TO: Honorable Mayor & Members of the North Port Commission
FROM: A. Jerome Fletcher II, ICMA-CM, MPA, City Manager
TITLE: Approve Construction Contract No. 2025-45 Pan American Wastewater Reclamation Facility Centrifuge Building By and Between the City of North Port, Florida, and Close Construction Services, LLC, in the Amount of $253,046.85 with a Contingency of $25,304.00, for a Total Amount of $278,350.85.
Recommended Action
Option 1: Approve Construction Contract No. 2025-45 Pan American Wastewater Reclamation Facility Centrifuge Building by and between the City of North Port, Florida, and Close Construction Services, LLC, in the amount of $253,046.85 with a contingency of $25,304.00, for a total amount of $278,350.85.
Additional Commission Options
Option 1: Approve Construction Contract No. 2025-45 Pan American Wastewater Reclamation Facility Centrifuge Building by and between the City of North Port, Florida, and Close Construction Services, LLC, in the amount of $253,046.85 with a contingency of $25,304.00, for a total amount of $278,350.85.
• Pros: The centrifuge building covers and protects the centrifuge used to dewater wastewater sludge, which reduces sludge hauling costs enabling the wastewater plant to haul dried sludge versus wet sludge.
• Cons: Commits utility funds to this project, which could be used on other projects.
Option 2: Deny the award of Construction Contract No. 2025-45 Pan American Wastewater Reclamation Facility Centrifuge Building by and between the City of North Port, Florida, and Close Construction Services, LLC, in the amount of $253,046.85 with a contingency of $25,304.00, for a total amount of $278,350.85.
• Pros: Preserves utility funds to be allocated for other utility projects.
• Cons: Denying the contract will result in the centrifuge being unprotected from the elements, which may reduce the equipment’s life expectancy, increase maintenance cost and increase operating costs due to wet sludge needing to be hauled vs dry sludge.
Background Information
The existing structure over the centrifuge building at the Pan American Wastewater Reclamation Facility (Pan Am) was destroyed during Hurricane Ian. What was left of the structure was removed shortly after the storm. Pan Am requires a new centrifuge building to improve solids handling capacity and enhance operational reliability for biosolids processing. The project includes construction of a dedicated structure to house the existing centrifuge equipment, which will prolong the life of the equipment by keeping it covered as well as create operational efficiency by drying the sludge prior to hauling.
The procurement solicitation was designed to model the structure similar to the one at the Southwest Wastewater Reclamation Facility and the project has progressed as follows:
Ø Request for Bid No. 2025-45 for construction of the Pan American Wastewater Reclamation Facility Centrifuge Building was advertised for bid on September 9, 2025.
Ø Four (4) bids were received and opened on October 9, 2025.
Ø The City issued the Notice of Intent to Award on November 21, 2025.
Following the bid opening, the low bid from Holliday Group was deemed non-responsive as the firm failed to submit their response on the required City-issued bid form. Kimley-Horn performed a formal responsibility evaluation of the next-lowest bidder to verify their qualifications and capacity to perform the work. Based on the results of this due diligence and Kimley-Horn's recommendation letter dated November 13, 2025, staff recommends awarding Contract No. 2025-45 to Close Construction Services, LLC as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder.
Construction Contract No. 2025-45 Pan American Wastewater Reclamation Facility Centrifuge Building by and between the City of North Port, Florida, and Close Construction Services, LLC, has been reviewed by the City Attorney and is legally correct as to form.
Construction Contract No. 2025-45 Pan American Wastewater Reclamation Facility Centrifuge Building by and between the City of North Port, Florida, and Close Construction Services, LLC, was provided to the City Clerk’s Office on December 22, 2025, for signatures, subject to City Commission approval.
Strategic Plan Pillar
Facilities & Infrastructure Integrity
Financial Impact
Funds are budgeted in account number 420-6062-535.62-00 under project number U23PCB.
Procurement
Pan American Wastewater Reclamation Facility Centrifuge Building was procured pursuant to Chapter 2 - Administration, Article VIII - Procurement, Section 2-404 - Competitive Sealed Bid Process of the Code of the City of North Port, Florida.
Close Construction Services, LLC.
305 NW 4th Avenue
Okeechobee, FL 34972
Attachments:
1. Contract No. 2025-45
2. Notice of Intent to Award and Recommendation Memo
3. Bid Tabulation
4. Submittal by Close Construction Services, LLC
5. RFB No. 2025-45 and Addenda
6. Florida Division of Corporations Document
Prepared by: Michelle Tipp, Utilities Senior Business Manager
Susan Brasefield, Assistant Utilities Director
Department Director: Tricia Wisner, Utilities Director