Public Money · Contracts
Who gets the contracts
The big contracts Bay County and its cities approved since October 2022: who won them, how they were awarded, which ones grew, and who the county actually paid the most.
Agendas Oct 2022 to Oct 2026
Research compiled Oct 20, 2026
Research compiled Oct 20, 2026
The simple version
How a government picks a contractor
- Big purchases must be bid. Above a dollar limit ($150,000 for the county, $100,000 for Panama City), the government advertises the job and usually takes the lowest qualified bid.
- Engineers and architects are chosen on qualifications (an RFQ), then the price is negotiated. Many jobs go to firms already under a "continuing services" contract as task orders.
- Shortcuts exist, with rules. A government can "piggyback" on another government's bid, use a sole source when only one vendor can do it, or buy in an emergency and get approval afterward.
- Contracts can grow. A change order adds cost or time after signing, and big ones need board approval.
Contracts tracked322$602.2M in awards
Competitively bid61%of award dollars
Change orders51$11.4M added to contracts
Emergency purchases12Approved after the fact
Biggest contract winners
Total awards in this list, all governmentsAward amounts as proposed on agendas. Payments to other governments (such as FDOT for road work) are left out of this ranking. A company's name may vary between agendas; similar names are combined.
Who actually got paid the most
From Bay County's check registers and Lynn Haven's warrant listsBay County, FY2024 · 7 of 12 months
The Bay County Clerk of Court's monthly check register, attached to County Commission agendas. Missing months: 2023-10, 2023-11, 2023-12, 2024-02, 2024-03. Source
Bay County, FY2025 · 11 of 12 months
The Bay County Clerk of Court's monthly check register, attached to County Commission agendas. Missing months: 2025-02. Source
Bay County, FY2026 · 10 of 12 months
The Bay County Clerk of Court's monthly check register, attached to County Commission agendas. Missing months: 2026-08, 2026-09. Source
Lynn Haven, FY2023
Lynn Haven's warrant lists in its agenda packets, which show only checks of about $10,000 or more and cut payee names short; smaller checks and electronic payments aren't included. No purpose is given for individual checks. Source
Lynn Haven, FY2024
Lynn Haven's warrant lists in its agenda packets, which show only checks of about $10,000 or more and cut payee names short; smaller checks and electronic payments aren't included. No purpose is given for individual checks. Source
Lynn Haven, FY2025
Lynn Haven's warrant lists in its agenda packets, which show only checks of about $10,000 or more and cut payee names short; smaller checks and electronic payments aren't included. No purpose is given for individual checks. Source
Cash paid in the period covered, not contract value. Payroll, benefits, transfers to other offices and pass-through payments are left out. Other cities don't publish check registers online; they can be requested.
How contracts were awarded
By award dollarsBased on how each agenda item describes the award. "Not stated" means the agenda didn't say.
Every contract in this list
| Government | Vendor | For | Amount | How awarded | Date |
|---|
Change orders
Contracts that grew after they were signed| Gov. | Vendor and project | Original | Added | Increase | Reason | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panama City Beach | CWR Contracting, Inc. Front Beach Road Segment 3 (CRA), change order 15 | — | $1.9M | — | $440,439.61 for change directives over the life of the project (+9 days) and $1,500,183.75 for a delay claim at Lullwater box culvert (+375 days) | 2026-03-12 Source |
| Panama City | Hagerty Consulting Hurricane Michael recovery consulting, contract amendment 15 | — | $1.1M | — | Continue Hurricane Michael recovery and extend to FMA, BRIC, Hurricane Sally CDBG-DR and Resilient grants | 2022-10-11 Source |
| Panama City | Not named in agenda title Martin Theatre renovation, change order 3 | — | $1.1M | — | Deductive non-federal (-$1,257,194.34) and federal (+$2,387,450.88) change orders | 2026-05-26 Source |
| Panama City | Hagerty Consulting Hurricane Michael recovery consulting, contract amendment 16 | — | $1.0M | — | Extend contract for CDBG-DR | 2022-11-29 Source |
| Panama City | Gulf Coast Utility Contractors (GCUC) CDBG-DR Area O-11 (PC24-037), change orders 12-15 | $5.7M | $941K | 16% | Not detailed in agenda title | 2026-06-09 Source |
| Bay County | Culpepper Construction Company, Inc. New Juvenile Justice Courthouse Addition | — | $904K | — | Unforeseen structural conditions at the front lobby entrance | 2024-03-05 Source |
| Bay County | Anderson Columbia, Inc. County Line Road paving, change order 2 | $2.0M | $757K | 38% | Change order adding 180 calendar days (reason not detailed in recommendation) | 2026-09-15 Source |
| Bay County | EMR Inc. Fountain Community Northern Region Resiliency Center (contract 25-38), change order 4 | $12.7M | $433K | 3% | Construction change order with 121-day time extension | 2026-09-01 Source |
| Panama City | Not named in agenda title Martin Theatre renovation, change order 2 | — | $425K | — | Non-federal $146,588.20 plus federal $278,378.23 | 2026-03-10 Source |
| Panama City | Gulf Coast Utility Contractors (GCUC) CDBG-DR Area O-11 (PC24-037), change order 5 | $5.7M | $402K | 7% | Additions, modifications and actions essential for completion | 2026-02-10 Source |
| Panama City | Gulf Coast Utility Contractors SRF Area F1, change order 4 | — | $395K | — | Work not included in plans but essential to completion | 2026-03-10 Source |
| Bay County | Emerald Coast Site Construction (ECSC) Minge Branch Drive project | $2.0M | $364K | 18% | Increased construction cost due to additional subsoil excavation | 2025-06-17 Source |
| Panama City Beach | Florida Department of Transportation Joint participation agreement, PCB Parkway widening utilities relocation (Mandy Ln to Nautilus St) | $99K | $347K | 349% | Utilities relocation cost above the original estimate | 2024-11-14 Source |
| Panama City | Mott MacDonald Task Order 23-039, CDBG-DR Project STORM, amendment 1 | — | $340K | — | Task order amendment | 2026-07-14 Source |
| Lynn Haven | BGN Contractors Sports Complex rebuild, pickleball courts | — | $332K | — | Change order to construct pickleball courts (plus $76,198 city-constructed portion) | 2022-12-09 Source |
| Bay County | CDR Maguire / CDR Emergency Management Task Order 32 (Agreement 19-04), Mexico Beach renourishment consulting | $306K | $281K | 92% | Amend task order to not exceed $587,459 (TDC recommendation) | 2025-03-04 Source |
| Bay County | Gage Golden Construction dba BGN Contractors Courthouse 1st & 2nd floor renovation (ITB 23-25) | $2.0M | $278K | 14% | Unforeseen additional work and additional general conditions | 2024-10-15 Source |
| Panama City | Burke Construction Group, Inc. Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center, final change order | $19.5M | $264K | 1% | Final federal change order $289,467.50 and non-federal change order -$25,579.04 | 2026-03-10 Source |
| Panama City | Burke Construction Group, Inc. Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center, change order 2 | $19.5M | $263K | 1% | Cumulative federal and non-federal change orders | 2025-09-23 Source |
| Panama City Beach | CWR Contracting, Inc. Front Beach Road Segment 3 (CRA), change order 8 | — | $213K | — | Additional work plus 30 days | 2023-10-26 Source |
| Mexico Beach | Mainline Construction Lift station bypass pumps, add change orders (scope moved from Razorback) | $1.2M | $208K | 17% | Took over bypass-pump scope from Razorback LLC | 2026-01-13 Source |
| Lynn Haven | Tetra Tech, Inc. Hurricane Michael FEMA public assistance consulting (Task Order 1-2018-FRS), change order 10 | — | $200K | — | Increase not-to-exceed amount and extend performance through June 30, 2023 | 2022-12-13 Source |
| Panama City | Southern Construction CDBG-DR Hometown Revitalization Group Gb (PC25-047), change order 1 | $461K | $197K | 43% | Not detailed in agenda title | 2025-12-16 Source |
| Panama City | Mainline Construction SRF Area H (PC26-012), change order 1 | $940K | $196K | 21% | Remove and replace project sidewalk | 2026-10-13 Source |
| Panama City | Mainline Construction, LLC CDBG-DR Project STORM Group C (ITB PC24-046), change order 5 | $2.2M | $194K | 9% | Not detailed in agenda title | 2025-12-16 Source |
| Panama City | CBC Construction Harrison Avenue streetscapes Phase II (PC24-022), change order 7 | $7.0M | $194K | 3% | Not detailed in agenda title | 2025-09-23 Source |
| Bay County | MRD Associates, Inc. East Pass feasibility study, change order 2 | — | $184K | — | Additional study work (not detailed in recommendation) | 2026-06-02 Source |
| Panama City | Emerald Coast Site Construction (ECSC) SRF Baker Court utility and roadway improvements (PC25-038), change order 3 | $3.0M | $182K | 6% | Added stormwater improvements to eliminate flooding at the eastern cul-de-sac | 2026-08-25 Source |
| Panama City | Mainline Construction SRF Area D-14 infrastructure improvements (PC25-033), change order 3 | $4.6M | $180K | 4% | Additions essential to project completion | 2026-01-27 Source |
| Panama City | Marshall Brothers CDBG-DR Project STORM Group D (ITB PC25-014), change order 3 | $1.3M | $180K | 14% | Not detailed in agenda title | 2025-05-13 Source |
| Bay County | BCL Civil Contractors, Inc. CR30 Front Beach Road sidewalk Phases 1 and 2, change orders 3 and 4 | — | $175K | — | Minor scope modifications (CO3 Phase 1 $97,228.49; CO4 Phase 2 $77,401.30) | 2023-02-07 Source |
| Panama City | CBC Construction CDBG-DR Project Restore Area A2 (PC24-006), change order 4 | — | $172K | — | Design adjustments and resulting timeline delays; adds 27 days | 2026-03-24 Source |
| Panama City | CBC Construction CDBG-DR Area A-2 Subsection A, change order 5 | — | $152K | — | Drainage modifications at 29 residential driveways | 2026-07-14 Source |
| Panama City Beach | CWR Contracting, Inc. Front Beach Road Segment 3 (CRA), additional change-order contingency | — | $150K | — | Contingency for future change orders (each within City Manager's $25,000 authority) for unforeseen conditions | 2024-07-25 Source |
| Panama City | CBC Construction Harrison Avenue streetscapes Phase II (PC24-022), change orders 2-5 | $7.0M | $144K | 2% | Not detailed in agenda title | 2025-04-24 Source |
| Bay County | Roberts and Roberts, Inc. FY25 Annual Resurfacing Phase 2 (contract 25-42), change order 1 | $922K | $133K | 14% | Emergency stabilization work for unsuitable soils on East 26th Street (approve and ratify) | 2025-10-07 Source |
| Panama City | Gulf Coast Utility Contractors (GCUC) CDBG-DR Area O-11 (PC24-037), change order 16 | $5.7M | $132K | 2% | Not detailed in agenda title | 2026-07-14 Source |
| Bay County | Barge Design Solutions, Inc. Southport Sports Complex design services (PO 20200409), change order 3 | — | $124K | — | Additional construction administration and resident project representative services | 2026-01-06 Source |
| Panama City Beach | CWR Contracting, Inc. Front Beach Road Segment 3 (CRA), change order 10 | — | $116K | — | Interim overhead power service connections and light pole conflict foundations | 2024-05-09 Source |
| Panama City | CBC Construction Harrison Avenue streetscapes Phase II (PC24-022), change order 6 | $7.0M | $106K | 2% | Not detailed in agenda title | 2025-08-12 Source |
| Bay County | CDR Maguire, Inc. CEI, Eastern Shipbuilding seawall and dredging project, change order 2 | $1.1M | $105K | 9% | Additional construction engineering and inspection services | 2026-08-18 Source |
| Bay County | Behar Peteranecz Inc. Youngstown-Fountain Community Center design, change order 1 | — | $98K | — | Additional scope of work | 2022-11-15 Source |
| Bay County | Gulf Coast Utility Contractors (GCUC) Emergency jail water line for fire flow (installation) | $85K | $87K | 102% | Minor scope and field construction adjustments | 2026-05-05 Source |
| Lynn Haven | Tetra Tech, Inc. Hurricane Michael FEMA public assistance consulting, change order | — | $74K | — | Increase not-to-exceed amount | 2025-01-24 Source |
| Bay County | STAline Waterworks, Inc. Emergency jail water line for fire flow (materials) | $69K | $53K | 77% | Minor scope and field construction adjustments | 2026-05-05 Source |
| Bay County | Southern Construction Service, Inc. Utility Services administration building renovation (contract 26-32), change order 1 | $324K | $53K | 16% | Unforeseen conditions | 2026-09-01 Source |
| Bay County | Gage Golden Construction dba BGN Contractors Courthouse 1st & 2nd floor renovation (ITB 23-25) | $2.0M | $46K | 2% | Unforeseen additional work | 2025-02-04 Source |
| Panama City | Marshall Brothers CDBG-DR Project STORM Group F (ITB PC25-035), deductive change order 1 | $1.5M | $-206K | -14% | Deductive change order | 2025-06-24 Source |
| Mexico Beach | Razorback LLC Lift station bypass pumps, deductive change orders | $531K | $-263K | -50% | Scope moved to Mainline Construction, which was already mobilized at each site (net savings $55,087.10) | 2026-01-13 Source |
| Bay County | Phoenix Construction Services, Inc. Frankford Avenue booster station (contract 25-06), deductive change order | $8.6M | $-275K | -3% | Alternate design; approximate net savings, final amount to be determined at project close | 2025-09-03 Source |
| Panama City | Gulf Coast Utility Contractors CDBG-DR Project Restore Millville, deductive change order 4 | $10.4M | $-3.9M | -37% | Clean-up change order for the completed project | 2026-02-24 Source |
Emergency purchases
- Panama City, 2023-03-28: $475K to Not named in agenda title for Failure of Lift Station #81 (approximately $475,000 +/- 10%). Ratification of emergency procurement and exigent circumstances Source
- Mexico Beach, 2023-04-11: $40K to Not named in minutes for Emergency dredge engine purchase (not to exceed). Council approval of emergency purchase Source
- Panama City, 2023-07-25: $213K to Marshall Brothers Construction & Engineering for Emergency repairs to wastewater Pump Station 41, 530 E. 6th Street. Ratification of emergency repairs Source
- Panama City, 2023-10-10: $220K to Marshall Brothers Construction for Emergency repairs to the Star Avenue water main. Ratification of emergency repairs Source
- Panama City, 2024-04-23: $397K to Standby Systems Services for Emergency repair of the Millville WWTP automatic transfer switch. Ratification of emergency repairs Source
- Lynn Haven, 2024-08-09: $135K to Marshall Brothers for Emergency repairs to the city wastewater effluent line. Commission approval of emergency repairs Source
- Bay County, 2024-09-04: $469K to Not named (John Deere dealer under Sourcewell contract 011723-JDC) for 850L crawler dozer. Emergency purchase, ratified after the fact; bought under Sourcewell cooperative contract Source
- Panama City Beach, 2025-02-27: $290K to Graybar Electric Company, Inc. (Schneider Electric) for Emergency improvements to generator controls and transfer switch at the wastewater treatment facility ($65,101.04 for milestones 1-2 ratified plus $224,648.68 for milestone 3). City Manager emergency purchase, ratified by Council; materials via OMNIA Partners cooperative contract EV2370 Source
- Lynn Haven, 2025-08-08: $70K to Marshall Brothers Construction for Emergency repair of a lift station. Commission approval of emergency repair Source
- Bay County, 2025-10-07: $133K to Roberts and Roberts, Inc. for Emergency stabilization of unsuitable soils on East 26th Street (change order 1 to FY25 resurfacing Ph. 2). Change order approved and ratified Source
- Bay County, 2026-05-05: $294K to Gulf Coast Utility Contractors (GCUC) and STAline Waterworks, Inc. for Emergency 10-inch water line at the County Jail to provide required fire flow (GCUC installation $172,144.88; STAline materials $122,338.40). Board asked to ratify the contract for emergency repairs already constructed; materials bought directly by the county Source
- Bay County, 2026-10-20: $207K to Williams Communications, Inc. for Emergency replacement/repair of communications equipment at four tower sites after a 2026-09-19 equipment failure (PO POBOCC-10001207). Emergency repair; Board asked to ratify the purchase order Source
The bidding rules
- Bay County. Orders up to $3,500: no quotes; $3,500-$10,000: three telephone quotes; $10,000-$150,000: three written quotes; over $150,000: competitive solicitation procedures required. Board approval required for purchases and agreements over $150,000 (County Manager authority up to $150,000). Emergency contracts over $150,000 may be authorized by the County Manager with the Chairman and ratified by the Board at its next regular meeting. Change orders exceeding a cumulative 10% of the original contract or $150,000 require approval by the signatory for that contract value. Single/sole-source intent must be posted on the county website for at least 15 business days. Piggyback and cooperative contracts (e.g., state term, Sourcewell) are allowed. Source
- Panama City. Orders up to $3,499.99: written estimate/quote; $3,500-$100,000: three comparative quotes; over $100,000: competitive solicitation procedures required. City Commission approval over $100,000 (City Manager up to $100,000). Emergency purchases under $200,000 by City Manager authorization; over $200,000 require a Commission agenda item before payment. Change orders (additive or deductive) exceeding the lesser of 10% of contract price or $100,000 cumulative require Commission approval. Source
- Panama City Beach. General (non-utility) purchases: up to $5,000 no quotes; $5,000-$24,999.99 three written quotes plus PO; $25,000 and above competitive solicitation and City Council approval. Utility purchases: up to $10,000 no quotes; $10,000-$25,000 written quotes, sole-source or emergency justification; $25,000-$99,999.99 goods require Council approval with three written quotes; $100,000 and above competitive solicitation. Source
- Lynn Haven. Purchases of commodities or services over $35,000 per year require City Commission approval, and commodity purchases of $35,000 or more require formal advertised bids to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder; $3,500-$35,000 City Manager approval; $3,500 or less Finance Director. Exemptions include utility operation/maintenance purchases up to $100,000 and emergencies (purchases of $35,000+ authorized by City Manager, subject to an extraordinary vote at the next meeting). Sole-source purchases limited to $34,999 per year. Additional requirements for public works projects of $250,000 or more. Source
- Parker. Up to $3,500: department head; $3,500-$25,000: three verbal quotes; $25,000-$150,000: three written quotes, no Council vote required; over $150,000: competitive bids and a Council vote (exceptions for emergencies and certain utilities/grant-funded projects). Emergency expenditures over $250,000 have additional approval steps. Source
- Mexico Beach. Per the city Finance Director at the 2026-09-22 council meeting, the state Joint Legislative Auditing Committee (JLAC) review now requires any purchase over $15,000 to come before the council for approval, even when it is budgeted. Source
- Mexico Beach. Expenditures over $8,000 require competitive bids (normally advertised); $3,000-$8,000 require three verbal quotes. Council may waive competitive bidding by majority vote for single-source, federal/state agency or one-time auction purchases. Source
How this was compiled, and gaps
- Panama City records were checked against the commission minutes (124 of 126 meetings); one proposed award that minutes show was deleted from the agenda (Hagerty Consulting task order $1,538,120, 2023-11-14) was removed. Panama City Beach records were checked against council minutes where available (38 of 50 confirmed). Bay County and Lynn Haven records come from agendas and were not checked against minutes. Contract amounts are the amounts in the agenda recommendation or agenda title (or the attached item memo/resolution where noted). An agenda item is a proposal; the records were not each checked against minutes. Known cases where a proposal changed are recorded in notes (e.g., PCB pickleball bids rejected 2026-04-09; Panama City PC24-050 re-awarded; Panama City PC25-001 amount changed between agendas).
- Bay County awards were taken from every BOCC regular-meeting agenda from 2022-10-04 through 2026-10-20 (97 meetings) on the county PrimeGov portal. Items of $250,000 or more were captured, plus all change orders and emergency purchases of note. Grant agreements, budget amendments, land transactions, SHIP loans and bonds were excluded.
- Panama City (126 commission agendas, 2022-10 to 2026-10) and Panama City Beach (94 council agendas, 2022-10 to 2026-10) were reviewed in full for items of about $250,000 or more. For Lynn Haven, Callaway, Mexico Beach and Parker, smaller awards (about $100,000 and up) are included because few contracts reach $250,000.
- Method labels are based on the wording of the agenda item: "ITB"/"base bid"/"low bidder" = competitive sealed bid; "RFQ"/"top ranked" = qualifications-based selection; "task order" = work under an existing continuing-services contract; "piggyback"/Sourcewell/FSA/OMNIA/City of Tallahassee contract = cooperative or piggyback purchase. For Bay County items identified only by contract number, the type comes from the county's bid posting at baycountyfl.gov/bids.aspx where available (link in notes). Where the source does not say, the method is "Not stated".
- Vendors that appear most often across governments in this period: Marshall Brothers Construction & Engineering, Roberts and Roberts, C.W. Roberts Contracting, Anderson Columbia, Mainline Construction, Gulf Coast Utility Contractors, Royal American Construction, Dewberry Engineers, Mott MacDonald, Panhandle Engineering, CDR Maguire and Hagerty Consulting (disaster-recovery consulting).
- Bay County check-register top vendors are cash paid in the months covered, not contract value; large construction payments in a year reflect work performed on contracts awarded earlier (e.g., Weeks Marine's $25.3M in FY2025 on the $27.2M Mexico Beach beach restoration contract 24-45).
- Lynn Haven FY2025 warrant lists include one check of $4,312,791.60 dated 2024-12-15 to vendor no. 24060, "JDF RVOC TR OF" (truncated name; a revocable trust). The list does not state its purpose. The same payee got recurring checks of $21,021.13 in other periods.
- Bay County FY2026 registers show $12,814,239.25 paid to Hand Arendall Harrison Sale LLC (a law firm). It is listed in top_payees_all but left out of top_vendors as a likely trust/closing payment; the purpose is not stated in the register.
- Discrepancy: Bay County bid posting 24-22 (artificial reef) lists Walter Marine, Inc. as bid recipient, while the 2024-10-01 BOCC agenda recommends awarding Contract 24-22 to Weeks Marine for $492,750.
What we couldn't find (10)
- No check register or vendor-payment list was found for any city (Panama City, Panama City Beach, Callaway, Springfield, Parker, Mexico Beach). Lynn Haven agenda packets include a filtered "Check Reconciliation" (warrant list) of checks of about $10,000 or more from October 2022 to July 2025. Those lists are summarized in registers, but they are partial: smaller checks and electronic payments are left out, and some packets had no list or an unreadable one (12 of 144).
- Bay County check registers were only found attached to BOCC agendas from January 2024 onward. FY2023 is not covered. FY2024 covers 7 of 12 months (Jan and Apr-Sep 2024; Oct-Dec 2023 and Feb-Mar 2024 are missing). FY2025 is missing February 2025. FY2026 runs through July 2026 (Aug-Sep 2026 had not been presented as of 2026-10-20). Missing months could be requested from the Clerk of Court.
- The Bay County registers list the BOCC's disbursements only. Spending by the Sheriff, Clerk, Property Appraiser, Tax Collector and Supervisor of Elections shows up as lump-sum transfers to those offices; their own vendor payments are not included.
- Bay County FY2023 agendas (Oct 2022 to Feb 2024) were read from the first 25 pages of each compiled agenda packet; a few items whose text fell outside those pages may be missing.
- Springfield: meeting pages on springfieldfl.net do not include agenda documents, and the document library needs a staff login. No Springfield contracts or purchasing thresholds were captured.
- Callaway: most agenda packets are scanned images and agenda titles carry no dollar amounts, so only three awards were captured from the few text-searchable packets. No Callaway purchasing threshold was found.
- Mexico Beach: all 87 posted council minutes from FY2023-FY2026 were read by OCR; amounts depend on OCR quality. Parker: council minutes posted online run from Oct 2022 to about March 2024, with only a few later ones; they are scanned and seldom name awarded vendors or amounts, and Parker agendas list no dollar amounts. Only one Parker award could be documented.
- Panama City Beach: many council agenda titles have no dollar amount. Amounts were pulled from linked item memos and resolutions for the larger items, but some regular-agenda contracts (e.g., Front Beach Road Segment 3 change order 11, the CRA program management agreement with DRMP, the CentralSquare ERP agreement, the 2026 command bus vendor) have no amount here.
- Original contract amounts for several change orders (e.g., Bay County juvenile courthouse addition, PCB Front Beach Road Segment 3, Panama City Martin Theatre and SRF Area F1) were not in the FY2023-FY2026 agendas reviewed, so percentage increases could not be computed for them.
- Procurement portals (Bay County OpenGov, DemandStar, BidNet, Bonfire) were not used as data sources. Awards were taken from agendas, plus the county's own bids.aspx postings for solicitation type.