Public Bid Estimating in Florida: Schools, Municipal & County ITBs

Estimates and takeoffs for Florida public bids: school districts, counties, cities, special districts and state agencies. We price your base bid, alternates and unit prices exactly the way the bid form asks for them, track addenda through bid day, and deliver in CSI format so you can level subcontractor quotes against the same scope. Flat fee, 24 to 48 hours, with rush service for bids due this week.

Estimator desk with blueprints and hard hat overlooking a Florida school under construction

Send us the ITB and plans for a flat-fee quote · Call 561-530-2845

Last reviewed: October 2026, against the 2026 Florida Statutes. This page is general information for estimators, not legal advice. Always follow the solicitation documents and confirm requirements with the procuring agency.

How Florida public construction is procured

Most public work reaches contractors through one of these methods:

Invitation to Bid (ITB) / sealed bids: award to the lowest responsive, responsible (or “lowest qualified and responsive”) bidder. This is where a detailed, accurate estimate matters most.
Request for Proposals (RFP) and competitive negotiation: price is one of several scored factors.
Construction management at risk: the CM is selected on qualifications, then provides preconstruction services and a guaranteed maximum price (GMP). Trade packages are usually bid out to subcontractors.
Design-build: selected under Florida’s Consultants’ Competitive Negotiation Act (s. 287.055).
Continuing and unit-price contracts: annual contracts for repairs and minor projects, priced by unit rates.

When local governments must bid

Under section 255.20, Florida Statutes, counties, municipalities, special districts and other political subdivisions must competitively award construction projects estimated at more than $300,000, or more than $75,000 for electrical work. Those figures are adjusted using the ENR Building Cost Index from a January 1, 2009 base, so the current threshold can be higher. Projects can’t be split to avoid the requirement.

How much notice you get

Section 255.0525 sets minimum advertising periods before bid opening:

Over $200,000: at least 21 days before bid opening.
Over $500,000: at least 30 days before bid opening.
Local projects must be advertised in a newspaper of general circulation in the county, at least 5 days before any pre-bid conference. State agency projects are advertised in the Florida Administrative Register.

Three to four weeks goes fast once you subtract the pre-bid meeting, RFI deadlines and addenda. That’s why many contractors bring in an outside estimator as soon as they decide to pursue a bid.

Bonds and bid security

Payment and performance bonds (s. 255.05) are required on public building and public works contracts. A local government may choose to waive them on contracts of $200,000 or less. State contracts of $100,000 or less don’t require them.
The bond generally equals the contract price and must come from a surety authorized in Florida. The statute also allows alternative security such as cash or a cashier’s check.
Bid bonds are set by each solicitation. Check the amount and form in the ITB and include the bond cost in your bid.
For subcontractors and suppliers: on public jobs you rely on the contractor’s bond, not lien rights. A notice to contractor is due within 45 days of first furnishing (if you’re not in privity with the contractor), and a notice of nonpayment within 90 days of final furnishing.

Reading the bid form: what we price

Base bid: the full scope in the plans and specs, broken out by CSI division so you can see where the money is.
Alternates: each additive or deductive alternate priced on its own, with the exact scope it adds or removes.
Unit prices: rates for items like rock excavation, unsuitable soil removal, additional concrete or pipe, built up from labor, equipment and material so you aren’t guessing on bid day.
Allowances and contingencies: carried exactly as the bid form lists them, kept separate from your own estimate.
General conditions and requirements: Division 01 items public owners often require, such as schedules, testing coordination, temporary facilities, closeout documents and as-builts.
Owner forms: we flag items that affect cost, such as liquidated damages, phasing, working hours on occupied campuses, background screening and owner-direct purchases.

School construction in Florida

School districts can contract by competitive bid, design-build, construction management or program management (s. 1013.45). Some details that affect K-12 estimates:

Educational facilities are reviewed against the State Requirements for Educational Facilities (SREF), which works alongside the Florida Building Code.
Many districts use the same prototype design for repeat schools, which makes unit costs from earlier bids especially useful.
Work on occupied campuses brings phasing, after-hours work, temporary separation and screened personnel. All of these cost money and should be visible in the estimate.
Districts using CM at risk bid most trade work as subcontract packages, which is where trade takeoffs come in.

Where Florida public bids are posted

State agencies: the Vendor Bid System on MyFloridaMarketPlace (vendor registration required).
FDOT: lettings are posted by FDOT Contracts Administration, with bids submitted through Bid Express.
Counties, cities and school districts: each entity’s own procurement portal, plus the county newspaper advertisement the statute requires. Many use third-party portals; register with each one you want to bid.

How we support public bidders

Send the ITB number or solicitation link, the plans and specs, and your bid date. We confirm scope and quote a flat fee, usually the same business day.
We build the estimate around the bid form: base bid, alternates and unit prices, with quantities you can check.
We track addenda. Send each addendum as it’s issued and we update the affected quantities and note the change.
Bid-day support: scope sheets for each trade help you level subcontractor quotes and spot exclusions before you submit.

Who we work with

General contractors bidding schools, municipal buildings, fire stations, parks and public works.
Subcontractors bidding trade packages to GCs and CMs on public jobs: electrical, mechanical, plumbing, fire protection, sitework and concrete.
Construction managers needing independent trade estimates for GMP development.

Related guides

Frequently asked questions

Can you price alternates and unit prices separately?

Yes. Every alternate and unit price on the bid form is priced as its own line, with the scope it covers, so you can enter them directly.

How do you handle addenda?

Send each addendum when it’s issued. We update the affected quantities and list what changed, so your final number reflects the latest documents.

Can you turn around a public bid that’s due in a few days?

Often, yes. Rush service is available. Call 561-530-2845 with the bid date and solicitation number and we’ll tell you right away what we can deliver.

Do public jobs in Florida require bonds?

Payment and performance bonds are required on public building and public works contracts under s. 255.05. Local governments may waive them on contracts of $200,000 or less, and state contracts of $100,000 or less don’t require them. Bid bond requirements are set by each solicitation.