Install HVAC - Inmate Housing at Hightower Unit

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) is seeking proposals for a comprehensive HVAC system installation project at the Hightower Unit inmate housing facility located in Dayton, Liberty County, Texas. The procurement involves installing air conditioning for inmate housing buildings, implementing a modular chiller plant outside the security fence, and replacing existing air handling equipment with new systems connected to emergency power. Contractors must provide detailed technical capabilities, demonstrating qualifications through comprehensive documentation and a proven track record in similar institutional construction projects. The evaluation criteria will include Cost (40%), Comparable Experience/Past Performance (30%), Assigned Staff Qualifications (15%), and Quality and Safety Record (15%). Key procurement dates include a non-mandatory pre-proposal conference and site visit on February 3, 2025, at 2:00 p.m., a deadline for questions on February 10, 2025, and proposal submissions due on March 13, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. CST. The total contract performance period is 455 days from the Notice to Proceed, with mobilization required within 30 days and work commencement within 45 days of notice.

The procurement has significant Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) requirements, with specific goals of 21.1% for building construction and 32% for special trade construction. Contractors must submit a detailed HUB Subcontracting Plan demonstrating good faith efforts to include certified minority and women-owned businesses in the total contract value. A 5% proposal deposit is required, and the awarded contractor must provide Performance and Payment Bonds for 100% of the contract amount. The estimated project budget is $9,993,800, with liquidated damages of $470 per day for project delays. Contractors must comply with prevailing wage schedules for Chambers and Liberty Counties and adhere to strict security protocols for working within a correctional facility. Construction drawings are available for a $60 non-refundable fee from Huitt-Zollars, Inc., with electronic copies accessible through specified plan rooms. Respondents must meet comprehensive qualification requirements, including maintaining all necessary permits and licenses, and must complete multiple exhibit forms certifying compliance with state contracting regulations.