RFQ/P 2026-02 Public Works and Utilities Operations

The City of Hinesville, Georgia, issued RFQ/P 2026-02 on April 23, 2026, seeking qualified firms to provide comprehensive operations and maintenance services for multiple municipal departments including Public Works Administration, Street and Drainage, Parks and Grounds, Vehicle Maintenance, Sanitation, Public Utilities Administration, Meter Reading and Maintenance, Construction Maintenance, Water Production, Inflow and Infiltration, Wastewater Treatment Plant, Water Reclamation Facility, and Lift Stations/Utility Maintenance. The contract encompasses management and operation of facilities and infrastructure while maintaining service quality at the lowest possible costs, covering 99 full-time employees with approximately $9,015,495 in annual salary and benefits. A mandatory pre-qualification meeting and facility tour is scheduled for May 13, 2026, at 9:00 a.m., with written questions due by May 20, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. and City responses provided by June 3, 2026. Proposals must be submitted by July 1, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., followed by company presentations scheduled for July 13-24, 2026. The initial contract term commences November 1, 2026, and terminates October 31, 2027, with automatic renewal for one-year terms thereafter unless the City provides 120 days' written notice of non-renewal. A 31-day transition period from October 1-31, 2026, is required for employee orientation and system integration, with cost proposals submitted in two components: a Transition Period Cost Proposal and an Annual Cost Proposal for fiscal year 2027 presented as a lump sum with itemized breakdowns.

Selected contractors must assume employment of all current Public Works and Utilities employees with at least equivalent salary and benefits, and maintain comprehensive insurance coverage including $5,000,000 general liability, $3,000,000 automobile liability, $5,000,000 professional liability, workers' compensation as required by Georgia law, and a performance bond of $500,000 or 10% of the prior year's annual compensation, whichever is less. The City provides all facilities, vehicles, equipment, chemicals, utilities, fuel, and capital equipment; the contractor supplies labor and operational management. The budget for the transition period and annual fiscal year 2027 operations is estimated at approximately $9,015,495 based on current employee salary and benefits, with year two and subsequent year costs negotiated annually during the City's budget process commencing in May. No federal funding restrictions apply to the main contract, though a supplemental Liberty Transit Fleet Maintenance and Repair Services section includes federal requirements under FTA regulations. No specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises are mentioned in the available documentation, and no incumbent vendor information is provided in the procurement notice.