BID #2026-16

INDEPENDENCE DAY

FIREWORKS DISPLAY

SEALED submissions are subject to the standard Bidder:

instructions set forth on the attached sheets.

Any modifications must be specifically _________________________________ accepted by the Town of Stratford. Doing Business As (Trade Name)

Address

Released: Tuesday, 6th January, 2026 _________________________________________ Town / State / Zip

Phillip Ryan, Purchasing Agent _________________________________________ Title (Mr /Ms)

Signature

Telephone

E-mail

Sealed bids will be received by the Purchasing Department at the office of the Purchasing Agent, 2725 Main Street, Room 104, Stratford, Connecticut 06615, up to:

10:00AM, Tuesday, 27th January, 2026

NOTE:

1. Bidders are to complete all requested data in the upper right corner of this page and must return this page with their bid proposal.

2. No bid shall be accepted from, or contracts awarded to, any person/company who is in arrears to the Town of Stratford upon debt, or contract or who has been within the prior five (5) years, a defaulter as surety or otherwise upon obligations to the Town of Stratford.

3. Submissions are to be submitted in a sealed envelope and clearly marked “BID #2026-16” on the outside of the envelope, including all outer packaging, such as, DHL, FedEx, UPS, etc.

offering more from forest to shore

PURCHASING

mailto:purchasing@townofstratford.com http://www.townofstratford.com/

BID #2026-16 / Independence Day Fireworks Display

INVITATION TO BID

The Town of Stratford (Town) is seeking competitive proposals from licensed professional pyrotechnics contractors to perform annual Independence Day fireworks display located at Short Beach, 1 Dorne Drive. The annual display will be required to be launched from a specified area situated on the golf course adjacent to Short Beach. Refer to appended radius map for detail.

RENEWAL OF CONTRACT

• Town may offer to extend the 2026 agreement per the same terms and conditions of the bid, including an agreed upon cost-of-living allowance (COLA) increase.

• Option to extend each term shall be at the sole discretion of the Town of Stratford and shall be mutually agreed upon by both parties.

• In the event that the awarded company (“Contractor”) does not perform the work in accordance with the specifications and/or scope of services, the Town reserves the right to terminate the agreement.

REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION (RFI) / ADDENDA

Direct requests in writing to: Town of Stratford, Purchasing Department Attention: Phillip Ryan, Purchasing Agent

E-mail: PRyan@townofstratford.com

NOTE: Written requests for information will not be accepted after 12:00PM on Friday, 16th January, 2026.

Response will be in the form of an addendum that will be posted approximately Wednesday, 21st January, 2026 at the close of business to the Purchasing Department website: https://www.stratfordct.gov/page/purchasing-department

It is the responsibility of each bidder to retrieve addenda from the website. Any contact about this bid between a Bidder and any other Town official and/or department manager and/or Town of Stratford employee, other than as set forth above, may be grounds for disqualification of that Bidder. No questions or clarifications shall be answered by phone, in person or in any other manner than specified above. Addenda will not be mailed, e-mailed or faxed out.

DISPLAY

Minimum display count for shells and cakes:

Cakes – (6) / 49 shot: 294 Cakes – (6) / 100 shot: 600 Shells – 2.5 inch: 180 Shells – 3 inch: 550 Shells – 4 inch: 300 Shells – 5 inch: 180 Shells – 6 inch: 135

Total Shots/Shells: 2,239

Date of Event: 2nd July (Rain Date 6th July)

Length of Display: 25-30 minutes

Location: Short Beach, 1 Dorne Drive, Stratford, CT

Method of Firing: Display must be 100% electronically fired.

It will be the responsibility of the Contractor to obtain all necessary permits and licenses required by local and state fireworks regulations.

Contract award will be determined per the most advantageous solution to the Town, but not limited to, company reputation, safety record, schedule and quality of performance.

SCOPE OF SERVICES

1. Time and date of display will be confirmed and agreed upon in advance between Contractor and Town, including postponement dates, prior to execution of contract.

2. Display launch shall be confirmed and agreed upon in advance between the Contractor and Town, as determined by completion of sunset and other conditions. The preferred duration of the display shall be 25 to 30 minutes.

3. Should the display be postponed to an agreed upon postponement date, the Town shall not be held responsible for covering costs for overnight lodging, transportation, meals, etc. All prices submitted in the proposal must be inclusive of any additional costs that may be anticipated by the Contractor to accommodate for postponement dates.

4. In the event that a postponement date should occur, the Contractor shall be responsible for securing and proper storage of all fireworks and related equipment per industry standards.

5. Should the display be cancelled for any reason, including postponement dates, the Town shall not be responsible for any costs of the fireworks or associated materials, equipment, labor, storage or shipping, etc.

6. The Contractor, at own cost, must secure all necessary state and federal permits for public display of fireworks.

FORMAT OF PROPOSAL

1. Provide one (1) signed original and one (1) printed copy of the proposal. Proposals must be sealed and marked with the bid number and title, including the responding contractor’s name and address.

2. A general description of company, including locality, number of employees, primary business, other business interests or services and type of organization (i.e. corporation, partnership).

3. If the proposal is a joint venture, qualifications of each company comprising of the joint venture should be separately identified, including the company that is to serve as the principal. Complete information on qualifications and experience should be provided for all joint venture partners and subcontractors.

4. Resume and relevant experience of all personnel to be assigned to the project, including any subcontractors.

5. References for the previous three (3) years regarding similar scope contracts performed.

6. Submit a detailed description of services to be provided, such as, firework display program, inventory (shell sizes, quantities), including all other schedules and timelines, etc.

7. Identify any resources and/or assistance you will require from the Town of Stratford.

8. Provide information on the circumstances and status of any disciplinary action taken or pending against the company during the past three (3) years with State regulatory bodies. If your company has engaged in any recent news articles or industry publication, please include a copy.

9. Include proof of insurance and NCCI form. The Town reserves the right to reject any bidder whose Experience

Modification Rating (EMR) is higher than 1.0.

10. The following must also be submitted with proposal:

Cover page, completed and signed.

Addenda posted at https://www.stratfordct.gov/page/purchasing-department under Bid Invitations.

Evidence of all certificates, permits, licenses and insurances as requested.

11. In addition to the above requirements, please include additional experience, factors or strengths that will assist the

Town in assessing your proposal. This information need only be a brief outline.

https://www.stratfordct.gov/page/purchasing-department

SELECTION CRITERIA

1. Technical Competence:

Contractor must be experienced in performing similar scope firework displays while meeting all necessary guidelines and procedures (OSHA, permits, licenses, insurance) as governed by state and local agencies.

Evidence of Certificate of Competency to Operate a Fireworks Display or Special Effects.

2. References:

Provide a list of municipalities for the past three (3) years regarding similar contracts performed.

3. Knowledge of Locality:

Contractor shall be familiar with the Short Beach Golf Course and Short Beach vicinity including adjoining properties, including all regulatory agencies and their requirements having jurisdiction over such properties.

4. Resumes:

Provide list of experience for all company personnel involved in set up and execution of the display. Personnel must possess all State of Connecticut permits and licenses.

5. Fee Proposal:

Provide an accurate cost proposal for services to be performed. The selected company will be required to hold pricing for 90 days after bid opening. The Town will not be responsible for any additional costs that are not itemized under all lump sum amounts as submitted in the proposal.

ENCLOSURES

1. Radius Map.

BID PROPOSAL FORM

PROPOSAL TO: Town of Stratford, Purchasing Department 2725 Main Street, Stratford, Connecticut 06615

I, __________________________________________________________have received the following contract documents,

1. BID Document #2026-16,

2. Addenda ___ through ___ posted at https://www.stratfordct.gov/page/purchasing-department and have included their provisions in my proposal. I shall provide all labor, materials, tools, equipment, technical services, taxes and state/federal permits, etc., in accordance with all of the contract documents to perform the annual Independence Day fireworks display per the following options.

The Town is seeking bid proposals per the following display dates:

A. Provide lump sum amount for fireworks display held on July 2nd with postponement “rain date” of July 6th

Lump Sum Amount: dollars ($ )

NOTE: The above display date and rain date are subject to change. Actual schedule will be confirmed at time of contract.

B. Confirm Shell Quantity: ________ Total Count

C. Confirm Display Duration: ________ Total Minutes

CHECKLIST

Cover page, completed and signed.

Addenda acknowledged (where issued) on Bid Proposal Form, or

Signed and submitted with modified pricing if requested.

List of references where projects performed of comparable size and scope within the past three years.

List of all subcontractors identifying each trade, hourly rates, and Tax ID number.

Exceptions itemized and attached to Bid Form.

Company Name of Authorized Representative

Title Signature Date https://www.stratfordct.gov/page/purchasing-department

REFERENCES

REFERENCE #1:

Name of Company Phone

Contact Person Cell

Company Address Fax

Date work completed Email

REFERENCE #2:

Name of Company Phone

Contact Person Cell

Company Address Fax

Date work completed Email

REFERENCE #3:

Name of Company Phone

Contact Person Cell

Company Address Fax

Date work completed Email

REFERENCE #4:

Name of Company Phone

Contact Person Cell

Company Address Fax

Date work completed Email

REFERENCE #5:

Name of Company Phone

Contact Person Cell

Company Address Fax

Date work completed Email

Provide subcontractor details, if employed as part of this contract, including labor rates for additional work:

SUBCONTRACTOR #1:

Name of Company Fed ID #

Contact Person Phone

Trade Email

Rates: Supervisor $_______/hr Foreman $_______ /hr Journeyman $_______ /hr Apprentice $______ /hr

SUBCONTRACTOR #2:

Name of Company Fed ID #

Contact Person Phone

Rates: Supervisor $_______/hr Foreman $_______ /hr Journeyman $_______ /hr Apprentice $______ /hr

SUBCONTRACTOR #3:

Name of Company Fed ID #

Contact Person Phone

Rates: Supervisor $_______/hr Foreman $_______ /hr Journeyman $_______ /hr Apprentice $______ /hr

SUBCONTRACTOR #4:

Name of Company Fed ID #

Contact Person Phone

Rates: Supervisor $_______/hr Foreman $_______ /hr Journeyman $_______ /hr Apprentice $______ /hr

NOTE: All subcontractors are subject to approval by the Town of Stratford.

PURCHASING DEPARTMENT

TOWN OF STRATFORD

INSTRUCTIONS FOR BIDDERS

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF BID

BID PROPOSALS

Bid proposals are to be submitted in a sealed envelope and clearly marked on the outside “BID #2026-16” including all outer packaging such as DHL, FedEx, UPS, etc. All prices and notations must be printed in ink or typewritten. No erasures are permitted.

Bid proposals are to be in the office of the Purchasing Department, Town Hall, 2725 Main Street, Room 104, Stratford, Connecticut, prior to date and time specified, at which time they will be publicly opened.

RIGHT TO ACCEPT / REJECT

AFTER REVIEW OF ALL FACTORS, TERMS AND CONDITIONS, INCLUDING PRICE, THE TOWN OF STRATFORD RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REJECT ANY AND ALL BIDS, OR ANY PART THEREOF, OR WAIVE DEFECTS IN SAME, OR ACCEPT ANY PROPOSAL DEEMED TO BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE TOWN OF STRATFORD.

POWER OF REJECTION

The Mayor shall have the power to reject all bids and to advertise again.

QUESTIONS

Questions concerning conditions, bidding guidelines and specifications should only be directed in writing to:

Mr. Phillip Ryan, Purchasing Agent: PRyan@townofstratford.com

Inquiries must reference date of bid opening, requisition or contract number, and must be received no later than as indicated in the bid documents prior to date of bid opening. Failure to comply with these conditions will result in the bidder waiving the right to dispute the bid specifications and conditions.

PRICES

Prices quoted must be firm, for acceptance by the Town of Stratford, for a period of ninety (90) days. Prices shall include all applicable duties. Bidders shall be required to deliver awarded items at prices quoted in their original bid.

F.O.B. DESTINATION

Prices quoted shall be net, delivered to destination. Bids quoting other than F.O.B. Destination may be rejected.

PERMITS

The contractor shall be responsible for securing all necessary permits, state and local, and as required by the Town of Stratford.

PAYMENT PROCEDURES

No voucher, claim or charge against the Town shall be paid without the approval of the Director of Finance for correctness and legality.

PAYMENT PERIOD

The Town of Stratford shall put forth its best effort to make payment within thirty days (30) after delivery of the item acceptance of the work, or receipt of a properly completed invoice, whichever is later. Payment period shall be net thirty days (30) unless otherwise specified. For projects that do not require a performance or bid bond, The Town of Stratford reserves the right to retain five percent (5%) of total bid amount, which is payable ninety (90) days after final payment or acceptance of the work.

THE CONTRACTOR

The Contractor for the work described shall be thoroughly familiar with the requirements of all specifications, and the actual physical conditions of various job sites. The submission of a proposal shall be construed as evidence that the Contractor has examined the actual job conditions, requirements, and specifications. Any claim for labor, equipment, or materials required, or difficulties encountered which could have been foreseen had such an examination been carefully made will not be recognized.

ASSIGNMENT OF CONTRACT

No contract may be assigned or transferred without the consent of the Town of Stratford.

AWARD OF BIDS

Contracts and purchases will be made or entered into with the lowest responsible bidder meeting specifications, except as otherwise specified in the invitation. If more than one item is specified in the invitation, the Town of Stratford reserves the right to determine the low bidder on an individual basis or on the basis of all items included in the Invitation for Bids, unless otherwise expressed by the Town.

NOTE: The Town will be reviewing proposals to ensure contractors/individuals/suppliers/vendors are not debarred or suspended.

GUARANTEE

Equipment, materials and/or work executed shall be guaranteed for a minimum period of one (1) year against defective material and workmanship. The cost of all labor, materials, shipping charges and other expenses in conjunction with the replacement of defective equipment, and/or unsatisfactory work, shall be borne by the Contractor.

CATALOGUE REFERENCE

Unless expressly stated otherwise, any and all reference to commercial types, sales, trade names and catalogues are intended to be descriptive only and not restrictive; the intent is to indicate the kind and quality of the articles that will be acceptable. Bids on other equivalent makes, or with reference to other catalogue items will be considered. The bidder is to clearly state exactly what will be furnished. Where possible and feasible, submit an illustration, descriptive material, and/or product sample.

OSHA

The bidder will certify all equipment complies with all regulations and conditions stipulated under the Williams-Steiger Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1971, as amended. The successful bidder will further certify that all items furnished under this project will conform and comply with Federal and State of Connecticut OSHA standards. The successful bidder will agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Town of Stratford for any and all damages that may be assessed against the Town.

LIFE CYCLE COSTING

Where applicable, Life Cycle Costing will be used as a criterion for awarding bids. This is a method of calculating total cost of ownership of an item over the life of the product, which may include operation and maintenance expenses, transportation, salvage value, and/or disposal costs.

INSURANCE

A. Insurance: The Contractor shall not commence any work under this Contract until all insurance required by this and the preceding Article has been obtained and Certificates evidencing its issuance have been submitted to and approved by the Owner.

Such policies shall stipulate that no coverage can be changed or canceled, unless the Owner has had thirty (30) days prior notice in writing. Certificates of renewals or changes in policies shall be delivered to the Owner at least thirty (30) days prior to the expiration of the policy.

The following insurance is required to be maintained in full force until all work required by the contract has been fully completed, except that Products/Completed Operations coverage shall be maintained for 5 years.

B. Workmen’s Compensation Insurance: The Contractor shall carry Workmen’s Compensation and Employer’s Liability Insurance in the form and in such amounts as may be currently required to comply with the Labor Laws of the State of Connecticut.

C. Automobile Insurance: The Contractor shall carry and maintain during the life of the Contract:

Comprehensive Automobile Bodily Injury Liability Insurance with:

$ 500,000 each person and $1,000,000 each accident; together with

Property Damage Liability with limits of:

$ 500,000 each accident and $1,000,000 aggregate.

Or Contractor may carry a policy with a combined single limit of $1,000,000.

This policy shall include all liability of the Contractor arising from the operation of all self-owned motor vehicles used in the performance of the Contract; and shall also include a “non-Ownership” provision covering the operation of motor vehicles not owned by the Contractor, but used in the performance of the work.

D. Comprehensive General Liability:

Bodily Injury and Property Damage $5,000,000 Products/Completed Operations $1,000,000 Umbrella policy $10,000,000

This policy shall include Subcontractor's Liability coverage, protecting the Contractor and the Town against liability arising out of the activities of Subcontractors engaged by him/her in the performance of the work.

The following entities shall be named as additional insured on the General Contractor's and Subcontractors’ Comprehensive General Liability, Umbrella: Town of Stratford, its officers, employees and agents.

E. Subcontractor’s Insurance: Each Subcontractor engaged by the Contractor to perform any of the work under the Contract shall comply with the foregoing insurance requirements stipulated under paragraphs a) and b) and c) and d) with respect to his own operations; and Certificates of such insurance coverage shall be filed with the Owner before commencing any work, as hereinbefore stipulated.

The Contractor shall take out and maintain during the life of this contract Workmen's Compensation Insurance in the amount required under the laws of the State of Connecticut for all his/her employees employed on said work and, in case any work is sublet, the Contractor shall require the Subcontractor similarly to provide such Workman's Compensation Insurance for his/her employees.

In case any class of employees engaged in hazardous work under the contract at the site of the work is not protected under Workman's Compensation statute, the Contractor shall provide and shall cause each Subcontractor to provide Workman's Compensation Insurance for protection of the employees not protected otherwise.

The Contractor shall take out and maintain during the life of the contract Automobile Insurance for Bodily Injury and Property Damage in the amounts of 500,000/$1,000,000 each or a single combined limit of $1,000,000. Contractor shall also take out and maintain during the life of the contract Comprehensive General Liability Insurance insuring him/her against liability to persons not employed by him/her, in an amount not less than $1,000,000 for bodily injury, including wrongful death, and for property damage.

Contractor shall also carry Products/Completed Operations insurance in the amount of $1,000,000 for a period of 5 years from the completion of the project and Umbrella coverage in the amount of $5,000,000. Subcontractors shall provide the same coverage.

The Contractor will maintain in full force at all times during this engagement professional liability insurance coverage of $10,000,000 per occurrence, and will provide evidence of the same to the Town of Stratford.

The successful bidder will be required to furnish certificates of insurance, naming the Town of Stratford, its officers, employees and agents as additional insureds, at or before execution of the agreement.

HOLD HARMLESS

Contractor shall defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the Town of Stratford, its officers, employees, agents or volunteers, from and against any and all claims and demands of any nature for any loss, damage or injury which any person may suffer by reason of, or in any way arising out of, this Agreement, unless caused by the sole negligence of the Town.

FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LAWS

All applicable Federal, State and local laws, rules and regulations of all authorities having jurisdiction over the locality of the project shall apply to the contract and are deemed to be included herein. If the total amount of the project, including any current or future change orders, exceeds $100,000.00 all work is to be done in accordance with Connecticut Department of Labor (CT-DOL) rules and regulations. More information may be obtained from: www.ctdol.state.ct.us

The Davis-Bacon and Related Acts, shall apply to contractors and subcontractors performing on federally funded or assisted contracts in excess of $2,000 for the construction, alteration, or repair (including painting and decorating) of public buildings or public works. More information may be obtained from: https://www.dol.gov/whd/govcontracts/dbra.htm

NOTE: The Town shall apply the most current wage decision applicable at the time of contract award.

http://www.ctdol.state.ct.us/ https://www.dol.gov/whd/govcontracts/dbra.htm

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

No officer or employee or member of any elective or appointive board, commission, committee or council of the Town, whether temporary or permanent, shall have or acquire any financial interest gained from a successful bid, direct or indirect, in any project, matter, contract or business within his/her jurisdiction or the jurisdiction of the board, commission, committee or council of which he/she is a member. Nor shall the officer / employee / member have any financial interest, direct or indirect, in any contract or proposed contract for materials or services to be furnished or used in connection with any project, matter or thing which comes under his/her jurisdiction or the jurisdiction of the board, commission, committee or council of which he/she is a member.

SCOPE OF WORK / SITE INSPECTIONS

The bidder declares that the scope of the work has been thoroughly reviewed and any questions resolved (see above for name and number of individual to contact for questions). If applicable, the bidder further declares that the site has been inspected as called for in the specifications (q.v.).

EXCEPTION TO SPECIFICATIONS

No protest regarding the validity or appropriateness of the specifications or of the Invitation for Bids will be considered, unless the protest is filed in writing with the Purchasing Agent prior to the closing date for the bids. All bid proposals rendered shall be considered meeting the attached specifications unless exceptions are noted on a separate page dated and signed by the bidder.

UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED

It will be assumed that all terms and conditions and specifications will be complied with and will be considered as part of the Bid Proposal.

TAX EXEMPT

Federal Tax Exemption 06-6002103.

Exempt from State Sales Tax under State General Statues Chapter 219-Section 12-412 Subsection A.