IFB 2027-11 Specifications.pdf

OFFICE OF PROCUREMENT

AND CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

6751 Columbia Gateway Drive, Suite 226, Columbia, MD 21046 https://www.howardcountymd.gov/Departments/County- Administration/Procurement-and-Contract-Administration

Rev. 9.12.25

INVITATION FOR BIDS

Via eProcurement System

IFB NO. 2027-11

LONG REACH FIRE STATION NO. 9

UPGRADED FUEL STORAGE & DISPENSING SYSTEM

CAPITAL PROJECT NO. C0322-9006

OPENING: SEPTEMBER 30, 2026 AT 11:00 A.M.

PRE-BID CONFERENCE: AUGUST 27, 2026 AT 10:00 A.M.

BUYER: Michael V. Decker, CPPB

PHONE: 410-313-6375 EMAIL: mdecker@howardcountymd.gov

HOWARD COUNTY, MARYLAND

https://www.howardcountymd.gov/Departments/County-Administration/Procurement-and-Contract-Administration https://www.howardcountymd.gov/Departments/County-Administration/Procurement-and-Contract-Administration mailto:mdecker@howardcountymd.gov

NOTICE OF LETTING

HOWARD COUNTY, MARYLAND

OFFICE OF PROCUREMENT AND CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

6751 COLUMBIA GATEWAY DRIVE, SUITE 226

COLUMBIA, MARYLAND 21046

INVITATION FOR BIDS NO. 2027-11

CAPITAL PROJECT NUMBER C0322-9006

A PRE-BID CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD VIRTUALLY, VIA WEBEX, ON AUGUST 27, 2026 AT

10:00 A.M. PLEASE VISIT PLANETBIDS FOR THE MEETING LINK.

OPENING: SEPTEMBER 30, 2026 AT 11:00 AM

Howard County intends to procure the services of one construction firm to perform the replacement of the existing underground fuel tanks and fuel dispensing equipment and all incidental work identified on the contract documents This project is in SHA Cost Group “D”. Each bid shall be accompanied by an electronic copy of a bid bond OR certified check, in the amount of 5% of the total bid, made payable to the “Director of Finance, Howard County”. For a certified check, the Contractor shall submit the original certified check to the Office of Procurement and Contract Administration PRIOR to the bid due date and time to be deemed responsive.

The solicitation with instructions to the bidders will be posted electronically on PlanetBids on August 12, 2026. PlanetBids is the only location where this solicitation will be available. To view, download or print the solicitation, please use the link provided here: Planet Bids, Howard County

For Procurement Questions, Contact: Michael Decker at mdecker@howardcountymd.gov or (410) 313-6375.

https://pbsystem.planetbids.com/portal/27996/portal-home mailto:mdecker@howardcountymd.gov

Howard County, Maryland Office of Procurement and Contract Administration Gateway Building, Suite 226 6751 Columbia Gateway Drive Columbia, Maryland 21046

INVITATION FOR BIDS NO. 2027-11

CAPITAL PROJECT NUMBER C0322-9006

SECTION DESCRIPTION NUMBER

OF PAGES

NOTICE OF LETTING 1

A INFORMATION FOR CONTRACTORS 8

B GENERAL CONDITIONS 1

C SPECIAL PROVISIONS 11

D TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS 222

E SAMPLE DOCUMENTS TO BE EXECUTED UPON CONTRACT AWARD

Performance Bond 4 Payment Bond 3 Contractor Agreement 3 Attachment to Contractor Agreement 3

F APPENDICES

Appendix A – Geotechnical Report 32

IMPORTANT: ADVISE OFFICE OF PROCUREMENT AND CONTRACT

ADMINISTRATION IMMEDIATELY IN THE EVENT ANY OF THE ABOVE

SECTIONS ARE MISSING.

SECTION A

Invitation for Bids No. 2027-11

A-i

INFORMATION FOR

CONTRACTORS

A-ii

INFORMATION FOR CONTRACTORS

CONTENTS

PARAGRAPH TITLE PAGE NO.

1. Submission of Bid Documents A-1

2. Bid Deposit A-2

3. Performance / Payment Bond A-2

4. Bidder’s Qualifications A-2

5. Estimated Quantities A-3

6. Method of Award A-3

7. Work Schedule A-3

8. Prohibitions Against Discrimination A-4

9. Cooperative Purchasing A-4

10. Protest A-4

11. Authority A-5

12. Maryland Registration A-5

13. Background Checks and Investigations A-5

14. Insurance A-6 15 Integration and Modification A-7

16. Agreement A-7

17. Governing Law A-7

18. American Manufactured Goods A-7

19. Availability of Funds A-8

20. Disputes A-8

21. Non-Assignment of Agreement A-8

22. Public Information/Proprietary/Confidential Information A-8

A-1

INFORMATION FOR CONTRACTORS

1. SUBMISSION OF BID DOCUMENTS

1.1 Failure to attach the required documents may be cause for rejection of bid.

1.2 Unless otherwise specified, all formal bids submitted shall be irrevocable for 120 calendar days following the bid opening date.

1.3 Proposals made on anything other than the attached documents will not be considered.

Changes in phraseology of the proposal, additions, or limiting provisions, will render the proposal nonresponsive and may cause its rejection.

1.4 Each bid shall be accompanied by the Affidavit regarding price fixing, gratuities, bribery, and discriminatory employment practices. When the Contractor is a corporation, a duly authorized representative of said corporation shall execute the Affidavit.

1.5 The Foreign Services Disclosure Form must accompany bids for construction-related services, architectural services, engineering services and energy performance contract services of $2 million or more. Section 12-111 of the Maryland State Finance and Procurement Article requires bidders to local governments to make certain disclosures regarding plans, at the time the bid is submitted, to perform any services under the contract outside the United States. When applicable, the Foreign Services Disclosure form is provided in the solicitation package.

1.6 All bidders must be familiar with the general conditions, terms, and regulations for the bid.

In case of conflicts between the contract documents, the order of precedence shall be: (1) Addenda to Invitations for Bids; (2) Information for Contractors; (3) Special Provisions;

(4) Plans (Drawings); (5) Technical Specifications; (6) Volume IV Design Manual, Standard Specifications and Details for Construction; (7) SHA Standard “Standard Specifications for Construction and Materials”.

1.7 If a discrepancy in or omission from the specifications is found, or if a Contractor is in doubt as to their meaning, or feels that the specifications are discriminatory, the Contractor shall notify the Buyer in writing not later than ten (10) days prior to the scheduled opening of bids. Exceptions taken do not obligate the County to change the specifications. The Issuing Office will notify all Contractors of any changes, additions or deletions to the specifications by addenda. The County will not consider any exceptions to the terms, conditions and specifications after the solicitation closing date and time.

1.8 The submission of a proposal on this work and service will be considered as a representation that the bidder has carefully investigated (1) all conditions which affect or may, at some future date, affect the performance of the work or services covered by the proposal, (2) the entire area to be serviced as described in the attached specifications and other contract documents and that the bidder is fully informed concerning the conditions to be encountered; and (3) the character, quality and quantity of work to be performed and equipment and materials to be furnished. Also, that the bidder is familiar with all Federal, State, and County laws, all codes and ordinances of the County which in any way affect

A-2 the prosecution of the work or persons engaged or employed in the work or the materials and equipment used in the work.

1.9 Any quantities given under the various items of the proposal are approximate only and subject to increase or decrease, as provided in the contract, without changing the unit prices to be paid for the work.

1.10 The County reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, and to waive informalities as the interest of the County may require.

2. BID DEPOSIT

2.1 Each bid submission shall be accompanied by an electronic copy of bid bond OR certified check. The bid deposit shall be 5% of the total bid, made payable to “Director of Finance, Howard County”.

2.2 For a certified check, Contractor shall submit the original certified check to the Office of

Procurement and Contract Administration PRIOR to the bid due date and time to be deemed responsive.

2.3 The bond is to be forfeited, as liquidated damages in the event that this bid is accepted, and the above signed bidder shall refuse or neglect to execute the Contract and furnish the stipulated Bond under the conditions and time set forth in the Specifications.

3. PERFORMANCE/PAYMENT BOND

A performance bond and payment bond for the full amount of the contract price shall be required of the successful bidder within 10 days after award notification. Said bond shall be issued by a surety company subject to approval of Howard County.

4. BIDDER’S QUALIFICATIONS

4.1 Bidders shall demonstrate at least 5 years of experience in the construction of underground fuel storage tanks and shall have completed 3 underground fuel storage tank replacements within the past 3 years under the supervision of the Bidder’s Project Manager or Construction Superintendent to be assigned to this project. Bidders shall document this experience on the Qualifications Questionnaire and provide a detailed list of recently completed projects meeting the specified experience requirements. The experience of owner(s) may be imputed to a newly formed company/contractor provided the owner(s) has/have at least 5 years of demonstrated experience of reliability and meets the criteria set forth herein. All bidders must be Maryland Certified UST Removers and Technicians.

4.2 The Qualifications Questionnaire shall be completed by all Bidders. Only the information contained in the Qualifications Questionnaire will be considered in evaluating the Bidder’s qualifications. Attachments (unless specifically requested), company brochures or submittals in any other format will not be considered in evaluating the qualifications of the Bidder. Bidders may reproduce sections of the Qualifications Questionnaire form as needed to provide the required information necessary to adequately demonstrate their experience.

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4.3 The County reserves the right to check references furnished and consider the responses received in determining award of this bid. The County reserves the right to request additional project references in its due diligence. The County will not contact Bidders for clarifications of illegible information, wrong names, wrong phone numbers, or wrong addresses provided by Bidders on the Qualifications Questionnaire. Incomplete submittals or unverifiable information may not be considered in the evaluation.

4.4 The County reserves the right to inspect the Bidders’ equipment, request resumes or past work experience of key personnel or to interview key personnel to be assigned to the contract.

4.5 Contracts shall be awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder meeting all the specifications. In accordance with Howard County Code Sec. 4.117 (a) (4), the quality of performance of previous contracts or services shall be considered in determining the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. The County reserves the right to reject any bid deemed not responsible or non-responsive.

5. ESTIMATED QUANTITIES

The estimated quantities stated are provided as a general guide for bidding and are not guaranteed.

Actual quantities may be more or less than those estimated. The County reserves the right to add, change or delete items as deemed necessary.

6. METHOD OF AWARD

Howard County intends to make award to the lowest responsive responsible bidder meeting all the specifications, having submitted all the required documents, and meeting all necessary experience and reference requirements for the total bid.

7. WORK SCHEDULE

7.1 The County observes a five-day workweek and the following holidays:

New Year's Day Martin Luther King, Jr. Day President's Day Good Friday Memorial Day Juneteenth

Independence Day, Fourth of July Labor Day Indigenous People’s Day Veterans Day Thanksgiving Day Friday after Thanksgiving Christmas Day

7.2 If any holiday occurs on Sunday, the following Monday shall be considered a holiday. If the holiday occurs on Saturday, the Friday immediately preceding shall be considered a holiday.

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7.3 The Contractor will not be permitted to work on the above-mentioned holidays or

Saturdays unless requested 48 hours in advance by written notice. The Engineer will authorize this in writing and the Contractor will not be charged for the inspector’s time. In the event that the Contractor fails to work its forces as indicated in its written request, it shall be charged a minimum of one-half (1/2) day for inspection time at the overtime rate.

7.4 The normal number of working hours per day on this contract will be limited to nine (9), unless otherwise authorized by the Engineer in writing.

7.5 In case of emergency, which may require that work be done on Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays, or longer than nine hours per day, the Contractor shall request permission of the Engineer to do so. If, in the opinion of the Engineer, the emergency is bona fide, he will grant permission to the Contractor to work such hours as may be necessary. Also, if in the opinion of the Engineer a bona fide emergency exists, he may direct the Contractor to work such hours as may be necessary whether the Contractor requests permission to do so or not.

7.6 All proposed work shall be completed within 150 calendar days from the date specified in the Notice to Proceed.

7.7 The amount of liquidated damages for this contract shall be $500.00 per calendar day.

8. PROHIBITIONS AGAINST DISCRIMINATION

The Contractor and all subcontractors shall not engage in any unlawful employment practice prohibited by law in connection with the work to be done under this contract. The Contractor shall not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, creed, color or national origin. The Contractor will take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed and that employees are treated during employment without regard to race, creed, color or national origin.

9. COOPERATIVE PURCHASING

9.1 The County reserves the right to extend all of the terms, conditions, specifications, and unit or other prices of any contract resulting from this bid to any and all public bodies, subdivisions, school districts, community colleges, colleges and universities including non-public schools. This is conditioned upon mutual agreement of all parties pursuant to special requirements which may be appended thereto. The supplier/Contractor agrees to notify the issuing body of those entities that wish to use any contract resulting from this bid and will also provide usage information, which may be requested.

9.2 The County assumes no authority, liability or obligation, on behalf of any other public or non-public entity that may use any contract resulting from this bid. All purchases and payment transactions will be made directly between the Contractor and the requesting entity. Any exceptions to this requirement must be specifically noted in the bid response.

10. PROTEST

Any protest concerning the award of an Agreement shall be decided by the County. Protests shall be made in writing to the Issuing Office and shall be filed within ten days of issuance of award notification. A protest is considered filed when received by the Issuing Office. The written protest

A-5 shall include the name and address of the protestor, identification of the procurement, a statement of the specific reason for the protest and supporting exhibits. The Issuing Office will respond to the written protest within ten days. The County’s decision is final.

11. AUTHORITY

Solicitations are issued pursuant and subject to the provisions of Article VIII, Howard County Charter; Sections 4.100 through 4.123, Howard County Code, 2003; and the rules and regulations as prescribed by the County.

12. MARYLAND REGISTRATION

Contractors must be registered to do business in, and must be in good standing in, the State of Maryland. Contractors not registered must obtain registration information from the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation website at: www.dat.state.md.us/ or by calling 410-767- 1184 or Toll Free 888-246-5941.

13. BACKGROUND CHECKS AND INVESTIGATIONS

13.1 If a Contractor’s employees or subcontractors are on-site in County buildings working without a County escort, each employee or subcontractor of the Contractor shall agree to a background check or investigation consisting of national criminal database search covering misdemeanors and felonies and the release of that information to the County in the event that it is required.

13.2 The Contractor shall assume the cost to have background checks completed for each employee or subcontractor assigned to each facility. The County may bill the Contractor $100 for each standard background check. Public safety buildings require a higher level of security and in-depth background checks referred to as “investigations”. The County may bill the Contractor $250 for each in-depth background investigation. This fee, when billed to the Contractor, shall be payable to the County prior to the check or investigation being conducted.

13.3 The background checks or investigations shall include all employees, new employees, subcontractors and replacement employees to be completed prior to assignment of a building. The checks or investigations will be conducted by the County. The Contractor shall submit the proper forms (provided by the County) to the appropriate County agency, which will be determined if background checks or investigations are necessary.

13.4 The Contractor shall not assign any individual convicted of the following offenses which shall include, but are not limited to: Abduction, Homicide, Rape, Aggravated Assault, Sex Offender, Assault with Intent to Murder, or Assault with Intent to Rob.

13.5 The Contractor shall not assign any individual convicted or having incomplete probation for the following offenses which shall include, but are not limited to: Burglary, Breaking and Entering, Carrying or Wearing a Weapon, Destruction of Property, Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance with Intent to Distribute, Explosives, Kidnapping, Theft/Larceny, Maiming, Manslaughter, Sexual Assault, Hate Crimes, Robbery, and Distribution of a Controlled Substance.

http://www.dat.state.md.us/

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13.6 The Contractor reserves the right to seek exception to the above guidelines governing acceptability for assignment to the facility by providing documented specifics pertaining to convictions of the employee in question. The County will, at its sole discretion, accept or reject the requested exception.

14. INSURANCE

The Contractor shall be required to purchase and maintain during the life of the Agreement, including any subsequent renewal terms, Commercial General Liability Insurance, Automobile Liability Insurance, and Worker's Compensation Insurance with limits of not less than those set forth below:

14.1 Commercial General Liability Insurance: Combined Single Liability limits of $1,000,000 each occurrence and $1,000,000 aggregate naming “Howard County, Maryland, its officials, employees, agents and volunteers” as Certificate Holder and as Additional Insured.

14.2 Automobile Liability Insurance: Combined Single Liability limit of $1,000,000 any one accident.

14.3 Worker's Compensation Insurance: Statutory coverage for Maryland jurisdiction, including Employer's Liability coverage, with a limit of at least $100,000.

14.4 The Contractor shall assure that all subcontractors or independent contractors performing services in accordance with this solicitation carry identical insurance coverage as required of the Contractor, either individually or as an Additional Insured on the policies of the Contractor. Exceptions may be made only with the approval of the County. The Contractor shall indemnify the County for any uninsured losses relating to contractual services involving subcontractors, including workers' compensation claims.

14.5 The Contractor shall provide the County with Certificates of Insurance within ten days of award notification, naming “Howard County, Maryland, its officials, employees, agents and volunteers” as Certificate Holder and as Additional Insured on the certificate. Failure to provide the certificates as required shall result in rejection of award by the County. Such certificates shall provide that the County be given at least 30 days prior written notice of any cancellation of, intention to not renew, or material change in such coverage.

14.6 The providing of any insurance required herein does not relieve the Contractor of any of the responsibilities or obligations assumed by the Contractor in the Agreement awarded or for which the Contractor may be liable by law or otherwise.

14.7 Failure to provide and continue to enforce such insurance as required above shall be deemed a material breach of the Agreement and shall operate as an immediate termination thereof.

14.8 Failure to comply with this requirement at any time during the initial term and any subsequent renewals may be sufficient cause for termination for default.

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15. INTEGRATION AND MODIFICATION

This solicitation, the Contractor's response to this solicitation, subsequent Purchase Order(s), and, if applicable, the legal Agreement represents the entire understanding between the parties. Any additions or modifications shall only be made in writing and executed by both parties.

16. AGREEMENT

16.1 The County and Contractor must execute an Agreement resulting from the award of this solicitation. In order to expedite this process, a sample standard Agreement is attached for review as part of this solicitation. Exceptions, if any, to the County’s standard Agreement, Section E, must be noted in the bid to be considered during evaluation. The County will not accept any exceptions to the Agreement after the opening date and time of this solicitation. Exceptions to the County’s standard Agreement may result in rejection of the bid.

16.2 Do not fill in or sign the sample Agreement attached. The County will prepare an Agreement specific to this solicitation for execution by the successful Contractor.

17. GOVERNING LAW

17.1 This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Maryland without regard to any choice of law principles that would dictate the laws of any other jurisdiction. The parties agree that the exclusive venue for any and all actions related hereto shall be the appropriate Federal or State court located within the State of Maryland.

17.2 The laws of Maryland and Howard County shall govern the resolution of any issue arising in connection with the contract, including, but not limited to, all questions on the validity of the contract, the capacity of the parties to enter therein, any modification or amendment thereto, and the rights and obligations of the parties hereunder.

18. AMERICAN MANUFACTURED GOODS REQUIRED FOR PUBLIC WORKS

18.1 The Contractor shall comply with Section 14-416 of the Maryland State Finance and

Procurement Article which requires a Contractor or subcontractor to use or supply American Manufactured goods in the performance of a contract for (a) constructing or maintaining a public work; or (b) buying or manufacturing machinery or equipment that is to be installed at a public work site, as the same may be amended from time to time.

18.2 This section does not apply: (a) if the County determines that: (i) the price of the American manufactured goods exceeds the price of a similar manufactured good that is not manufactured in the United States by an unreasonable amount; (ii) the item or a similar item is not manufactured or available for purchase in the United States in reasonably available quantities; (iii) the quality of the item or a similar item manufactured in the United States is substantially less than the quality of a comparably priced, similar, and available item that is not manufactured in the United States; or (iv) the procurement of a manufactured good would be inconsistent with the public interest; or (b) to emergency life safety and property safety goods.

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18.3 The Contractor shall certify to the County whether the offered goods and/or services are provided in the United States.

19. AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS

The contractual obligation of the County under this Agreement is contingent upon the availability of appropriated funds from which payment for this Agreement can be made.

20. DISPUTES

In cases of disputes as to whether or not an item or service quoted or delivered meets specifications, the decision of the County Purchasing Agent or Designee shall be final and binding on all parties. All other disputes arising under or related to the Agreement will be resolved, to the extent possible, by negotiation and settlement between the parties. Pending resolution, the Contractor shall proceed diligently with performance of the Agreement unless otherwise directed in writing.

21. NON-ASSIGNMENT OF AGREEMENT

Neither the County nor the Contractor shall assign, sublet or transfer its interest or obligations under the resulting Agreement to any third party, without the written consent of the other. Nothing herein shall be construed to create any personal or individual liability upon any employee, officer or elected official of the County, nor shall the resulting Agreement be construed to create any rights hereunder in any person or entity other than the parties to this Agreement.

22. PUBLIC INFORMATION/PROPRIETARY/CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

22.1 The County operates under a public information law, which permits access to most records and documents.

22.2 Bids will be available for public inspection after the award announcement, except to the extent that a Contractor designates trade secrets or other proprietary data to be confidential. Material designated as confidential must be readily separable from the remainder of the bid to facilitate public inspection of the nonconfidential portion of the bid. A Contractor's designation of material as confidential will not necessarily be conclusive, and the Contractor may be required to provide justification why such material should not be disclosed, on request, under the Maryland Access to Public Records Act, State Government Article, Sections 10-611 through 10-628, of the Annotated Code of Maryland.

SECTION B

B-i

GENERAL CONDITIONS

SECTION B

B-1

GENERAL CONDITIONS

The Howard County Design Manual, Volume IV, Standard Specifications and Details for Construction, approved and adopted on May 30, 2017 and all subsequent amendments, are hereby made a part of this contract. Where reference is made herein or on the Contract Drawings to the Standard Specifications, or Details, it shall be interpreted to refer to the above Howard County Specifications.

Where reference is made to the General Conditions, it shall refer to the General Conditions contained in the above referenced Howard County Design Manual, Volume IV, Standard Specifications and Details for Construction.

SECTION C

SPECIAL PROVISIONS

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C-i

SPECIAL PROVISIONS

1. GENERAL

A. The Special Provisions are hereby made a part of the contract. In the event of a conflict between this and any portions of the contract documents, refer to the Section titled ‘Submission of Bid Documents’ of Section A, Information For Contractors, and Section 4.02 of the General Conditions, Howard County Design Manual, Volume IV, Standard Specifications and Details for Construction.

B. The Contractor shall maintain on the site at all times copies of the following documents: complete construction plans, complete construction specifications, all Addenda issued during the bidding process, the latest edition of the Howard County Design Manual, Volume IV, Standard Specifications and Details for Construction with all amendments, State Highway Administration Standard Specifications for Construction and Materials latest edition and the current applicable Maryland Standards and Specifications for Soil Erosion and Sediment Control and latest supplements for the duration of construction of this contract.

2. SCOPE OF WORK

A. The scope of work to be done under this contract consists of furnishing of all materials and equipment for the removal of underground fuel storage tanks and installation of new underground fuel storage tanks along with the fuel dispensing equipment, electrical and communication connections, paving, storm drainage, canopy and foundation (including the complete design), fuel island with accessories, and incidentals necessary to complete the work. The scope also includes the furnishing and installation of EV charging stations.

B. The plans and specifications are intended to cover a complete project including the testing of materials, equipment and appurtenances. It should be distinctly understood that failure to mention specifically any work that would naturally be required to complete the project shall not relieve the Contractor of his responsibility to perform such work.

3. TEST DRILLING PRIOR TO SUBMISSION OF BIDS

Any Contractor desiring to conduct test drilling prior to submitting bids shall contact the Bureau of Engineering, Construction Inspection Division, prior to performing any test drilling. The Contractor shall be responsible for obtaining all required permits, rights of entry, permission statements and notification of proper authorities, including Miss Utility, prior to conducting any test drilling. For test drilling within Howard County road rights-of-way, it shall be the Contractor’s responsibility to obtain required permit(s) from the Bureau of Engineering, Construction Inspection Division to perform test drilling prior to the submission of bids. The Contractor shall be solely responsible for all damages and repairs and restoration of surfaces disturbed during the test drilling operations.

4. MONTHLY PAYMENTS

Monthly payments will be made in accordance with Section GC-9.03, Progress Payments, of the General Conditions.

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5. ADDENDA

Addendums must be acknowledged in PlanetBids prior to bid submittal.

6. CONSTRUCTION STAKEOUT

A. Survey benchmarks and traverse point locations are noted on the plans along with the corresponding elevations and coordinate locations. A stakeout table is shown on the plans providing coordinate locations of the various components of the proposed facility. The Contractor shall protect the benchmarks and traverse points during construction of the facility.

B. The Contractor shall perform construction stakeout using the services of a Professional Land

Surveyor or Property Line Surveyor licensed in the State of Maryland (Licensed Surveyor). The Contractor shall provide all necessary lines, grades and elevations for the proposed construction and conform his work thereto. The Contractor shall furnish all necessary materials and labor for the setting of all stakes, grade-boards, lines, forms, etc., which may be required for the proper construction of the work.

C. The Contractor shall provide a stakeout of the proposed facilities as indicated in the contract documents and prepare all necessary cut sheets. The stakeout and cut sheets shall be provided at a minimum spacing of 50-foot intervals. Stakeout and cut sheets along curved alignments shall be provided at a minimum spacing of 25 foot. Cut sheets shall be prepared based on the lines and grades shown on the contract drawings; any modifications required to comply with approved laying schedules shall be the responsibility of the Contractor. Two (2) copies of the cut sheets shall be provided to the Engineer a minimum of 2 days prior to their use.

D. The Contractor shall preserve and maintain in proper position all stakes, grade-boards and lines until authorized to remove them. In case any are disturbed, the Contractor shall reset those so disturbed at his expense.

E. Any work done without cut sheets, lines, levels and instructions having been given by a Licensed

Surveyor, or without the supervision of the inspector, shall not be estimated or paid for except when such work is authorized by the Engineer. Work so done may be ordered removed and replaced at the Contractor's cost.

F. Finished surfaces, in all cases, shall conform to the lines and grades as shown on the approved plans.

Manhole frames, valves, boxes, etc. shall be set to conform to the finished grade of the street, or as shown on the drawings.

G. The Contractor shall define the right-of-way, easement line or limits of disturbance (L.O.D.) of the project promptly upon request.

7. CONTINGENT ITEMS

Contingent items have been included as part of this contract as shown in the proposal. The County hereby reserves the right to unlimited increases or decreases to the quantities of the contingent items without unit

C-3 price increases for the duration of this contract. Reference is made to Section 130 of the Standard Specifications.

8. SUBSURFACE DATA

Howard County has obtained data concerning subsurface materials or conditions using soundings, test pits, test borings or other methods for its own use in designing the project. The County does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the data, which is available to others for information purposes. Boring and test pit data included in the specifications as an Appendix are provided for information only. The Contractor shall release the County and Engineer from any responsibility or obligation as to its accuracy or completeness or for any additional compensation for work performed under this contract due to assumptions based on use of such furnished information. The Contractor shall assume all responsibility in excavating for this project and shall not rely on subsurface information obtained directly or indirectly from the Engineer or from the County.

Bidders shall make their own investigations of existing subsurface conditions. Neither the County nor the Engineer will be responsible in any way for additional compensation for excavation work performed under the contract due to Contractor's assumptions based on subsurface or test pit data prepared solely for the Engineer's use.

9. EXCAVATION

A. Excavation work under this contract is Class I and includes (without limitation thereto) excavation and removal of all soil, shale, rock, boulders, existing foundations, fill and every kind of subsurface condition encountered in the contract area. Excavation work under this contract also includes the removal of surface and groundwater.

B. No extra or additional compensation for excavation will be paid under this contract for work included in the bid proposal at the time of bidding.

10. USE OF EXPLOSIVES

On a project where the use of explosives is allowed, the use of explosives shall be governed by the provisions of Section 7.21 of the General Conditions and Section 201.03.12, Use of Explosives, of Volume IV, Standard Specifications and Details for Construction.

11. PERMITS

A. All permits shall be obtained by the Contractor in accordance with Section GC-7.02 of the General Conditions.

B. The Contractor shall always maintain copies of all permits and approved plans on the site during the duration of the construction of the contract.

C. No additional measurement and payment will be made for compliance with the permits set forth under this heading. All costs associated with permit requirements shall be included in the various prices bid or stipulated for the construction work proposed herein.

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12. UTILITY RELOCATIONS

There are no utility relocations anticipated within this contract. Proposed storm drains and drainage features have been designed to avoid any utility impacts.

13. MAINTENANCE OF TRAFFIC

A. The Contractor shall adhere to the requirements of Sections GC-7.08 and GC-7.09 of the General Conditions and all work necessary for the performance of maintenance of traffic shall be conducted in accordance with the requirements outlined therein. A detour plan has been included in the plan set and should be followed by the Contractor. The Contractor's attention is also directed to the fact that all notes and details shown on the maintenance of traffic plans must be strictly followed.

1. Vehicular access to pertinent operations of Long Reach Fire Station No. 9 shall be coordinated with the department and DGS. The contractor activity shall be done in a way to minimize interruption to daily operation of Long Reach Fire Station No. 9. Proposed traffic plan shall be coordinated and approved by the project manager prior to being set up.

2. Traffic shall be maintained using methods, signs, barricades, lights, and incidental materials as approved in the latest manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices and the Howard County Standard Specifications and Details for Construction and subsequent revisions.

14. EXISTING CONDITIONS

Due to the nature of the project, it shall be the sole responsibility of the Contractor to establish the authenticity of existing field conditions, via personal inspection of the site prior to bidding and during construction.

Existing utilities are present throughout the site and it shall be the sole responsibility of the Contractor to locate the utilities in advance of construction. It shall be the sole responsibility of the Contractor to protect all existing utilities to remain and incidental structures and to repair any damage immediately.

15. PROGRESS MEETINGS

The Contractor will be responsible for holding progress meetings on bi-weekly basis or as needed, at which the progress of the work shall be reported upon with reference to the previously approved schedule.

Responsibility will rest with the Contractor concerning competent representation of subcontractors. The meeting shall be coordinated by the Project Manager to be either on site or virtual.

16. ACCESS TO PROJECT

The Contractor shall maintain access to all Howard County operations. Any deviation must be communicated to the County Project Manager with 48 hours’ notice.

17. RESTORATION OF DISTURBED SURFACES

The Contractor shall restore all disturbed surfaces in compliance with Section 1000.03.08 of the Howard County Design Manual, Volume IV, Standard Specifications and Details for Construction and as specified on the contract plans.

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18. ANTI-KICKBACK REGULATIONS

A. The Anti-Kickback Regulations issued by the Secretary of Labor (29 CFR, Part 5) are applicable to this contract. The Contractor shall comply with these regulations, and any amendments or modifications thereof, and shall cause appropriate provisions to be inserted in subcontracts to insure compliance therewith by all subcontractors subject thereto, and shall be responsible for the submission of affidavits required of subcontractors thereunder, except as the Secretary of Labor may specifically provide for reasonable limitations, variations, tolerances, and exemptions from the requirements thereof.

B. The Departments, or its representative, may withhold or cause to be withheld from the Contractor so much of the accrued payments or advances as may be considered necessary to pay laborers and mechanics employed by the Contractor or any subcontractor on the work (except for such deductions as are permitted in the Anti-Kickback Regulations (29 CFR, Part 3)), the full amount of wages to which they are entitled under their Contractor of employment. In the event of failure to pay any laborer or mechanic employed or working on the site of the work, all or part of the wage to which he is entitled under this contract of employment, the Department, or its representative, may after written notice to the Contractor, take such action as may be necessary to cause the suspension of any further payment, advance, or guarantee of funds until such violations have ceased. Payroll records shall contain the information and be preserved as required by Section 3.4(b) of the regulations. The Contractor shall make their employment records available for inspection by representatives of the Department and shall permit such representatives to interview employees during working hours on the job.

C. The Contractor shall insert in each of the subcontracts, the provisions set forth in the foregoing clauses and such other stipulations as the Department may require by appropriate instructions.

D A breach of stipulations stated above may be grounds for termination of the contract.

19. INVOICING FOR PAYMENTS

The Contractor shall submit the original and three (3) copies of the invoice for payment. The invoice shall be sent to:

Department of General Services, Bureau of Planning, Design and Construction 9200 Berger Road.

Columbia, Maryland 21046

The invoice for payment shall include the following information:

Purchase Order No.: _______________________________________________________ Contract Number and Name: ________________________________________________ Description of Work Completed This Period: ___________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ Amount of Contract Award: ________________________________________________ Total of Previous Amounts Invoiced: _________________________________________ Amount of This Invoice: $__________________________________________________

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Total Amount Invoiced to Date: $____________________________________________ Retainage Amount to Date: $________________________________________________ Amount Remaining in Contract: $____________________________________________ Minority Business Participation: ___________________________________________%

20. QUANTITIES/PAYMENT

Quantities shown in the proposal are approximate for bid purposes only. Actual payment will be made, at the unit prices bid, for actual quantity of material delivered, installed and accepted as agreed to by the County Inspector in the performance of the contract. Payment will not be made until an inspection of the area has been made and accepted by the authorized inspector. Upon final inspection and approval by the County, the Contractor will be paid an amount equal to 90 percent of the total amount of the contract; the remaining 10 percent will be retained for a period of 90 days after complete acceptance of the contractual effort by the Inspector to assure that the construction is satisfactory and can withstand traffic without failures.

Such payment shall constitute full compensation for all labor, materials, equipment and incidentals required to complete the work to the satisfaction of the Engineer.

21. WARRANTY

A. The Contractor warrants the service and materials furnished by them to be of the highest quality, complying with the specifications and free from defects whatsoever in workmanship and materials, for a period of 1 year from the date of job completion. Replacements and repairs under this warranty are to be made by the Contractor at no cost and to the satisfaction of the County. The Contractor guarantees that the material supplied shall carry the manufacturer’s standard new material warranty.

B. The warranty shall be submitted in writing with the proposal.

22. UTILITIES

A. The following special provision supplements Sections GC-5.05 (Cooperation with Utilities), 205 (Test Pit Excavation), Category 1000 (Utility Construction), as applicable..

B. If needed, it shall be the Contractor's responsibility to notify the following utilities or agencies at least five (5) working days prior to starting work:

AT&T 1-800-252-1133

Comcast 410-461-1362 BGE (Contractor Services) 410-850-4620 BGE (Underground Damage Control) 410-787-9068 Miss Utility 1-800-257-7777 Howard County Bureau of Utilities 410-313-4900 Howard County Division of Construction Inspection 410-313-1880 Verizon 1-800-743-0033/ 410-224-9210

C. The existing utilities and obstructions shown on the plans are from the best available records and shall be verified by the Contractor before starting construction. Neither the County Inspector nor the

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County Department of Public Works warrant or guarantee the completeness or correctness of the information shown.

D. All existing utility appurtenances that are not proposed to be removed (manhole tops, valve covers, etc.) and remain within the limits of work, shall be adjusted to meet proposed final grade. The Contractor shall take into consideration when preparing their bid, any adjustment to installation by owners of utilities which may be necessary, and which may interfere with their normal operations in areas within or adjacent to the limits of this contract. If any such adjustments, either permanent or temporary are necessary, they will be done by the owner of the utilities except as noted above or as indicated in the plans and specifications. The Contractor shall fully cooperate and coordinate their work with the owners of the utilities to ensure that all required utility relocation work is completed in advance of construction under this contract in the area of the required utility relocation and/or installation.

Existing overhead utility lines may require relocation to avoid conflicts with construction equipment.

The electric, cable and/or telephone utilities on these poles are all owned by their respective utility companies and any relocation of these overhead utilities must also be coordinated along with the pole relocations. Any expenses incurred by the Contractor as a result of the work required to coordinate with BGE and/or the cable and telephone utility owners for the pole and overhead utility relocations and construction of the temporary access will not be measured or compensated for under any stipulated pay item, but all such costs to the Contractor occurring there from shall be included in the contract bid for those pay items set up in the proposal affected by such work.

E. No additional compensation will be allowed to the Contractor for work interruptions, changes in construction sequences, changes in methods of handling excavation, drainage, paving, and changes in types of equipment used or made necessary by others in performing work with or adjacent to the limits of the contract in connection with utilities.

Any expenses likely to be incurred by the Contractor as a result of such work, as well as cooperation with the owners in adjustments will not be measured or compensated for under any stipulated pay item, but all such costs to the Contractor occurring there from shall be included in the contract bid for those pay items set up in the proposal affected by such work.

F. The Contractor shall take all necessary precautions to protect existing utilities. Any damage due to the Contractor's negligence shall be repaired immediately at the Contractor's expense. If clearances of utility crossings are less than specified on this plan or less than 12" when not specified, the Contractor must contact the Howard County Inspector and the appropriate utility owner before proceeding with construction. Prior test pit locations and logs have been included as part of the contract documents. Additional test pits shall be dug at all utility crossings to determine precise existing horizontal and vertical alignment of utilities. Test pits shall be dug with enough time in advance of the construction or trenching operation in order to allow for necessary adjustments.

G. Measurement and Payment

All utility work under this section will not be measured for payment, but the cost thereof will be considered incidental to the contract.

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23. TEMPORARY UTILITIES

A. The Contractor shall make the necessary arrangements for providing water including, drinking water, for all his work force.

B. The Contractor shall make the necessary arrangements and provide all temporary electric service and lighting required during the entire construction period. The metered costs of electricity used shall be borne by the Contractor. The electric service shall be of enough capacity and characteristics to supply the proper current for the various types of construction tools, motors, welding machines, lights, heating plant, pumps, and other work required. All necessary temporary wiring, panelboards, outlets, switches, lamps, fuses, controls and accessories shall be provided.

C. The Contractor shall provide and maintain an adequate number of temporary toilets with proper enclosures as necessary for use of workmen during construction. Locate toilets where directed. Keep toilets clean and comply with all local and state health requirements and sanitary regulations. Toilet facilities shall be the prefabricated chemical type unless otherwise indicated. Work under this section will not be measured for payment, but the cost thereof will be considered incidental to the contract.

24. QUALITY CONTROL

A. All quality control and material testing shall be in accordance with Section 106 of the Howard County Standard Specifications.

B. Work under this section will not be measured for payment, but the cost thereof will be considered incidental to the contract.

25. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

All work shall be performed in accordance with Section 316 of the Standard Specifications. Work under this section will not be measured for payment, but the cost thereof will be considered incidental to the contract.

26. TEMPORARY FACILITIES

A. General

1. Temporary facilities and protective devices include but are not necessarily limited to the following items: temporary barricades, drums, fences, guards, temporary utilities, steel plates over trenches and project identification signs.

2. All materials used in construction of the above-mentioned items of work shall be of such size, shape and strength as to be suitable for the use intended.

3. The Contractor shall conduct construction operations in such a manner as to cause as little inconvenience as possible to the general public, and the County and its employees. Wherever required, the Contractor shall erect and maintain signs, fences, barricades and pedestrian bridges for the protection of the public.

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4. The Contractor shall always take positive measures to prevent entry to the site for the work and storage areas by children, animals and unauthorized adults.

5. Location of all temporary facilities shall be approved by the Howard County Inspector before their transport to the construction site.

B. Barricade or close all openings in roadways or walkways while the openings are not in regular use.

Barricades shall be substantial in character, neat in appearance, and be of size and arrangement approved by the Howard County Inspector.

C. After completion of the contract, the Contractor shall perform all cleanup work, such as removal of power lines, power poles,…