Middle Mile Design & Engineering

Newport Utilities is seeking design and engineering services for a comprehensive Middle Mile Design & Engineering project in Cocke County, Tennessee, targeting fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) infrastructure expansion across four specific areas: Wiley Town, Liberty Hill, South 340, and West Parrottsville. The project requires a detailed design process involving field verification, make-ready engineering, construction documentation, and as-built updates, with specific tasks including proposing cabinet and splitter locations, designing fiber routes, collecting pole data, and producing construction documentation. Contractors will need to provide deliverables such as KMZ/shapefiles, preliminary bill of materials, construction drawings, and ESRI-compatible shapefiles. The project will be billed according to a milestone payment schedule: 30% for Preliminary Design, 30% for Final Design, 30% for Construction Documents, and 10% for As-Builts. A Zoom meeting for potential bidders was scheduled for August 8, 2024, at 2:00 PM Eastern Time, and the proposal due date is September 25, 2024. Evaluation will likely focus on the contractor's experience, qualifications, technical approach, and ability to meet detailed design specifications, with ArcGIS identified as the preferred design software.

The contract does not explicitly mention specific set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises. Newport Utilities will require comprehensive insurance coverage from the selected contractor, including Workers' Compensation, Commercial General Liability, Business Automobile Liability, and Excess Liability. The project follows federal guidelines, including Equal Employment Opportunity and Davis-Bacon Act compliance, and requires contractors to perform background checks and comply with various federal regulations. While specific award values are not directly stated, the project involves extensive fiber infrastructure development, with total footage ranging from 10,402 to 579,005 linear feet across the four identified areas. The contract will be organized under Tennessee state laws, with work permitted between 7 AM and 7 PM, and the contract term remaining in effect until all work orders are completed. Payment terms include bi-weekly invoicing with payment within 30 days of approved invoice, suggesting a potentially significant financial opportunity for the selected design and engineering firm.