Bottom line. Vet on license, bonding, NOA / Florida Product Approval, insurance, manufacturer certifications, references, safety record, submittal capability, and field supervision. Price is the last filter, not the first. This is the 9-point checklist Florida GCs use on commercial work.
On commercial projects in Florida, glazing scope is one of the highest-risk packages a GC awards. The envelope sees hurricane loads, code review, owner-direct punchlist scrutiny, and water-intrusion liability that extends years past closeout. A glazing contractor that fails on submittals, NOA, or field execution costs more in rework and schedule slip than the savings on the original bid.
The 9-point checklist below mirrors the prequalification process used by Florida's mid- and large-tier general contractors. Use it on every storefront, impact window, curtainwall, multi-slide door, and fire-rated glazing scope.
Confirm an active Florida Certified General Contractor (CGC) license, or the appropriate specialty license, on the Florida DBPR portal. License lapses, suspensions, and prior disciplinary action are public. ACG operates under CGC #1531993.
Request a bond letter on the surety's letterhead, dated within the past 90 days, listing single-project and aggregate limits. Treasury-listed sureties only. For a $1M glazing scope, expect a single-project bonding capacity of at least $3M to absorb change orders and retainage exposure. ACG operates with $3M single / $6M aggregate.
For HVHZ jurisdictions (Miami-Dade and Broward), every glazing product on the project must carry a current Miami-Dade NOA. Statewide HVHZ-adjacent work uses Florida Product Approval under the Florida Building Code (FBC). Ask the bidder to attach NOA / FL Approval numbers to each line item on their bid. If they cannot, that is the answer.
Florida commercial standard limits for glazing subs:
| Coverage | Minimum on $1M+ projects | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| General Liability | $1M / $2M | Per occurrence / aggregate |
| Excess / Umbrella | $5M | $10M for projects $5M+ |
| Workers Compensation | Statutory | Florida statutory limits |
| Auto Liability | $1M | Hired and non-owned included |
| Additional Insured | Primary, non-contributory | Owner + GC + lender named |
Request the COI before award. Verify the producer (broker) directly if the project is over $2M.
Direct manufacturer certification matters because most manufacturer warranties (and many NOAs) require certified installation. For commercial scope in Florida, the certifications worth verifying are:
References should be from GCs (not owners), within the past 24 months, on dollar-size and product-type matched to your scope. Speak to the project manager and the superintendent — not the salesperson who introduced the bidder. Ask: did the sub hit submittal dates, did they ship on the original schedule, what was the change-order ratio, and did closeout punch resolve inside 30 days.
Request the Experience Modification Rate (EMR), the most recent OSHA 300 logs, and any DART history. EMR over 1.0 is a flag on most commercial bids; over 1.25 is disqualifying on most owner-direct work. ACG holds 0 OSHA recordables across 350+ projects.
Ask for a sample shop-drawing package with NOA cross-references and a sample submittal log. Submittal quality is a leading indicator of field execution quality — sloppy submittals predict sloppy work. Look for: NOA referenced on every detail, structural calcs sealed by a Florida-registered engineer, and clear interface details with adjacent trades.
Identify the named project manager and named superintendent before contract execution. Confirm in writing that they will be assigned to your project. Ask how many concurrent projects each is currently supervising — three is the practical maximum for a Florida glazing sub before quality degrades. Ask how the contractor handles supervisor turnover mid-project.
A Certified General Contractor (CGC) license through the Florida DBPR is the most common credential. A specialty Glass and Glazing (CGI) license also qualifies. ACG operates under CGC #1531993.
Florida commercial standard: $1M/$2M general liability, $5M umbrella, statutory workers comp, $1M auto. Projects over $5M typically require $10M umbrella.
A Notice of Acceptance is a Miami-Dade-issued product approval certifying TAS 201 / 202 / 203 compliance. Required in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties; commonly specified statewide.
14-30 days for private commercial scope under $2M; 30-60 days for public-bid and federally funded work.
On glazing scope, no — compare scope inclusions line-by-line before comparing price. Excluded items become extras, and rework from underbid scope is the largest hidden cost on the envelope package.
At a minimum, direct certification with the manufacturers whose products are specified on your project. A glazing sub with six or more current manufacturer certifications is investing in their craft.
If you are awarding a commercial glazing scope in Florida and want a contractor that passes every point on this checklist, send the bid set.
Request a Bid ReviewAsk the sub to walk you through their submittal process, material lead-time tracking, and trade-coordination approach, then check three to five references. American Commercial Glass runs submittals and RFIs natively in Procore and tracks material status in real time through jobcost.ai, so general contractors always know where every order stands.
Issue an invitation to bid with a clear scope, confirm the sub is licensed and bonded for your project size, and verify Procore compatibility for submittals and RFIs. American Commercial Glass bids storefront, curtainwall, window wall, and impact scopes statewide in Florida and books work through [email protected] or +1-772-486-7711.
A qualified commercial glazing contractor holds a state license and carries liability, workers' comp, and bonding. American Commercial Glass is licensed as FL CGC #1531993, bonded $3M single / $6M aggregate through Arch Insurance A+ XV, and runs OSHA 30 on 100% of its field crew with zero recordables since founding.
Industry pricing for commercial storefront glass runs roughly $50–$150 per square foot installed, varying with glass type, framing, and project complexity. American Commercial Glass competes on speed and reliability rather than price and provides itemized scope pricing per project — request a quote at [email protected] or +1-772-486-7711.