Updated LSII RFP .pdf

TOWN OF BENSON

REQUEST FOR QUOTATION

RFQ 05-2026 – LEAD SERVICE LINE INVENTORY COMPLETION

• Date of Issue: October 21, 2026

• Questions Due: November 10, 2026, 2:00 PM

• Last Addendum Issued: November 16, 2026

• Proposals/Pricing Due: November 20, 2026, 10:00 AM

1. Purpose & Scope of Work The Town of Benson is seeking written proposals from qualified and experienced utility and underground construction contractors to complete the locating and material identification service for the town's Lead Service Line Replacement (LSLR) program.

The selected Contractor shall furnish all equipment, tools, safety/traffic control, and labor necessary to complete the lead service line inventory verification in strict accordance with the project criteria, applicable North Carolina Division of Water Infrastructure (DWI) rules, DWSRF requirements, and town guidelines.

1.1 Project Overview & Quantities

The town has completed historical record reviews and visual identification for approximately 87% of its estimated 2,000 total water service connections. This contract specifically covers the field verification and material identification of the remaining 253 unknown service lines.

1.2 Work Locations

Work will occur at various designated utility service connections distributed across the Town of Benson water service area. A project map indicating the targeted work zones is provided as Attachment B. Contractors must exercise extreme caution regarding proximity to private landscaping, structures, sidewalks, and businesses during physical operations.

1.3 Technical Specifications & Methods

• Identification Methods: Work shall consist of physical potholing and excavations utilizing either specialized vacuum excavation (soft dig) or localized mechanical excavation to safely expose and determine the exact material composition of the piping and fittings present.

• Site Restoration: All excavations must be immediately backfilled, compacted, and left close to or exceeding previous conditions. Dirt surfaces must be graded, stabilized, and seeded with grass seed appropriate to match existing lawns or rights-of-way.

• Infrastructure Damage & Cuts: Any work deemed destructive to town streets, public sidewalks, or private driveways must be pre-approved and closely coordinated with the

MAYOR

DR. R. MAX RAYNOR

MAYOR PRO-TEM

CASANDRA P. STACK

COMMISSIONER

WILL CHANDLER

DANNY HOLLAND

DEAN MCLAMB

WILLIAM NEIGHBORS

INTERIM TOWN MANAGER

TANNER O’QUIN

INTERIM FINANCE OFFICER

RACHAEL YEFKO

TOWN CLERK

ANGIE THORNTON

TOWN ATTORNEY

R. ISAAC PARKER

TOWN OF BENSON

P.O. BOX 69

303 EAST CHURCH STREET

BENSON, NC 27504

(919) 894-3553

FAX (919) 894-1283

www.townofbenson.com https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=%2Fg%2F1td54952 http://www.townofbenson.com/

Utility Compliance Supervisor (UCS). Asphalt or concrete replacement standards must comply with town specifications and be coordinated directly through the UCS.

• Data Logging & Reporting: The Contractor must precisely document the location of each excavation, the address, and the pipe material identified. This data must be submitted directly to the UCS in a format fully compatible with the NC DEQ Lead Service Line Inventory template and tracking software. Reports shall be submitted at intervals determined at the discretion of the UCS.

• Working Hours: Permitted operational hours are 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Any work requested outside of these standard hours requires written authorization from the town.

• Attachment One: Unknown Service Lines Listing

• Attachment Two: Map with locations in town.

2. Submission & Pricing Structure Contractors must submit pricing using a dual-structure format:

1. Lump Sum Base Bid: A fixed-price total to complete the primary identification and reporting for the 200 unknown lines.

2. Time & Materials (T&M) Rate Sheet: A comprehensive schedule of hourly labor rates, equipment rates, and expendable costs to be utilized only for extra work explicitly authorized by the town beyond the original scope.

• Bonds: Bid, performance, and payment bonds are not required for this contract.

• Retainage: The town will withhold a 5% retainage from progress payments until 50% of the project scope is successfully completed and approved, at which point retainage may be managed per NC municipal guidelines.

• Contract Executions: The successful bidder will be required to execute a standard Town of Benson Service Contract prior to the issuance of a Notice to Proceed.

• Bid Opening: Bids will be opened and read aloud November 17, 2026, 10:00 AM in conference room of Benson town hall. Late bids will not be accepted. The Town reserves the right to reject any and all bids.

• Other: It is up to the prospective bidder to familiarize themselves with prospective work areas and conditions.

3. Insurance Requirements The selected Contractor must maintain, at its sole expense, the following baseline coverages throughout the life of the contract. The Town of Benson must be explicitly named as an Additional Insured on the General Liability and Automobile policies, and a valid Certificate of Insurance (COI) must be submitted before work commences.

• Commercial General Liability (CGL): $1,000,000 per occurrence / $2,000,000 general aggregate.

• Automobile Liability: $1,000,000 Combined Single Limit (CSL) covering all owned, hired, and non-owned corporate vehicles.

• Workers' Compensation: Statutory coverage complying fully with North Carolina law (applicable to all businesses employing 3 or more workers).

• Employers' Liability: $1,000,000 minimum limits.

4. Billing & Funding Compliance

• Invoice Submissions: Invoices for completed and verified work must be submitted to the designated Town Project Manager on or before the 25th day of each calendar month.

• Payment Terms: Approved invoices will be processed and submitted through the state disbursement framework. Payment terms shall be Net 30 days from receipt of a verified invoice to facilitate federal/state fund drawdowns.

• Agency Oversight: Bidders are explicitly notified that personnel from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NC DEQ) and the Division of Water Infrastructure may be present on-site to inspect, audit, and view activities associated with this contract.

Contractors must grant access and cooperate fully with state inspectors.

• Federal Cross-Cutters: This project is funded via the DWSRF. The Contractor agrees to comply with all applicable federal laws, including Davis-Bacon prevailing wage tracking, Title VI Civil Rights compliance, and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) reporting if required by the state funding offer.

APPENDIX B: PRE-BID INSURANCE & COMPLIANCE SIGN-OFF FORM

Bidders must submit this completed form alongside their technical and pricing proposals. Failure to submit this form signed by an authorized corporate officer and the bidder’s insurance agent may result in the bid being rejected as non-responsive.

To the Town of Benson, North Carolina:

The undersigned bidder hereby certifies that they have reviewed the insurance, state, and federal compliance requirements outlined in RFQ 05-2026 – Lead Service Line Inventory Completion.

1. Insurance Verification: The bidder acknowledges that the Commercial General Liability ($1M/$2M), Automobile Liability ($1M CSL), and Workers' Compensation/Employers' Liability ($1M) limits are a mandatory condition of contract award. The bidder further confirms that the Town of Benson will be named as an Additional Insured on a primary and non-contributory basis upon contract execution.

2. Regulatory Compliance: The bidder certifies they possess the appropriate, active North Carolina contractor licensing required to execute underground utility and excavation work.

BIDDER CERTIFICATION:

• Company/Contractor Name: _____________________________________________

• Authorized Representative Name & Title: _________________________________

• Signature: ____________________________________ Date: _______________

INSURANCE AGENT / BROKER SIGN-OFF:

I hereby certify that the bidder listed above currently possesses or is fully capable of obtaining the exact insurance coverage types and limits specified in Section 3 of this RFQ document.

• Agency / Brokerage Name: _____________________________________________

• Agent Name & Title: __________________________________________________

• Signature: ____________________________________ Date: _______________

APPENDIX C: MANDATORY SRF & DAVIS-BACON COMPLIANCE ADDENDUM

This project is funded in whole or in part by the North Carolina Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). The selected Contractor must strictly adhere to all federal "cross-cutter" authorities and NC DEQ Division of Water Infrastructure regulations throughout the performance of this contract.

1. Davis-Bacon Act and Wage Rate Requirements

• Minimum Wages: All laborers and mechanics employed or working upon the site of the work will be paid unconditionally, and not less often than once a week, the full amount of wages and bona fide fringe benefits (or cash equivalents thereof) due at time of payment computed at rates not less than those contained in the applicable U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) General Wage Decision for heavy/utility construction in Johnston County, North Carolina.

• Overtime: No contractor or subcontractor contracting for any part of the contract work which may require or involve the employment of laborers or mechanics shall require or permit any such laborer or mechanic in any workweek in which he or she is employed on such work to work in excess of forty hours in such workweek unless such laborer or mechanic receives compensation at a rate not less than one and one-half times the basic rate of pay for all hours worked in excess of forty hours.

2. Build America, Buy America (BABA) / American Iron and Steel (AIS)

• The Contractor acknowledges that all iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials used for the physical components of the water system under this contract

(including any permanent repair fittings, pipes, or valves installed during work coordination) must be produced in the United States in full compliance with BABA and AIS statutory provisions.

3. Nondiscrimination & Civil Rights Compliance

• During the performance of this contract, the Contractor agrees to comply fully with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, ensuring that no person shall, on the grounds of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under this project.

4. Access to Records and Site Inspection

• The Contractor shall grant explicit right-of-access to the Town of Benson, the North

Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NC DEQ), the EPA Office of Inspector General, and the Comptroller General of the United States. These entities shall have the right to inspect all project work sites, interview laborers on-site during working hours, and audit all financial records, books, payroll documents, and data logs associated with this contract.

CONTRACTOR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF STATE REVOLVING FUND ADDENDUM:

• Contractor Signature: _______________________________________________

• Date: ________________________

1. Print Newspaper Advertisement Notice Place this text block verbatim into the legal notices section of your local newspaper of general circulation. Statutorily, it should run once, at least 10–14 days prior to bid submissions.

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS — TOWN OF BENSON, NC

Project Title: Lead Service Line Inventory Completion (RFQ 05-2026) Bids Submission Deadline: November 20, 2026, at 10:00 AM EST.

The Town of Benson is seeking written lump-sum proposals from qualified, licensed utility and underground construction contractors to perform soft-dig vacuum excavation or mechanical potholing to identify pipe materials for approximately 253 unknown water service lines. This project is monitored by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NC DEQ) and funded via the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). Mandatory compliance with Davis-Bacon prevailing wage tracking and state/federal regulatory guidelines applies.

Complete Request for Quotation (RFQ) packets, technical specifications, and location maps can be obtained at online at townofbenson.com/2261/Bidding-Opportunities or from NC EVP system.

The Town of Benson reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to waive informalities. The Town of Benson is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Small, minority, and women-owned businesses are encouraged to submit bids.

2. North Carolina Electronic Vendor Portal (EVP) Upload Settings When uploading this RFQ to the NC Interactive Purchasing System / EVP portal, use these parameters to ensure proper indexing to certified utility bidders across the state:

EVP Field Name Target Configuration Value

Solicitation Title RFQ 05-2026 – Lead Service Line Inventory Completion Main Commodity Code 72141102 (Water well drilling or utility line construction service)

Secondary Commodity Code 81101516 (Utility tracking or locating service) Using Agency Town of Benson - Public Works & Utilities Division

Funding Source Federal Grant / State Revolving Fund (DWSRF / NC DEQ) Bid Submission Type Electronic Upload / Sealed Written Proposal

3. Appendix D: Line-Item Bid Pricing Matrix (Summary) The generated PDF includes printable formatting for this matrix, allowing contractors to provide standardized pricing.

Part A: Base Bid Schedule (Lump Sum)

1. Mobilization, Site Setup, Traffic Safety Control & Closeout (1 LS)

2. Soft-Dig (Vacuum) or Approved Mechanical Potholing & Material ID (200 EA)

3. Standard Right-of-Way Backfill, Compaction, and Surface Seeding (200 EA)

4. Data Logging & NC DEQ Compliant Report Deliverables (1 LS)

• TOTAL COMPREHENSIVE BASE CONTRACT BID VALUE: ____________

Part B: Contingency Rate Schedule (Authorized T&M Extra Work Only) Contractors are required to fill out hourly unit rates for the following classifications to govern any unexpected extra line verifications:

• L-1: Foreman / Utility Site Supervisor (Per Hour)

• L-2: Skilled Heavy Equipment Operator (Per Hour)

• L-3: Laborer / Utility Technician (Per Hour)

• E-1: Vacuum Excavation (Soft-Dig) Truck with Fuel & Crew Accessories (Per Hour)

• M-1: Asphalt/Concrete Street Cutting & Permanent Patch Repair (Per Sq Yd)

Next Steps for Implementation

1. Email the PDF Packet directly to your legal publisher/local newspaper with instructions for the print notice.

2. Log into the NC EVP System and create a new sourcing event using the commodity codes listed above.

3. Attach the complete RFQ (from our previous draft) alongside Appendix B (Sign-off), Appendix C (SRF Addendum), and Appendix D (Pricing Matrix) as a single PDF procurement package.

Let me know if you need to adjust any specific item descriptions or add additional labor codes to the rate sheet!

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS — TOWN OF BENSON, NC

Project Title: Lead Service Line Inventory Completion (RFQ 05-2026) Bids Submission Deadline: November 20, 2026, at 10:00 AM EST.

The Town of Benson is seeking written lump-sum proposals from qualified, licensed utility and underground construction contractors to perform soft-dig vacuum excavation or mechanical potholing to identify pipe materials for approximately 253 unknown water service lines. This project is monitored by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NC DEQ) and funded via the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). Mandatory compliance with Davis-Bacon prevailing wage tracking and state/federal regulatory guidelines applies.

Complete Request for Quotation (RFQ) packets, technical specifications, and location maps can be obtained at online at townofbenson.com/2261/Bidding-Opportunities or from NC EVP system.

The Town of Benson reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to waive informalities. The Town of Benson is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Small, minority, and women-owned businesses are encouraged to submit bids.