A parcel-maintenance contract across Tampa Bay and the Nature Coast.
FDOT is seeking contractors to mow, maintain landscaping and remove debris from parcels held for future roadway construction or improvements.
The solicitation is District-Wide Mowing, Landscape Maintenance, and Debris Removal Services, listed as ITB-17225 in MyFloridaMarketPlace. Sites range from small residential-style lots to larger acreage. Work is requested as needed, rather than performed on a guaranteed weekly route.
You can select individual locations on Attachment I. FDOT intends to award one contract per location to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder. In practical terms, price matters after the bid satisfies the instructions and the bidder demonstrates the ability to perform. The ITB includes separate provisions for tied pricing.
Lots by size tier
Mowing, trimming around obstacles and litter removal. The scope generally calls for vegetation at three inches or less.
Collection through disposal
Surface or partly buried material, including bulky items. Handling, hauling and lawful disposal all affect the cost.
Labor by man-hour
Pruning, trimming, clearance, hazardous-branch removal, shaping and cleanup as requested.
The initial term is three years from execution. Renewal may be for up to three additional years, subject to mutual written agreement, satisfactory performance and funding. Exhibit B states that funds are encumbered for individual letters of authorization. An award does not guarantee work, and the bid quantities are not a revenue commitment.
Source: original ITB pp. 3, 5–6, 9, 11, 14–18 and 48–49. See source guide.
The question deadline comes first.
The published bid receipt deadline is November 9, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. Eastern. Technical questions are due earlier, so resolve unclear units and site assignments before finalizing your rates.
- October26Pre-bid conferenceAttendance highly recommended; Flamingo Conference Room.10:00 a.m. ET
- October28Written technical questions dueSend to the designated purchasing-agent mailbox.10:00 a.m. ET
- November09Bids must be receivedElectronic submission; one PDF attachment, up to 25 MB.9:00 a.m. ET
- November09Public bid openingFlamingo Conference Room.10:00 a.m. ET
- November10Scheduled intended award postingCheck the official notice for the actual posting.4:00 p.m. ET
Meeting address: FDOT, 11201 North McKinley Drive, Tampa, FL 33612-6456. All times above are Eastern. Dates are subject to addenda. Original ITB pp. 3–6.
Download the calendar datesSeven locations. Seven pricing lines for each.
The five covered counties are divided into seven selectable bid locations. Hillsborough has separate East, West and Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard selections. Review Attachment I and the parcel maps before deciding what your operation can serve.
Price per lot
Price per lot
Price per lot
Price per lot
Adjacent or contiguous lots are combined for size classification. The broad Tier C range and the stated tier boundaries deserve attention when you review representative sites.
| Location | Tier A lots | Tier B lots | Tier C lots | Tier D lots | Debris tons | Debris “Each” | Landscape man-hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citrus | 5 | 10 | 36 | 5 | 6,150 | 10 | 400 |
| Hernando | 10 | 108 | 10 | 8 | 6,150 | 50 | 400 |
| Hillsborough East | 72 | 108 | 216 | 5 | 6,150 | 150 | 400 |
| Hillsborough West | 5 | 36 | 36 | 3 | 6,150 | 150 | 400 |
| MLK Jr. Boulevard | 72 | 36 | 36 | 72 | 6,150 | 150 | 400 |
| Pasco | 5 | 108 | 180 | 5 | 6,150 | 150 | 400 |
| Pinellas | 180 | 72 | 36 | 3 | 6,150 | 150 | 400 |
Transcribed as printed in corrected Exhibit C, C-1 through C-4. These are evaluation estimates, not a verified parcel count, service frequency or guaranteed workload.
The corrected sheet prints 6,150 debris tons in every location, alongside a separate “Each” line. The reviewed scope does not clearly explain how “Each” is defined or how the two lines interact. Ask FDOT to confirm the quantities and payable units. Do not silently change the published figures.
Equipment, response and documentation all belong in your cost.
This opportunity requires more than mowing capacity. Before selecting a location, check that your operation can meet the scope and support payment with the required records.
- Two years of relevant experience and three references
Complete the Minimum Qualifications Statement, explain your experience and provide three references for similar work. FDOT may review facilities, equipment, staffing, management and financial capability.
- Document ownership of the required equipment
The scope lists a utility trailer, lawn mowers, trimmer, edger and pole saw, among necessary equipment. Check access, slope, obstacles and cleanup needs against the actual parcels.
- Have a real debris-handling and disposal plan
The scope includes appliances, mattresses, furniture, fencing, tires, paint and batteries. Debris includes heavier items or material requiring machinery; ordinary litter under five pounds is described separately. Identify handling requirements, disposal options, transport time and receipts.
- Respond to requests for price proposals
For fast-response requests, the scope says vendors “should” provide written price proposals within 36 hours. Routine proposals are due within two working days. These are proposal response times; the clause does not establish a universal completion deadline for all work.
- Document every authorized assignment
Before/after photos need time and date stamps. Debris work requires disposal receipts; landscape work requires timesheets. Incomplete invoice support is returned for correction. Exhibit B provides for monthly invoices and payment against authorized work at established unit rates.
- Complete vendor registration and required coverage
Register in MFMP by bid opening and submit the electronic substitute W-9 to receive state payments. Meet applicable licensing and Florida business-authorization requirements. Start only after the executed agreement and required authorization.
Insurance limits and conditions in the package
The ITB specifies bodily injury coverage of at least $200,000 per person / $300,000 per occurrence and property damage coverage of at least $200,000 per occurrence. FDOT must be an additional insured. Policies with self-insured retention are not accepted.
Required certificates are due within 10 days after the intended-award posting period ends, and coverage must be in place before work starts. Review the complete insurance and standard-agreement provisions with your provider, including any applicable workers’ compensation obligations.
Original ITB p. 7 and the Standard Written Agreement. These figures summarize the specified liability coverage, not every insurance obligation.
Sources: original ITB pp. 4–8, 14–17, 48–49 and 64–65.
Useful comparisons. Different contracts.
Recent District 7 highway mowing bids help identify experienced participants and the level of competition. They are not verified predecessor awards for ITB-17225, and their totals do not establish the value of this parcel-maintenance opportunity.
| Contract / letting | Area | Bids | Winning bidder | Evaluated low bid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E7U33-R0 May 14, 2025Award: June 2, 2025 | North / West highway mowing | 1 | Superior Landscaping & Lawn Service | $514,183.84Advertised: $650,000.00 |
| E7U32-R0 May 14, 2025Award: June 2, 2025 | East / South highway mowing | 1 | Superior Landscaping & Lawn Service | $1,063,984.22Advertised: $1,100,000.00 |
| E7U87-R0 April 8, 2026Award: May 1, 2026 | North / West highway mowing | 8 | Alpha-Omega Training and Compliance | $534,019.66Advertised: $650,000.00 |
| E7U88-R0 April 8, 2026Award: May 1, 2026 | East / South highway mowing | 7 | JDMF | $999,479.87Advertised: $1,100,000.00 |
The 2025 comparisons each had one responsive bidder. The 2026 highway mowing contracts run for 365 calendar days, compared with this ITB’s three-year initial term. Those successor procurements show eight and seven responsive bids. The 2026 runners-up were 12.21% and 6.51% above the low bids, respectively. Those gaps describe bid differences, not contractor profit.
These highway contracts state award at the advertised project-cost amounts: $650,000 for North/West and $1,100,000 for East/South. Evaluated totals determine the low bidder and establish unit rates; payment depends on actual work. Adding the two 2026 low bids produces approximately $1.53 million, but that is not the value, budget or prior award of ITB-17225.
See all eight bidders in the 2026 mowing comparisons
| Bidder | North/West E7U87-R0 | Rank | East/South E7U88-R0 | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpha-Omega Training and Compliance | $534,019.66 | 1 | — | — |
| Turtle Infrastructure Partners | $599,200.45 | 2 | $1,089,344.80 | 3 |
| Superior Landscaping & Lawn Service | $612,591.74 | 3 | $1,202,782.80 | 5 |
| JDMF | $622,678.00 | 4 | $999,479.87 | 1 |
| Community Training Works | $646,327.69 | 5 | $1,064,542.89 | 2 |
| T & M Lawn-Fence Service | $753,688.65 | 6 | $1,388,292.78 | 6 |
| Interstate Business Solutions | $864,275.64 | 7 | $1,152,445.51 | 4 |
| Midwestern Construction | $1,606,961.83 | 8 | $3,353,577.25 | 7 |
All listed bids are marked responsive in the reviewed tabulations. “—” means not listed in that tabulation. Company names are shortened for readability. Sources: E7U87-R0 and E7U88-R0.
Historical winning unit rates: acres and miles
| Pay item | Unit | Alpha-Omega North/West | JDMF East/South |
|---|---|---|---|
| Litter removal | Acre | $22.00 | $14.50 |
| Large-machine mowing | Acre | $34.00 | $29.50 |
| Slope mowing | Acre | $85.00 | $140.00 |
| Intermediate-machine mowing | Acre | $55.00 | $50.00 |
| Small-machine mowing | Acre | $60.00 | $75.00 |
| Edging | Mile | $65.00 | $55.05 |
Reference only. Acre/mile highway rates cannot be transferred directly to per-lot, per-ton, Each and man-hour parcel pricing. Travel, access, equipment and service scope differ.
Three additional landscape enhancement comparisons
| Contract / letting | Winning bidder | Bids | Low total | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E7U51 May 13, 2026 | Superior Landscaping & Lawn Service | 5 | $1,385,755.49 | $1,493,529.00 |
| E7U37 October 8, 2025 | Superior Landscaping & Lawn Service | 5 | $2,262,007.62 | $2,515,623.00 |
| E7Q92 May 14, 2025 | Morelli Landscaping | 4 | $1,671,234.80 | $2,168,504.40 |
These I-75 / I-275 landscape enhancement projects each include a $50,000 prescribed contingency in the listed totals. They identify market participants; their lump-sum prices do not establish rates for this ITB.
Seven selected procurements are included here; this is not a complete district award database. Open the tabulations and award indexes.
Resolve the units. Then calculate your costs.
For each selected location, multiply the published quantity for each of the seven lines by your corresponding unit rate, then add the extensions. Complete the renewal-unit-rate fields as instructed. Work authorized later is priced using the established rates.
Include the resources needed to deliver each payable unit: loaded labor, equipment, travel, loading, disposal, supervision, documentation, overhead and operating margin. Include the applicable MFMP transaction fee in your analysis. Test whether scattered assignments or fewer orders would make your rates uneconomic.
A $1-per-ton difference changes a location’s evaluated total by $6,150.
That calculation uses the quantity printed on the corrected sheet. A $1-per-man-hour difference changes the same evaluated total by $400. These are evaluation sensitivities—not projected sales or recommendations for what to bid.
Four clarifications to consider requesting
- Confirm the debris quantity and define “Each.”Does the stated 6,150 tons apply to each location over the three-year period? What constitutes one Each, and can both debris lines apply to the same assignment?
- Clarify mowing quantities and ordering assumptions.Do the lot quantities represent service occurrences, and what frequency or utilization assumptions produced them?
- Confirm parcel boundaries and tier edge cases.Which parcels belong to Hillsborough East, West and MLK? How are lots between 5.00 and 5.01 acres, or above 10 acres, treated?
- Request comparable history for these exact parcels.Can FDOT identify the prior contract, awarded unit rates and location-level utilization? The highway comparisons above do not answer those questions.
Written technical questions are due October 28 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern to Lori Vicari at D7-PurchQuestions@dot.state.fl.us. Follow the ITB’s solicitation-contact restriction and monitor the official notice for written answers and addenda. These proposed questions are Grounds Manager’s analysis; no agency answers are assumed.
Sources: original ITB pp. 4–5, 9, 14–18 and 48–49; corrected Exhibit C.
The right PDF. The right mailbox. Before 9 a.m.
The bid-submission mailbox differs from the technical-question mailbox. Follow the ITB’s electronic instructions exactly and allow time for actual receipt.
D7.Purch@dot.state.fl.usDOT-ITB-27-7007-LV - Vendor’s NameDOT-ITB-27-7007-LV - Bid Submittal.pdfUse this preparation checklist
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The October 16 replacement for Exhibit C removes an editorial comment and changes the layout. The reviewed comparison found no changes to quantities, units or pricing fields. Complete the corrected version and check for any newer amendments.
The original source package is approximately 34 MB, larger than the response attachment limit. It is a reference document, not a ready-to-send bid response. The labor-and-services affidavit is requested before contract execution, extension or renewal. Sources: original ITB pp. 3–6, 9, 11–13 and 64–65.
Your free bid-preparation toolkit.
Take the research into your estimating review. These downloads are free to read, save and share—no purchase or sales call required.
The contractor bid guide FREE
Scope, calendar, quantities, qualification checks, selected bid history and submission details in a redesigned reference.
Download the guideLocation review worksheet FREE
A printable working sheet for route fit, unit costs, open questions, a Bid / Clarify / Pass decision and final preparation.
Download the worksheetOriginal agency forms
Unmodified copies from the reviewed source bundle. Check the official notice for superseding versions before submission.
Corrected Exhibit C Official pricing sheet · PDF · October 16 versionE-Verify certification Official form · DOCXForeign Country of Concern Attestation PUR 1355 / Form 6 · DOCXVendor Certification Scrutinized Companies Lists · DOCXFull official ITB, parcel maps and current addenda Open MyFloridaMarketPlace · ITB-17225The guide and worksheet are independent preparation aids. Submit FDOT’s prescribed forms, not these research documents.
A few distinctions that matter.
Do I have to bid every location?
Attachment I provides checkboxes for individual locations. Select the areas you intend to bid and follow the official instructions for completing their pricing. A district-wide title does not mean every bidder must cover the entire district.
Does “lowest responsive, responsible” mean price alone wins?
Your bid must meet the submission requirements, and your company must be qualified and capable of performing the services. FDOT intends to select the lowest-priced bidder per location among bids that satisfy those requirements. Its tie-price provisions also apply.
Is this a $1.5 million contract?
The research does not establish that. Approximately $1.53 million is the sum of two evaluated low bids for separate 2026 highway mowing procurements. This parcel-maintenance ITB uses unit rates and individual work authorizations; no guaranteed contract revenue was identified.
Who is the incumbent for these exact parcels?
The reviewed sources do not verify an incumbent or predecessor contract for ITB-17225. The listed historical winners performed different D7 procurements. Request the exact prior contract and utilization history through the designated purchasing process.
Are the printed quantities guaranteed work?
No. They are estimated quantities for preparing and evaluating bids over a three-year term. Actual authorized quantities may be higher or lower. Work depends on agency need and funding.
Is the pre-bid conference mandatory?
The reviewed package says attendance is highly recommended. Check the latest official notice and addenda for any changes before deciding whether to attend.
Is Grounds Manager affiliated with FDOT?
No. Grounds Manager builds software for landscaping operators and publishes independent public-contract research. FDOT’s solicitation and written amendments govern the procurement.
Source documents, not guesswork.
This article reorganizes the original ITB, corrected Exhibit C and seven selected public comparisons. The underlying research was reviewed on October 16, 2026. The live official notice, corrected Exhibit C and the two 2026 mowing tabulations were rechecked on October 18. The notice remained open at version 2, with no later amendment shown. Check the live advertisement before acting on a deadline, requirement or attachment.
- Official notice · ITB-17225 / DOT-ITB-27-7007-LV Original 65-page package, replacement pricing sheet, required forms and any subsequent addenda. Dates / email pp. 3–5; qualifications pp. 6–7 and 64; scope pp. 14–17; locations p. 18; maps pp. 20–47; compensation pp. 48–49; checklist p. 65.
- Corrected Exhibit C · October 16 versionFour pages, C-1 through C-4. Quantities and pricing fields are transcribed above. The original package retains the earlier sheet; use the separate corrected file.
- Highway mowing tabulationsE7U33-R0 · E7U32-R0 · E7U87-R0 · E7U88-R0
- Landscape enhancement tabulationsE7U51 · E7U37 · E7Q92
- FDOT District 7 award indexes2025 letting and project information · District 7 letting and project information
Calculated comparisons are identified in the text. The sources reviewed do not establish actual past payments, ordering volume, a verified predecessor or likely revenue for this exact solicitation. Guidance on estimating and suggested clarification questions is Grounds Manager’s analysis.