NHGS Groundwater Level Monitoring Network - 2026 Bedrock Monitoring Well Installation Project

The New Hampshire Geological Survey, operating under the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, is issuing an Invitation to Bid for the installation of eight bedrock monitoring wells at designated locations in Bath, Concord, Errol, Exeter, Franklin, Lebanon, Lyndeborough, and Walpole as part of the Groundwater Level Monitoring Network 2026 Bedrock Monitoring Well Installation Project. The procurement requires contractors to drill and install bedrock monitoring wells using rotary drilling techniques with permanent steel casing (minimum 6 inches in diameter) to depths of approximately 500 feet below ground surface, with casing extending at least 10 feet into competent bedrock. Deliverables include pre-job virtual meetings, site mobilization and demobilization, site preparation and restoration, overburden drilling, bedrock socket drilling, bedrock drilling, steel casing installation, cement grouting, locking caps, and drilling spoil haulage (applicable to the Concord site), along with completion of all required as-built documentation and reporting. Qualified bidders must hold a current water well contractor license issued by the New Hampshire Water Well Board and perform at least 75 percent of the work with their own forces, with subcontracting limited to 25 percent of total work. Proposals are due by 2:30 PM on May 7, 2026, with public bid opening and reading at the NHDES offices in Concord on the same date; sealed bid proposals must include unit prices for all specified pay items and bidders must submit proposals for a minimum of four of the eight locations to be considered for award. The evaluation criteria include technical qualifications, responsiveness to bid requirements, proposed methodology, project schedule, and pricing, with awards made to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder(s) within 30 calendar days of bid opening, contingent upon Governor and Executive Council approval. The contract completion date will be no later than September 30, 2027, with a possible extension at the Department's discretion, and work must commence upon issuance of a Notice to Proceed.

The bid documents do not indicate any set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises or other restrictions limiting organizational eligibility beyond the requirement for a current water well contractor license from the New Hampshire Water Well Board and compliance with federal debarment regulations under Title 23 USC, Section 112(c). Bidders must provide certificates of insurance for Commercial Liability (not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate) and Workers' Compensation, a notarized Certificate of Authority, and a current Certificate of Good Standing from the New Hampshire Secretary of State. The State will handle all landowner contact and property access coordination, complete NH DOT excavation permit applications for the five state-owned properties, and provide well location coordinates, maps, and aerial photos to support contractor operations. No incumbent vendors or existing contractors are identified in the bid documents, and the project represents a new infrastructure development for groundwater monitoring. Payment will be made monthly upon submission of invoices showing unit prices and completed units, with payment occurring no later than 30 days after invoice receipt; the contract price and exact budget range are not explicitly stated in the available documents, but funding is provided through the NHGS budget allocation for groundwater monitoring infrastructure. The State reserves the right to reduce the volume of services, reject any or all bids, and cancel awards before final notification without liability.