Colonel Estill Drainage Improvements

Chatham County, Georgia is procuring construction services for the Colonel Estill Drainage Improvements project through an Invitation to Bid (ITB) issued by the Chatham County Purchasing & Contracting Department. The project, located in unincorporated Chatham County on Isle of Hope along Colonel Estill Avenue, requires removal of existing drainage pipes and structures, installation of new stormwater pipes and structures (ranging from 18-inch to 24-inch storm drain pipe and 24-inch by 38-inch elliptical concrete pipe), construction or modification of open channels, utility adjustments, and associated infrastructure work. Key objectives include maintaining traffic flow and roadway and property access throughout construction, maintaining stormwater flow capacity with temporary blockages permitted, implementing and maintaining erosion and sedimentation control plans prior to and during construction, coordinating with utility providers to manage impacts to existing water service infrastructure, and completing all work in accordance with comprehensive construction plans and technical specifications. Qualified bidders must be responsible and responsive contractors capable of obtaining all necessary licenses and permits, maintaining required insurance coverage (commercial general liability with $1,000,000 minimum limits, workers' compensation with $500,000 minimum limits, and business automobile liability with $1,000,000 combined single limit), holding a current Chatham County Tax Certificate and Business License, and ensuring all real and personal property taxes are paid prior to contract award. Bidders must submit detailed project references demonstrating relevant experience; those with projects valued at $500,000 or more must provide information on five comparable recent projects, while those bidding below $500,000 must provide references from at least three project owners with preference for government owners, and failure to provide required reference information results in bid rejection. The pre-bid conference is scheduled for April 29, 2026 at 10:00 a.m., sealed bids must be submitted online through the Chatham County Purchasing Portal (https://chathamcountyga.bonfirehub.com/portal) by May 19, 2026 at 2:00 p.m., and the bid price must remain firm for sixty days from the opening date.

Chatham County has established a combined minority/woman business enterprise (M/WBE) participation goal of 30 percent for this project, and bidders must demonstrate good faith efforts in subcontracting with qualified M/WBE firms through various documented outreach methods including advertising, good faith negotiation, and contact attempt documentation; failure to complete required M/WBE and other mandatory certifications and compliance attachments will result in bids being deemed non-responsive. Bidders must submit a bid bond, certified check, or money order equal to 5 percent of the bid price with their bid documents, and upon contract award, the successful contractor must provide a performance and payment bond equal to 100 percent of the bid price prior to contract execution, with all bonds executed by a surety authorized to do business in Georgia and approved by Chatham County. The project documentation does not identify any incumbent vendors or current contractors, nor does it specify an overall project budget or award value; however, the bid sheet template indicates a Field Condition Allowance of $50,000.00 as a contingency for unforeseen site conditions, with this amount reverting to the county if unused. Additional compliance requirements include drug-free workplace certification, non-discrimination assurances, E-Verify authorization, debarment and suspension certifications, and systematic alien verification affidavits, with all work hours restricted to 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday unless otherwise approved. Payment will be made within thirty days of invoice receipt and approval, and liquidated damages are assessed at $500 per calendar day for work not completed within the contract period, with additional daily penalties of $500 for non-operational erosion control best management practice systems.