Almena FEMA Community Safe Room Project

The Village of Almena, Wisconsin, in Barron County, is procuring general construction contracting services for the development of a Community Safe Room project. This procurement solicits sealed bids for the design, construction, and delivery of a 2,304 gross square foot (1,638 usable square feet), one-story, slab-on-grade masonry storm shelter facility designed to FEMA standards. The facility will serve as a community safe room with a capacity of 325 persons (323 ambulatory and 2 wheelchair accessible) and will provide protection for local residents, guests, and visitors from tornado and high wind events. The scope of work encompasses concrete, site work, general construction, electrical, HVAC, and plumbing services, with all labor, materials, equipment, and items necessary for project completion to be included in a single lump sum bid price. Sealed bids must be submitted by 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at the Village Hall located at 131 Soo Ave E, Almena, WI 54805, where bids will be opened and read aloud. Bid documents are available from Ratsch Engineering Company, Ltd., at 547 Hewett Street, P.O. Box 189, Neillsville, WI 54456, by phone at (715) 743-2240 or fax at (715) 743-4469, for a non-refundable fee of $20.

All bids must be accompanied by either a Bid Bond or Certified Check equal to 5% of the bid amount, payable to the Village of Almena, to guarantee execution of the contract and performance security within ten days of bid acceptance. The successful bidder will be required to provide a 100% Performance and Payment Bond prior to contract execution. The contract will be awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder subject to the terms contained in the project manual, with no bids permitted to be withdrawn for 45 days after the bid opening date. The Village reserves the right to retain the bid security of the three lowest responsible bidders, return the bid security of the two remaining unsuccessful bidders upon execution of the agreement, and to reject any or all bids, waive any technicality, or accept any bid deemed advantageous to the Village. The project is funded in part by a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant to the Village of Almena. No specific set-aside designations, disadvantaged enterprise restrictions, incumbent vendor information, or budget ranges are identified in the procurement documentation.