Florida, through Sec. 255.065, FS, authorizes a uniform process for public entities, including the city, to receive unsolicited proposals or to solicit proposals for qualifying projects for the building, upgrading, operation, ownership, or financing of facilities. The statute further permits a public entity to establish a reasonable fee to accompany an unsolicited proposal that is sufficient to pay the costs of evaluating the proposals. The fee may cover the costs of processing, reviewing, and evaluating the requests, including, but not limited to, reasonable attorney fees and fees for financial and technical advisors or consultants and for other necessary advisors and consultants. If an unsolicited proposal is received and the city intends to enter into an agreement for the qualifying project, the City must publish a notice, seek, and accept other proposals.
The City of Riviera Beach has received one unsolicited proposal, as provided by the statute. At the time of receipt of the proposal, the City had not established an application fee.
For the purposes of Sec. 255.065. F.S., qualifying projects are defined as:
I. A facility or project that serves a public purpose, as a mass transit facility, vehicle parking facility, airport or seaport facility, recreational facility, sporting or cultural facility, educational facility, or any other public facility or infrastructure that is used or will be used by the public at large or in support of an accepted public purpose or activity;
II. An improvement, including equipment, of a building that will be principally used by a public entity or the public at large or that supports a service delivery system in the public sector;
III. A water, wastewater, or surface water management facility or other related infrastructure; or
IV. For projects that involve a facility owned or operated by the governing board of county/municipal hospital or health care system, or projects that involve a facility owned or operated by a municipal electrical utility.