Residence Hall Irrigation Installation

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (UWEC) is seeking bids for a comprehensive in-ground irrigation system installation project for two campus locations: a new Residence Hall and Towers Residence Hall. The procurement involves furnishing and installing complete underground Baseline irrigation systems, which includes piping, fittings, sprinkler heads, control valves, controllers, quick-coupling valves, valve boxes, control wiring, backflow preventers, rain sensors, and manual valves. Bidders must provide labor, materials, testing, and system commissioning for the project. Key requirements include having a current Certified Irrigation Contractor certification from the Irrigation Association and a minimum of five years' experience in inground irrigation service and installation. The project timeline mandates work beginning no later than July 1, 2020, and completion by August 31, 2020. Written questions were due by May 20, 2020, with an optional site visit scheduled for May 21, 2020. Formal bid submissions were required by June 1, 2020, at 2:00 PM CST/CDT via email, with award based on the lowest extended net total price for individual line items.

The solicitation includes provisions for minority and disadvantaged business enterprises, with potential preferences for certified minority business enterprises, disabled veteran-owned businesses, and work centers employing persons with severe disabilities. Bidders must complete several required forms, including a Vendor Information Form, Client Reference List, and Bidder Response Sheet, and provide three client references from comparable institutions served in the past three years. Contractors must maintain specific insurance coverage, including worker's compensation, commercial general liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence), and automobile liability ($1,000,000 combined single limit), with the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System added as an additional insured. The contract will run for one year from the date of award, with pricing to remain firm during that period. While no specific budget range was explicitly stated, the project involves sophisticated irrigation systems for two separate campus locations, utilizing advanced technology including Hunter MP Rotator spray heads, Baseline soil moisture sensors, and two-wire decoder control systems, suggesting a substantial investment in campus infrastructure improvements.