BL075-23 INV

PA046-21 Page 1

May 10, 2023

INVITATION TO BID

BL075-23

Gwinnett County is soliciting competitive sealed bids from qualified contractors for Installation of New Water Meters on an Annual Contract with four (4) options to renew for the Department of Water Resources.

Bids should be typed or submitted in ink and returned in a sealed container marked on the outside with the BL# and Company Name. Bids will be received until 2:50 P.M. local time on June 9, 2023 at the Gwinnett County Financial Services - Purchasing Division – 2nd Floor, 75 Langley Drive, Lawrenceville, Georgia 30046. Any bid received after this date and time will not be accepted. Bids will be publicly opened and read at 3:00 P.M. Apparent bid results will be available the following business day on the website www.gwinnettcounty.com.

A Webex pre-proposal meeting is scheduled for 10:00 A.M. local time on May 17, 2023. To access, dial 1-408-418-9388, enter Access Code 2338 808 9702. All contractors are urged to attend. Questions regarding bids should be directed to Jake Scarpone, Purchasing Associate II, at Jake.Scarpone@gwinnettcounty.com or by calling 770-822-8722, no later than 3:00 P.M. on May 19, 2023. Bids are legal and binding upon the bidder when submitted.

All suppliers must submit with bid, a bid bond, certified check or cashier's check in the amount of five percent (5%) of the total bid. Failure to submit a bid bond with the proper rating will result in the bid being deemed non-responsive. Successful supplier will be required to meet insurance requirements, submit a one hundred percent (100%) performance bond and a one hundred percent (100%) payment bond. Insurance and Bonding Company should be licensed to do business by the Georgia Secretary of State, authorized to do business in Georgia by The Georgia Insurance Department, listed in the Department of Treasury's Publication of Companies holding Certificates of Authority as Acceptable Surety on Federal Bonds and as acceptable reinsuring companies. The bid bond, payment bond, and performance bond must have an A.M. Best rating of A- 5 or higher.

Gwinnett County does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the admission or access to its programs or activities.

Any requests for reasonable accommodations required by individuals to fully participate in any open meeting, program or activity of Gwinnett County Government should be directed to the ADA Coordinator at the Gwinnett County Justice and Administration Center, 770-822-8165.

The written bid documents supersede any verbal or written prior communications between the parties.

Award will be made to the contractor submitting the lowest responsive and responsible bid. Gwinnett County reserves the right to reject any or all bids to waive technicalities and to make an award deemed in its best interest. Bids may be split or awarded in entirety. Gwinnett County reserves the option to negotiate terms, conditions and pricing with the lowest responsive, responsible bidder(s) at its discretion.

Award notification will be posted after award on the County website, www.gwinnettcounty.com and companies submitting a bid will be notified via email.

We look forward to your bid and appreciate your interest in Gwinnett County.

Jake Scarpone Purchasing Associate II

The following pages should be returned with your bid:

Bid Schedule, Pages 16-24 References, Page 25 Contractor Affidavit & Agreement, Page 26 Code of Ethics Affidavit, Page 27 Statement of Qualifications, Page 28 List of Subcontractors, Page 29 Bid Bond, Pages 32-33 http://www.gwinnettcounty.com/ mailto:Jake.Scarpone@gwinnettcounty.com http://www.gwinnettcounty.com/

BL075-23 Page 2

I. PART 1 – GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF WORK

SECTION A – INSTALLATION OR RELOCATION OF WATER METERS

All contractors submitting a bid shall be able to provide, all labor, tools and equipment to install water meters ranging in size from ¾”-2”, to include, but not be limited to, all cutting of pavement, borings, excavations, backfilling, water main taps, site management and traffic control, protection of the work and adjacent works, site restoration, erosion and sediment control, and all other tasks necessary for the satisfactory completion and safe execution of the work.

The County has been divided into a North section and a South section, the attached map depicts this delineation. In an effort to ensure adequate and timely installation of water meters, it is the County’s intent to award the North Section to one contractor, and award the South section to a different contractor. However, the County continues to reserve the right to award the contract in its best interests. The Contract will be an "open end" type to provide for the requirements of the County on an as-needed basis. The County reserves the right to adjust the quantity and delineation of the work should a backlog develop due to either a rise in meter sales or a failure to execute the work as stipulated in the bid by either contractor.

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II. PART 2 – GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

1. Unless otherwise specified, all items will be in accordance with the Georgia Department of Transportation

Standard Specifications - Construction of Roads and Bridges - latest Edition and all supplements thereto.

All new meter installations are to be performed in compliance with the drawings and specifications booklet entitled, “Water System Design and Construction Standards for Development Projects, Latest Revision”.

Specification booklet may be obtained from the Gwinnett County Government website:

https://www.gwinnettcounty.com/static/departments/water/pdf/Water-Sewer-Standards-Current.pdf

2. Potential bidders must demonstrate that trained, responsible people will be used for this contract. Employees should have training to include classroom and field work with a qualified instructor. It is expected that actual field experience will have been part of the training. Contractor and its employees must be trained and follow all OSHA guidelines and requirements pertaining to “confined space”. Successful vendor will be required to submit a copy of the Certificate of Training for all employees who are to undertake confined space work. No employee shall undertake confined space activities without a valid certification. Contractor shall be responsible for completing and maintaining all appropriate confined space permitting requirements.

3. If required for the safe execution of the work, all traffic control personnel, equipment, and signs shall be provided by the Contractor. Contractor shall be required to have certified flagmen to support such requirements. All traffic control shall be pre-approved by Project Manager.

4. A contract, if awarded, will be an "Open-End" type to provide for the requirements of Gwinnett County on an "as-ordered" basis. As it is impossible to determine the exact quantities of items that will be required during the life of this contract, the quantities listed may be increased, decreased or eliminated as necessary to satisfy the needs of the County.

5. Gwinnett County reserves the right to perform any work using in-house forces where deemed advantageous to the County. Contractor shall be required to cooperate with, and accommodate, any such efforts by others to ensure efficient execution of the work.

6. All contractors submitting a bid should provide a list of equipment currently owned and the number of employees available to complete the work associated with this contract. This list should be maintained on an annual basis. However, Contractor shall report on a monthly basis the names of their employees and the number of crews actively working on this contract. Contractor shall provide any required certifications for all additional personnel assigned to the project after the award of the contract. Bidder shall be required to document to the satisfaction of GCDWR that they have the capacity to provide services, equipment, and adequately trained staff sufficient to undertake the work associated with this contract.

7. The successful contractor(s) shall provide the County a daily report with information as requested in each section to include but not limited to all outstanding work and the estimated time of completion for all leaks and new meters.

8. It will be the Contractor’s responsibility to be aware of, and comply with, the dig law in Georgia and follow the procedures as outlined by the Georgia Utility Facility Protection Act (GUFPA).

9. Contractor providing the utility work must have a current valid Utility Contractors License.

10. Before submitting Bid, each bidder shall: examine the Bid Document Package thoroughly; become familiar with local conditions affecting cost or work progress or performance; become familiar with federal, state and local laws, ordinances, rules and regulations affecting cost or work progress or performance; study and carefully correlate Bidder’s observations with the Bid Document Package; and notify County concerning conflicts, errors, or discrepancies in Bid Document Package.

11. It is the intent of these Bid Documents to procure the goods and services needed to achieve Complete Works, https://www.gwinnettcounty.com/static/departments/water/pdf/Water-Sewer-Standards-Current.pdf

BL075-23 Page 4 fully functional, and in compliance with County Standards and specifications. It is not the intent of these documents to provide a complete and full description of the standard methods and materials necessary to achieve the end result. The omission from these documents of standard procedures or materials normally used in the implementation of the Work shall not relieve the successful Bidder from the performance of those requirements nor be cause for claims for additional compensation unless specifically identified in the Bid.

Submission of a Bid shall be evidence that the Bidder considers the Work to be adequately described in the Bid Documents.

III. PART 3 – GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS

1. Insurance Requirements: The successful contractor will be required to meet the attached insurance requirements. Contractor must supply a current Certificate of Insurance that meets all specified requirements before the Contract award can be made.

2. Certificates: The successful contractor must provide copies of the Training Certificates as specified in the bid documents before the Contract award can be made including but not limited to: Confined Space, OSHA, traffic control flagman, and Georgia Utility Contractor.

3. References: Gwinnett County requests a minimum of three (3) verifiable references where work of a similar size and scope has been successfully completed in the last ten (10) years by the Bidding firm wherein they were performing as the Prime or lead firm with responsibility for the management and performance of the work. Bids will be considered only from experienced and well-equipped contractors engaged in work of this type and magnitude. List similar work successfully completed within the last ten (10) years, giving the location, size, and rate of installation maintained through the project. Bidder shall specify the portion of the work undertaken by their firm.

4. Pricing on Bid Schedule: Unit pricing should include all related costs to that particular item and should be shown as two (2) decimal points (Example: $2.53 – not $2.531) and must be all-inclusive.

5. Contractor Responsibilities: The successful contractor will provide an appropriate staff of employees, including supervisory personnel, for the efficient operation of the services hereunder. By submitting a Bid, Contractor represents that all its employees, agents, and suppliers who perform services under this contract shall be qualified and competent to perform such services. Contractor shall be solely responsible for the safe execution of the work. The Contractor shall be responsible for ensuring the safety of their crews, the public and site visitors. Contractor shall have personnel that can be contacted Monday through Friday 7:00 to 4:00 daily to answer any questions from the Project Manager relating to work orders, location of where staff is working, when work orders will be worked and when landscaping will be completed. Contractor shall have personnel available after hours in case County needs to contact them for emergency repairs. The names of the Office and Field Supervisors will be provided to the County Contract Manager along with a valid, full-time contact number and e-mail address.

The public should be able to easily identify contractor employees. The successful contractor(s) shall provide the field crew uniforms and picture identification badges which shall be always worn when work under this contract is being performed. All trucks should be marked with contractor’s name and contact number.

Contractors shall be very sensitive and supportive to customers and respect their property while conducting the work.

6. Materials: The County will furnish: curb stops, water meters, meter boxes, meter box lids, pipe, copper tubing, and manufactured fittings and appurtenances for the installation of new water meters No materials supplied by the County shall be used to address damage to the Customer’s plumbing beyond the limits of the Contracted Work arising from the operations or activities of the Contractor. Wherever the bid document makes references to the County-furnished materials, it will include only the items specified in this section.

The Contractor will be required to furnish all labor, tools, equipment, and all other materials necessary to complete the work, including but not limited to; dirt, crusher run, gravel, cold/hot patch mix, concrete, grass seed, pine/wheat straw, sod, pine bark, and landscaping materials. Materials furnished by the County must be

BL075-23 Page 5 picked up by the Contractor at the warehouse, currently located at 684 Winder Highway, Lawrenceville, Georgia 30045. Contractor is responsible for transport, storage, and protection of the County supplied materials. All material withdrawals must be approved by the Project Manager and must be scheduled at least three business days in advance with warehouse personnel. Withdrawals “on demand” will not be allowed unless authorized by Project Manager.

Contractor shall be responsible for any materials removed from the warehouse which are damaged, stolen, or lost prior to installation or returned to the warehouse in an unacceptable condition. No modifications to, or substitutions for, County supplied materials shall be allowed without the specific approval of the County Project Manager. Approval of modifications or substitutions at one location may not be assumed by the Contractor to apply to other locations. Contractor shall be solely responsible for any additional costs arising from such modifications.

7. Return of Used and Unused Materials: Contractor shall submit a monthly summary to the County Contract Manager listing all materials issued to them from the warehouse, installed into the assigned work, and maintained in their working inventory. All used brass fittings and unused copper will be returned to Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources on a quarterly basis or as requested from the Project Manager. Any unused components issued to the Contractor by the County warehouse must be returned to the warehouse in good condition, ready for use as intended. Damaged, fouled or otherwise unusable materials or components shall be replaced by the County at the Contractor’s expense. New inventory will not be given out until all unused parts are returned for recycling. Project Manager shall have the right to require the Contractor to verify and account for the inventory issued to them from the Warehouse at any time to the satisfaction of the County.

8. Damages: All plumbing that is damaged by Contractor or their subcontractor at any tier shall be repaired by the Contractor at the Contractor’s expense. This includes, but is not limited to, customer’s broken service lines within 10 feet of the meter box, broken irrigation lines, damaged sprinkler heads, plumbing issues, stopped up Pressure Reducing Valves, or damaged water heaters, etc. up to 90 days from the date that the work is performed. Any damage to plumbing resulting from direct impacts of the Contractor’s equipment, vehicles, or the actions of their personnel shall be repaired by the Contractor at their sole expense regardless of distance from the meter box.

9. Concrete Sidewalks/Driveways/Curbing: All sidewalks, driveways and curbing must be replaced within 10 calendar days of completion of the associated meter or service line work. Such restoration shall replace the removed section in-kind with respect to materials, reinforcement, section, and finish and shall comply at a minimum with the Specifications and details of the authority having jurisdiction over the adjacent street whether County or State. Hardscape restoration (concrete and asphalt) shall be in addition to the unit rates submitted for the work undertaken. All sidewalks needing repair, arising from installation of meters or repair/replacement of water service lines or mains, will be replaced in sections from existing joint to joint.

Driveways will be replaced to the first expansion joint. All concrete repairs must be completed prior to submission of invoices. All replacements must meet or exceed existing condition and comply with “Water System Design and Construction Standards for Development Projects, Latest Revision”. This document is available on the County website at location specified above in Part 2.

Note: Contractor shall inspect concrete driveways and walkways prior to commencing work to determine if there are pre-existing cracks or damage. Contractor should take photographs to document conditions prior to beginning work and following completion of the work – including surface restoration. Photographs are to be appropriately labeled so they are associated to each work site. Pay Requests submitted to the County without the associated photos shall be refused and returned to the Contractor as incomplete.

When replacing and/or constructing a concrete driveway, the existing driveway shall be cut with the concrete saw, and 1/2 inch preformed joint material, full depth, is to be used at the joint. Joint material shall also be placed between the curb and driveway if applicable. All concrete used to construct the various items shall have a minimum of compressive strength of 3000 psi at 28 days and shall be installed with all reinforcing as per Gwinnett County details. Form offsets at radius points shall be at least 12 inches to avoid slivers of

BL075-23 Page 6 concrete that may be easily broken off.

Curing of all concrete shall be in accordance with Section 430.04-J of the Georgia Department of Transportation Standard Specifications – latest edition. Curing shall be considered incidental to the construction, and no additional payment will be made.

The unit prices for concrete and asphalt replacement must include the off- site disposal of all removed and/or excavated materials at the time of excavation. Piling the debris on the street and the right-of-way is not acceptable. The removal and disposal of all other miscellaneous concrete (catch basin tops, etc.) will be considered incidental to the particular pay item being constructed. The section of pavement/concrete to be installed by the Contractor shall match the section removed and shall comply with applicable standards.

10. Road Cuts: Long-side installations shall be performed using trenchless methods whenever possible. All road cuts must have prior approval from the Gwinnett County Project Manager and shall be kept to the smallest footprint possible when used. All road cut repairs must be completed prior to submission of invoices.

Repair of road cuts must meet section 3.14 of the GCDWR Construction Standards and standard detail Number G4. In the event the road cut repair fails to maintain grade or bond to the adjacent section within 90 days, the contractor shall be required to repair the defective road cut at their own expense. Any claims for damage to vehicles due to a defective road cut will be at the sole responsibility and expense of the contractor.

At no time will it be acceptable to leave the job site of a road cut without temporarily repairing the cut. If completion of the paving is to be delayed, the cut must be filled with compacted material and crusher run such that vehicles and the public are protected against damage. The final top dress of the completed work should be made within 10 days of original cut unless approved by the Project Manager. No payment for the installation will be paid until the work is complete including surface restoration.

11. Landscaping: All landscaping must be completed prior to submission of invoices. Disturbed areas in Customers’ yards, including yard-areas within the Right-of-Way, shall be hand raked smooth upon completion of repairs, so there are no lumps, chunks of dirt, roots or rocks. Excavation area should be restored to its original condition to match previous contour and the site must be free of all debris. Surface treatment shall be determined by the conditions existing prior to the Work. Grassed and bare areas are to be treated with grass seed and straw mulch. Sodded areas will be re-sodded using a grass type equal to the existing cover.

Grass cover restoration shall extend to the full area disturbed by the Contractor, including, access, staging and stockpiling activities, to the point of intersection with any concrete or asphalt surfaces removed as part of the work. Grass and sod restoration shall be included in the unit rates provided in the bid for the work being undertaken. Hardscape restoration shall be paid at the unit rates supplied in the Bid and shall be in addition to the unit rates for the work undertaken. Hardscape areas with simple concrete or asphalt will be replaced in-kind. Restoration of decorative, specialty landscaping is covered below. Only after the site is prepared and level shall the Contractor apply seed and straw or sod. Contractor will restore all landscaping to original condition and customer satisfaction, to include buying all grass seed, sod, wheat/pine straw and pine bark as needed. It will be the Contractor’s sole responsibility to supply material and labor for repairing damages to all types of improvements, mailboxes, mailbox posts, domestic water, or irrigation systems if damaged either directly or indirectly by the Contractor. It is the responsibility of the Contractor to protect all adjacent improvements during the execution of the work and minimize the area impacted. Grass restoration shall be performed immediately following completion of the service call. Concrete and asphalt restoration shall be completed within 10 days of completing the service call. Specialty landscaping restoration shall be completed according to the schedule submitted by the Contractor for the work.

When the landscaping crew installs replacement sections of sod, such sections shall be placed as to not allow a gap more than ½” between the existing grass edges and the new sod. All replacement sections of sod shall be rectangular in shape and shall not be applied as plugs to fill small irregular shaped areas. Neaten the edges of the disturbed area as necessary to allow such installation of sod.

12. Specialty Landscaping: Specialty landscape items shall include landscaping consisting of improvements other than grass cover, concrete, or asphalt, and shall include but not be limited to: trees, shrubs, brick mail

BL075-23 Page 7 boxes, fences, decorative walkways, planters, pavers, retaining walls, cobblestone and stamped concrete driveways. Removal of such specialty landscaping will require prior authorization from the Project Manager.

If approval is not obtained prior to removal, the Contractor will assume all responsibility for the replacement of such items to their original condition without additional compensation. Contractor shall delineate the extent of their projected impacts to specialty landscaping and undertake the work with the intention of minimizing such impacts. Compensation for materials used to restore specialty landscaping, if agreed in advance by the County as necessary or appropriate, will be made to the Contractor at a maximum of cost plus 10%, for those products and materials pre-approved. Labor costs for restoration of specialty landscaping must be pre-approved by the County and will be all-inclusive for labor, equipment, and any supplies necessary to complete the work. Approval of specialty landscaping fees shall be on a case-by-case basis and shall not be extended by the Contractor to other locations or set a precedent for future claims.

13. Subcontractors: The Contractor will be allowed to use fully certified subcontractors for work under this contract, but the majority of the work must be performed by the Prime Contractor. Subcontractors shall be required to document the training of their employees in the same manner as the Prime Contractor prior to working under this contract. Approval of a subcontractor by the County shall not in any manner relieve the Contractor for their sole responsibility for the quality and adequacy of work. Any work performed by the subcontractor’s crews will be the Contractor’s responsibility as if performed by their own crews.

Subcontractors must use vehicles that display the Company Name. The addition of a subcontractor after the bid shall require County approval. Claims for extension of time or delays in the progress of the Work associated with this approval process shall not be considered by the County. Any reduction in costs associated with the subcontractor shall be reflected on future Pay Requests. Any increase in Contractor’s costs due to the addition of a subcontractor after the bid shall not be cause for increased costs to the County.

14. Worksites: The County will not assume responsibility for removal/disposal of debris or spoil generated by Contractor from worksites, or supply a disposal site for the Contractor’s use. Contractor shall be required to clean up mud and dirt from all repair sites, leaving sites in original conditions. Contractor shall not track mud or debris onto the public right-of-way. Clean up and off-site disposal of waste shall be considered as integral to the work and shall not be billed as a separate task. Contractor shall only dispose of debris in a legal manner.

15. Contact: The Contractor shall always provide a contact person in their office during the business hours that is familiar with the on-going and up-coming work assignments and capable of answering questions that may arise. The Contractor’s field-contact person will have a serviceable mobile device or cellular phone, and will be available to Gwinnett County’s Project Manager at all times including after-hours, weekends and holidays if work is in progress. Contractor will provide the Project Manager with a contact number that is available to receive calls at all times for the purpose of receiving emergency work assignments. This contact number shall connect the Project Manager to a person with the authority to immediately dispatch crews if needed and shall not be a switchboard, answering service, or automated answering device.

16. Repairs by the County: If faulty installation and/or faulty landscaping by the Contractor is identified by the

County and is found to be the Contractor’s responsibility, the Contractor will be notified and given 24-hours to correct the issue. If corrective measures are subsequently taken by the County following that period, the costs of the repair shall be charged to the Contractor and withheld from their next Pay Request. A detailed explanation shall be attached to each deduction.

17. Contractor Level of Performance: Contractor shall maintain sufficient resources and adequately trained staff to undertake up to 400 new meter installation assignments per month. If awarded this contract in its entirety, these levels shall be additive, and Contractor will be required to show staffing levels adequate to undertake both types of assignments concurrently. If a Contractor cannot maintain those levels of service due to poor weather conditions or failure to meet production standards, Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources reserves the right to assign work from that Contractor’s section over to the other Contractor to assist with reducing/maintaining an acceptable backlog range. The assisting Contractor shall not assume that they will be assigned this level of work on a regular basis, but shall be capable of providing this level of service if needed. Developing an excessive backlog due to the failure of the Contractor to provide this level of services according to the requirements of this bid and within the times as stipulated will constitute a default of

BL075-23 Page 8 contract. Default of contract may be considered sufficient grounds for termination. Additional remedies include: Contractor’s performance would be reviewed by the Gwinnett County Purchasing Policy and Review Committee; documentation of Contractor’s performance would be placed in the Vendor Performance File;

Contractor would be placed on Gwinnett County’s Ineligible Source List and any future solicitations and/or awards could be denied; Contractor’s bonding agent may be contacted for remedial action per Part 3, item 21 of this document.

18. Normal Hours of Work: The Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources normal business hours are 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Monday through Friday). All work must be performed during these business hours. Exceptions to these hours [including Holidays, Saturdays and Sundays] must have prior approval by GCDWR. It will be the Contractor’s responsibility to schedule this work with the customer and notify the Project Manager in writing at least 48-hours in advance. E-mail notification shall not be considered an adequate substitute for written notice of upcoming after-hours work.

For the purposes of this bid, the following applies:

• Normal Business Hours will be defined as Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

• Weekend Hours will be defined as 4:00 p.m. Friday to 7:00 a.m. Monday

• Holiday Hours will be defined and recognized as New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Veteran’s Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve Day, and Christmas Day.

No additional payment shall be made for work performed outside normal hours unless specifically requested by GCDWR. Work performed outside normal hours at the request of the Contractor shall be considered as the Contractor’s convenience. Emergency repairs shall be defined as Work identified by GCDWR requiring mobilization of the Contractor’s crew to a location within 4-hours of assignment, regardless of the time of service. Emergency repairs required to address faulty Work previously installed by the Contractor shall be the sole responsibility of the Contractor and shall not be compensated.

19. Bid Security: Each Bid shall be accompanied by Bid Security made payable to Owner in the amount equal to five percent (5%) of the Bidder’s total bid per section. Bid Security shall be cashier’s check or Bid Bond issued by Surety meeting requirements. Bid bond should be on County provided form found in the bid package.

Failure to use County forms may constitute a non-responsive bid and may be rejected.

Bid Security for Successful Bidder will be retained until bidder has executed Agreement and furnished required agreement, payment and performance bonds. If Successful Bidder fails to furnish the qualifications submittals or fails to execute and deliver Agreement and furnish required Payment and Performance Bonds within fifteen (15) calendar days after Notice of Award, Owner may annul Notice of Award and Bidder’s Bid Security will be forfeited. Bid Security, for any Bidder, may be retained by the Owner until the ninety-first (91st) day after Bid opening. If Notice of Award is issued within ninety (90) calendar days after Bid opening, Bid Security for Bidder receiving Notice of Award may be retained by Owner up to ninety (90) calendar days after Notice of Award.

Bid Bond shall be issued by company having a registered agent in State of Georgia and shall comply with any additional requirements listed in this bid document.

20. Bid Bond Forfeiture: The Successful Bidder, upon his failure or refusal to execute and deliver the Contract and Bonds required within fifteen (15) calendar days after receipt of Notice of Award, shall forfeit to the Owner, as penalty for such failure or refusal, the security deposited with Bid.

Provisions for penalty are set forth in the NOTICE OF BID, Bid Documents, and Specifications (including General Conditions).

21. Payment and Performance Bonds: The Successful Bidder shall be required to provide separate Payment and Performance Bonds in a form acceptable to the County in an amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of Bid Price prior to award of the Contract. Performance and Payment Bonds shall be required to extend twelve

(12) months beyond date of final payment and shall contain waiver for alteration to Contract terms, time extensions, or forbearance on Owner's part.

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22. Photographs: Photograph documentation is only applicable to Section A of this contract. Contractor shall provide a minimum of two photographs for each repair or installation. Photographs shall be clear and sufficiently detailed to document conditions prior to, and following, the work including site restoration. More than one photo for each condition is to be provided if required to provide detailed documentation of conditions. Additional photos shall be provided of any landscaping, improvements, concrete or paving which may be impacted by the work. Failure of the Contractor to provide such photo-documentation shall be sufficient grounds for the County to refuse payment requests from the Contractor for additional fees associated with restoration efforts. Photographs shall be labeled such that they identify the site specifically using the following format:

SDMTR_MeterNumber_A/B# MeterNumber = Meter Number Installed A = Pre-installation Condition Photo B = Post-installation Condition Photo #= Sequential number

IV. PART 4 (SECTION A) – INSTALLATION OR RELOCATION OF WATER METERS (SPECIAL PROVISIONS)

SCOPE OF WORK:

1. All meter installations will be performed in compliance with Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources details and standards. Any meter installation requests that cannot be completed must be returned to the Project Manager as soon as such determination has been made along with a written explanation as to why the installation could not be performed. Gwinnett County reserves the right to prioritize new meter installation requests and the order in which they are handled. The Contractor shall install all new water meters within twenty-eight (28) calendar days from the date the Contractor received the assignment from the County.

2. Meter relocations will be performed as directed by Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources. The final installation and configuration shall comply with County details and standards. Any meter relocation requests that cannot be completed must be returned to the Project Manager as soon as such determination has been made along with a written explanation as to why the installation could not be performed. Gwinnett County reserves the right to prioritize the order in which relocations are handled. The Contractor shall complete relocation work orders within twelve (12) calendar days from the date the Contractor received the assignment from the County.

3. The contractor shall be responsible for contacting the utility "on call" service at least 72 hours before beginning any excavation work on this contract.

SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS AND SPECIFICATIONS

1. Water Main Chlorination: The Contractor shall verify that the water main installer has chlorinated the water mains per AWWA standards for all new developments prior to installing any meters onto those lines. The Contractor shall have the water tested for bacteria by the Gwinnett County Environmental Lab prior to the first meter being installed in a new development as directed by Project Manager.

The County may require the Contractor to valve on, flush, and collect samples to be tested by the Gwinnett County Environmental Lab for any developments that have been dormant or unoccupied. This process shall take place prior to any new meters being installed and the time required for such tests shall be in addition to the 28-day limit for installation of the meters. In the event that such tests reflect unacceptable water quality, the Contractor may also be directed by the County to re-chlorinate the water mains of such existing developments per AWWA standards. Such testing and chlorination shall only be undertaken if directly and specifically instructed by the Project Manager.

2. Flushing and Testing: The Contractor shall flush each service line prior to connecting the meter to prevent foreign particles/matter from entering the meter. The Contractor shall return to the site and flush the water

BL075-23 Page 10 service line at their sole expense if a water quality complaint is called by the Customer. The Contractor shall also test each meter installed to ensure that there is no restriction from the main to, and through, the meter.

3. Work Orders: The Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources requires electronic submission of meter installation work orders. The work orders will be sent to the contractor via a CSV (comma separated value) file and the completed work will need to be submitted to GCDWR in the same file format. The contractor should be able to receive and send the files through GCDWR FTP (File transfer protocol) site. The appropriate credentials will be provided to access the site in a secure manner. The outbound and inbound file templates are attached in the appendix. In addition to the electronic work orders, the pictures of the meter installation site need to be uploaded to the GCDWR FTP site.

The Outbound file (GCDWR -> Contractor) should include the following information:

1. Work Order Number - The unique work order number in the GCDWR ERP system.

2. Work Order Date - The actual date the work order is assigned to the contractor.

3. Address – Address of the property

4. Installation 1 - Unique ID in the GCDWR ERP system to identify the type of installation at a property.

5. Installation 1 Text – Specifies type of Installation Water or Irrigation

6. Installation 2 - Unique ID in the GCDWR ERP system to identify the type of installation at a property.

7. Installation 2 Text - Specifies type of Installation - Sewer

8. Permit ID – Unique ID in the GCDWR system to identify the permit

9. BP Number – ID of the business partner

10. BP Name – Name of the business partner

11. BP Phone – Phone number of the business partner

12. Connection Object - Unique ID to identify the property.

13. Premise – Unique ID to identify the premise

14. Premise Text – Specifies whether its residential or commercial

15. Lot – Lot number

16. Block – Block

17. Subdivision – Name of the subdivision

18. Activity Date – Work order completion date

19. WO type – Type of work order (Meter installation)

20. Device Loc – ID in the GCDWR ERP system to identify the device location.

21. MRU – Meter reading unit

22. Read Seq - Meter reading read sequence

23. Meter Size – Meter Size in Inches

24. Direction – South or North

25. Comments – Any comments from GCDWR

The Inbound file (Contractor -> GCDWR) includes the following information:

1. Activity Date – The actual date the work order is assigned to the contractor.

2. Service Order – The unique work order number in the GCDWR ERP system.

3. Connection Object – Unique ID to identify the property.

4. Water Installation - Unique ID in the GCDWR ERP system to identify the type of water installation at a property.

5. Sewer Installation - Unique ID in the GCDWR ERP system to identify the type of Sewer installation at a property.

6. MRU – Meter reading unit in the GCDWR ERP system

7. Read Sequence – The sequence number assigned to a property for meter reading purposes.

8. New Meter - The new meter number at the property.

9. Worked By – Name or initials of the technician

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10. Location Addition - Additional location information of the meter

11. Copper Used – Quantity of copper used for the meter installation

Specifications for Uploading Pictures:

1. Pictures of the meter installs should be uploaded to GCDWR FTP site along with completed work order file.

2. Filename of the pictures should contain only the new meter number.

3. The file type should be JPG and high resolution.

4. A sample file will be uploaded to the FTP site as a guide for the successful Contractor.

5. Multiple pictures can be uploaded for the same meter with a number sequence followed at the end:

a. Ex – 16283839-001

b. Ex – 16283839-002

c. Ex – 16283839-003

The Contractor shall complete each work order properly with a sketch drawn on each work order showing the location of the meter installed with at least three references measured in feet. The measurements supplied will be accurate measurements. Approximated locations will not be accepted. Correct meter numbers are to be given on each work order and failure to do so will initiate a fee of $25.00 to be paid by the Contractor. Contractor shall be required to return to the site at their sole expense to verify locations or meter numbers incorrectly submitted. All work orders that are completed are to be turned in to the County daily.

4. Meter Placement: If no identification of preferred meter location is provided at the site, meters are to be installed in the center of the road frontage, approximately eight (8) feet from the curb. Installation location shall not conflict with sidewalks, driveways, or other hardscape in place or indicated for future installation.

Relocation of a meter not set properly will be at the Contractor’s expense if such installation was due to the error of the field crew. If installing a meter in a Conservation Sub-division, follow the standard drawings of Planning and Development. If builder places a meter card indicating where they want a meter set, or a curb-stop is already set, Contractor shall make all reasonable efforts to set the meter at that location or provide justification to the Project Manager for not setting the meter in the requested location.

5. Payment Submittals: The Contractor shall provide the County (on an Excel spreadsheet) the work order number, with location of meter, street address, city, subdivision name, lot and block, date installed, meter number, and installation initials (double spaced). To expedite payment, a second computer list will be provided in subdivision order. Submittals will be made as follows: The Contractor will submit for payment new meters installed during each month by the second day of the following month. The Project Manager shall inspect meter installations throughout the month at their discretion to evaluate methods employed and the quality of the work. Any meter installations failing to pass inspection will not be paid until corrections have been made and another inspection has been completed. If invoices are rejected by the County Contractor due to the failure of the Contractor to adequately document the work, produce acceptable quality of work, or address identified defective works, the Contractor shall address such short-comings as identified by the Project Manager and shall re-issue associated invoices, which must reflect the date that such changes have been implemented.

6. Quality of Work: The Contractor shall provide a quality control review of their work which will effectively verify and monitor the adequacy of their work efforts and documentation. The methods used shall require approval of the Project Manager. If at any time the Project Manager finds the methods employed by the Contractor or the quality of the installations to be inadequate, the Contractor shall revise their methods or suspend the use of the crew providing inadequate quality work. Contractor shall address such rejected work at their sole expense.

The County reserves the right to verify installations and repairs using whatever methods are available and considered appropriate at their sole discretion. If a leak is identified by the County within 10-feet of the Contractor’s work during such review, the County may repair such defective works, hire a third party to perform the repair, or require the Contractor to return to the site and repair such work themselves. Such remedial work shall be at the sole expense of the Contractor regardless of the method used to perform such repair.

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Should the Contractor fail to complete the assigned work within the time limits provided, fail to adequately document the work and submit such documentation in a timely manner, or produce poor quality work, the County may: withhold or reduce the issuance of future work assignments; withhold payment of submitted invoices until such time that the outstanding work is properly completed, repaired, and documented to the satisfaction of the County; or terminate the contract.

V. PART 5 – BID SCHEDULE

EXPLANATION OF BID SCHEDULE

The Contract will be an “Open-End” type to provide for the requirements of Gwinnett County on an “as-ordered” basis.

The quantities of Work given for Unit Price Items in the Bid Form are approximate and are assumed solely for comparison of the bids. The Quantities listed on the Bid Form may be increased, decreased or eliminated as necessary to satisfy the needs of the County. The quantities listed in the bid schedule are not guaranteed to be assigned by the County. Since quantities and rate are not guaranteed to be accurate statements or estimates of quantities of Work that are to be performed under the Contract, any departure, therefore will not be accepted as grounds for adjusting the Unit Rate provided in the Bid, any claim for damages, for extension of time, or for loss of profits regardless of the quantities actually installed.

It is the intent of these Bid Documents to procure Complete Works, fully functional and in compliance with County Standards and specifications. Unit Rates provided by the Contractor shall be all-inclusive to achieve this end result. It is not the intent of these documents to provide a complete and full description of the methods and materials necessary to achieve the end result. The omission from these documents of standard procedures or materials normally used in the implementation of the Work shall not relieve the successful Bidder from the performance of those requirements nor be cause for claims for additional compensation unless specifically identified in the Bid. This project will require significant administration and coordination on the part of the Contractor. Contractor shall consider such needs and shall include these costs in the Unit Rates provided in the Bid Form. No separate payment shall be made for the administrative requirements of the Contractor or Direct Costs associated with the management, implementation, or documentation of the Project.

Contractor’s unit rates shall cover the Contractor’s full cost to perform one unit of each line item as an independent incident, while being competitive enough to provide reasonable full cost coverage for innumerable quantities per incident and/or comprehensively.

MEASUREMENT AND PAYMENT

Project management, customer notification and coordination, traffic control, excavation, backfilling, site restoration, erosion control, flushing, and disposal of any debris or wastes generated by the work shall be included in the unit prices supplied by the Bidder. Surface restoration and site clean-up shall include the restoration of grass cover in-kind to the satisfaction of the customer and the Project Manager and shall reflect the grass cover existing prior to the repair, up to and including the placement of sod. Bare ground shall be restored by the placement of grass seed and straw. Surface restoration of grassed areas is to be included in the unit rates provided by the Bidder. No additional payment shall be considered for these activities unless specifically identified in the descriptions following. Such efforts are considered incidental to the work described and shall be the responsibility of the Contractor to provide.

The contractor shall be responsible for complying with the Georgia “Dig” law. The Contractor shall schedule their work such that utility locates are appropriately considered in the allotted time limits set for the work. Safety of the crews, public and the works shall be responsibility of the Contractor and shall be included in the unit rates provided unless specifically identified in the Bid List as a separate item.

No additional payment shall be made for work performed outside of normal working hours unless authorized in advance by the Gwinnett County Project Manager.

SECTION A – INSTALLATION OR RELOCATION OF WATER METERS

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Section A-1 - CHLORINATION OF WATER MAINS:

Items 1-4: Chlorination of Water Mains (diameter varies). Work performed under this line item includes providing all labor, materials, tools, traffic control and equipment necessary to chlorinate and collect test samples from water mains ranging in size from 6” to 12” prior to the installation of water meters. The specific approval of the Project Manager shall be required prior to initiating services under this line item. Chlorination shall be performed using the methods, materials and standards of AWWA and GCDWR. GCDWR will test the samples collected by the Contractor at no charge to verify successful decontamination of the mains. Any subsequent retests or rechlorination required to achieve successful decontamination of the main shall be performed by and at the expense of the Contractor.