Cherokee Bluffs Park Rubber Mulch Playground Surfacing

Hall County, Georgia, Board of Commissioners is soliciting sealed bids under Invitation to Bid (ITB) #031-46 for the provision of rubber mulch playground surfacing at Cherokee Bluffs Park in Flowery Branch, Georgia. The procurement seeks one qualified contractor to supply materials and perform installation of a poured-in-place bonded rubber surfacing system across approximately 4,200 square feet of playground surface, including a 4-inch compacted stone sublayer and recycled rubber tire mulch mixed with aromatic binder that complies with ASTM F1292-22 safety standards. Deliverables include subsurface preparation, base layer grading with proper drainage slope of 1-2% grade, installation of the bonded rubber surfacing system, and provision of a Surfacing Material Report per ASTM F3351-19; the County will handle removal and disposal of existing loose rubber mulch and coordinate equipment and material laydown areas. Required qualifications include Georgia licensure, insurance, and bonding in the regular business of rubber mulch surfacing, with a letter of bondability and 100 percent performance and payment bonds required before Notice to Proceed. Key dates include an optional pre-bid meeting on February 5, 2026, at 2:00 PM at 5867 Blackjack Road, Flowery Branch, Georgia; bidders' questions due by February 12, 2026; written responses due by February 17, 2026; and sealed bid submissions due by February 26, 2026, at 2:00 PM EST to the Hall County Government Center, Purchasing Division, Fourth Floor, 2875 Browns Bridge Road, Gainesville, Georgia 30504. Award will be made to the lowest cost, responsible, and responsive bidder with consideration given to lead times and project completion length, and all bids must remain valid for 120 calendar days.

The solicitation contains no specific set-aside designations or restrictions limiting participation to particular enterprise categories; however, all bidders must comply with the Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act and provide notarized E-Verify affidavits confirming authorization and commitment to maintain federal work authorization throughout the contract period. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the solicitation documents. Bidders must submit three hard paper copies of bid packets (one marked "Original" and two marked "Copy"), one hard copy of the Cost Proposal Worksheet (Exhibit C), and responses on one USB drive, including completed mandatory exhibits consisting of the Bid Response Form (Exhibit A), Contract for Services (Exhibit B), Cost Proposal Worksheet (Exhibit C), W-9 Form (Exhibit D), E-Verify Affidavit (Exhibit E), Ethics Affidavit (Exhibit F), business license copy, certificate of insurance, and professional licenses or certifications. The contract term is 120 days following issuance of a Notice to Proceed, with monthly payments made in arrears based on fixed and firm pricing following county inspection and acceptance of services; the contractor must maintain comprehensive insurance coverage including workers' compensation ($500,000), general liability ($2,000,000 general aggregate), commercial auto liability ($1,000,000 combined single limit), and umbrella liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence). Based on bid tabulation results, seven valid bids were received ranging from $75,671.70 (JarJax, LLC dba Southeast Outdoor Solutions) to $125,700.00 (Bliss Products & Services, Inc.), indicating the project budget falls within this range with the low bid of approximately $75,672 representing the likely award value.