Pre-qualification for job order contract (JOC) for general contracting services

Orange County, California (OC Public Works) is soliciting pre-qualification documents for a Job Order Contract for general contracting services with work performed throughout Orange County, pre-qualification documents due September 3, 2026, and a mandatory pre-bid conference call on September 24, 2026. Only pre-qualified contractors will be permitted to submit electronic bids by October 13, 2026. A California Class B contractor's license is mandatory; California Labor Code Section 1773 prevailing wage requirements and certified payroll record submission to the Labor Commissioner apply to all work.

The contract operates on an as-needed, usage-based framework commencing February 24, 2027 (or upon full execution, whichever is later), and runs for one year or until the maximum contract amount is expended, whichever occurs first. Work is initiated through individual Job Orders triggered by County RFQs, followed by joint scope meetings between the County Project Manager and the contractor. Pricing uses a Construction Task Catalog with fixed unit prices; contractors bid competitively on adjustment factors applied to published prices. Non-pre-priced tasks may also be quoted on individual Job Orders. Each Job Order quote is firm fixed-price, incorporating labor, equipment, and materials.

Contractors must maintain Commercial General Liability insurance of $3 million per occurrence and $3 million aggregate, Auto Liability coverage of $1 million combined single limit, and statutory Worker's Compensation coverage. A Superintendent must be on-site at all times; a dedicated Project Manager subject to County approval is required. Liquidated damages of $500 per day (orders up to $100,000) or $1,000 per day (orders exceeding $100,000) apply for schedule delays. Bid security at the IFB stage is $300,000 or 10% of bid amount, whichever is greater. Performance and Payment Bonds equal to the final contract award amount are required upon award.

Pre-qualification evaluation is points-based across four sections: Essential Requirements (pass/fail), Licenses and Bonding (minimum 15 points), Organization and Compliance (minimum 87 points), and Construction Projects (reference-based). The County will verify references for at least three similar projects completed within ten years under the contractor's current license. The estimated contract amount is not yet determined. Pre-qualification questions are due August 25, 2026; IFB questions are due September 30, 2026.