WRNWWTF Electrical and Wet Weather Improvements

Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department is seeking qualified contractors to bid on the WRNWWTF (Western Region North Wastewater Treatment Facility) Electrical and Wet Weather Improvements project (WUD No. 19-035) located in Pahokee, Florida. This construction project encompasses comprehensive infrastructure improvements including installation of a fully enclosed backup power generator with generator lug box, construction of a pre-cast concrete electrical building with 480-volt switchgear and motor control centers, replacement of the plant-wide controls system, replacement of process piping ranging from 6-inch to 16-inch diameter, installation of pile foundations, replacement of two 6-inch telescoping valves, effluent pump station weir modifications, and site improvements including grading, perimeter security fencing, lightning protection, and lighting. The original bid due date was March 15, 2023, at 2:00 p.m., but Addendum No. 1 issued on March 10, 2023, extended the deadline to March 23, 2023; the addendum also modified Bid Item No. 6 to include auger cast pile work for depths up to 30 feet below existing ground surface with unit pricing provisions for additional depth, and added two new allowance items. The contract duration is 730 calendar days to substantial completion and an additional 90 calendar days to final completion. Prospective bidders were required to submit written questions by 10 calendar days prior to bid opening, and pre-bid meetings and non-mandatory site visits were held on February 6, 2023, and February 21, 2023, respectively. Contractors must maintain plant operations during construction, coordinate with other ongoing contracts including FPL power line relocation, and manage plant security and access while meeting strict compliance requirements outlined in the bidding guidance documents provided by the county.

This procurement includes mandatory set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises, requiring minimum participation goals of 10 percent small business enterprises (SBE), 6.9 percent women-owned business enterprises (WBE), and 22.4 percent minority-owned business enterprises (MBE), with no rounding permitted; subcontractors must maintain Palm Beach County SBE certification at time of bid opening. The project is federally funded through a Community Development Block Grant Mitigation Program (CDBG-MIT) from the State of Florida Department of Economic Opportunity in the amount of $2,710,000, and contractors must comply with Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 and federal affirmative action requirements. All contractors and subcontractors must hold valid Florida or Palm Beach County contractor licenses appropriate to their scope of work and verify compliance with state exclusion lists. Bidders must submit a bid bond equal to 5 percent of the bid price, complete Office of Equal Business Opportunity (OEBO) schedules, provide certificates of business location with valid business tax receipts, submit detailed subcontractor lists, and provide all required federal compliance affidavits. The engineer's estimate for this project is approximately $7.76 million, and liquidated damages are assessed at $650.00 per calendar day for delays beyond substantial completion and $250.00 per calendar day beyond final completion, with additional damages possible if contractor actions prevent the county from claiming grant funds.