Plants Dam Rehabilitation / Reconstruction (CT Dam ID#4520)

The Town of East Lyme, Connecticut, in New London County, is soliciting sealed bids for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Plants Dam (CT Dam ID#4520), a concrete structure located at 475 Boston Post Road, under Connecticut DEEP STEAP funding (Project No. DEPA00028201402). The project scope includes a base bid for clearing, grubbing, and installing permanent sheet piling behind the existing concrete dam, with three optional phases available for award depending on funding availability, all structured as lump-sum pricing. The successful contractor must furnish performance and labor/materials payment bonds equal to the full construction cost, maintain comprehensive general liability and workers' compensation insurance with specified minimum coverage limits, comply with Connecticut prevailing wage requirements under Sections 31-53 and 31-55a of the Connecticut General Statutes, and ensure all employees performing manual labor possess 10-hour OSHA Construction Safety and Health Course certification. The project is subject to Connecticut DEEP Dam Safety permit conditions (Permit No. DS-202503640), including mandatory engineer supervision during construction and record drawing submission within 30 days of completion. Key deadlines include a mandatory pre-bid site meeting on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at the intersection of Plants Dam Road and Route 1; a question submission deadline of Friday, April 3, 2026; sealed bid submission deadline of 10:00 a.m. on Friday, April 10, 2026, at the Town Hall Engineering Office; and an anticipated construction schedule commencing May 1, 2026, with substantial completion targeted for September 30, 2026, and project close-out by November 1, 2026.

No specific set-asides or restrictions on bidder eligibility have been noted in the available documentation, indicating the solicitation is open to all vendors capable of meeting the technical and financial requirements. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the bid documents. The Town reserves the right to disqualify bidders not represented at the mandatory pre-bid meeting and retains the right to award the base bid cost or any combination of optional additions within available project funds, with contract execution expected within ten calendar days of award notification. The Town will award the contract to the lowest reasonable and responsible bidder offering the lowest cost proposal within available funds, and will retain five percent of the final contract price for one year as a guarantee against construction deficiencies. While specific award values or budget ranges are not disclosed in the procurement documents, the project scope and prevailing wage requirements applicable to heavy/highway construction classifications suggest a substantial construction contract, with pricing terms requiring delivery on a Free On Board (FOB) Destination basis. Interested vendors should contact Alex Klose at the Town's Engineering Office at (860) 691-7101 or aklose@eltownhall.com for additional information and bid documents available at eltownhall.com.