2026 Africa Road Underground Conduit Project

The City of Westerville Electric Division, located in Delaware County, Ohio, is soliciting competitive sealed bids for the 2026 Africa Road Underground Conduit Project (Project No. 2026-302). This is a Request for Bids (RFB) procurement for the furnishing and installation of underground conduit systems, specifically approximately 6,100 linear feet of 2-5" Schedule 40 PVC Bore-Gard conduits and approximately 420 linear feet of 1-5" Schedule 40 PVC Bore-Gard conduits to be installed via directional boring across eight designated bore paths along Africa Road, County Line Road, Polaris Parkway, Westar Boulevard, Atlas Avenue, and Carina Way. The scope of work includes construction layout and staking by a professional surveyor registered in Ohio, maintenance of traffic in accordance with Ohio Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices standards, mobilization, site restoration including seeding and mulching, utility investigation and coordination with multiple existing utility providers, and compliance with minimum 48-inch burial depths and specified clearance requirements between utilities. All bids must be electronically submitted through the City's Bonfire Procurement Portal by 3:00 PM local time on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, with the public bid opening held at 64 East Walnut Street, Westerville, Ohio 43081, and participation available via Google Meet. The question and answer period closes at 3:00 PM on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Bidders must submit an Experience Record form documenting at least three similar projects completed within the past five years, a Subcontractors form identifying all proposed subcontractors, and bid guaranties in the form of either a bid bond equal to ten percent of the bid plus all alternates or a full-amount bid guaranty and contract bond issued by a surety company licensed in Ohio. The City will award the contract based on lowest and best bid consideration, including evaluation of contractor qualifications, financial status, equipment suitability, and experience record.

The contract is subject to Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4115 prevailing wage requirements, with applicable wage rates and thresholds provided for Delaware County, and contractors and subcontractors must submit certified payroll reports demonstrating compliance with mandated prevailing wage rates for skilled trades. No set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises or minority-owned businesses are explicitly identified in the contract documents. The successful bidder will be required to furnish Performance and Payment Bonds in the amount of one hundred percent of the contract price within ten days of notice of award. Work must commence on or after the date specified in the Notice to Proceed and be fully completed by September 18, 2026. The Engineer's Estimate for the project is $700,000, establishing the anticipated budget range for contract award. The contractor will be responsible for coordinating with existing utility providers including Communications Spectrum, City of Westerville (sanitary, storm, and water systems), Columbia Gas of Ohio, Insight Communications, City of Westerville Electric, American Electric Power, Breezeline, WeConnect, and AT&T, and must comply with all federal, state, and local safety requirements and National Electrical Safety Code standards.