ESU Early Childhood Learning Center Playground

Chatham County, Georgia is soliciting sealed bids for the provision and design of a new playground facility at the ESU Early Childhood Learning Center located at 814 Hitch Drive, Savannah, Georgia 31401, through Invitation to Bid (ITB 26-0037-2). The project requires contractors to design and install three distinct playground areas: Area #1 for infants (approximately 1,997 square feet), Area #2 for toddlers (approximately 3,310 square feet), and Area #3 for preschoolers (approximately 7,142 square feet), with a total child capacity of 187 and overall dimensions of 123'-6" x 94'-0" to 120'-6" x 94'-0". The playground design and materials must comply with Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning childcare licensing standards, ADA accessibility requirements, ASTM F1487-95 standards, and U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission guidelines, incorporating 95 percent post-consumer recycled materials with low-carbon aluminum posts, 75 percent recycled content decking, and synthetic turf surfacing meeting ASTM Critical Fall Height Safety Standards. Contractors must provide a complete equipment list, approved site plans, warranty descriptions, replacement parts books, and installation instructions, with all work to commence within ten days of receiving the Notice to Proceed and be completed no later than October 1, 2026. A mandatory pre-bid conference is scheduled for 10:00 AM on April 16, 2026, at the facility site, and sealed bids must be submitted online through the Chatham County Purchasing Portal by 2:00 PM on May 1, 2026. Bidders submitting bids of $500,000 or more must provide references from five recent projects with similar scope, while those bidding $499,000 or less must provide at least three project references, with at least one reference from Chatham County work performed within the previous five years if applicable. The contract is a one-time purchase with no renewal options, funded through American Rescue Plan Act State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds with performance requirements ending August 1, 2026.

The procurement includes a 30 percent combined minority and women business enterprise (M/WBE) participation goal, requiring contractors to demonstrate good faith efforts in soliciting, evaluating, and assisting M/WBE firms with bonding, financing, and equipment needs, with monthly M/WBE participation reports required throughout contract performance. Bidders must comply with all applicable federal requirements including Davis-Bacon prevailing wage determinations, Equal Employment Opportunity provisions, E-Verify compliance, debarment and suspension certifications, and anti-kickback and anti-lobbying regulations, with all affidavits requiring notarization under penalty of perjury. Contractors must procure and maintain comprehensive insurance coverage including Commercial General Liability ($1,000,000 minimum), Workers' Compensation ($500,000 minimum), and Business Automobile Liability ($1,000,000 minimum), along with bid bonds equal to 5 percent of the bid price and performance and payment bonds equal to 100 percent of the contract amount, all executed by sureties authorized to conduct business in Georgia. All pricing must be all-inclusive, incorporating bid bonds, insurance, payment and performance bonds, freight, shipping, and any other costs associated with project delivery, with payment made monthly upon submission of itemized invoices accompanied by prevailing wage certifications and progress reports, with the County retaining 5 percent of gross completed work value until project completion exceeds 50 percent or contractor scheduling satisfies the engineer. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the procurement documents. Specific award values or budget ranges are not disclosed in the available solicitation materials; prospective bidders are directed to contact Ms. Sabrina Tippett, Procurement Specialist, exclusively through the Chatham County Purchasing Portal at https://chathamcountyga.bonfirehub.com/portal for additional information regarding project specifications and budget parameters.