Active SLED Opportunity · FLORIDA · WALTON COUNTY
AI Summary
Walton County seeks bids for annual landscape maintenance services along US Hwy 98 from Mack Bayou Rd to County Hwy 30A West, including mowing, ditch maintenance, trimming, edging, litter removal, and vegetation control. Mandatory pre-bid conference on August 6, 2026; bids due by August 20, 2026.
Walton County is requesting bids for landscape services to maintain, in good condition, the existing landscaping within the FDOT right of way along US Hwy 98 from Mack Bayou Rd to County Hwy 30A West on an annual basis.
The term "Bidder" shall mean one who submits a bid directly to the County, as distinct from a sub-bidder, who submits a bid to a Bidder. The term "Responsible and Responsive Bidder" means a person or entity who has submitted a bid which conforms in all material respects to the requirements set forth in the Bidding Documents and has the capability, in all respects, to perform fully the contract requirements, and the tenacity, perseverance, experience, integrity, reliability, capacity, facilities, equipment, and credit which will assure good faith performance. The term “Successful Bidder” means the most Responsible and Responsive Bidder with the lowest bid who has been selected for award of the Contract. The term “Contract” shall mean the agreement between the Successful Bidder and the County resulting from this ITB. The term “Contract Documents” includes the Service Contract consisting of information provided in Scope of Services and Attachments sections. The term "Bidding Documents" includes the Invitation to Bid, Instruction to Bidders, Contract Documents and the Bid Form (including all addenda issued prior to receipt of bids). The term 'Bid Schedule' shall mean the pricing form included in the Bidding Documents upon which Bidders shall submit unit prices, lump sum amounts, or markups as required for evaluation and contract award.The term “Notice of Award” shall mean the form issued by the Purchasing Department awarding the Contract to the Successful Bidder. The term “Notice to Proceed” shall mean the letter issued by the Purchasing Department notifying the Successful Bidder to commence services under the Contract.
The service area shall include all designated County-maintained right-of-way areas including, but not limited to:
A map identifying the maintenance limits is included as an attachment to this solicitation.
The Contractor shall furnish all the following necessary to complete the work:
All work shall comply with:
To demonstrate qualifications to perform the Project, each Bidder shall submit with their bid detailed written evidence of experience performing services of the nature and scope similar to those described in this Invitation to Bid, documentation of current commitments, a copy of all applicable licenses and permits required to perform the services described herein, if any, and such information as is required in the Vendor Submissions section. Each Bidder must also be prepared to submit within five (5) business days of the County's request, written evidence, such as licenses, financial data, previous experience, present commitments, and other such data as may be requested by the County. Each bid must contain evidence of Bidder's qualification to do business in the State of Florida. Specifically, the Bidder shall have all licenses and permits required by federal, state, and local statutes, regulations, and ordinances.
If the Bidder intends to perform herbicide/pesticide application services, the Bidder shall hold, or have on staff a subcontractor/employee who holds, a valid FDACS commercial pesticide applicator license in the appropriate category. Proof of licensure shall be submitted upon request by the County and prior to performance of any pesticide application under this Contract.
A. Grass Mowing
The Contractor shall mow all designated Grass areas.
Requirements include:
Mowing shall include all accessible grass areas.
B. Ditch Maintenance
Maintain all roadside drainage ditches.
Services include:
Equipment shall be capable of safely operating on:
When standing water or unsafe conditions exist, work shall be completed as soon as conditions permit.
C. String Trimming
String trim all areas inaccessible to mowing equipment including:
Trimmed areas shall present a neat appearance without damaging existing structures or vegetation.
D. Sidewalk Edging
Edge all concrete sidewalks during every maintenance cycle.
Edging shall:
The asphalt multi-use path shall not be mechanically edged to prevent pavement damage.
E. Blowing and Cleanup
Following each maintenance cycle, the Contractor shall remove all grass clippings and debris from:
No debris shall remain on paved surfaces.
F. Litter Removal
During each service visit, the Contractor shall remove visible litter including:
Collected material shall be legally disposed of off-site.
G. Vegetation Control
Vegetation shall be maintained to provide:
A mandatory pre-bid conference will be held at 9:00 am on Thursday, August 6, 2026 at Walton County Central Purchasing Office, 176 Montgomery Circle, DeFuniak Springs, FL 32433 OR via Microsoft Teams: Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/289522495512605?p=8u7pd26QxzJfsrehbN Meeting ID: 289 522 495 512 605 Passcode: So6iD9Xc No download or Microsoft account required — join via web browser. A telephone call-in option is not available..
Bidders attending in person must be present at the designated start time of the pre-bid conference and must remain until the conference is adjourned.
Bidders may also attend the mandatory pre-bid meeting via teleconference by dialing 850-635-0655, extension 261217.
Bidders attending via teleconference are strongly encouraged to join the teleconference at least 10 minutes before the designated start time. If unable to join the teleconference at the number above, please call 850-892-8176 and ask to be included in the Landscaping Maintenance of US Hwy 98 from Mack Bayou Rd. to W. County Hwy 30A pre-bid teleconference.
Attendance will be confirmed via roll call at no later than 5 minutes after the designated start time and any Bidder not present for the roll call will not be eligible to bid on the project. If joining via teleconference, please keep phones muted until the question and answer portion of the teleconference. All bidders must remain until the conference is adjourned. The County will not accept bids from bidders arriving after attendance is confirmed or departing prior to adjournment of the pre-bid teleconference.
Routine maintenance shall occur:
Twice each month
The County may modify service frequency based upon:
Additional services may be requested as needed.
3.4a Payment Terms
The Contractor shall be paid on a flat monthly basis, calculated as the Extended Annual Price for Line Item 1 divided by twelve (12) equal monthly payments, regardless of the number of service cycles performed in a given month. Payment for Line Item 2 (Additional/Off-Cycle Services) shall be invoiced separately upon completion of County-requested work, at the unit price submitted.
A non-mandatory pre-bid conference will be held at 9:00 am on Thursday, August 6, 2026 at Walton County Central Purchasing Office, 176 Montgomery Circle, DeFuniak Springs, FL 32433 OR via Microsoft Teams: Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/289522495512605?p=8u7pd26QxzJfsrehbN Meeting ID: 289 522 495 512 605 Passcode: So6iD9Xc No download or Microsoft account required — join via web browser. A telephone call-in option is not available.
The Contractor shall maintain the corridor to the following standards:
Unsatisfactory work shall be corrected within 24 hours and in accordance with Section 3.6 below.
The County reserves the right to inspect work at any time. The Project Manager or their designee will perform an inspection of the work area to determine if the completed work for each cycle is acceptable. Following completion of the inspection, the Project Manager may, within three (3) calendar days of the Contractor's completion of the applicable service cycle, notify the Contractor of any deficiencies, defective, or insufficient work requiring corrective action. Any deficiencies or work determined to be defective or insufficient will be remedied by the Contractor at no additional cost to the County within 24 hours unless the Project Manager or their designee authorizes a different corrective action period in writing. Failure or delay of remedial activities may result in withholding of the Contractor's scheduled payment application.
Repeated deficiencies may constitute default under the contract.
DIRECTING QUESTIONS TO ANY OTHER COUNTY COMMISSIONER, COUNTY EMPLOYEE, PROJECT ENGINEER, OR ANY OTHER PERSON IS PROHIBITED AND WILL RESULT IN A BID BEING DISQUALIFIED. QUESTIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED ON THE COUNTY'S E-PROCUREMENT PORTAL AT https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/waltoncountyfl NO LATER THAN NOON ON Thursday, August 13, 2026. Interpretations or clarifications considered necessary by the County in response to such questions will be issued by Addenda on the County’s e-Procurement portal. Only questions answered by formal written Addenda will be binding. Oral and other interpretations or clarifications will be without legal effect.
Services may be delayed due to:
Missed services shall be completed as soon as practical upon approval by the County.
The period between the beginning of the advertisement for the Invitation to Bid, and the contract award, or any resulting bid protest is resolved, or the solicitation is otherwise canceled is referred to as the blackout period. During the blackout period any communication regarding the aforementioned solicitations is prohibited between the Bidder (or its agents or representatives) and any other entity with the potential for a financial interest in the award (or their respective agents or representatives) regarding such competitive solicitation, and any County Commissioner or County employee, selection committee member or other persons authorized to act on behalf of the County including the County’s architect, engineer, or their sub consultants, or anyone designated to provide a recommendation to award a particular contract, other than Purchasing Division staff. Each competitive solicitation shall provide notice of the blackout period.
Exceptions to the Blackout Period. The blackout period shall not apply to:
A. Each bid must be accompanied by bid security in an amount of five percent (5%) of the Bidder's total bid price, made payable to the Walton County Board of County Commissioners, in the form of a certified bank check or a bid bond executed on the form attached, issued by a surety duly authorized and qualified to conduct business in the State of Florida. The surety or insurance company shall have a minimum "A-" policyholder's rating and a financial rating of at least Class VII, and shall be listed on the United States Treasury Department's T-list as acceptable to issue bonds for the applicable dollar amount. Applicable bond documents may be uploaded electronically; however, physical checks must be delivered to the Office of Central Purchasing prior to bid opening. It is the Bidder's responsibility to ensure timely delivery of its bid security.
B. Upon selection of the Successful Bidder, bid security will be retained until the Successful Bidder has executed the Contract and furnished all required Certificates of Insurance. If the Successful Bidder fails to execute the Contract or provide the required Certificates of Insurance within TEN (10) business days after issuance of the Notice of Award, the County may annul the Notice of Award and the bid security shall be forfeited. Bid security furnished by all other Bidders will be returned within TEN (10) business days after issuance of the Notice of Award.
C. Failure to submit an appropriate bid security shall result in the bid being declared non-responsive.
Unless specifically authorized by written Work Order, this contract does not include:
The use of brand names is for the purpose of describing the standard of quality, performance, and characteristics desired and is not intended to limit or restrict competition. Equipment or materials determined by the County to be substantially equivalent to that equipment or materials specified by brand name will be considered for award.
The Contractor shall have a minimum of three (3) years of continuous experience providing commercial or governmental landscape maintenance services of similar size and complexity.
Experience should include maintenance of one or more of the following:
The Contractor shall provide a brief company history describing its experience performing similar services.
This section applies only if the County exercises the Alternate Bid Item identified in Section 4 (Bid Schedule). If exercised, routine maintenance of County-designated landscaped median beds shall include, at a minimum:
Regular weeding of all bed areas;
Replenishment of mulch as needed to maintain adequate coverage and appearance;
Pruning and trimming of shrubs and other plant materials to maintain healthy growth and a uniform appearance;
The Contractor shall remove invasive and exotic plant species and shall treat for insects and plant diseases as needed; and
Fertilization as needed to promote healthy plant growth.
Limits of the median areas subject to this service, and the specific service frequency, shall be defined by the County at the time this Alternate Item is exercised via Work Order or Change Order.
All bids submitted on e-Procurement Portal will be securely locked and digitally encrypted until the submission deadline passes. Please note that all bids must be submitted prior to 2:00 pm on Thursday, August 20, 2026.
Ensure that all required documents and information are complete and accurately provided before submission.
Upon successful submission through the e-Procurement Portal, you will receive a confirmation email acknowledging receipt of your bid.
Bids received after the specified deadline will not be considered.
Thank you for your attention to these submission instructions. Should you have any questions regarding the bidding process or requirements, feel free to contact the Purchasing Department at purchasing@co.walton.fl.us or call 850.892.8176.
All bids shall remain open and subject to acceptance for a period of forty-five (45) calendar days after the date of bid opening, but the County at its sole discretion may release any bid and return the bid security prior to that date.
If the Contract is to be awarded, it will be awarded to the Responsible and Responsive Bidder submitting the lowest bid whose evaluation indicates the award will be in the best interest of the County. The Notice of Award shall be issued only after approval by the Walton County Board of County Commissioners and upon completion of all required award documentation. No contractual obligation shall exist until the Contract has been approved and executed by the Board.
Any person or entity whose bid is rejected, in whole or in part, or who submits a bid but is not awarded the contract, may protest such decision. Written notice of intent to file a bid protest must be submitted with the Purchasing Department or Chief Financial Officer within twenty-four (24) hours after the Board’s declaration of its intention with regard to an award. Written protest must be submitted to Purchasing Director or Chief Financial Officer within ten (10) calendar days after filing written notice of intent.
Each written protest must be accompanied by a bid protest bond in the form of a certified check, cashier’s check, or money order made payable to the Walton County Board of County Commissioners, in an amount equal to 1% of the protestor’s bid received by the County, but in no case less than $500.00.
The condition of the protest bond shall be that, should the protest be determined to be without merit and non-valid, the bond shall be forfeited to the County in its entirety.
A person or an affiliate who has been placed on the convicted vendor list following a conviction for public entity crime may not submit a bid on a contract to provide any goods or services to a public entity, may not submit a bid on a contract with a public entity for the construction or repair of a public building or public work, may not submit bids on leases of real property to a public entity, may not be awarded or perform work as a contractor, supplier, subcontractor, or consultant under a contract with any public entity, and may not transact business with any public entity in excess of the threshold amount provided in Section 287.017, Florida Statutes, for CATEGORY TWO for a period of thirty-six (36) months from the date of being placed on the convicted vendors list.
I hereby certify under penalty of perjury that my business qualifies as a local vendor/contractor in accordance with Walton County Purchasing Policies and Procedures, Procedure No: PP017.
The undersigned, herein defined as the "Bidder," declares that the only persons or parties interested in this bid are those named herein, that this bid is, in all respects, fair and without fraud, that it is made without collusion with any employee or official of the County, and that the bid is made without any connection or collusion with any person submitting another bid on this Project.
The Bidder further declares that it has visited the Project site, inspected the plans and specifications, examined all the Contract Documents, and has satisfied itself to the quantities involved, including materials and equipment and the conditions of work involved, including the fact that the description of work and materials, as included herein, is brief and is intended only to indicate the general nature of the Project and to identify the said quantities with the detailed requirements of the Contract Documents, and this bid is made according to the provisions and under the terms of the Contract Documents which are made a part of this bid.
The Successful Bidder agrees to acknowledge the terms and conditions of the Contract and return a signed Contract with any Certificates of Insurance (COI) to the County, within TEN (10) calendar days after Notice of Award. Upon receipt of the signed Contract and COI, the County will execute the Contract and send the executed contract to the Successful Bidder. Failure to return a signed Contract with COI to the County within TEN (10) calendar days after Notice of Award is sent will result in loss of surety.
The Bidder agrees that any and all applicable federal, state and local sales and use taxes that are incurred by the Bidder are included in the stated bid price for the Project. The County is tax exempt from federal excise and state sales tax.
Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.
By confirming, if awarded the contract, the Bidder agrees to accept as full payment for the work proposed under this Project, as specified in the Bidding Documents prepared by Walton County, and based upon their own estimate of the quantities and costs, including the cost of any necessary fee or permit provided as part of their bid.
Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.
Will you be utilizing Surety 2000 for submitting your Bid Bond?
Please enter your Bid Bond information from Surety2000 below.
If you would like to use your preferred surety, please select "No" to the above question.
Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.
Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.
Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.
Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.
Please download the below documents, complete and have notarized. An online notarization option will be provided for you when responding.
Identical tie bids: preference shall be given to businesses with drug-free workplace programs. Whenever two or more bids which are equal with respect price, quality, and service are received by the state or by any political subdivision for the procurement of commodities or contractual services, a bid received from a business that certified that it has implemented a drug-free work place program shall be given preference in the award process. Established procedures for processing tie bids will be followed in none of the tied Consultants have a drug-free workplace program. In order to have a drug-free workplace program, a business shall:
As the person authorized to sign this statement, I certify that this firm complies fully with the above requirements.
Please enter your FEIN below.
Please download the below document, complete and have notarized. An online notarization option will be provided for you when responding.
Please upload proof of registration from Sunbiz.org.
For purposes of determining any possible conflict of interest, all Bidders must disclose if any Walton County employee(s), elected official(s), or if any of its agencies is also an owner, corporate officer, agency, employee, etc., of their business.
Please select "No" if this is a grant-funded, federally-funded or state-funded.
Substantial completion in _____ calendar days after issuance of Notice to Proceed.
Format: NUMBER IN WORDS (#)
Example: ONE HUNDRED FIFTY (150)
How many days after issuance of NTP must the services start?
Format: NUMBER IN WORDS (#)
Example: TWENTY (20)
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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