East Rock College Woods Improvements

The City of New Haven, Connecticut is conducting a competitive invitation to bid (Solicitation #2026-ITB-345) for improvements to the College Woods area of East Rock Park in New Haven County. The project encompasses construction and landscape improvements including new and improved pedestrian paths, site furnishings, plantings, and related infrastructure enhancements. Specific deliverables include tree protection measures (554 linear feet), excavation (207 cubic yards), concrete sidewalk installation (670 square yards), landscape material installation, small trees (12 units), shrubs (52 units), perennials (322 units), stainless steel handrails, bicycle racks, trash receptacles, post-and-rope fencing, loaming, seeding, and sodding. Contractors must meet Connecticut prevailing wage requirements, comply with the City of New Haven Living Wage Ordinance for contracts exceeding $25,000 annually, and adhere to ADA accessibility standards and Connecticut Department of Transportation specifications. The mandatory pre-bid meeting is scheduled for May 18, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at the northwest corner of Orange Street and Cold Spring Street, with a question and clarification deadline of May 26, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Bids are due electronically through the City's OpenGov eProcurement Portal by June 3, 2026, at 3:00 p.m., with contract awards made to the lowest responsible bidder contingent upon funds availability. The contract term is one year unless otherwise specified.

The procurement includes mandatory set-aside requirements for minority business enterprises (MBEs) and women-owned businesses (WBEs), with contractors required to achieve 25 percent participation from these enterprises in subcontracting activities. All contractors, including subcontractors and tier-subs, must submit complete MBE/WBE Utilization Forms, attend mandatory pre-award conferences, and submit Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) packages with associated fees ranging from $100 to $4,000 depending on contract value. Contractors must furnish performance and labor and material bonds equal to 100 percent of the contract amount within ten days of award notification, and a bid bond of five percent for bids exceeding $100,000 is required. Connecticut prevailing wage rates apply with weekly certified payroll submissions required, and contractors must comply with occupational classification standards and prevailing wage benefit requirements established by the Connecticut Department of Labor. The project is funded through American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, with all funds obligated by December 31, 2024, and all work completed by December 31, 2026. No specific incumbent contractors or current technology integration requirements are identified in the procurement documents.