New ECAT Facility Project (Infrastructure Only), CDBG-DR HS004

Escambia County Board of County Commissioners is requesting bids from a licensed Underground or Utility Contractor to install critical infrastructure for the New ECAT Facility in Pensacola, Florida, with bids due October 12, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. under ITB PD 25-26.087. The project is CDBG-DR funded and subject to Section 3 employment requirements under 24 CFR Part 75, mandating that contractors direct employment and economic opportunities to low- and very low-income persons and HUD-assisted-housing recipients to the greatest extent feasible; contractors must submit Section 3 Forms 1 and 2 with bids and comply with minimum numeric goals of 25 percent total project hours worked by Section 3 workers and 5 percent by Targeted Section 3 workers.

The scope encompasses Phase I infrastructure installation supporting an Administration Building, Bus Wash, Fuel Depot, and Maintenance Building on Clarinda Lane between Pace Boulevard and Palafox Street. Work includes silt fence and hay bale installation, clearing and grubbing, installation of all utilities (sanitary sewer, potable water, reclaimed water, natural gas, electricity, and communications), stormwater management facilities including retention ponds and drainage structures, and lateral pavement patches along Clarinda Lane. Substantial completion is required within 300 consecutive calendar days from Notice to Proceed, with 30 additional days allowed for final completion. The contractor must comply with area-specific soil management requirements per Addendum 4, maintaining strict soil segregation within designated Blue and Orange Areas; unauthorized commingling is corrected at the contractor's expense. The contractor must also comply with tree protection protocols, including installation of high-density polyethylene fencing around critical root zones, coordination with a qualified ISA-certified arborist, and adherence to ANSI A300 standards.

All work must comply with Davis-Bacon prevailing wage determinations for heavy, highway, and building construction classifications. A 5 percent bid surety and separate Performance and Payment Bonds covering up to 100 percent of award value are required. The awardee must furnish evidence of bonding capacity and maintain workers' compensation, general liability with minimum $1 million per occurrence and $2 million annual aggregate, business auto liability, and pollution liability coverage, with Escambia County named as additional insured. The non-mandatory pre-bid meeting is September 17, 2026 at 10:30 a.m. Questions are due September 24, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. Award shall be made on an all-or-none total basis to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. The successful contractor must submit a detailed Schedule of Values within three business days following bid opening, subject to Florida Department of Commerce approval.