Engineering services - dry brook culvert replacement

The Town of Manchester, Connecticut is requesting proposals for professional engineering services to design a box culvert replacement project of approximately 2,000 linear feet in Downtown Manchester, with proposals due November 10, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. and questions due November 6, 2026. The Town of Manchester Living Wage Ordinance applies: covered employers must pay $18.25 per hour (with comprehensive health care benefits) or $26.70 per hour (without benefits) for employees on contracts exceeding $25,000 in any fiscal year.

Qualified firms must demonstrate completion of at least two box culvert replacement or similar hydraulic structure projects within the past ten years, with at least one in an urban or constrained environment. The proposed project manager must have a minimum of ten years of relevant experience and have served as lead or deputy lead on at least two similar projects. All design work must be performed under the responsible charge of a Professional Engineer licensed in Connecticut as Engineer of Record. Professional liability insurance of not less than $1 million per claim and in the aggregate is required.

The scope spans seven phases: preliminary engineering, preliminary design (30%), public engagement, final design (60%, 90%, and 100%), environmental permitting, bidding services, and construction phase support. The culvert is located within the central business district bounded by Main Street (west), Bissell Street (north), Cottage Street (east), and Maple Street (south), and experiences routine flooding during storm events due to insufficient capacity.

The Town approved a Public Works Bond Referendum in November 2026 allocating approximately $4 million for this and other storm drainage upgrade projects, serving as the funding source. The anticipated Notice to Proceed is January 2027, with overall project duration from NTP to completion of bidding services estimated at 12 to 14 months. Pricing represents 25 percent of the total evaluation score and will be evaluated on the basis of overall value and reasonableness. All proposals must be submitted electronically through the Town of Manchester's procurement portal.