Great River Park Improvement Project

The Town of East Hartford Department of Public Works is soliciting sealed bids for the Great River Park Improvement Project, a comprehensive waterfront construction initiative located at 301 East River Drive in East Hartford, Connecticut. The procurement encompasses demolition of two existing timber piers and concrete overlooks; installation of a new 105-to-106-foot long steel pile-supported L-shaped concrete-decked fishing pier; extension and modification of existing timber floats to improve ADA accessibility; installation of 18 electrical site lighting poles (7 on existing foundations and 11 on new foundations); landscape enhancements including native plantings and site furnishings; wayfinding signage; and minor concrete repairs throughout the park. The project includes a base bid with three optional bid alternates addressing landscape improvements at Bulkeley Bridge Overlook, concrete repairs and handrail painting, and comprehensive wayfinding signage and display installations. The contractor must achieve Substantial Completion within 270 calendar days and Final Completion within 300 calendar days from Notice to Proceed, with liquidated damages of $1,500 per day for delays. All work must comply with federal permits including USACE Section 404 and 408 permits, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection permits, and Town of East Hartford Inland Wetlands permits, with time-of-year restrictions prohibiting pile driving and removal between December 1 and June 30 to protect shortnose sturgeon and diadromous fish. Construction must commence by December 15, 2026, and be completed by December 15, 2027, with authorization expiring December 31, 2029. The solicitation opened March 19, 2026, with sealed bids due April 30, 2026, at 11:00 AM EDT; a non-mandatory pre-bid meeting is scheduled for April 1, 2026, at 10:00 AM; plan holder registration deadline is April 27, 2026; and information requests must be submitted by April 23, 2026. Prospective bidders must conduct site visits prior to bidding and review comprehensive bid documents available in three volumes plus detailed plans and specifications.

The contract is subject to Connecticut state spending allocation goals and prevailing wage requirements, with a mandatory 25% set-aside of state-funded work for subcontractors certified by the Connecticut Department of Administrative Services as small and minority-owned businesses or women and disabled-owned businesses in accordance with Connecticut General Statutes 4a-60. Nonresident contractors valued at $250,000 or more must be verified by the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services or file a 5% surety bond with DRS. All bidders must submit a 5% bid bond and comply with non-discrimination and affirmative action provisions, with the awarded contractor required to provide 100% Performance and Labor and Materials Bonds. The contractor assumes responsibility for coordinating with eight utility companies (Eversource, Comcast, Frontier Communications, Fiber Technologies Networks, Level 3 Communications, WilTel Communications, Connecticut Natural Gas, and the Metropolitan District Commission) for utility relocations at no additional cost. The project also requires coordination with the existing infrastructure managed by Riverfront Recapture, Inc., and designed by GEI Consultants, Inc. The solicitation document does not specify an estimated total project value or defined line items, and online submissions are not being accepted at this time; interested parties must contact Michelle Enman at the Town of East Hartford for additional information, as no formal vendor questions and answers period has been defined.