Schooley Mill Park Trail Construction

Howard County, Maryland's Office of Procurement and Contract Administration is requesting bids on natural surface trail construction at Schooley Mill Park under IFB 2027-13, with bids due October 21, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. and a mandatory pre-bid conference scheduled for September 22, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. via WebEx. A 15% subcontracting goal applies for contracts valued at $50,000 or more, with participation from certified Minority Business Enterprises, Women Business Enterprises, or Disabled Business Enterprises under Howard County's Equal Business Opportunity program.

The scope spans comprehensive natural surface trail construction including clearing, grubbing, excavation, embankment, surfacing, drainage structures, trail structures, and restoration work across a 172-page technical specification. The project is located at 12975 Hall Shop Road, Highland, Maryland 20777 and is classified in SHA Cost Group "B." Bidders must demonstrate a minimum of five years of experience in designing, constructing, rehabilitating, and repairing natural surface trails and paths, documented through a required Qualifications Questionnaire listing up to five recent projects with contract values, dates, owner agencies, and key personnel.

Work must be completed within 180 calendar days from the Notice to Proceed (the Contractor Agreement specifies 120 calendar days), with liquidated damages of $500 per calendar day for failure to meet the deadline. Normal work is limited to nine hours per day during daylight hours; no work on County-observed holidays or Saturdays without 48 hours' written notice. Each bid requires a bid bond or certified check equal to 5% of the total bid amount, payable to the Director of Finance, Howard County. The successful bidder must provide performance and payment bonds for the full contract amount within ten days of award, issued by an approved surety company. Required insurance includes Commercial General Liability ($1,000,000 combined single limits), Automobile Liability ($1,000,000), and Workers' Compensation with $100,000 employer liability limits. Service contracts exceeding $100,000 annually must comply with Howard County's living wage requirement of $19.83 per hour as of January 15, 2026. Award is made to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. The County reserves the right to extend all terms, conditions, and pricing to other public bodies and school districts under its cooperative purchasing provision.