Pine Island Breakwater Project

The Town of Hilton Head Island is soliciting sealed bids through Invitation for Bid (IFB) #2025-23 for the Pine Island Breakwater Project, a coastal shore-stabilization construction initiative in Barnwell County, South Carolina. The project requires qualified dredging and marine construction contractors to construct six shore-stabilization structures (designated S1-S6) along the north-facing shoreline between Dolphin Head and Pine Island in Hilton Head Plantation. The primary deliverables include the construction of breakwater structures utilizing stone-filled marine mattresses, armor stone, chinking stone, and geogrid/fabric composite underlayment, with estimated quantities of approximately 9,870 tons of armor stone, 1,740 tons of chinking stone, 32,032 square feet of Size 1 marine mattresses, 7,722 square feet of Size 2 marine mattresses, and 14,800 square feet of geogrid/fabric composite. Bidders must demonstrate successful completion of at least two projects within the last 20 years that include: (1) purchasing, transporting, and placing armor stone exceeding one ton per stone in jetty, groin, or breakwater configurations, and (2) purchasing and/or fabricating stone-filled geosynthetic marine mattresses as shoreline structures in areas with tide ranges exceeding four feet. The contract includes comprehensive environmental protection requirements mandated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, South Carolina Department of Environmental Services, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Marine Fisheries Service, with strict compliance requirements for sea turtle and shorebird protection, turbidity control, and waste management. A mandatory pre-bid meeting was held on August 26, 2025, at 11:00 am Eastern Time, and sealed bids must be submitted electronically through the Town's Procurement Portal by September 11, 2025, at 5:00 pm Eastern Time. Award will be made to the lowest responsible and responsive bidder, with evaluation criteria including proposed construction schedules, mobilization methods, personnel and equipment commitment, and contractor qualifications.

The Town of Hilton Head Island has established a Good Faith Effort Program requiring prime contractors intending to use subcontractors to undertake specific pre-award outreach to Small and Minority Business Enterprises (SMBEs), including dividing work packages into economically feasible units and sending written notice to potential SMBE participants at least ten business days before bid submission; post-award compliance reporting on SMBE contract and payment activities is also mandatory. The Town offers a local vendor certification providing a 5% bid price reduction (up to $10,000) for qualified local businesses, though no specific incumbent contractors or existing infrastructure integration requirements are identified in the solicitation documents. Bidders must provide bid bonds, insurance certificates, and comply with the South Carolina Illegal Immigration Reform Act, with the contract subject to a 10% retainage on all payments and a provision allowing actual quantities to vary by plus or minus 20% from estimated quantities. The project includes a 60% mobilization cost advance upon arrival of equipment and initial excavation, with full payment structured through unit prices for the identified line items. The contract is funded through the Town of Hilton Head Island's Beach Preservation Fee and Disaster Reserve Fund, with work scheduled for completion by May 31, 2035, and construction limited to June 1 through October 15 annually to minimize environmental impacts. No specific total project budget range is disclosed in the procurement documents, with the final contract value to be determined through the competitive bidding process.