751/21294. TAP; Sturgeon River Sloughs Bridge

This procurement involves a fixed-price construction contract for the demolition and reconstruction of the Sturgeon River Sloughs Bridge located in Houghton County, Michigan, administered by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources in partnership with the State Facilities Administration, Design & Construction Division. The scope of work includes removal of the existing steel bridge with wood deck and log abutments, excavation and installation of new concrete abutments with waterproofing, installation of new steel superstructure and timber decking with wearing surface, installation of wood guardrails and signage, placement of gravel approaches and riprap around abutments, and implementation of slope restoration with erosion control measures. Key deliverables include completion of all demolition, excavation, and construction activities with substantial completion by August 25, 2023, and final completion by September 15, 2023, with specific material standards including ASTM A558 Grade weathering steel, 3,500 PSI concrete with air entrainment, ASTM A615 reinforcing steel, and copper naphthenate pressure-treated timber decking. A mandatory virtual pre-bid meeting was held on February 14, 2023, at 9:00 A.M. EST via Microsoft Teams with site visits encouraged, questions were accepted until March 2, 2023, at 5:00 P.M. EST, and electronic bids were due by March 8, 2023, at 2:00 P.M. through the SIGMA VSS website. Evaluation criteria include best value selection with consideration of qualitative factors beyond price, and a 5% bid guarantee is required for proposal submission. The project is managed by U.P. Engineers & Architects, Inc. located in Houghton, Michigan, with Tom Pawlowski serving as Project Manager.

This procurement includes specific restrictions requiring all contractors and subcontractors to comply with Michigan residency requirements and prevailing wage rates established for Houghton County across multiple trade classifications. Qualified Disabled Veterans receive a 10% preference in bid evaluation. The project carries a 5-year permit authorization period from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (Permit No. WRP034784 v.1, issued August 26, 2022) and an Army Corps of Engineers Regional Permit authorization under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, with specific environmental and operational restrictions including restrictions on river work from April 30 to June 30 to protect fish spawning and mandatory soil erosion and sedimentation control compliance requiring submission of an approved SESC plan with daily inspections. The contractor must employ an EGLE-certified storm water operator for sites with five or more acres of disturbance, with potential fines of $500 per day for non-compliance. Liquidated damages are assessed at $150 per calendar day for delays beyond substantial completion, and a $5,000 contingency allowance is included in the contract. While no specific budget or award value is stated in the procurement documents, performance and payment bonds are required for contracts exceeding $50,000, indicating the project cost likely exceeds this threshold.