Sussex County Dennis Branch Library Addition and Renovation Re-Bid

Sussex County, New Jersey is soliciting sealed proposals for a construction project involving the Dennis Branch Library Addition and Renovations, a comprehensive renovation and expansion of the existing library facility located at 101 Main Street, Newton, New Jersey. The procurement encompasses construction of a three-story building addition featuring an elevator, complete alterations and renovations to the existing three-story library building, replacement of the heating system with a full variable refrigerant flow HVAC system, asbestos abatement, and extensive mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and structural work totaling approximately 11,573 square feet with a 3,000 square foot new addition. Qualified respondents must be registered as public works contractors with the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, maintain minimum insurance coverage including workers' compensation and $1,000,000 general liability, comply with prevailing wage requirements established by the New Jersey Department of Labor, and demonstrate the capacity to complete complex construction work within 360 calendar days from the Notice to Proceed. The evaluation criteria focuses on awarding the contract to the lowest responsible and responsive bidder based solely on the lump sum base bid, with two additive alternates provided for evaluation purposes only. Critical deadlines include a mandatory bidders' conference on April 14, 2026 at 10:00 a.m., a mandatory site visit on April 16, 2026 by 3:00 p.m., a question submission deadline of April 7, 2026 at 10:00 a.m., RFI responses posted on April 21, 2026, proposal due date of May 1, 2026 at 11:00 a.m., and an anticipated award date of May 27, 2026. All proposals must be submitted in sealed format by mail or hand delivery to Sussex County Office of Central Purchasing at 1 Spring Street, Newton, New Jersey, and all questions and addenda must be submitted and monitored through the Sussex County Bonfire portal at sussex.bonfirehub.com.

This procurement contains no specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises, but respondents must comply with New Jersey Affirmative Action requirements, Americans with Disabilities Act standards, and prevailing wage obligations applicable to all public works projects in Sussex County as established by the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the procurement documents. The project requires substantial bonds and security, including a bid bond or certified check equal to ten percent of the bid amount (not to exceed $20,000), a performance bond equal to 100 percent of the contract value, and Labor and Material Payment Bonds, all due at contract execution. The previous bid solicitation was rejected because the lowest responsive and responsible bid of $4,888,000.00 exceeded the allocated budget; therefore, the re-bid budget threshold is expected to be lower than this amount, though no specific budget or award value range is disclosed in the current solicitation documents. The project previously rejected bids, indicating the County is seeking competitive pricing while maintaining construction quality standards and full compliance with New Jersey public works laws, Davis-Bacon Act requirements where applicable, and comprehensive technical specifications for mechanical, electrical, and structural systems.