Underground Fiber Optic Drop Installation Services

Burke County Board of Commissioners in Georgia is requesting proposals for underground fiber optic drop installation services to support the county's Broadband Equity, Access & Deployment (BEAD) program, with proposals due September 2, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. Eastern. Work must comply with federal BEAD and Build America, Buy America Act (BABA) requirements, including domestic sourcing of materials and Davis-Bacon wage compliance — a decision-flipping regulatory constraint.

The scope covers last-mile fiber optic connections from existing distribution infrastructure to residential and commercial customer premises throughout Burke County. Services include site utility locates via Georgia 811, fiber drop cable burial at 8–12 inches depth, installation of fiber optic termination boxes and riser guards, excess cable storage in valve boxes, GPS documentation, and photographic verification. All materials are provided by Burke County; contractors supply labor and site restoration.

Contractors must hold a valid Georgia contractor's license, demonstrate three years of underground cable installation experience, maintain trained workforce, and carry comprehensive insurance including a $2 million general liability aggregate. Pricing is submitted via a five-category matrix: standard residential and commercial drop installations (per drop or linear foot); optional supplemental services (pavement crossing surcharges, GPS documentation, handhole and duct installation); time-and-materials hourly rates for project management, field personnel, and specialized technicians; daily equipment rental rates; and fiber splicing services and testing.

Evaluation weights technical approach at 5 points, company experience at 15 points, key personnel qualifications at 10 points, pricing competitiveness at 50 points, references and past performance at 15 points, and BEAD/BABA compliance documentation at 5 points (100 total). Burke County reserves the right to award one or more contracts, negotiate with selected respondents, reject all proposals, or reissue. Written questions are due August 26, 2026 at 2:00 p.m.; an addendum will be posted by August 28, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. No specific contract value or term duration is stated.