Mills River Elementary Multi-Use Trail and Site Improvents

Henderson County Public Schools Purchasing Department has issued an Invitation for Bids (IFB 2025-10) for the construction of a multi-use trail and site improvements at Mills River Elementary School in Mills River, North Carolina. The project scope includes construction of a 1,432 linear-foot ADA-accessible asphalt multi-purpose trail, cast-in-place concrete sidewalks and steps with handrails, boulder retaining walls (597 linear feet minimum across four walls), silt fencing, tree protection fencing, planting bed preparation, turf seeding, mulching, drainage structures, rain gardens, and miscellaneous site improvements. Landscaping deliverables include 20 sugar maples, 6 serviceberries, 6 redbuds, 14 maidenhair trees, 6 swamp white oaks, 24 dwarf fothergillas, 64 sweetspires, 77 andorra junipers, and 485 native perennials. Prospective bidders must attend a mandatory pre-bid meeting on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at Mills River Elementary School, 94 School House Road, Mills River, NC 28759, and must submit sealed bids by 2:00 p.m. on April 10, 2026, with a substantial completion date preference of July 31, 2026. Qualified contractors must demonstrate similar project experience through three references and shall be responsible for all labor, equipment, installations, one-year warranty on workmanship, permits, erosion and sediment control, dust control, debris removal, utility coordination, and maintaining positive drainage. Award will be made to the lowest responsible bidder based on sealed bid pricing, with pricing remaining firm from the award date through July 31, 2026.

The bid package does not specify set-aside designations or restrictions limiting organizational types from responding. For contracts equal to or exceeding $500,000, bid security of five percent and performance/payment bonds equal to one hundred percent of the contract amount are required. All materials must be new and current unless otherwise specified, with freight charges included in quoted prices on an FOB Destination basis. Payment terms are Net 30 days following receipt of correct invoices or acceptance of goods. While no specific budget range is disclosed in the procurement documents, the requirement for performance and payment bonds suggests a significant contract value, likely in the $500,000 or greater range. Henderson County Public Schools reserves the right to adjust quantities up or down at unit prices, award on a split order or lump sum basis, and reject any or all bids.