Project Information

Bid Title

SUWANNEE RIVER ACCESS SITE LEASE

Issuing Agency

Suwannee River Water Management District

Location

Florida

Published Date

Dec 11, 2025

Closing Date

Dec 24, 2025

Government Level

State & Local

Status

Closed

Ref. #

25/26-004

Original Source

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Bid Inquiries

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Bid Documents

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Project Description

Bid Number:	25/26-004
Bid Title:	SUWANNEE RIVER ACCESS SITE LEASE
Category:	Bids, Proposals and Qualifications
Status:	Open

Description: The Suwannee River Water Management District (District) is requesting bids for the lease of six Suwannee River access sites located on five tracts of land within Suwannee and Hamilton Counties for conducting commercial vendor shuttle drop off / pick up operations for recreational paddlers. Publication Date/Time: 12/11/2025 8:00 AM Closing Date/Time: 12/24/2025 10:00 AM Submittal Information: SUBMIT ELECTRONICALLY THROUGH DEMANDSTAR Bid Opening Information: ELECTRONIC BID OPENING Contact Person: SHARON HINGSON Business Hours: MONDAY - FRIDAY 8:00 - 5:00 Related Documents: 25/26-004 Suwannee River Access Sites ITB REPOST

Attachment Preview

SUWANNEE RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT

INVITATION TO BID

NO. 25/26-004

SUWANNEE RIVER ACCESS SITE LEASE

Section

1

2

3

4

5

6

Table of Contents

Title

Introduction

Proposed Schedule

Instructions to Bidders

Key Points

Terms of Lease

Bid Response Form

Page

2

2

2-3

3-5

5

6-8

Suwannee River Water Management District

9225 CR 49

Live Oak, FL 32060

386-362-1001

386-362-1056 (Fax)

800-226-1066 (Florida only)

www.mysuwanneeriver.com

1

SECTION 1 – INTRODUCTION

The Suwannee River Water Management District (District) is requesting bids for the lease of six

Suwannee River access sites located on five tracts of land within Suwannee and Hamilton

Counties for conducting commercial vendor shuttle drop off / pick up operations for recreational

paddlers.

SECTION 2 - PROPOSED SCHEDULE

December 11, 2025 Release of Invitation to Bid

December 17, 2025

December 18, 2025

December 24, 2025

Questions DUE BY 4:00 P.M.

District will post all questions that were asked during the question

period and answers to those questions on or before 5:00 PM.

Bids DUE PRIOR TO 10:00am. Opening will occur at this time. *

February 10, 2026 Board Consideration of Lease Agreement

February 16, 2026 Anticipated start date.

* Denotes an optional public meeting. The District is located at the corner of U.S. 90 and C.R.

49 in Live Oak, Florida. All times are Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).

Bid packages are to be submitted through DemandStar no later than 10:00 a.m.

December 24, 2025. Bids received after this time, for any reason, will be rejected.

SECTION 3 - INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS

Bidder Qualifications: Bidders shall be bonded, licensed, and insured.

Questions: To provide equal opportunity and ensure the same information is provided to all

proposers, any questions should be submitted by email to Sharon Hingson at

Sharon.Hingson@srwmd.org on or before December 17, 2025, 2025. The questions with

answers will be posted on the District website www.mysuwanneeriver.com, and DemandStar on

December 18, 2025. District staff are not authorized to orally interpret the meaning of the

specification or other agreement documents, or correct any apparent ambiguity, inconsistency,

or error therein.

Delivery of Bid: The bid package must be submitted electronically through Demand Star.

https://www.demandstar.com/app/agencies/florida/suwannee-river-water-management-

district/procurement .

Additional Information: Additional Invitation to Bid packages may be obtained from the District

website www.mysuwanneeriver.com .

ADA Compliance: Vendor must ensure that the electronic version of the response and all

documents submitted electronically are accessible according to 282.603 Florida Statutes and

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 relating to the creation and use of electronic

documents. This requirement applies to editable formats, such as Microsoft Word, as well as

portable document formats (PDF). All proposals submitted in electronic/digital format must

include a certification by the Vendor that the electronic submission and all supporting

documents are accessible according to 282.603 Florida Statutes and Section 508 of the

Rehabilitation Act of 1973 relating to the creation and use of electronic documents.

2

It is the obligation of the bidder to ensure that it has reviewed all amendments and all questions

and answers to this ITB as posted on the District website to ensure that the proposal responds

to the most current information available for the ITB.

SECTION 4 – KEY POINTS

Challenge of Solicitation Process: If a potential bidder protests any provisions of this bid

invitation, a notice of intent to protest shall be filed with the District, in writing, within 72 hours

after the posting of the Invitation to Bid on the District’s website and the bidder shall file a formal

written protest within ten (10) days after filing of notice of intent to protest. Any bidder who files a

formal written protest pursuant to Chapter 28-110, Florida Administrative Code, and Section

120.57(3), Florida Statutes shall post with the District at the time of filing the formal written

protest, a bond pursuant to Section 287.042(2)(c), Florida Statutes (2010).

Failure to file a notice of intent to protest or failure to file a formal written protest within the time

prescribed in Chapter 28-110, Florida Administrative Code and Section 120.57(3), Florida

Statutes, or failure to post the bond or other security required by law within the time allowed for

filing a bond shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120, Florida Statutes. More

specifically, “Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed in Section 120.57(3) Florida

Statutes shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120 of Florida Statutes.”

Challenge of District’s Intent to Award Contract: If a bidder intends to protest District’s intent to

award contract, the notice of intent to protest must be filed with the District, in writing, within 72

hours after posting of a notice of intent to award contract and the bidder shall file a formal

written protest within ten (10) days after filing of notice of intent to protest. Any bidder who files a

formal written protest pursuant to Chapter 28-110, Florida Administrative Code, and Section

120.57(3), Florida Statutes shall post with the District at the time of filing the formal written

protest, a bond pursuant to Section 287.042(2)(c), Florida Statutes (2010).

Failure to file a notice of intent to protest or failure to file a formal written protest within the time

prescribed in Chapter 28-110, Florida Administrative Code and Section 120.57(3), Florida

Statutes, or failure to post the bond or other security required by law within the time allowed for

filing a bond shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120, Florida Statutes. More

specifically, “Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed in Section 120.57(3) Florida

Statutes shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120 of Florida Statutes.”

Americans with Disabilities Act: The District does not discriminate upon the basis of any

individual’s disability status. This nondiscrimination policy involves every aspect of the District’s

functions including one’s access to, participation, employment, or treatment in its programs or

activities. Anyone requiring reasonable accommodation as provided for in the Americans with

Disabilities Act should contact the District at (386) 362-1001 or (800) 226-1066 (Florida only).

The District’s fax number is (386) 362-1056.

Minority Business Enterprises: The District recognizes fair and open competition as a basic

tenet of public procurement. Bidders doing business with the District are prohibited from

discriminating on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, handicap, age, or sex. The

District encourages participation by minority business enterprises. Whenever two or more

service providers are ranked equally, a minority business enterprise shall be given preference in

the award process.

3

Veteran’s Preference: In the absence of minority business enterprise, whenever two or more

service providers are ranked equally by the District, a veteran-owned business enterprise shall

be given preference in the award process.

Drug Free Workplace Act: The selected bidder shall represent that it has established a drug free

workplace.

Public Entity Crime: Section 287.133(2)(a), Florida Statutes, states “A person or affiliate who

has been placed on the convicted vendor list following a conviction for a 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 s.287.017 for CATEGORY TWO for a period of 36 months from

the date of being placed on the convicted vendor list.”

Scrutinized Company: Section 287.135, Florida Statutes, states “A company is ineligible to, and

may not, bid on, submit a proposal for, or enter into or renew a contract with an agency or local

governmental entity for goods or services of:

a. Any amount if, at the time of bidding on, submitting a proposal for, or entering into or

renewing such contract, the company is on the Scrutinized Companies that Boycott Israel

List, created pursuant to s. 215.4725, or is engaged in a boycott of Israel; or

b. One million dollars or more if, at the time of bidding on, submitting a proposal for, or

entering into or renewing such contract, the company:

1. Is on the Scrutinized Companies with Activities in Sudan List or the Scrutinized

Companies with Activities in the Iran Petroleum Energy Sector List, created pursuant

to s. 215.473; or

2. Is engaged in business operations in Cuba or Syria.”

Insurance Requirements: If awarded, bidder shall represent and guarantee that all employees,

agents, servants or representatives of the bidder, and all employees, agents, servants, or

representatives of subcontractors are covered by workers' compensation insurance as required

by Florida Statute. Prior to entering into contract with the District, bidder shall furnish District

with certificates of insurance, naming District as named or additional insured without waiving

any defense of sovereign immunity or increasing the limits of District’s liability in excess of the

Florida Statutory Cap under Florida Statute 768.28(5) for items 2 and 3 below, providing

evidence that bidder has in full force and effect the following minimum insurance with insurers

authorized to do business in the State of Florida:

1) Workers' compensation insurance as required above;

2) Motor vehicular liability insurance with limits of not less than $300,000 combined

single limit which insurance shall be applicable to any and all vehicles utilized by bidder to

provide the services requested by District;

3) Commercial general liability insurance for all services rendered by bidder for the

requested services with a minimum of $300,000 personal and advertising injury and

$300,000 general aggregate.

The certificate of insurance shall also provide that District shall be notified in writing by the

carrier at least 30 days prior to any cancellation of said insurance.

4

Rejection of Responses: The District reserves the right to reject any and all bids or other

proposals submitted in response to District invitation. District also reserves the right to waive

any minor deviations in an otherwise valid proposal. The District reserves the right to waive

technical, non-substantive deficiencies in responses.

Bidders to this solicitation or persons acting on their behalf may not contact, between

the release of the solicitation and the end of the 72-business hour period following the

agency posting the notice of intended award, any employee or officer of the District

concerning any aspect of this solicitation, except in writing as indicated above. Violation

of this provision may be grounds for rejecting a response.

SECTION 5 – TERMS OF LEASE

The following provides fundamental information about the property and is provided to assist the

respondent in preparing its offer.

1. BACKGROUND:

In accordance with Section 373.1391(1)(b) Florida Statutes, the District will make its lands

available for outdoor recreational activities to the maximum extent possible considering the

environmental sensitivity of those lands.

Any activity that requires access beyond that ordinarily provided for the public, is commercial in

nature is subject to 373.093 F.S. and 40B-9.145 F.A.C. and must be approved by the District in

advance.

A lease agreement will be required for activities which are commercial in nature. All leases

require Governing Board approval.

1. DESCRIPTION:

The Suwannee River Water Management District is offering commercial vendors conducting

shuttle drop off / pick up operations for recreational paddling activities the opportunity to launch

or pickup paddling equipment and/or recreationalists at District owned sites through a lease.

The property to be leased is a total of six access points located on five tracts of land

within Suwannee and Hamilton Counties for conducting commercial vendor shuttle drop

off / pick up operations. The sites are located at Suwannee Springs Park, Mattair Springs

Tract, Woods Ferry Tract, Blue Sink Tract, and Swift Creek Tract. See Attachment A for

a map of the sites.

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Commodity Codes

• NAICS 237990Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction

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