#212186 City Shops Fiber Optic Improvements

The City of Salem, Oregon, located in Marion County, issued a competitive procurement for the City Shops Fiber Optic Improvements project (Bid No. 212186) to construct and install fiber optic infrastructure. The specific scope of work involves installing approximately 3,600 feet of buried 3-inch conduit, constructing vaults, laying fiber optic cable, and establishing connections to the new Public Works Operations building and existing facilities. A mandatory pre-bid meeting was held on June 28, 2022, with the bid opening scheduled for July 19, 2022, at 2:15 PM Pacific Time via Zoom. The project requires substantial completion by April 15, 2023, with a total contract completion timeline of 290 days after the notice to proceed. Bidders were required to submit a 10% bid bond and comply with prevailing wage requirements. The contract will be awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder based on unit pricing and technical capabilities.

The procurement did not specify explicit set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged business enterprises. Five bidders submitted proposals, including Cherry City Electric, Standard Utility Contractors, Jimco Electric, Aaken Corporation, and Northstar Electric. The engineer's estimate for the project ranged from $300,000 to $350,000, though the actual bid from Aaken Corporation was $552,958. The City of Salem intended to award the contract on August 8, 2022, to Aaken Corporation of Bend, Oregon. The project involves upgrading existing fiber optic infrastructure, which will require integration with current communications systems at the Public Works Operations building. Liquidated damages clauses were included to manage potential delays in project milestones, and the contract will involve unit-price based compensation for the fiber optic interconnect improvements.