Give each bidder the same starting scope
Use the same available survey, assessment and design information. Ask each company to identify the proposed method, work length, elevation target, access assumptions, demolition and disposal. If the approaches differ, ask the appropriate design professional what those differences mean rather than selecting a method by price alone.
Normalize the proposals in a comparison matrix
Mark included, excluded, allowance, or unanswered. Record the amount and basis of any allowance in your offline copy. Do not compare an allowance as if it were a fixed included cost.
Use this worksheet offline. Scroll sideways on a small screen, or print/save this page with your browser. Blank cells are for your own copy; nothing is entered or sent here.
| Scope item | Bid A | Bid B | Bid C | Who / open question |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Survey, design and engineering | Blank for your offline record | Blank for your offline record | Blank for your offline record | Blank for your offline record |
| Wall work, length and elevation | Blank for your offline record | Blank for your offline record | Blank for your offline record | Blank for your offline record |
| Access, demolition and disposal | Blank for your offline record | Blank for your offline record | Blank for your offline record | Blank for your offline record |
| Permits, inspections and closeout | Blank for your offline record | Blank for your offline record | Blank for your offline record | Blank for your offline record |
| Dock / utilities / landscape restoration | Blank for your offline record | Blank for your offline record | Blank for your offline record | Blank for your offline record |
| Allowances and exclusions | Blank for your offline record | Blank for your offline record | Blank for your offline record | Blank for your offline record |
| Payment milestones / warranty | Blank for your offline record | Blank for your offline record | Blank for your offline record | Blank for your offline record |
Name who supplies the work around the wall
A short proposal may omit important responsibilities without making them disappear. Request a written scope clarification before treating two totals as equivalent.
- Who provides signed/sealed design documents and any updated survey?
- Who prepares applications, responds to review comments, and pays each fee?
- Who books inspections and supplies completion or closeout records?
- Who restores disturbed landscaping, paving, utilities, dock components or access areas?
Compare commercial terms as carefully as the total
Read payment milestones, change-order procedures, schedule assumptions, warranty wording and exclusions. Ask what event makes a payment due and who decides whether a change is outside scope. These are questions for a clear written agreement, not a substitute contract or legal advice. An attractive estimated start date is not evidence that all approvals exist.
Verify the actual company and relevant license scope
Check the legal contracting name, relevant license category and status, insurance evidence, references, and the proposed scope. Do not treat every marine credential as authority for every seawall task. City-published names are informational resources, not our partners or proof of endorsement.
- Florida DBPR license verificationReviewed October 23, 2026
- DBPR construction license categoriesReviewed October 23, 2026
- City seawall contractor contact sheet, December 23, 2025 (PDF)Reviewed October 24, 2026
Compare the gross price before funding assumptions
The City’s seawall announcement excludes docks, decking, dock foundation piles and pile wraps. Keep these items separate from the wall work and ask the City which proposed costs are eligible. Do not subtract a hoped-for award from the proposal or assume the consulting fee is reimbursable.
- City seawall grant announcement, October 6, 2026Reviewed October 24, 2026
Planning information only, not an inspection, engineering or legal advice, compliance determination, or quote. Confirm project requirements with the City and qualified professionals.