According to the state Department of Transportation (FDOT), there are three construction firms on their short list to design and construct the $814 million bridge over Old Tampa Bay. The span will be adjacent to the present I-275 Howard Frankland Bridge linking St. Petersburg with Tampa.
Firms on the short list include joint ventures of Massman Construction Co. and Kiewit Infrastructure South, Traylor Bros. and Archer Western Construction and Boh Bros. Construction and Granite Construction Co.
Technical proposals from each team have a submission deadline of Aug. 12. On Oct. 8, price proposals will be due. On Oct. 14, FDOT plans to select the winning bidder so that construction can proceed on schedule early next year. The massive project should be completed by the end of 2024.
Whenever contractors bid on these lucrative contracts at the state or federal level, they must ensure that they follow all bidding criteria established by federal and Florida state statutes. Also, bids submitted by contractors have to accurately reflect all aspects of a project’s scope.
Many contractors are prequalified by FDOT. But for those without that designation, procedures and prequalification criteria are first advertised and published, including a public hearing notice. There is an appeal process for any objections with de novo review at the circuit court within 30 days.
Should your company run into any problems bidding on these or other projects, it’s a good idea to loop in your South Florida construction law attorneys early in order to thoroughly prepare your appeal and have the best chance of winning the bid for your construction company.