Summary of Solicitation for Thomaston Opera House Auditorium Restoration

This is a Request for Proposal (RFP) issued by the Town of Thomaston, Connecticut for design-build decorative finish restoration services at the Thomaston Opera House, a National Register-listed 1884 landmark located at 158 Main Street. The project encompasses hand-applied plaster repair, painting, stenciling, glazing, and mural work on auditorium walls from cove molding to floor at both orchestra and balcony levels, building upon completed Phase 1 ceiling restoration work and coordinating with an existing historic palette of over eighty colors. The solicitation opened August 21, 2026 at 7:00 a.m. EDT with proposals due September 30, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. EDT. A mandatory pre-proposal site visit is available by appointment, and the vendor question-and-answer period runs through September 18, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. EDT. Award is anticipated October 7, 2026, with on-site work scheduled to commence in January 2027. Only firms demonstrating substantial experience in historic decorative finish restoration, including at least three comparable projects in landmark theaters or civic buildings, will be considered responsive.

Pricing shall be submitted on a lump-sum basis for each defined scope section with hourly rates provided for additional work. Connecticut prevailing wage requirements under Statutes Section 31-53 and affirmative action and equal opportunity employment obligations are mandatory. State set-aside goals of 25% small business enterprises (SBE) and 6.25% minority business enterprises (MBE) apply. The project is funded by a $2 million state bond authorization through the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development's Community Investment Fund 2030. Proposals are evaluated on qualifications and comparable project experience (25%), technical approach and work plan (25%), cost (25%), proposed schedule and timeline compliance (15%), and key personnel and staffing (10%). Contractors must provide 100% performance and payment bonds, commercial general liability insurance with $2 million general aggregate limits, workers compensation insurance, and $1 million commercial umbrella liability. Questions should be directed to Richard Sileo, First Selectman, at rsileo@thomastonct.gov, with Deborah Bournival serving as the primary procurement contact.