Airfield Lighting Rehabilitation

The County of Rowan, North Carolina, is issuing sealed bids for the Airfield Lighting Rehabilitation project at Mid-Carolina Regional Airport in Salisbury pursuant to Section 143-129 of the General Statutes of North Carolina. This comprehensive procurement involves the complete rehabilitation of airfield lighting systems, including the removal and replacement of runway and taxiway lights, precision approach path indicators (PAPI), runway end identifier lights (REIL), wind cones, beacon lights, and associated underground electrical infrastructure with new LED-type equipment. The project deliverables include installation of approximately 59,000 linear feet of L-824 5KV underground cable, duct bank construction, transformer vault installation, and restoration of affected areas across Runway 2-20 and multiple taxiways (A, A1-A5, B, C, D, E, and others) organized into nine phasing operations. Qualified bidders must be prequalified with the North Carolina Department of Transportation and demonstrate the ability to comply with Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements, federal Buy American preferences, nondiscrimination provisions, and equal employment opportunity obligations with established minority (15.7%) and female (6.9%) workforce goals. A pre-bid conference was held on March 12, 2026, at 10:00 AM at Mid-Carolina Regional Airport, with sealed bids due by 2:00 PM on April 7, 2026. The contract period is 120 calendar days from the Notice to Proceed, with liquidated damages of $2,500 per calendar day for failure to meet the deadline. Pricing is submitted on a unit-price basis with 48 line items, and a five percent bid bond is required with the proposal, along with a 100% performance bond and 100% labor and material payment bond upon award.

This project is funded through federal Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grants with federal participation, making it subject to federal prevailing wage requirements and restrictions on contractor eligibility based on compliance with federal regulations and nondiscrimination standards. Contractors must maintain insurance coverage including $1,000,000 general liability per occurrence/$2,000,000 aggregate, $500,000 workers' compensation employer's liability, and $1,000,000 automobile liability coverage, with Rowan County listed as an additional insured. Mobilization costs are limited to 10% of the total project cost, and all materials and workmanship are guaranteed for one year from final acceptance. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in this solicitation, as this represents a complete rehabilitation of existing infrastructure. The specifications establish Davis-Bacon prevailing wage rates for the region, with electricians compensated at $19.19 per hour base rate and laborers ranging from $10.21 to $16.29 per hour depending on classification. While specific budget ranges are not disclosed in the available documentation, the project scope and complexity suggest a substantial award value reflective of federal airport improvement funding mechanisms.