RFB 2026-031 Fire Hydrant Maintenance Project

The City of Waco, Texas is requesting bids for maintenance of approximately 740 fire hydrants representing one-eighth of the city's inventory under RFB 2026-031, with bids due August 12, 2026 at 2:00 PM Central Time and a non-mandatory pre-bid meeting via Zoom on July 28 at 10:00 AM.

The scope includes exercising hydrants, conducting pressure tests, greasing components, performing minor repairs, and immediately reporting non-functioning or irregularly operating hydrants and valves to the city for evaluation and replacement. The contractor must furnish all labor, tools, equipment, fuel, and backfill materials and self-perform at least 60% of the project. Work is performed Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Services cover multiple hydrant brands: Kennedy, US Pipe, American Darling, Mueller, Clow, and EJ. Line items include traffic control plan preparation, fixture ID tag installation, street reflector installation, valve box lid replacement, hydrant painting, and repair and replacement tasks.

The contract period runs 365 calendar days from Notice to Proceed, aligned with the city's fiscal year (October 1 through September 30), with two optional one-year renewals. Pricing must be submitted for three years on official bid sheets. A bid bond equal to 5% of the submission is required. Payment is due thirty days after acceptance and invoice receipt. Prevailing wage rates apply as a public work project. The contractor must maintain workers' compensation at statutory limits, commercial general liability of $1 million per occurrence / $2 million aggregate, and business automobile liability of $1 million combined single limit.

Award will be made to the lowest responsible bidder unless the city determines that best value criteria — including reputation, quality, past performance, and compliance with historically underutilized business contracting requirements — provide better consideration. Final award is anticipated by September 1, 2026 and requires City Council approval if the contract exceeds $100,000. Questions are due August 4 at 5:00 PM Central Time.