SUBJECT
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Approve selection committee’s recommendation to authorize staff negotiations with Whitehead Construction, to provide Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) services for the new Smith Lane Joint-Use Fire Rescue Station. (No Fiscal Impact)
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DESCRIPTION
The Facilities Management Division requested Procurement solicit proposals from qualified contractors for the purpose of providing CMAR services for the preconstruction and construction phase services to construct a new 20,000-square-foot joint-use fire rescue station for Polk County and the City of Bartow, located at 2421 Smith Lane in Bartow, Florida.
The new joint-use fire rescue station’s purpose is to serve the residents of Polk County in a more efficient manner by reducing response times on calls while addressing fire fighter safety concerns with a Red (Hot), Yellow (Warm), and Green (Cool) zone approach to station design.
Request for Proposal (RFP) 26-055, Construction Manager at Risk - Smith Lane Joint-Use Fire Rescue Station, was issued and four proposals were received. The selection committee met on February 16, 2026, to evaluate and score the proposals resulting in all four firms being elevated to interviews. Later that day, the selection committee conducted interviews and received presentations from all proposers. After the interviews, the selection committee ranked the proposers. The consensus of the selection committee was to request the Board authorize staff to enter into contract negotiations with all proposers interviewed, beginning with the highest ranked proposer, Whitehead Construction.
The following is a listing of the firms and their rankings:
Firm Location Rank
Whitehead Construction Winter Haven, FL 1
Strickland Construction Lakeland, FL 2
Rodda Construction Lakeland, FL 3
Register Construction & Engineering Lakeland, FL 4
A recommendation of award was posted, and no protests were received.
RECOMMENDATION
Request Board approve the selection committee’s recommendation and authorize staff enter into contract negotiations, beginning with the highest-ranked proposer, Whitehead Construction for Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) services for the new Smith Lane Joint-Use Fire Rescue Station and moving to the second-highest ranked proposer and so on, if negotiations with Whitehead Construction are unsuccessful.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with negotiations.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Tabatha Shirah
Senior Procurement Analyst
(863) 534-5935
tabathashirah@polkfl.gov <mailto:tabathashirah@polkfl.gov>