City of Duluth, Georgia

Request for Proposals

For

Weather Alert Sirens

April 2, 2014

City of Duluth

3167 Main Street

Duluth, Georgia 30096

Table of Contents

Request for ProposalsPage 3

Weather Siren LocationsPage 4

General ConditionsPage 5

ScopePage 14

References RequiredPage 14

WarrantyPage 14

Testing and TrainingPage 14

SpecificationsPages 15-22

Bid EvaluationPage 23

Bid ProposalPages 24-25

Proposed ContractExhibit A

E-Verify AffadavitExhibit B
Request for Proposals for Weather Alert Sirens

The City of Duluth is requesting sealed proposals from qualified vendors to provide allnecessary labor, equipment, materials, services and any appurtenances incidental to the completion of removal of five (5) existing weather sirens and utility poles and replacement with five (5) new weather sirens and utility poles and any and all related required equipment for installation and use.

A bid bond in the amount of five percent (5%) of the bid amount (but not less than ten thousand dollars {$10,000}) is required for all bids.

All sealed proposals will be received by the City of Duluth City Clerk, 3167 Main Street, Duluth, Georgia 30096 until 3:00 P.M local time on Tuesday, May 6, 2014. Any bid received after this time will not be accepted. Bids will be publicly opened and read aloud at 3:00 P.M. The bid envelope must be marked on the outside with the following information:

City of Duluth

Proposal – Weather Alert Sirens

Date and Hour of Bid Opening

Company Name

The full Request for Proposals will be available on the City of Duluth website, under the heading “Notices and RFP’s” beginning on Wednesday, April 2, 2014. Full Proposal will also be available for viewing at the Duluth Public Works Department, 2450 Chattahoochee Drive, Duluth, Georgia 30097, beginning Wednesday, April 2, 2014.

There will not be a pre-proposal conference for this procurement. The deadline for questions is 5:00pm on Tuesday, April 22, 2014. Submit all questions to Audrey Turner, Public Works Director,

Bid will be awarded as outlined in the Request for Proposals under Bid Evaluation. Payment will be rendered as outlined in Request for Proposals.

The selected contractor must be able to start work within ten (10) calendar days after the “Notice to Proceed” is issued. Work is to be completed within 90 calendar days from the date of the “Notice to Proceed”.

The City of Duluth reserves the right, with our without notice to cause or accept any bid regardless of the amount thereof; to reject any bid, any number of bids or all bids; to negotiate with any bidder for a reduction or alteration in its bid; to waive or insist upon formal requirements; to reject all bids and call for additional bids upon the same or different invitation to Bid and/or Plans and Specifications; to be the sole judge, in its discretion, of all questions as to whether or not a bid complies with the Request for Proposals, the Plans or Specifications and as to the qualifications of a bidder to perform the Contract.

Weather Siren Locations

Abbotts Bridge Road (aka SR 120, aka Duluth Highway) at Albion Farm Road

Southeastern Railway Museum –

3595 Buford Hwy (aka SR 23)

Brookshire Way at Leeds Way

(Norman Downes Subdivision)

Peachtree Industrial Boulevard at Castlemaine Drive

W.P. Jones Park – 3770 Pleasant Hill Road

A map showing each location will also be available on the City of Duluth website, under the heading “Notices and RFP’s” along with the Request for Proposal.
GENERAL CONDITIONS

  1. Prequalification of Proposers:

Proposals will only be considered from experienced and well-equipped contractors engaged in work of this type. Proposers may be required to submit evidence setting forth qualifications which entitle them to consideration as a responsible Contractor.The City may make such investigations as it deems necessary to determine the ability of the proposer to perform the work and the proposer shall furnish to the City all such information and data for this purpose as the City may request. The City reserves the right to reject any bid if the evidence submitted by, or investigation of, such proposer fails to satisfy the City that such proposer is properly qualified to carry out the obligations of the contract and to complete the work contemplated herein. Conditional proposals will not be accepted.

  1. Examination of Plans, Specifications, and Site of the Work:

Each proposer must inform himself fully of the conditions relating to the construction of the project and the employment of labor thereon. Failure to do so will not relieve the successful proposer of their obligation to furnish all material, labor and equipment necessary to carry out the provisions of this contract. Proposers shall examine the plans and specifications and make such examinations on the ground as are necessary to thoroughly familiarize themselves with the nature and extent of the proposed construction and all local conditions affecting the same, as the City will not be responsible for Proposer’s errors or misjudgement, nor for any information on local conditions or general laws or regulations.

No interpretation of the meaning of the plans and specifications or any other pre-bid documents will be made to any bidder orally. Every request for such interpretations should be in writing and submitted to Audrey Turner, Public Works Director at To be given consideration, requests must be received by 5:00pm on Tuesday, April 22, 2014. Any responses and/or addenda shall be provided to all interested proposers via email as well as posted on the City of Duluth website at Any responses or addenda provided shall become part of the contract documents.

Failure of any Proposer to receive any such addendum or interpretation shall not relieve such Proposer from any obligation under his proposal as submitted.

At the time of the opening of the proposals, each Proposer will be presumed to have inspected the sites and to have read and be thoroughly familiar with the plans and contract documents (including all addenda). The failure or omission of any Proposer to examine any forms, instruments or documents shall in no way relieve any Proposer from any obligation in respect to his proposal.

  1. Preparationof Proposals:

Proposer shall submit its proposal on the forms furnished in the request for proposal package. Blank spaces shall be filled in correctly for each Pay Item and the proposer shall write in ink the Unit Price or a Lump Sum price as called for in the proposal. In addition, the Proposer shall also provide a detailed breakdown on a separate sheet of paper as called for in the proposal; this breakdown shall include specifications of all products as represented in the Total Bid Price.

If a bid is made by an individual, his name, original signature and post office address must be shown. If made by a firm or partnership, the name, original signature and post office address of each member of the firm or partnership must be shown. If made by a corporation, the person or persons signing the proposal must show the name of the state under which the laws of the corporation are chartered and his or their authority for signing same; the names, titles and address of their President, Secretary and Treasurer and the corporate authority for doing business in Georgia. Bids not properly signed may be disqualified and rejected.

  1. Rejection of Bids:

Bids may be rejected as irregular if their consideration is conditioned upon acceptance or rejection of other bids submitted by the same Bidder or if a breakdown of products is not included.

The City of Duluth reserves the right to reject any and all bids, to waive informalities and to re-advertise. It is understood that all bids are made subject to this agreement, that the City of Duluth reserves the right to decide which bid it deems lowest and best and on arriving at this decision, full consideration will be given to the reputation of the bidder, his financial responsibility and work of this type successfully completed.

Collusion: Any and all bids will be rejected if the City believes that collusion exists among the bidders and no participant in such collusion may submit future bids for the same work.

Debts: The City reserves the right to reject bids from bidders who have not paid or satisfactorily settled all legal debts due on other contracts at the time bids are received.

Technicalities: The City reserves the right to reject any and all bids and to waive technicalities at any time before the Contract has been signed by the City.

The City reserves the right to reject any and all bids from any person, firm, or corporation who is in arrears in any debt or obligation to the City of Duluth, Georgia.

  1. Proposal Guaranty

No Bid will be considered unless it is accompanied by an executed Bid Bond or Certified/Cashier’s Check made payable to the City of Duluth in the amount of five percent (5%) of the total amount of Bid, but not less than $10,000. No Proposal Guaranty will be considered to cover any Bid except the one to which it is attached. Bidders must enclose the executed Bid Bond or Certified/Cashier’s Check within the envelope containing the sealed bid. Failure to do so will be cause for rejection.

  1. Delivery of Proposals:

All bids must be on forms in conformity with the proposal form included herein and must be for labor, materials and equipment called for in the specifications, shown on the plans and bulletins issued prior to bidding. Bids must be submitted in a sealed envelope of sufficient size with the following clearly typed or printed on the outside:

City of Duluth

Bid – Weather Alert Sirens

Date and Hour of Bid Opening

Company Name

If forwarded by mail, the sealed envelope containing the bid must be enclosed in another envelope addressed to:

City of Duluth

Attn: Teresa Lynn, City Clerk

3167 Main Street

Duluth, Georgia 30096

Two copies, one (1) original and one (1) copy of the entire proposal package must be submitted with the bid. Failure to do so could result in the omission of pertinent documents and the rejection of the apparent low bid.

  1. Withdrawal or Revision of Proposals:

Any bidder may withdraw his bid before the time set for opening by submitting a document titled “Request for Bid Withdrawal”, such document shall include the following:

Company Name

Bid Name – Weather Alert Sirens

Signed by an authorized officer of the company whose signature is legally binding upon said company.

No bids may be withdrawn after submission for a period of forty-five (45) days after the date of the bid opening.

Any bidder may modify his bid prior to the scheduled closing time for receipt of bids, provided such communication is received by the City prior to the scheduled closing time.

Under no circumstances will the City change a sealed bid after the scheduled closing time and prior to the time of opening.

  1. Public Opening of Proposals:

Bids will be opened and read publicly at the time and place stated on the bid form as well as the City of Duluth website. Bidders and their authorized agents are invited to attend.

  1. Award

The contract, if awarded, will be awarded to that responsible Bidder whose bid will be the most advantageous to the City. The City will determine that bidder and in so doing, will consider the following elements, whether the Bidder involved:

(a) Maintains a permanent place of business;

(b)Has adequate labor and/or other equipment to complete the work properly and expeditiously;

(c)Has a suitable financial status to meet obligations incidental to the work;

(d)Has appropriate technical experience.

The City of Duluth reserves the right to exercise its discretion as to the responsibility of the bidder. The Mayor and Council of the City of Duluth will make the final decision.

Failure to demonstrate the ability for simultaneous contract execution and progression will result in, at the City’s discretion, the award of any or all of the Bidder’s contracts to the next lowest responsible bidder, or the re-advertisement and re-bidding of any or all of these contracts.

  1. Return of Proposal Guaranty

All proposal guarantees (Bid Bonds) will be returned to all except the three lowest bidders within five (5) days after the opening of the bids and the remaining Bid Bonds will be returned promptly after the City and the accepted bidder have executed the Contract or if no award has been made within sixty (60) days after the date of the opening of bids, upon demand of the Bidder at any time thereafter, so long as he has not been notified of the acceptance of this bid.

The City reserves the right to return all Proposal Guarantees (Bid Bonds) by registered or certified mail and its responsibility pertaining to them will end when they are mailed.

  1. Requirements of Performance and Payment Bonds

Simultaneously with his delivery of the executed contract, the Contractor shall furnish the following bonds:

Performance Bond – amount of Bond shall be equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the contract amount, but not less than one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000).

Payment, Labor & Materials Bonds – amount of bond shall be equal to one hundred and ten percent (110%) of the contract amount, but not less than one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000)

Insurance and Bonding Companies must meet the following requirements:

Licensed to do business in the State of Georgia;

Licensed to do business by the Georgia Secretary of State;

Authorized to do business in Georgia by the Office of the Georgia Insurance Commissioner;

Insurance and Bonding Company must have an A.M. Best rating of A-6 or higher.

  1. Execution and Approval of Contract

The contract shall be signed by the successful bidder and returned within 10 calendar days after the Notice of Award of Contract. If the contract is not executed within 45 days following receipt from the Bidder of the signed Contract, unless a longer period is specified in the Proposal or the successful Bidder agrees in writing to a longer period, the Bidder shall have the right to withdraw his Bid without penalty. No contract shall be considered as effective until it has been fully executed by all of the parties.

Prior to the execution of the contract and at all times that the contract is in force, the contractor must obtain, maintain and furnish the City of Duluth, Certificates of Insurance from licensed companies doing business in the State of Georgia and acceptable to the City. Such insurance must cover the following:

  1. Workers compensation insurance as required by Georgia law.
  2. Employers Liability Insurance with minimum limits of the greater of $500,000 per accident/disease or as required by the law of the State of Georgia.
  3. Commercial General Liability Insurance – ISO from CG 00 01 (10/93) or equivalent Occurrence Policy which will provide primary coverage in the event of any Occurrence Claim, or suit, with limits of not less than:
  • $2,000,000 General Aggregate;
  • $2,000,000 Products – Comp/OPS Aggregate;
  • $1,000,000 Personal and Advertising Injury;
  • $1,000,000 Each Occurrence;
  • $50,000 Fire Damage (any one fire);
  • $5,000 Medical Expense (any one person)
  1. Automobile Liability Insurance, with a minimum limit of $1,000,000 Combined Single Limit per accident and Coverage applying to “Any Auto.”

All of the above policies shall be endorsed to provide for ten days notice for nonpayment and 30 days notice of cancellation, non-renewal or material changes in coverages.

Certificate Holder should read: City of Duluth, 3167 Main Street, Duluth, Georgia 30096.

  1. Failure to Execute Contract

Failure or refusal to execute the Contract, Contract Performance Bond, Payment Bonds or furnish satisfactory proof of insurance coverage required within ten (10) days after the date of Notice of Award of the contract may be just cause for the annulment of the award. Failure to progress in a timely manner after beginning may also be just cause for such annulment.

Upon annulment, at the discretion of the City, the award may then be made to the next lowest responsible bidder, re-advertised, re-bid or constructed by City forces. If the City re-advertises the project, the City may, at its discretion, not allow the bidder who failed or refused to execute a contract, or who requested to withdraw any bid, to perform work on that contract or project as a contractor, subcontractor, or in any other capacity for any function of construction. The Contract and Contract bonds shall be executed in multiple originals.

  1. Plans and Working Drawings
    While every effort will be made to provide the correct information, the City does not commit to providing plans and/or specifications with exact details of every line, grade, structure or typical cross sections.

Contractor must fully familiarize himself with the location of the work and request information prior to beginning work.

  1. Cooperation with Utilities
    Contractor will be responsible for requesting all utility locates as required by Georgia law prior to beginning any work. The GUFPA (Georgia Utility Facility Protection Act) mandates that before starting any mechanized digging or excavation work, Georgia 811 (Utilities Protection Center) must be contacted, at least 48 hours, but no more than 10 working days in advance to have the utility lines marked. If emergencies occur, it is the responsibility of the Contractor to notify the respective utility company immediately and then the City of Duluth.

The City will not notify any utilities or be responsible for locating any utilities. In the event utility relocations are required, the City will assist the contractor in negotiating with utilities for such relocation.

  1. Maintenance During Construction
    At all times, the Contractor shall perform work as may be required to protect the entire site, including both existing conditions and performed work from damage. Furthermore, the Contractor shall be responsible for all damages to all persons and property due to the non-maintenance of the site.
  2. Samples, Tests, Cited Specifications
    The City of Duluth does not commit to have initial nor full time inspection or testing of work or materials while in progress or at sources of materials furnished. Any lack of inspection and/or testing will in no way relieve the contractor of his responsibility to provide quality materials and workmanship in accordance with the specifications.
  3. Protection and Restoration of Property and Landscape
    The Contractor shall be responsible for the preservation of all public and private property, fish ponds, trees, highway signs and markers, fences, grassed and sodded areas, etc. along and adjacent to the worksite and shall use every precaution necessary to prevent damage or injury thereto. The Contractor shall not willfully or maliciously injure or destroy any trees or shrubs, and he shall not remove or cut them without proper authority.

The Contractor shall take all necessary measures throughout the life of the project to control erosion and silting of rivers, streams, impoundments (lakes, reservoirs, etc.).