Specifications for Underground Trenching and Conduit Services

The Utility Board of the City of Key West, Florida, operating Keys Energy Services (KEYS), is requesting proposals for underground trenching and conduit services for primary electrical circuit installation on a unit-price basis, with sealed proposals due July 10, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. via VendorLink, DemandStar, or FedEx/UPS delivery. Vendor questions are due by noon on June 26, 2026. No pre-bid meeting or site visit is required.

The scope encompasses horizontal trench runs for two- to six-inch PVC conduits with concrete encasement and rebar, manhole installation, riser pole construction, padmount transformer foundations, and asphalt or concrete restoration. Estimated annual quantities include 4,000 linear feet of standard trenching, 500 linear feet of traffic-area trenching with rebar and flow fill, 15 transformer foundation boxes of various sizes, and five to seven manholes. All material, labor, overhead, profit, insurance, equipment, permits (City of Key West, Monroe County, and Florida Department of Transportation), and subcontractor costs must be included in unit pricing. Rock excavation, contaminated soil removal, unsuitable material handling, and other subsurface challenges inherent to Lower Keys limestone and coral conditions must be incorporated into base trench unit rates; KEYS will not issue separate change orders for these conditions. No geotechnical investigations or prior dig records are available to bidders.

The contract runs October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2029, with two optional one-year renewals at the same unit pricing. Approximately 95 percent of work is non-emergency with three-week completion timelines; failure to complete timely work incurs liquidated damages of $200 per day. Emergency work must commence within twenty-four hours of notification. Contractors must maintain City of Key West and Monroe County licenses and provide digital or 35mm photographs and as-built drawings before and within one week of completion, respectively. A Performance and Payment Bond equal to 100 percent of the total contract amount is required within ten days of Utility Board approval. Insurance must include Commercial General Liability with a $2 million general aggregate limit, Business Automobile Policy coverage of $1 million per occurrence, and Workers' Compensation with $1 million limits. Bids remain firm for a minimum of 120 days. Addendum 1 was posted June 29, 2026; Addendum 2 was posted July 1, 2026.