Start with the work—not the price
Roof repairs, painting, plumbing, landscaping, and other association projects can produce proposals that look similar but cover very different work. One contractor may include preparation, permits, cleanup, and warranties; another may leave those costs out.
The goal is a fair comparison of the same scope of work. A well-run process also gives owners a clear explanation of why the board selected a particular vendor.
When Florida requires competitive bids
Under section 718.3026, covered contracts require competitive bids when aggregate payments exceed 5% of the association’s total annual budget, including reserves. Service contracts and other contracts covered by the section must be written. The association need not select the lowest bid.
Exceptions matter
The section exempts employee contracts and specified professional services: attorneys, accountants, architects, community association managers, timeshare management firms, engineers, and landscape architects. It also preserves emergency purchasing and excludes a supplier that is the only source within the county serving the association.
Associations with 10 or fewer units may opt out by a two-thirds unit-owner vote. Small size alone is not an exemption. Maintenance and management contracts still must comply with section 718.3025.
The statute specifies competitive bids, not a universal “three bids” requirement. Obtain legal advice when classification or an exception is uncertain.
Use the whole contract cost
As a prudent planning practice, evaluate the full commitment, including recurring payments, required extras, and the contract term. For example, $600 a month for 12 months is a $7,200 commitment—not a $600 purchase.
Do not split one project into smaller purchases to avoid competitive bidding. Ask your attorney how to evaluate multi-year terms, renewals, or linked contracts where the statutory calculation is uncertain.
Competitive quotes can still help
Even when competitive bidding is not legally required, comparing qualified providers can reveal pricing differences, service gaps, or a better approach.
A board purchasing policy can set reasonable internal thresholds and a target number of proposals. Label these as association policy rather than Florida’s statutory requirements.
A practical bidding process
- Confirm responsibility and funding. Identify the property and work the association is responsible for. Check the budget, available funding, and whether separate owner approval is needed for the project or funding.
- Write one scope of work. Describe the locations, quantities, materials, preparation, repairs, cleanup, schedule, and expected result. For technical work, have a qualified professional prepare specifications.
- Invite suitable contractors. Give each bidder the same information, site access, response deadline, and submission instructions. As a recommended practice, seek three qualified proposals when feasible.
- Share material clarifications. If a question changes the scope, send the clarification to all invited bidders. Avoid giving one vendor information the others need to price accurately.
- Review qualifications and proposals. Verify applicable licensing, insurance, relevant experience, and references. Ask for written clarification of omissions or inconsistencies.
- Present a documented recommendation. Compare price, completeness, qualifications, timing, warranties, and risk. Explain the reasons supporting the recommended selection.
- Approve, contract, and monitor. Follow the association’s meeting and approval requirements, sign a reviewed agreement, and monitor delivery against the agreed scope.
Clear expectations create stronger results.
What to include in the bid request
The work
- Association name, property address, and contact person.
- Written scope, drawings or specifications, and site conditions.
- Required materials, quantities, and workmanship standards.
- Permit and inspection responsibilities.
- Protection of buildings, landscaping, and residents.
The proposal
- Itemized price, allowances, exclusions, and optional work.
- Start date, completion estimate, and proposal expiration.
- Payment schedule and change-order pricing.
- Warranty terms, licenses, insurance, and references.
- Submission deadline and a statement that selection is subject to board approval.
For Century Village projects, address access arrangements, working hours, staging, parking, debris removal, and maintaining safe access for older residents. Verify current site requirements rather than assuming one association’s rules apply throughout the Village.
Compare proposals side by side
| Item | What the board should check |
|---|---|
| Scope | Do all proposals include the same preparation, repairs, materials, and cleanup? |
| Total cost | Are permits, taxes, disposal, allowances, and likely extras included? |
| Qualifications | Is the vendor licensed for the work where required, insured, and experienced with comparable buildings? |
| Schedule | Can the vendor meet the community’s needs without compromising safety or quality? |
| Warranty | What is covered, for how long, and who responds if something fails? |
| Contract risk | Are deposits, change orders, cancellation, renewal, liability, and dispute terms acceptable? |
What if only one vendor responds?
Keep the invitations, follow-up attempts, and responses. Consider extending the deadline, contacting more qualified vendors, or improving unclear specifications. A single response does not automatically establish the county-only-source exception. Ask counsel how to proceed if competitive bids are required but adequate responses cannot be obtained.
Approve the decision—and manage the contract
The manager can organize the process, but the board should understand the recommendation and exercise the association’s approval authority. Use a properly noticed meeting and record the decision, authorized signer, approved amount, and reasons for the choice. Confirm any separate owner vote or funding approval before committing.
Protect the integrity of the process
Disclose personal, family, or business relationships with bidders promptly. Obtain legal advice about applicable conflict procedures before considering a related-party proposal. Directors and managers must not solicit or accept kickbacks; see section 718.111.
Turn the proposal into a usable agreement
Attach the final scope and identify price, payment milestones, completion expectations, permits, insurance, warranty, and written change-order authorization. For substantial or complex projects, arrange attorney and technical review before signature.
Verify progress before approving payments. Track approved changes against the budget. For construction, ask the appropriate professional about lien protections, inspections, and closeout documents.
Keep a decision file
Save bid requests, proposals, clarifications, comparisons, approvals, the signed contract, invoices, change orders, and warranties. Bids and contracts are official records under section 718.111(12); bids for work must be retained for at least one year after receipt. Follow applicable retention requirements for each record type and preserve files longer when needed for warranties, claims, or pending disputes.
Transparency builds trust. Follow-through protects value.
Century Village: cooperate without losing accountability
Nearby associations can share specifications, vendor experiences, and project lessons. Coordinating similar work may help vendors plan efficiently and offer better pricing.
Each association should still confirm its own authority, bidding obligations, funding, contract terms, and approvals. A referral from another board, UCO, or a manager is a starting point for review—not a substitute for checking qualifications or making an informed decision.
Before seeking bids, confirm whether the work belongs to your association or falls under another entity’s agreement. Avoid contracting for work outside your association’s responsibility.
Before the board says “yes”
- The scope is clear and bidders priced comparable work.
- The statutory threshold and any document or policy requirements were checked.
- Required competition was obtained, or any claimed exception was reviewed and documented.
- Licensing, insurance, references, and potential conflicts were reviewed.
- Funding and required approvals are in place.
- The agreement and payment terms were reviewed.
- A person is assigned to monitor performance and preserve the records.
Sources & practical guidance
- Florida Statutes 718.3026—contracts, competitive bids, and exceptions
- Florida Statutes 718.3025—maintenance and management contracts
- Florida Statutes 718.111—association duties and official records
Reviewed October 17, 2026. Educational guidance for Florida condominium associations. The process and checklist above are recommended practices; individual projects may require additional legal, engineering, or insurance review.
Control changes and close the project properly
Keep one project register linking the approved scope, contract, funding, authorized signer, payment milestones, change orders, inspection evidence, and unresolved items. Assign a person to monitor performance and a backup for continuity.
- Require a written description, cost, schedule effect, and authorization for proposed changes before the changed work begins, subject to a reviewed emergency procedure.
- Compare cumulative commitments with available lawful funding rather than checking each invoice alone.
- Verify progress through the appropriate manager or technical professional before payment.
- Collect required permit closeout, warranties, manuals, completion evidence, and counsel-advised lien documentation before final payment.
A change order can affect scope, authority, funding, or bidding analysis. Ask counsel about significant changes instead of assuming the original award covers every addition. See conflicts of interest, payment controls, and the distinction between construction and assessment liens.
Connected financial and community resources
Authority matters: Florida law establishes statutory duties; governing documents define association authority subject to law; contractual duties come from applicable agreements. UCO procedures address separate UCO functions. The added registers and workflows are Board Synergy recommended practices, not prescribed statutory forms. Historical articles provide background rather than current legal instructions.