Telecommunication Infrastructure Project (FTTH)

Newport Utilities (NU) is seeking a telecommunications contractor for a comprehensive Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) infrastructure project in Clay County, Tennessee. The procurement involves constructing approximately 1.3 million feet of cable across four design areas: Wiley Town, Liberty Hill, South 340, and West Parrottsville, with both overhead and underground infrastructure deployment. The contractor must provide a minimum of one crew capable of performing telecommunications construction and maintenance services, including cable installation, trenching, directional boring, and fiber splicing. Bidders must possess a valid Tennessee State Contractor's License and submit extensive documentation including company information, safety plans, insurance certificates, and financial statements. A mandatory pre-bid meeting is scheduled for August 8, 2024, at 2:00 PM, and the bid (Bid Number: 082024-01) is due on August 22, 2024, at 3:00 PM. Newport Utilities will evaluate contractors based on unit costs, financial stability, customer references, and overall quality of equipment and organization, with the contract requiring a performance bond for projects exceeding $10,000.

The project involves Davis-Bacon wage requirements and is partially funded through Treasury ARP SLFRF (American Rescue Plan State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds), which introduces specific federal compliance guidelines. While no specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises were explicitly mentioned, the contract includes robust non-discrimination and equal employment opportunity provisions. The performance bond must be 110% of the bid amount, and no specific annual budget has been established, with NU seeking a comprehensive total cost analysis for all project designs. The contract will have a 30-day transition period following board approval in August 2024 and must be completed by June 30, 2026. Contractors will be subject to various federal regulations, including clean air and water pollution control acts, anti-lobbying provisions, and domestic procurement preferences. The project aims to enhance network capacity and improve internet services across multiple Tennessee service areas, with Newport Utilities managing material storage and handling.