regional transit system, a municipal airport, a 72-par championship golf course and a utility.
Gainesville is home to Florida's largest and oldest university, and is one of the State’s centers for education, medicine, cultural events and athletics. The University of Florida and UF Health Hospital at UF are the leading employers in Gainesville and provide jobs for many residents of surrounding counties. Known for its preservation of historic buildings and the beauty of its natural surroundings, Gainesville's numerous parks, museums and lakes provide entertainment to thousands of visitors. Because of its beautiful landscape and urban "forest," Gainesville is one of the most attractive cities in Florida.
Categories and points may be modified, with Procurement review and approval, prior to the solicitation posting.
Price shall be awarded points based on percentage determined by the department. All other bids shall be awarded points pursuant to their price as a percentage to the low bid. Purchasing will calculate and apply points for price. Categories and points may be modified, with Procurement review and approval, prior to the solicitation posting.
For some solicitations, top ranked firms may be invited to deliver a presentation or participate in an interview that will give each company the opportunity to discuss their proposal with the evaluators.
Similar to the Submission evaluations, the evaluation phase will include:
A. Understanding of Project Scope of Work = 40 points maximum
B. Responsiveness to Questions = 15 points maximum
C. Project Team = 25 points maximum
D. Project Manager = 20 points maximum
Categories and points may be modified, with Procurement review and approval, prior to the solicitation posting.
DOWNLOAD THE BELOW DOCUMENT, COMPLETE AND UPLOAD HERE.
I hereby propose to provide the goods/services requested in this Solicitation. I agree to hold pricing for at least 60 calendar days from the Solicitation due date. I agree that CITY’s terms and conditions herein take precedence over any conflicting terms and conditions submitted for CITY’s consideration, and agree to abide by all conditions of this Solicitation.
I certify that all information contained in this Response is truthful to the best of my knowledge and belief. I further certify that I am duly authorized to execute and submit this Response on behalf of the organization as its agent and that the organization is ready, willing and able to perform if awarded.
To claim "Local Preference" a bidder must have a valid occupational license (business permit) issued by the City of Gainesville, Florida at least six months prior to bid or proposal opening date and have a physical business address located within the corporate limits of the City of Gainesville, Florida.
Please upload your company's proposal for this solicitation here.
DOWNLOAD THE BELOW DOCUMENT, COMPLETE AND UPLOAD HERE.
Whenever two or more bids which are equal with respect to price, quality, and service are received in accordance with Section 287.087, Florida Statutes, preference shall be given to respondents that certify that they have a drug-free workplace.
Please download the below documents, complete, notarize and upload.
DOWNLOAD THE BELOW DOCUMENT, COMPLETE AND UPLOAD HERE.
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SLED stands for State, Local, and Education. These are solicitations issued by state governments, counties, cities, school districts, utilities, and higher education institutions — as opposed to federal agencies.
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