IFB 10222909 (Deep soil drilling services)

The California Department of Water Resources is soliciting sealed bids under IFB 10222909 for on-call deep soil drilling services, with technical questions due November 17, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. A mandatory 3.0 percent Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) participation requirement applies, and bidders must also meet strict minimum qualifications, including a valid C-57 Well Drilling License.

The DVBE requirement is paired with incentive calculations for participation of 3.0 to 5.0 percent. A 5.0 percent Small Business (SB) preference is available to certified SB bidders, and non-small business bidders with 25.0 percent SB subcontractor participation may receive a 5.0 percent preference. Award goes to the lowest responsible bidder meeting specifications after preferences are applied.

The contract covers large diameter deep soil drilling up to 1,400 feet at locations throughout California, with primary focus in the San Joaquin Valley. Work includes geological exploration drilling and monitoring well installation on a Call-Up basis, with drilling operations potentially requiring 24-hour shifts over 5 to 10 days. Required qualifications include current Department of Industrial Relations registration and a drill crew of one driller, at least two driller's helpers, and a qualified drilling fluid engineer. All personnel must hold defensive driver training, first aid and CPR, sexual harassment prevention training, and 40-hour HAZWOPER training with an 8-hour refresher completed within the last three years. Bidders must also submit references, driller resumes showing three years of experience, and crew training documentation.

The bid sheet has six items: mob/demob and rotary drilling (lump sum), drilling and sampling (3,300 hours at hourly rate), well development (1,150 regular hours and 175 overtime hours), site security ($250,000 base), special equipment and services ($1,950,000 base), and well casing and materials ($3,700,000 base). Markups on the three base-priced items may not exceed 10 percent. The contract term is three years with no renewal options mentioned, and the anticipated start date is April 2027. No guarantee of work is provided. A bid bond equal to 10 percent of the bid amount, from a surety registered with the California Department of Insurance, is required at submission. Upon award, the contractor must provide performance and payment bonds each equal to 100 percent of the contract amount.

Bids are due December 9, 2026 at 11:00 a.m., with public opening via Teams at 1:00 p.m. the same day. Answers to technical questions will be provided November 20, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. Bidders must submit sealed bids in duplicate, one hardcopy and one electronic copy on USB drive, and comply with the General Terms and Conditions and Contractor Certification Clauses available through the Department of General Services website.