Highway 178 Water Line Extension

Dorchester County, South Carolina is issuing Invitation for Bid (IFB) No. 2025-41 seeking qualified Class WL (Water & Sewer Lines) contractors to complete the Highway 178 Water Line Extension Project. The project scope includes installation of approximately 15,659 linear feet of 12-inch water main, 135 linear feet of 20-inch steel casing (via jack and bore method), sixteen fire hydrants, nine 12-inch gate valves, and necessary appurtenances along Misty Glen Road and Charleston Highway (Highway 178). Work must be substantially completed within 180 days of the Notice to Proceed, and all materials must be 100% manufactured in the United States. The project encompasses six service reconnections and includes erosion control, traffic control, and record drawing deliverables. Bidders must be registered in the federal System for Award Management (SAM), cannot be debarred from federal business, and are required to provide bid security of at least 5% of the total bid amount. Key deadlines include a non-mandatory pre-bid meeting on May 21, 2025, at 11:00 am, the last day for questions on June 3, 2025, at 5:00 pm, and bid opening on June 12, 2025, at 2:00 pm. The project is fully funded and permitted under the South Carolina Infrastructure Investment Program (SCIIP), with approvals from the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services including an NPDES Stormwater Permit covering 1.5 acres of disturbance.

The procurement does not designate specific set-aside categories for disadvantaged enterprises, though standard federal equal employment opportunity requirements and compliance with the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) apply, as the project is funded through federal State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF). All contractors and subcontractors must comply with various federal regulations and maintain necessary licenses, permits, insurance, performance and payment bonds, and drug-free workplace requirements as outlined in the sample contract provided. No incumbent vendors or existing contractors are identified in the solicitation documents. The contract structure is fixed-price with specific line-item pricing for water line installations, valves, fire hydrants, and associated work, though the total contract value is not explicitly stated in the available documentation. Bid evaluation will be based on the detailed pricing schedule and compliance with technical specifications outlined in the comprehensive construction documents, which include geotechnical exploration data and detailed installation methods for both open-cut trenching and trenchless jack and bore techniques within the South Carolina Department of Transportation right-of-way.