Waste to Energy (WTE) Facility Lightning Protection (Bid Discount)

The City of Tampa Solid Waste & Environmental Program Management Department is issuing an Invitation to Bid (ITB) for the installation of a comprehensive lightning protection dissipation system at the McKay Bay Waste to Energy (WTE) Facility in Hillsborough County, Florida. This is a construction services procurement requiring the contractor to design and install air terminals, ground conductors, down conductors, and grounding systems across all plant structures excluding the main exhaust stack, with the new system connecting to an existing grounding ring that must be verified for functionality during installation. Deliverables include installation of 126 stainless steel Class II air terminals (24-inch design), tinned copper conductors and connectors, and grounding infrastructure across five facility areas: the Ash Building and Ash Conveyor (35 air terminals, 6 down conductors), Cooling Tower and piping (10 air terminals, 7 ground rods, 4 down conductors), Turbine Island (19 air terminals with 2 stanchions, 6 down conductors), Storage Warehouse (7 air terminals, 4 down conductors), and Administration and Tipping Buildings (50 total air terminals, 9 down conductors). All work must achieve compliance with National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) 780 and Underwriters Laboratories (UL) 96A standards, with grounding system resistance testing limited to 5 ohms or less. Required qualifications for bidders include a minimum of five years' experience in lightning protection installations, Florida Certified Electrical Contractor licensure, evidence of no contract terminations for default or relevant litigation within the past five years, comprehensive insurance coverage including Commercial General Liability ($1 million per occurrence, $2 million aggregate), Automobile Liability ($500,000 to $1 million combined single limit), Worker's Compensation per Florida law, and Excess Liability insurance for contracts exceeding $2 million. The pre-bid meeting and mandatory site inspection are scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on April 2, 2026, at the facility's 4th Floor Conference Room, with sealed bids due by 3:00 p.m. on Friday, April 24, 2026, and public opening thereafter; contract award will be made within 120 days of bid opening. Bidders must submit DMI forms, statutory compliance attestations, and hourly labor rates for foreman, electrician, and laborer positions, plus optional pricing for grounding ring replacement if needed and parts markup not exceeding 10 percent.

This procurement is designated as a sheltered market opportunity for Small Local Business Enterprises (SLBEs), with certified SLBE bidders eligible to receive a 5 percent bid discount for evaluation purposes, not to exceed $10,000, as established in the Equal Business Opportunity (EBO) Determination Letter effective March 10, 2026. The City of Tampa has provided a minimum certified SLBE contact list identifying 26 pre-qualified electrical contractors and service companies throughout the Florida region, primarily in the Tampa Bay area, establishing the eligible vendor pool for this set-aside procurement; prime contractors utilizing SLBE subcontractors must submit signed Letters of Intent (DMI-40 forms) for each SLBE firm within ten workdays after notice of intent to award. While no current incumbent contractors or existing agreements are referenced, the project requires integration with the facility's existing grounding ring system, which the contractor must verify during installation, and contractors must comply with comprehensive Environmental, Health, and Safety (EH&S) requirements specific to the McKay Bay WTE Facility, including hazard exposure assessments for heavy metals (arsenic, lead, cadmium, hexavalent chromium), silica dust, and thermal hazards, with designated safety supervisors, annual EH&S orientation, task-specific pre-job briefings, and Port of Tampa pass requirements for all assigned personnel. The estimated total project cost is approximately $190,700 to $200,000 based on the City's budget allocation and prior competitive quotations, with work continuing until project completion and City acceptance.