San Antonio Water System

Sealed bids are requested by the San Antonio Water System for the construction of approximately 460 LF of 8” PVC water main, 30 LF of 10” PVC water main, and 30,135 LF of 12” PVC water main using open- cut methods to replace existing water mains for the Pleasanton Road Water Main Replacement at Hume Road Project, SAWS Job No. 18-4004.

To view additional project information, as well as obtain the plans and specifications for this project, visit our website located at www.saws.org and click on the Business Center. Then select Bidder, Consultant, and Vendor Registration, which is located on the left-hand side of the screen. Select the Register Now button and proceed with registration.

For difficulties downloading plans and specifications, contact the Contracting Department at 210-233-3341. 

A non-mandatory pre-bid meeting will be held at 10:30 AM (CT) on December 11, 2019 at the San Antonio Water System’s Customer Payment Building, 1st floor, Conference Room CR-C137, 2800 U.S. Hwy 281 North, San Antonio, Texas.

For questions regarding this solicitation, technical questions or additional information, please contact Fred Flores, Contract Administrator, in writing via email to: fred.flores@saws.org or by fax to (210) 233-3404 until 10:00 AM (CT) on December 13, 2019. Answers to the questions will be posted to the web site by 4:00 PM (CT) on December 18, 2019 as a separate document or included as part of an addendum. Please be advised that Bidders are prohibited from communicating with any other SAWS staff, the Consultant, the Developer, or City of San Antonio officials regarding this IFB up until the contract is awarded as outlined in the Instructions to Bidders.

Sealed bids will be received by Counter Services in the Customer Service office across from the Guard Station, 2800 U.S. Hwy 281 North, Customer Center Building, San Antonio, Texas 78212, until 10:00 AM (CT), January 13, 2020. Bids will then be publicly opened and read aloud by Contract Administration in CR-C145, Customer Center Building, 2800 U.S. Hwy 281 North, San Antonio, Texas. Each bid must be accompanied by a cashier's check, certified check, or bid bond in an amount not less than five percent of the total bid price.

This contract is contingent upon release of funds from the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB). Any contract(s) awarded under this Invitation for Bids (IFB) is/are expected to be funded in part by a loan or loan with principal forgiveness from the TWDB and a grant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. EPA. Neither the State of Texas, the U.S. EPA, nor any of its departments, agencies, or employees, are or will be a party to this Invitation for Bids or any resulting contract.

As outlined in the General Conditions, the Bond Requirements are as follows:

• Payment Bond - In accordance with Chapter 2253 of the Texas Government Code as amended, the security furnished by the Contractor through the Surety in the full amount of the Contract Sum for the protection of all persons supplying labor and material in the prosecution of the Work who properly follow statutory requirements for perfecting claims against such security. If the Contract amount does not exceed $25,000, a Payment Bond may not be required.
   
• Performance Bond - In accordance with Chapter 2253 of the Texas Government Code as amended, the security furnished by the Contractor through the Surety in the full amount of the Contract Sum as a guaranty that the Work will be faithfully performed and completed and that the Owner will be saved harmless from all costs  and  damages which the Owner may suffer  by  reason of the Contractor's default or failure to perform the Work. If the Contract amount does not exceed $25,000, a Performance Bond may not be required.

All laborers and mechanics employed by contractors and subcontractors on projects funded directly by or assisted in whole or in part by and through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) shall be paid wages at rates not less than those prevailing on projects of a character similar in the locality as determined by the Secretary of Labor in accordance with subchapter IV of chapter 31 of title 40, United States Code. Wages to be paid on this project will be governed by the Department of Labor Wage General Decision or Decisions included in the bid documents for this project.

Equal Opportunity in Employment – All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information. Bidders on this work will be required to comply with the Department of Labor regulations at 41 CFR Part 60-4, relating to Construction Contractors -- Affirmative Action Requirements, which include the President's Executive Order No. 11246, as amended by Executive Order 11375 and Executive Order No. 13672, in the award and administration of contracts awarded under TWDB financial assistance agreements. Failure by the Contractor to carry out these requirements is a material breach, which may result in the termination of the awarded financial assistance.

The San Antonio Water System has the right to reject any and all bids.

This contract is subject to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program, which includes EPA-approved fair share goals toward procurement of Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) businesses. EPA rules require that applicants and prime contractors make a good faith effort to award a fair share of contracts, subcontracts, and procurements to M/WBEs through demonstration of the six affirmative steps.

For more details of the DBE Program and the current, applicable fair share goals, please visit www.twdb.texas.gov/dbe.

Comply with all record keeping and reporting requirements under the Clean Water Act/Safe Drinking Water Act, including any reports required by a Federal agency or the Finance Authority such as performance indicators of program deliverables, information on costs and project progress. The Participant understands that (i) each contract and subcontract related to the Project is subject to audit by appropriate federal and state entities and (ii) failure to comply with the Clean Water Act/Safe Drinking Water Act and this Agreement may be a default hereunder that results in a repayment of the Loan in advance of the maturity of the Bonds and/or other remedial actions.

Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements apply to the construction, alteration or repair of treatment works carried out, in whole or in part, with assistance made available by the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) or a construction project financed, in whole or in part, from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF).

The Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements apply to Contractors and Subcontractors performing on federally funded or assisted contracts in excess of $2,000 for the construction, alteration or repair (including painting) of a treatment works project under the CWSRF or a construction project under the DWSRF.

For prime contracts in excess of $100,000, Contractors and Subcontractors must also, under the provisions of the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act, as amended, pay laborers and mechanics, including

guards and watchmen, at least one and one-half times their regular rate of pay for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek. The Fair Labor Standards Act may also apply to Davis-Bacon covered contracts.

Any contracts or subcontracts in excess of $2,000 must include the provisions of the Davis-Bacon Wage Rate Requirements found in TWDB Guidance No. DB-0156.

Any contract(s) awarded under this Invitation for Bids is/are subject to the American Iron and Steel (AIS) requirements of Section 608 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act.

Wage Determinations - U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) wage determination must be included in the bidding and contract documents. DOL wage determinations may be obtained online at http://www.wdol.gov/. Once it is determined that Davis-Bacon wage rates will apply to a construction contract, the Applicant must state in the solicitation that Davis-Bacon prevailing wage rates are applicable and bid packages must include the current Davis-Bacon general wage determination for the area where construction will occur. While the solicitation remains open, the Applicant must monitor www.wdol.gov on a weekly basis to ensure that the wage determination contained in the solicitation remains current.

The Applicant must amend the solicitation if the DOL issues a modification more than 10 days prior to the closing date (i.e. bid opening) for the solicitation. If DOL modifies or supersedes the applicable wage determination less than 10 days prior to the closing date, the Applicant may request a finding from TWDB that there is not reasonable time to notify interested Contractors of the modification of the wage determination.

For additional information on Davis-Bacon Wage Rate Requirements and its applicability to this contract, please consult TWDB Guidance No. DB-0156.