Contract winner will 'champion' Village look

Sarasota County has shuffled through three procurement officials over the last year, as it staggers back from a crippling purchasing scandal.

Sarasota County Administrator Randall Reid, who has made it his mission to pressure-wash the ethical standards of that department, appointed Ted Coymen Jr. to the position July 20 — the same day a vendor was finally chosen to do the same to Siesta Key Village.

Barring any objections from the other six firms that bid on the contract to maintain the Village, Sarasota County commissioners will vote Aug. 21 to approve the $97,417 annual deal with Championship Landscape Professionals, Sarasota County Traffic Engineering staff member Ryan Montague told the Pelican Press.

The other companies had until Wednesday, July 25 to question the method or justification for choosing Champion Landscape, said Sarasota County procurement analyst Jim Scheidel. At press time there have been no objections.

Sarasota County closed bidding July 11, after seven companies pitched prices ranging from $78,390 to $158,504 for a contract that was expected to yield costs of approximately $200,000. Three of the maintenance firms are based in Sarasota, two are in Bradenton, one has headquarters in Sorrento, and one operates out of Tampa.

Championship Landscape was not the lowest bidder on the request for proposal, which requires the company to keep the Village in a “resort-style” condition. Max Power Washing Inc. submitted a bid of $78,390, but was considered non-responsible.

“(The firm) did not supply all of the required qualifications and/or certifications,” documents said. Max Power’s pesticide license was not sufficient for the contract, Montague said, and the area it used to estimate the cost wasn’t comparable to the size of the Village.

Sarasota County will bring the Village up to the conditions specified in the contract as Championship Landscape phases in its maintenance.

“Some of it has already been done,” Montague said. “The goal is to take care of everything before the contract is in effect.

Bid war
State law requires that Sarasota County pick the lowest responsive, and responsible, bidder when selecting a private-sector company for services using taxpayer money. Seven firms from Sarasota, Manatee and Hillsborough counties applied for the annual contract to maintain Siesta Key Village.

Company; City ;Bid
Max Power Washing Inc.; Sarasota; $78,390
Championship Landscape Maintenance Professionals; Sarasota; $97,417
Plantation Lawn Maintenance and Landscaping Inc.; Bradenton; $158,504
Walkers Service Inc.; Bradenton; $158,765
Helping Hand Lawn Care;  Sorrento;  $218,490
Mainscape Inc.; Sarasota; $113,637.67
Central Florida Landscape; Tampa; $120,982”