26B-081 Marion Oaks #4 and Summerglen Water Treatment Plants Potable Wells Construction

Marion County, Florida is soliciting competitive bids for construction of four new public-supply potable water wells—two at the Marion Oaks #4 Water Treatment Plant and two at the Summerglen Water Treatment Plant under project 26B-081. The procurement requires the selected contractor to furnish all labor, materials, equipment, and facilities necessary to construct, develop, and comprehensively test the wells in accordance with AWWA A100 standards and Florida Administrative Code requirements. The Marion Oaks wells will be constructed to a total depth of 250 feet (with potential extension to 275 feet), while the Summerglen wells will reach 275 feet (with potential extension to 300 feet); both locations will feature 16-inch-diameter steel casing extending approximately 3 feet above finished grade with blind flanges and a design capacity of 1,000 gallons per minute. The scope of work includes pilot hole drilling (8- to 12-inch diameter), final casing installation using new black steel pipe with minimum 0.375-inch wall thickness, cement grouting, comprehensive water quality testing (field testing every 50 feet and at every drill rod change, laboratory analysis of specified parameters, and final testing including PFAS analysis and drinking water standards compliance), aquifer performance testing, and plumbness and alignment testing. Bidders must demonstrate qualifications in potable water well construction and comply with all federal and state regulations including Workers' Compensation insurance, Commercial General Liability coverage of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence, Business Automobile Liability of $500,000 combined single limit, E-Verify employment verification, Drug Free Workplace certification, and public records retention requirements under Florida law. Bids are due by May 21, 2026, and must be submitted electronically through the Marion County Bonfire e-procurement portal; all questions and discussions must occur through the Bonfire platform's designated features. Award determination will be based on the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, considering the total cost of the Base Bid combined with any alternates selected by the County post-bid closing, with contingency pricing excluded from evaluation and fixed allowances not used to differentiate bidders.

The procurement documents do not identify specific set-asides for disadvantaged enterprises, small businesses, or minority-owned vendors; however, all contractors must comply with Title VI nondiscrimination provisions for any federally or Florida Department of Transportation-funded components and must satisfy scrutiny requirements regarding companies with activities in Sudan, Iran, Cuba, Syria, or engaged in boycotts of Israel per Florida Statute 287.135. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the contract opportunity documentation, nor are there references to existing infrastructure or technology requiring integration beyond connection to the Marion County Utilities systems. Payment terms follow a hybrid structure combining lump-sum items (underreaming, grouting, surface annular seals, geophysical logging, aquifer performance testing, and final water quality testing) and unit-price items (pilot hole drilling per linear foot, final casing installation per linear foot, well development per pumping hour, and temporary discharge piping per foot), with mobilization/demobilization costs not to exceed 12% of the Base Bid. Two additive bid alternates are available for packer testing setup (lump sum) and packer test pumping time (unit price per hour). The contract requires submission of a Bid Bond (either surety bond or cashier's check) with the bid submission, valid for at least 90 calendar days following the bid deadline, and successful bidders must provide performance bonds upon contract award. No specific overall contract value or budget range is disclosed in the procurement documents; pricing will be determined through competitive bidding with bids remaining firm for 90 days and award anticipated within 60 calendar days of the May 21, 2026 deadline.