ITB - Channel Improvements for Pillot Gully for the Harris County Flood Control District

Harris County Flood Control District is soliciting competitive sealed bids through an Invitation for Bid (ITB) for Channel Improvements for Pillot Gully (Project ID: K140-00-00-X025) in Harris County, Texas, with bids due May 4, 2026. The project encompasses erosion repairs and channel stabilization work extending approximately 1,821 linear feet along Pillot Gully between Vintage Preserve Parkway and Louetta Road, including slope repairs, riprap placement (Grade #1 and #2), removal and disposal of existing corrugated metal pipes (18-inch and larger), backslope interceptor structures with 24-inch HDPE piping, tree protection and root pruning, stormwater pollution prevention measures, and turf establishment. The contractor must complete all work within 240 consecutive calendar days, with 42 calendar days of accommodation for inclement weather, and provide at least 25 percent of work with its own forces; liquidated damages of $1,000 per calendar day apply for work remaining incomplete after the contract period expires. A voluntary pre-bid conference is scheduled for April 21, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. CST via Microsoft Teams, and vendors may submit written questions through the Bonfire online portal. Contractors must meet extensive qualifications including safety certifications (OSHA 10 for manual workers and OSHA 30 for managers), Workers' Compensation Insurance coverage, commercial insurance with minimum limits based on contract value (naming Harris County as additional insured), and compliance with prevailing wage rates established under General Decision TX20260034 (ranging from $15.63 to $33.89 per hour depending on classification) and Harris County's Contractor Minimum Wage of $21.65 per hour, whichever is higher. The contractor must also satisfy Harris County's comprehensive Contractor and Worksite Safety Policies, including submission of a Safety Record Questionnaire certifying non-listing on OSHA's Severe Violator Enforcement Program within three years, absence of high-gravity OSHA citations within specified timeframes, no criminal convictions related to workplace fatalities or serious bodily harm within ten years, implementation of a Heat Awareness Plan when temperatures reach or exceed 90 degrees, and preparation of a site-specific safety plan with daily 16-point inspections and weekly safety audits.

Harris County requires all bidders to submit a Minority- and Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) Utilization Plan demonstrating participation at or above the specified goal percentage or documenting Good Faith Efforts if unable to meet the goal, with M/WBE firms certified by recognized agencies including the City of Houston, Texas Unified Certification Program, U.S. Small Business Administration 8(a) program, NMSDC, HMSDC, WBEA, or WBENC. Bidders must also comply with tax residency certification requirements, submit Form 1295 (Texas Certificate of Interested Parties) prior to bid submission, provide a bid guarantee equal to 5 percent of the bid amount (via bid bond or cashier's check), execute a performance bond and payment bond within ten days of award, and certify compliance with Harris County's Minimum Wage Policy requiring $21.65 per hour compensation. Bidders are required to submit certified weekly payroll records demonstrating wage compliance and are subject to $60 per day per person penalties for underpayment violations. No specific incumbent contractor or existing infrastructure integration requirements are identified in the solicitation documents. While the specific bid amount is not disclosed in the contract opportunity posting, the project meets Harris County's $500,000 threshold for enhanced safety and wage compliance requirements, and payment is structured on a unit price basis with 5 percent retainage until project completion.