Florida Construction Bidding Guide [2025]: Find Public & Private Bids in FL
Complete guide to finding construction bids in Florida. Learn about FDOT, municipal procurement, school districts, and how to win more FL construction contracts.
Introduction
Florida represents one of the most dynamic construction markets in the United States, with annual public and private construction spending exceeding $50 billion. The state's consistent population growth, tourism industry, and infrastructure needs create abundant opportunities for construction contractors across all specialties.
From FDOT highway projects and massive school construction programs to hurricane recovery and resilience projects, Florida offers diverse opportunities. Major metros like Miami, Tampa, Orlando, and Jacksonville each function as substantial construction markets with unique characteristics.
This comprehensive guide covers everything construction contractors need to know about bidding in Florida: key agencies, major cities, licensing requirements, certifications, and strategies for winning more FL construction contracts.
Florida Construction Market Quick Facts
- Annual Public Spending: $25+ billion
- State Agency Projects: FDOT, DMS, school districts
- Major Metros: Miami, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville
- Population Growth: Top 3 fastest-growing state
- Key Sectors: Transportation, education, healthcare, tourism, housing
Florida Construction Market Overview
Florida's construction market reflects the state's unique characteristics: rapid growth, coastal development, hurricane resilience, and tourism infrastructure.
Market Sectors
| Sector | Annual Value | Key Drivers |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation | $10B+ | FDOT, turnpike, transit, airports |
| Education | $4B+ | School districts, universities, colleges |
| Healthcare | $3B+ | Hospital systems, senior care, medical |
| Municipal | $4B+ | Cities, counties, utilities, water |
| Commercial | $20B+ | Tourism, retail, office, multi-family |
Growth Trends
- Hurricane Resilience: Hardening projects, flood mitigation, recovery
- Infrastructure Investment: Federal IIJA funds for transportation
- Population Growth: Over 300,000 new residents annually
- Tourism Infrastructure: Theme parks, resorts, convention centers
- Senior Living: Retirement community construction
- Affordable Housing: State and local housing initiatives
Major Florida State Agencies
Several state agencies drive significant construction activity in Florida:
Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)
FDOT is the largest construction owner in Florida, managing highway, bridge, and transportation infrastructure across the state.
Key Information:
- Annual Budget: $10+ billion work program
- Project Types: Highways, bridges, transit, maintenance
- Bidding Portal: FDOT Bid Express
- Prequalification: Required for projects over $250,000
- Districts: 7 districts plus Turnpike Enterprise
Requirements:
- FDOT prequalification certification
- Bid bonds (5% of bid)
- Performance and payment bonds (100%)
- DBE goals on federally-funded projects
Department of Management Services (DMS)
DMS manages state facility construction and the state term contracts used by agencies statewide.
Key Information:
- Project Types: State buildings, renovations, maintenance
- Bidding Portal: MyFloridaMarketPlace (MFMP)
- State Term Contracts: Pre-approved vendor contracts
- CMBE Goals: Certified minority business enterprise goals
School Districts
Florida's 67 county school districts represent massive construction spending:
- Miami-Dade: Largest district, billions in capital programs
- Broward County: Major school construction program
- Hillsborough County: Tampa area school growth
- Orange County: Orlando area expansion
- Duval County: Jacksonville school modernization
Other Key Agencies
- Florida State University System: 12 universities with construction programs
- Florida College System: 28 state colleges
- Water Management Districts: 5 districts managing water infrastructure
- Florida Housing Finance Corporation: Affordable housing projects
Major City Procurement
Florida's major cities each operate substantial construction programs:
City of Miami / Miami-Dade County
South Florida's largest metro with billions in infrastructure and development.
Key Information:
- Population: 2.7+ million (county)
- Major Programs: Port Miami, airport expansion, transit
- Procurement Portal: BidSync, county procurement
- SBE Goals: Small Business Enterprise requirements
- Key Projects: Resilience projects, transit expansion
Tampa / Hillsborough County
Growing metro with significant infrastructure investment.
Key Information:
- Population: 1.5+ million (county)
- Procurement Portal: DemandStar, county purchasing
- Major Programs: Port Tampa, water infrastructure, roads
- WMBE Goals: Women/Minority Business Enterprise program
Orlando / Orange County
Tourism and tech-driven growth creating continuous construction demand.
Key Information:
- Population: 1.4+ million (county)
- Procurement Portal: VendorLink, county procurement
- Major Programs: SunRail, convention center, airport
- MBE Goals: Minority Business Enterprise requirements
Jacksonville / Duval County
Largest city by area with consolidated city-county government.
Key Information:
- Population: 1+ million
- Procurement Portal: City procurement website
- Major Programs: JEA utilities, port, downtown redevelopment
- JSEB Goals: Jacksonville Small/Emerging Business program
Other Major Markets
- Fort Lauderdale/Broward: Airport expansion, port, resilience
- West Palm Beach/Palm Beach: Luxury development, infrastructure
- St. Petersburg/Pinellas: Downtown redevelopment, utilities
- Sarasota: Growth-driven infrastructure needs
How to Find Florida Construction Bids
Multiple resources exist for finding Florida construction opportunities:
Official State Resources
MyFloridaMarketPlace (MFMP)
The official state procurement portal:
- State agency procurement opportunities
- Vendor registration required
- Free to register and search
- Notification system available
FDOT Bid Express
For Florida Department of Transportation projects:
- All FDOT construction opportunities
- Electronic bid submission
- Prequalification required for larger projects
- Plan room access
Local Government Portals
- BidSync: Many South Florida governments
- DemandStar: Tampa Bay area and others
- VendorLink: Orlando area governments
- Individual Websites: City/county procurement pages
Modern Aggregation Platform
ConstructionBids.ai
Rather than checking dozens of portals, ConstructionBids.ai aggregates Florida construction bids from all sources:
- State, city, county, and district bids in one place
- AI-powered matching for relevant opportunities
- Daily email digests of new Florida bids
- Private sector opportunities included
- Free tier available to start
Florida-Specific Requirements
Contractors bidding in Florida must understand state-specific requirements:
Contractor Licensing
Florida requires state contractor licensing through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR):
License Types
- Certified General Contractor: Statewide, unlimited scope
- Certified Building Contractor: 3-story/unlimited sqft buildings
- Certified Residential Contractor: Residential up to 4 units
- Specialty Contractors: Trade-specific licenses
- Registered Contractors: County-specific (limited)
FDOT Prequalification
For FDOT projects over $250,000:
- Submit prequalification application
- Financial capability review
- Equipment and personnel evaluation
- Work type classifications assigned
- Annual renewal required
- Can bid up to 10x capacity rating
Prevailing Wage
Florida does not have a state prevailing wage law. However:
- Federal Davis-Bacon applies to federally-funded projects
- Some local governments have living wage requirements
- Check specific project documents for requirements
Bonding Requirements
- Bid Bonds: Typically 5% of bid amount
- Performance Bonds: 100% of contract for public work
- Payment Bonds: 100% of contract for public work
- Florida Statute 255.05 governs requirements
Insurance Requirements
- General Liability: Typically $1M+ per occurrence
- Workers' Compensation: Required in Florida
- Auto Liability: For vehicles on projects
- Professional Liability: For design-build projects
- Pollution/Environmental: Often required for site work
Florida Certifications
Several certifications can improve competitiveness for Florida public work:
State Certified Minority Business Enterprise (CMBE)
Florida's primary small/disadvantaged business certification:
- Administered by Office of Supplier Diversity
- State agencies have CMBE participation goals
- Categories: Minority, women, service-disabled veteran
- Free to apply and maintain
- Recognized by most state agencies
Local Government Certifications
Major cities and counties have their own programs:
- Miami-Dade: SBE, CBE certifications
- Broward: CBE program
- Hillsborough: WMBE certification
- Orange County: MBE/WBE program
- Jacksonville: JSEB program
DBE (Disadvantaged Business Enterprise)
For federally-funded projects (FDOT, transit, airports):
- Required for DBE goals on federal projects
- Unified certification through Florida UCP
- Single application covers FDOT, airports, transit
- Annual updates required
Federal Certifications
For federal work in Florida:
- SBA 8(a) Business Development
- HUBZone (many Florida areas qualify)
- SDVOSB (Service-Disabled Veteran)
- SAM.gov registration (required)
Regional Opportunities
Florida's regions offer different opportunity profiles:
South Florida (Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach)
- Largest metro construction market in state
- Resilience and sea-level rise projects
- Port Miami and Port Everglades expansion
- Airport modernization (MIA, FLL, PBI)
- Luxury residential and commercial development
- Hurricane recovery and hardening
Tampa Bay Area
- Rapid population and job growth
- Port Tampa Bay expansion
- Water infrastructure needs
- Healthcare facility construction
- Downtown Tampa/St. Pete development
Central Florida (Orlando Area)
- Tourism infrastructure investment
- Theme park expansion
- SunRail expansion
- Orlando International Airport growth
- Tech corridor development
- Housing boom in suburbs
Northeast Florida (Jacksonville)
- Port JAXPORT expansion
- Downtown redevelopment
- Naval station construction
- Logistics/distribution facilities
- Infrastructure improvements
Southwest Florida
- Hurricane Ian recovery (ongoing)
- Resilience and rebuilding projects
- Retirement community construction
- Fort Myers/Naples growth
- Infrastructure reconstruction
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a contractor license to work in Florida?
Yes, Florida requires state contractor licensing through DBPR for most construction work. General contractors, building contractors, residential contractors, and specialty trades all require specific licenses. You can obtain either a "certified" license (statewide) or "registered" license (county-specific, limited).
How do I get prequalified with FDOT?
Submit a prequalification application through FDOT's Contracts Administration office. You'll need audited financial statements, equipment lists, personnel qualifications, and work history. FDOT assigns work type codes and a capacity rating. Prequalification is required for projects over $250,000.
Where can I find Florida construction bids?
Official sources include MyFloridaMarketPlace (state), FDOT Bid Express (transportation), and individual city/county websites (BidSync, DemandStar, VendorLink). For comprehensive coverage, use ConstructionBids.ai which aggregates Florida opportunities from all sources with AI-powered matching.
What is CMBE certification in Florida?
CMBE (Certified Minority Business Enterprise) is Florida's state-level certification for minority-owned, women-owned, and veteran-owned businesses. State agencies have participation goals, and certification can improve competitiveness on state contracts. Apply through the Office of Supplier Diversity.
Does Florida have prevailing wage requirements?
Florida does not have a state prevailing wage law. However, federal Davis-Bacon requirements apply to federally-funded projects (FDOT federal aid, airports, etc.). Some local governments may have additional requirements. Always check project-specific documents for wage requirements.
What bonding is required for Florida public construction?
Florida Statute 255.05 requires performance and payment bonds for public construction contracts over $200,000. Typically, bid bonds of 5% and performance/payment bonds of 100% are required. Thresholds may vary by local government.
Conclusion
Florida offers exceptional opportunities for construction contractors, with billions in annual spending across transportation, education, healthcare, and municipal sectors. The state's continued population growth, tourism industry, and infrastructure needs ensure strong demand for years to come.
Key steps to success in Florida construction bidding:
- Obtain required Florida contractor license(s)
- Register on MFMP, FDOT Bid Express, and local portals (or use ConstructionBids.ai)
- Get FDOT prequalified if pursuing transportation work
- Obtain CMBE/DBE certification if eligible
- Understand bonding and insurance requirements
- Focus on specific regions matching your capabilities
Find Florida Construction Bids Easily
Stop checking dozens of Florida portals. ConstructionBids.ai aggregates state, city, county, and private opportunities with AI-powered matching. Get daily digests of relevant Florida construction bids delivered to your inbox.
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