Reevesville Water Line Improvements

Dorchester County, South Carolina is issuing an Invitation for Bids (IFB) for the Reevesville Water Line Improvements Project, a water infrastructure construction procurement. The project encompasses the installation of approximately 5,568 linear feet of 8-inch water main across multiple streets including Blossom Street, Main Street, Reeves Street, and Johnston Avenue, with 935 linear feet installed via horizontal directional drilling using 8-inch DR18 C900 Fusible PVC pipe. Deliverables include six fire hydrants, twenty-six service reconnections, eight new 2-inch air release valves, replacement of seven existing 2-inch air release valves in the Winterseat and Carolina Bay subdivisions, and all associated infrastructure including gate valves, water meters, and service connections across approximately 77,000 linear feet of pipeline. Qualified contractors must provide all labor, materials, equipment, and temporary facilities necessary for complete installation, testing, and commissioning at no additional cost, with all materials required to be 100% manufactured in the United States and compliant with AWWA standards, NSF certification requirements, and ASTM specifications. The project requires compliance with South Carolina Department of Environmental Services standards, SCDOT encroachment permits, and NPDES stormwater discharge permits, with contractors responsible for obtaining all necessary state, municipal, and county licenses and permits. Critical deadlines include February 17, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. for written questions, and February 24, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. for bid opening with both in-person and virtual attendance options available. The contractor must achieve substantial completion within ninety calendar days from Notice to Proceed and final completion within one hundred twenty calendar days total, with liquidated damages assessed at $1,000 per calendar day for delays beyond the completion date.

The procurement documents do not specify any set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises or restrictions on organizational types eligible to respond. Bids exceeding $25,000 require bid security of at least five percent of the total bid amount in the form of a corporate surety bond, certified check, or cashier's check, and upon contract award, the successful bidder must provide performance and payment bonds each equal to one hundred percent of the total contract price. Insurance requirements include general liability coverage of $1,000,000, automobile liability of $1,000,000 combined single limit, workers' compensation as required by South Carolina law, and owners' and contractors' protective liability of $1,000,000 if the bid total exceeds $1,000,000. Payment shall be structured through lump sum and unit price bid items with measurement and payment detailed in the specifications, including separate compensation for mobilization (not to exceed 3% of total construction cost), pipe installation by linear foot, fittings by ton, valves and hydrants by unit, service reconnections, pavement restoration, erosion control, and traffic control. No specific budget range or award value is disclosed in the procurement documents; however, all applicable state and local taxes, including seven percent South Carolina sales and use tax, are included in the contract price, with payment due within thirty days of approved invoices. The project has obtained Water Supply Construction Permit 38897-WS, SCDOT Encroachment Permit 296660, and Coastal Zone Consistency Determination GCZC-24-003, and all work must comply with conditions requiring Best Management Practices, permanent stabilization of disturbed areas, and compliance with stormwater management requirements.