Lead and Copper Test Pit Invitation to Bid.docx

INVITATION TO BID

TOWN OF BEDFORD, MASS

LEAD & COPPER EXPLORATORY EXCAVATION

Sealed bids for the Lead and Copper Exploratory Excavation will be received by the Select Board of the Town of Bedford (herein after, “Owner”) at the office of the Department of Public Works, 314 Great Road, Bedford, Massachusetts 01730 until January 23rd, 2025 at 10:00 a.m., and at that time and place they will be opened and read aloud. The clock in the conference room of the Department of Public Works shall be considered official. No faxed or email bids shall be accepted. No conditional bids shall be accepted. No late bids shall be accepted.

The Base Bid includes 90 test pits for confirmatory excavation as well as 10 assumed full water service replacements in the event a lead water service line is encountered.

The Add. Alternate 1 entails an additional 35 test pits to assist in achieving the Towns goal of the required 180 test pits by the year 2027.

The locations of test pits will vary all across the Town of Bedford and will require the mobilization of equipment to excavate in roadways and soil, as well as the repair of all excavation sites.

Contract Documents may be examined and/or obtained beginning January 9th, 2025 by registering online to download bid documents at https://www.bedfordma.gov/bids.aspx. Click to select the appropriate bid. Please note that Bidders requesting Documents must register with valid information. Company name, address and contact information (phone and email) are required in the registration form. Please note that it is the Bidder’s responsibility to make certain they have received any/all addenda relating to their bid prior to the bid deadline.

Bidders requesting Contract Documents by mail shall include a non-refundable check payable to the Town of Bedford in the amount of $20.00 per set to cover costs of handling and mailing.

Nothing shall compel Owner to award any contract pursuant to this Invitation to Bid.

BID SUBMISSION:

Each Bid shall be submitted in accordance with the Instructions to Bidders and be accompanied by a Bid Security in the amount of five (5%) percent of the Total Bid in the form of a bid bond, or cash, or a certified check, or a treasurer’s or cashier’s check issued by a responsible bank or trust company, payable to Owner.

The Bid Security of the three (3) lowest responsible and eligible Bidders will be returned upon the execution of the Agreement, if no award is made, upon the expiration of the time prescribed herein for making an award; except that, if any Bidder fails to perform his/her/its agreement to execute a Contract and furnish a Performance Bond and a Labor and Materials Payment Bond if required, his/her/its Bid Security shall become and be the property of Owner, as liquidated damages; provided that the amount of the Bid Security which becomes the property of Owner will not, in any event, exceed the difference between his/her/its Bid price and the Bid price of the next lowest responsible and eligible Bidder; and provided further that, in case of death, disability, bona fide clerical or mechanical error of a substantial nature, or other similar unforeseen circumstances affecting a Bidder, his/her/its Bid Security will be returned to him/her/it. The Bid Securities of Bidders other than the three (3) lowest responsible and eligible Bidders will be returned following award of the Contract by Owner. Owner will not reimburse Bidders for any costs incurred in preparing Bids in response to this Invitation to Bid.

Submission of a Bid shall be conclusive evidence that the Bidder has examined this Invitation to Bid and is familiar with all the conditions of the Contract. Upon finding any omissions or discrepancy in this Invitation to Bid, each Bidder shall notify Owner immediately so that any necessary addenda may be issued. Failure of a Bidder to investigate completely this Invitation to Bid and/or to be thoroughly familiar with this Invitation to Bid shall in no way relieve any such Bidder from any obligation with respect to the Bid. By submission of a Bid, the Bidder agrees that if its Bid is accepted, then it shall enter into a Contract with Owner which incorporates all of the requirements of this Invitation to Bid. By submission of a Bid, the Bidder further indicates acceptance of all terms and conditions of this Invitation to Bid.

CHANGES, MODIFICATIONS, WITHDRAWAL:

Changes, modifications, or withdrawal of Bids shall be submitted in writing prior to the deadline and shall be contained in a sealed envelope clearly marked, as appropriate, “Correction, Modification, or Withdrawal of Sealed Bid for Services Related to 2025 Lead and Copper Exploratory Excavation”. No corrections, modifications, or withdrawal of Bids shall be permitted after Bids have been opened.

No Bidder may withdraw his Bid for a period of thirty (30) calendar days after the date designated above for the opening.

SELECTION:

The Contract will be awarded, if at all, pursuant to M.G.L. c. 30, §39M, to the lowest responsible and eligible Bidder based on the lowest total amount for the base bid plus Alternate 1. According to M.G.L. c. 30, §39M, the term "lowest responsible and eligible bidder" shall mean the bidder: (1) whose bid is the lowest of those bidders possessing the skill, ability and integrity necessary for the faithful performance of the work, which may be determined by investigation beyond the submissions provided by the Bidder and by use of references; (2) who shall certify, that he is able to furnish labor that can work in harmony with all other elements of labor employed or to be employed in the work; (3) who shall certify that all employees to be employed at the worksite will have successfully completed a course in construction safety and health approved by the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration that is at least ten (10) hours in duration at the time the employee begins work and who shall furnish documentation of successful completion of said course with the first certified payroll report for each employee; (4) who, where the provisions of section 8B of chapter 29 apply, shall have been determined to be qualified thereunder; and (5) who obtains within ten (10) days of the notification of contract award the security by bond required under section 29 of Chapter 149; provided that for the purposes of this section the term "security by bond" shall mean the bond of a surety company qualified to do business under the laws of the Commonwealth and satisfactory to the awarding authority; provided further, that if there is more than one (1) surety company, the surety companies shall be jointly and severally liable.

Questions regarding this project shall be submitted in writing and emailed to Mike Sprague, Town Engineer at msprague@bedfordma.gov by the close of business (4:00 P.M. Monday through Friday) at least five (5) working days prior to the stated Bid Opening date. Questions presented after this time shall not be considered. No question shall be considered which is not submitted in writing. Any questions requiring consideration shall be answered in an addendum delivered to all registered Bidders.

PERFORMANCE BOND AND LABOR AND MATERIALS PAYMENT BOND:

The successful Bidder shall furnish a Performance Bond in the amount of one hundred percent (100%) of the amount of the Contract and a Payment Bond in the amount of one hundred percent (100%) of the amount of the Contract with a surety company which is acceptable to Owner.

MISCELLANEOUS:

Wage rates are subject to the prevailing wage rates as per M.G.L., c.149, §§26 to 27 G inclusive as contained in the Project Manual.

Owner, providing equal opportunity, encourages bids from minority and women owned businesses.

Owner reserves the right to reject any or all Bids or to accept any Bid deemed by them to be in the best interest of Owner.

The award of any contract pursuant to this Invitation for Bid is subject to appropriation by Bedford Town Meeting.

SELECT BOARD

BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS