Marion County commissioners open door for new contractors
Carl Zalak, the Vice Chair of the Marion County Commission, speaks during a meeting of the Marion County Commission in the McPherson Governmental Complex in Ocala, Fla. on Tuesday, February 18, 2025. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2025.
By Jennifer Hunt Murty [email protected]
The Marion County Board of County Commissioners has voted to renew contracts with five construction management firms while simultaneously reopening the solicitation process to allow other local businesses to apply. The decision follows a debate regarding workload capacity and the evolving legal landscape of public construction procurement in Florida.
The backdrop for board’s decision involves state regulations known as the Consultants’ Competitive Negotiation Act (CCNA). According to a recent article in The Florida Bar Journal, while the state’s infrastructure demands have grown, “The last four amendments to the CCNA (2009, 2020, 2023, and 2024) have primarily only been to update the monetary thresholds defining a ‘continuing contract’.”
These “continuing contracts” allow counties to hire firms for multiple projects on an as-needed basis without individual bidding, provided the costs stay within specific limits. During the commission meeting, county staff noted that since the original contracts were signed, the allowable threshold for these projects under statute “went from $4 million to $7 million” and noted that “they’re going to change that number every year.” The current statutory limit for construction cost per individual project under such contracts is $7.5 million.
Historical Context and Workload
The county originally entered into continuing contracts with six firms in December 2020. These contracts were set to expire in April 2026, with renewal options available. Since 2021, the county distributed “$63 million worth of work” across approximately 58 projects among those six firms, according to Assistant County Administrator Amanda Tart.
One of the original six firms, Ethridge Construction of Marion County, Inc., has discontinued its contract with the county. This reduction left the board with five active firms: Dinkins Construction, Cullison-Wright Construction Corp., Ausley Construction Co.- all of which are locally owned companies; Charles Perry Partners, Inc. and D.E. Scorpio Corp. are both based in Gainesville.
Since 2020, Dinkins Construction has received the highest volume of payments, totaling $30,750,558; D.E. Scorpio has received $16,853,312; Charles Perry Partners, $11,640,312; Ausley Construction, $9,461,455; and Cullison-Wright Construction, a total of $4,103,684.
The commission debate
County Administrator Mounir Bouyounes presented the board with options, recommending they renew the current five firms but also offering an option to open the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to new applicants. Commissioner Carl Zalak supported the move to admit new applicants, emphasizing opportunities for local businesses.
“Especially for the local guy who wants a shot, I’m in complete favor of that,” he said.
Commissioner Kathy Bryant voiced strong concerns that there was enough work to add another contractor to the mix. “I have questions about how much work we actually have in the pipeline for the term of the contract. Is there enough work at this time for us to add[another contractor?]”
When pressed on whether the current five contractors could handle the upcoming workload, Bouyounes confirmed, “It can be handled by the contractors we have in place today.” However, he deferred to the board on the expansion, noting, “Does it hurt to add another firm to the list? That’s the policy decision.”
Zalak countered that the original 2020 contract included six firms, suggesting that replacing the retired firm would return the pool to its intended size. “This was a renewal option, and their expectation was there was going to be six contractors,” he said.
Zalak further noted that project lists are fluid. “If you have 12 in the pipeline today, you’re going to have more than that over the next five years,” he said.
Commissioner Craig Curry made the motion to approve “Option 2,” which renews the existing firms and directs staff to reopen the solicitation to add qualified firms to the pool. Commissioner Michelle Stone seconded the motion, clarifying that the intent was to “leave it open” for applicants.
County staff will now proceed with the renewal of the five existing contracts while simultaneously advertising to establish an expanded pool of qualified construction managers.
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