Hollywood awards up to $3.65 million shoreline contract for Lakes flood mitigation; DEP grant drives schedule

The Hollywood City Commission unanimously awarded up to $3,648,000 to a shoreline contractor on March 5 as part of the city’s Hollywood Lakes flood‑mitigation and shoreline protection program.

Deputy project manager Jose Cortez presented the item and described a multi‑phase program funded by a combination of city General Obligation Bond (GOB) funds and resilience grant money administered through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Cortez told commissioners the DEP grant funds tied to the program require that construction-funded work be completed (or contracts executed and funds spent) before June 30, 2026, which drove the city’s permitting, phasing and procurement strategy.

The contract award covers the first package of shoreline work (scope groups A/B as presented) — smaller site segments where permits and designs are ready. Staff recommended awarding to the lowest responsive bidder for that package; two bids were received and staff recommended Shoreline (bidder listed as Shoreline/Foundation in the procurement record) after reference and capability checks. The item was moved by Commissioner Schuham and seconded by Commissioner Lehi; the commission approved the award unanimously.

Why it matters: Cortez said the city has coordinated an accelerated schedule because the DEP grant dollars are time‑limited. The work includes seawall repair/replacement, rock riprap, some living‑shoreline elements where permitted, and isolated infrastructure work at several sites around North Lake, South Lake and the Intracoastal Waterway. Staff emphasized that permitting complexity and federal/state permitting processes (including U.S. Army Corps review in some cases) are the main schedule risk, and that the city is seeking a construction manager‑at‑risk for later, larger packages to accelerate procurement once permits are in hand.

Funding context: Cortez told the commission the city previously secured DEP resilience funding as part of a larger state program and later received an additional roughly $4.2 million award; the DEP dollars being managed by the city in the current grant agreement total roughly $18.0 million. The city also has committed GOB bond funds to the shoreline mitigation work; staff said the combined city and state resources create a larger total program budget but stressed the DEP portion carries the near‑term spending deadline.

Speakers at the meeting included Jose Cortez (project staff) and a representative of the awarded contractor, who said Shoreline has performed marine and shoreline work since the 1980s. Commissioners pressed staff on permitting timelines, procurement strategy for larger packages, and maintenance/operations implications for living‑shoreline components.

Next steps: Staff will finalize the contract with the awarded bidder and continue coordination with the DEP and permitting agencies. The commission also authorized staff to pursue a construction manager procurement for the larger, later phases (scopes B–D) so the city can assemble competitive prices quickly once permits are issued.

Ending: The award moves the city into the construction procurement phase for the first set of shoreline segments; staff told commissioners the next months will focus on permitting, construction manager selection and staged procurement to meet the 2026 grant deadline.