B026-57 WPCF Lab Testing

The City of Meriden, Connecticut, through its Water Pollution Control Facility (WPCF), is soliciting bids for comprehensive laboratory testing services and related technical support under Invitation to Bid B026-57. The procurement encompasses four primary service categories: acute aquatic toxicity testing conducted quarterly (March, June, September, and December), chronic aquatic toxicity testing performed annually (July through September), dewatered sludge analyses including annual, quarterly, and NPDES permit-related testing, and stormwater monitoring on a semi-annual basis (October–March and April–September). The successful contractor must provide all associated technical assistance, data evaluation, and related services as required by the WPCF, maintain appropriate state licenses and certifications, and submit a State Certification Number with their bid. The contract term runs for two years from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2028, with two optional two-year extensions available by mutual written agreement. Bidders must submit detailed pricing for each line item, including miscellaneous analytes such as BOD, TKN, ammonia nitrogen, total phosphorus, orthophosphate, nitrite nitrogen, and nitrate nitrogen, with all costs inclusive of transportation and no separate fuel surcharges permitted. The question submission deadline is May 21, 2026, at 4:00 PM, and bids are due May 28, 2026, at 11:00 AM via the City's eProcurement Portal. Each bid must be accompanied by a bid bond equal to ten percent of the total bid amount, and the City reserves the right to award the contract to a single bidder or to award individual items, groups of items, or the total bid at its discretion.

Bidders must comply with prevailing wage requirements under Connecticut General Statutes Section 31-53, with all employees required to complete a minimum ten-hour OSHA Construction Safety and Health course prior to commencing work. The procurement includes mandatory compliance with Connecticut's Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities regulations, requiring submission of a completed Bidder Contract Compliance Monitoring Report that documents workforce composition, affirmative action planning, and commitment to minority business enterprise participation; contractors are evaluated on their success in employing and engaging minority-owned and small businesses. Insurance requirements are substantial, including Commercial General Liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate, Business Automobile Liability of $1,000,000 combined single limit, Workers' Compensation at statutory limits with Employer's Liability of $1,000,000 per accident, and Professional Liability or Errors and Omissions Coverage of $2,000,000 single limit per claim and aggregate. The City of Meriden must be named as an additional insured on a primary and non-contributory basis (except for Workers' Compensation), and all insurance carriers must maintain a minimum AM Best's rating of "A-" VIII and be approved in Connecticut. No specific budget range or contract value is disclosed in the solicitation documents; payment will be made no less than thirty days following completion of services, and the City is exempt from federal excise taxes and Connecticut sales and use taxes, which should not be included in bid pricing.