26-0011 CIP# 2639000-Gravity Line Replacement (Grayson St.) Project

BID AND CONTRACT DOCUMENTS
FOR
CIP# 2639000-Gravity Line Replacement
(Grayson St.)
NORTH CHARLESTON SEWER DISTRICT
NORTH CHARLESTON, SC

INFORMATION FOR BIDDERS
BACKGROUND: The existing sewer system in the easement located between Grayson St. and
Leland St. has deteriorated over the years and needs to be replaced. The North Charleston Sewer
District is seeking a bid from licensed contractors to furnish all labor, materials, equipment, and
incidentals necessary to remove and replace approximately 334 linear feet of existing 8-inch
sanitary sewer with new 8-inch PVC within the existing 10-foot-wide alley easement. Work
includes bypass pumping, service reconnections, manhole tie-ins, and full site restoration.
The Engineer for this project is Joe Arnold, EIT with the North Charleston Sewer District.
PRE BID MEETING: A non-mandatory pre-bid meeting will be held at 3215 N Atlantic Ave,
North Charleston, SC 29405 on May 26, 2026, at 10:00 AM.
QUESTIONS: Due May 27, 2026, at 10:00 AM. Refer to Addenda and Interpretations section
below.
RECEIPT AND OPENING OF BIDS: Bids will be received at the North Charleston Sewer
District Administrative offices until 2:00 PM, June 1, 2026, at which time all bids received will
be publicly opened and read aloud.
Bids may be delivered to:
Purchasing Department
North Charleston Sewer District
7225 Stall Road
North Charleston, South Carolina 29406
Or
Bids may be mailed to:
Purchasing Department
North Charleston Sewer District
PO Box 63009
North Charleston, South Carolina 29419
MAIL IS ONLY PICKED UP FROM THE US POSTAL SERVICE ON MONDAYS AND
THURSDAYS AROUND 10:30 A.M. (EXCLUDING WEEKENDS AND HOLIDAYS).
LICENSES: The attention of Bidders is directed to the provisions of the acts for licensing of
General Contractors for the State of South Carolina and all requirements of such acts which have
bearing upon this work shall be deemed as part of the Specifications as if written therein in full.
The showing by the Contractor of his license number shall be deemed as the Contractor's
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representation that he is legally qualified to enter into the prescribed Contract for any or all portions
of the work included in his Bid.
All Bidders submitting a Bid shall have a current valid Contractor's License for the State of South
Carolina. This license number shall be shown on the bid form immediately below the signature
identification and on the face of the sealed envelope containing the submitted Bid. Subcontractors
who will be engaged by the General Contractor shall also hold the required licenses. The
successful Bidder and all subcontractors will be required to obtain any business license required
prior to beginning work, if said Bidder does not have the required license.
BID SECURITY: Each Bid must be accompanied by a Bid Bond duly executed by the Bidder as
principal and having as surety thereon a surety company qualified to do business under the laws
of the State of South Carolina and satisfactory to the Owner, in an amount not less than five percent
(5%) of the Bid.
Such Bid Bond will be returned to all except the three (3) lowest Bidders upon request, and the
remaining Bid Bonds will be returned upon request after the Owner and the accepted Bidder have
executed the Agreement. If no award has been made within ninety (90) calendar days after the
date of the opening of Bids, such Bid Bond will be returned upon request of the Bidder at any time
thereafter, so long as he has not been notified of the acceptance of his Bid.
GUARANTY BONDS: The Bidder to whom the contract is awarded will be required to execute
the Agreement and obtain the Performance Bond and Payment Bond, each in the sum of the full
amount of the Contract Price, within ten (10) calendar days from the date when Notice of Award
is delivered to the Bidder and prior to the start of any work.
The Bonds must be duly executed and acknowledged by the Bidder as principal and by a corporate
surety company qualified to do business under the laws of the State of South Carolina, certified by
the United States Treasury Department, and satisfactory to the Owner as surety, for the faithful
performance of the Contract and payment for labor and materials. The premiums for such bonds
shall be paid by the Contractor.
Each Bond must be irrevocable, and remain valid for the time period in which claims could be
brought within the laws of the State of South Carolina..
EXECUTION OF CONTRACT: The Owner, within ten (10) calendar days of receipt of acceptable
Performance Bond, Payment Bond, and Agreement signed by the party to whom the Agreement
was awarded, shall sign the Agreement and return to such party an executed duplicate of the
Agreement. Should the Owner not execute the Agreement within such period, the Bidder may by
written notice withdraw his signed Agreement. Such notice of withdrawal shall be effective upon
receipt of the notice by the Owner.
POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR BONDS: Attorneys-in-fact who sign Bid or Performance or
Payment Bonds must file with each Bond a certified and dated copy of their power of attorney.
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LIQUIDATED DAMAGES FOR FAILURE TO ENTER INTO CONTRACT: The successful
Bidder, upon his failure or refusal to execute and deliver the Contract and Bonds required within
ten (10) calendar days after he has received notice of the acceptance of Bid, shall forfeit to the
Owner, as liquidated damages for such failure or refusal, the security deposited with his bid.
LAWS AND REGULATIONS: All applicable laws, ordinances, and the rules and regulations of
all authorities having jurisdiction over construction of the project shall apply to the Contract
throughout, and they will be deemed to be included as though herein written out in full.
IMPORTANT TAX NOTICE - NONRESIDENTS ONLY:
Withholding Requirements for Payments to Nonresidents: Section 12-8-550 of the South
Carolina Code of Laws requires persons hiring or contracting with a nonresident conducting
a business or performing personal services of a temporary nature within South Carolina to
withhold 2% of each payment made to the nonresident. The withholding requirement does
not apply to (1) payments on purchase orders for tangible personal property when the
payments are not accompanied by services to be performed in South Carolina, (2)
nonresidents who are not conducting business in South Carolina, (3) nonresidents for
contracts that do not exceed $10,000 in a calendar year, or (4) payments to a nonresident
who (a) registers with either the S.C. Department of Revenue or the S.C. Secretary of State
and (b) submits a Nonresident Taxpayer Registration Affidavit - Income Tax Withholding,
Form I-312 to the person letting the contract.
The withholding requirement applies to every governmental entity that uses a contract
("Using Entity"). Nonresidents should submit a separate copy of the Nonresident Taxpayer
Registration Affidavit - Income Tax Withholding, Form I-312 to every Using Entity that
makes payment to the nonresident pursuant to this solicitation. Once submitted, an affidavit
is valid for all contracts between the nonresident and the Using Entity, unless the Using
Entity receives notice from the Department of Revenue that the exemption from withholding
has been revoked.
-----------------------
For information about other withholding requirements (e.g., employee withholding), contact
the Withholding Section at the South Carolina Department of Revenue at 803-898-5383 or
visit the Department's website at: https://dor.sc.gov
-----------------------
This notice is for informational purposes only. This agency does not administer and has no
authority over tax issues. All registration questions should be directed to the License and
Registration Section at 803- 898-5872 or to the South Carolina Department of Revenue,
Registration Unit, Columbia, S.C. 29214-0140. All withholding questions should be directed
to the Withholding Section at 803-896-1420.
https://dor.sc.gov/forms-site/Forms/I312.pdf
EXAMINATION OF DRAWINGS AND SPECIFICATIONS: Each Bidder shall carefully
examine Drawings and Specifications and all Addenda or other revisions thereto and thoroughly
familiarize himself with the detailed requirements thereof prior to submitting a Bid. If any Bidder
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is in doubt as to the true meaning of any part of the Drawings, Specifications, or other Documents,
or if any error, discrepancy, conflict, or omission is noted, the Bidder shall immediately contact
the Owner in writing and request clarification. The Owner will clarify the intent of the Documents
and/or correct such error, discrepancy, conflict, or omission, and will notify all Bidders by
Addendum in cases where the extent of work or cost thereof will be appreciably affected. No
allowance will be made after Bids are received for oversight by Bidder.
EXAMINATION OF SITE: Each Bidder must visit the site of proposed work and fully
acquaint himself with conditions relating to construction and labor so he may fully
understand facilities, difficulties, and restrictions attending execution of work under
contract. By executing the Agreement, the Contractor represents that he has visited the site,
familiarized himself with the local conditions under which the work is to be performed, and
correlated his observations with the requirements of the Contract Documents.
The Bidder shall confine examination to the specific areas designated for the proposed
construction, including easements and public Right-of-ways. If, due to some unforeseen
reason, the Owner's proceedings for obtaining the proposed construction site (including
easements) have not been completed, the Bidder may enter the site only with the express
consent of the property owner. The Bidder is solely responsible for any damages caused by
his examination of the site.
INFORMATION NOT GUARANTEED: All information given on the Drawings or in the Contact
Documents relating to subsurface conditions, existing structures, location of utilities, sewer
inverts, or other information on existing facilities is from the best sources at present available to
the Owner. All such information is furnished only for the information and convenience of the
Bidders.
It is agreed and understood that the Owner does not warrant or guarantee that the conditions, pipes,
or other structures encountered during construction will be the same as those indicated on the
Drawings or in the Contract Documents. The Bidder must satisfy himself regarding the character,
quantities, and conditions of the various materials and the work to be done.
It further is agreed and understood that the Bidder or the Contractor will not use any of the
information made available to him or obtained in any examination made by in any manner as a
basis or ground of claim or demand of any nature against the Owner or Engineer, arising from or
by reason of any variance which may exist between the information offered and the actual
materials or structures encountered during the construction work, except as may otherwise be
provided for in the Contract Documents.
If any work is performed by the Contractor, or any subcontractor, prior to adequate verification of
applicable data, any resultant extra cost for adjustment of work necessary to conform to existing
conditions, or damage to existing facilities, shall be assumed by the Contractor without
reimbursement or compensation by the Owner.
COMPLETE WORK REQUIRED: It is the intent of the Drawings and Specifications to provide
a complete and usable facility. The Contractor's work shall be based on the Drawings and
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Specification but shall include all materials and appurtenances are shown on the Drawings or
described in the Specifications.
The Drawings, Specification, and all supplementary documents are essential parts of the Contact,
and requirements occurring in one are as binding as though occurring in all. They are intended to
be cooperative, to describe and provide for a complete work. In case of discrepancy on the
Drawings, figured dimensions shall govern. In case of omissions from the Specification as to
items of equipment and materials or quantities therefore, the Drawing shall govern.
It shall be the responsibility of the Bidder to call to the attention of the Engineer obvious
omissions of such magnitude as to affect the strength, adequacy, function, completeness, or
cost of any part of the work in ample time for amendment by Addendum prior to bid opening
date.
ADDENDA AND INTERPRETATIONS: No interpretation of the meaning of the Drawings,
Specifications, or other Bid Documents will be made orally to any Bidder by the Engineer or
Owner prior to award of the contract.
Every request for such interpretation should be in writing and emailed to purchasing@ncsd.sc.gov
with the SUBJECT: "26-0011 CIP#2639000-Gravity Line Replacement (Grayson St.)". To
be given consideration, such request must be received no later than 10:00 am on May 27, 2026.
All such interpretations and any supplemental instructions will be made in the form of written
Addenda to the Specifications which, if issued, will be posted on the Purchasing website at
www.ncsd.sc.gov/purchasing. Failure of any bidder to receive any such Addendum or
interpretation shall not relieve such Bidder from any obligation under his Bid as submitted. All
Addenda so issued shall become part of the Contract Documents.
ABILITY AND EXPERIENCE OF BIDDER: It is the purpose of the Owner not to award this
Contract to any Bidder who does not furnish satisfactory evidence that he has the experience of
successfully completing projects of this type and magnitude and that he has sufficient capital,
equipment, plant, and personnel to enable him to prosecute the work successfully and to complete
it in the time named.
The Owner may make such investigations as it deems necessary to determine the ability of the
Bidder to perform the work, and the Bidder shall furnish to the Owner, under oath if so required,
all such information and data for this purpose as the Owner may request.
BIDS AND QUALIFICATIONS: Before a Bid is considered for award, the Bidder may be
requested by the Engineer or Owner to submit a statement of facts in detail as to his previous
experience in performing similar or comparable work, and of his business and technical
organization and financial resources and plant available to be used in performing the contemplated
work.
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TIME FOR COMPLETION: The Bidder must agree to commence work within 15 days of the
notice to proceed stipulated in the Agreement. The Bidder also must agree to fully complete the
project within 45 consecutive calendar days.
LIQUIDATED DAMAGES: The Bidder must agree to pay as liquidated damages the amount set
forth in the Agreement for each consecutive calendar day that the work is incomplete after the
agreed upon date of completion.
WITHDRAWAL OF BIDS: Any Bidder may withdraw his Bid, either personally or by written
request, at any time prior to the scheduled opening of Bids or authorized postponement thereof.
Otherwise, Bidder may not withdraw his Bid for a period of ninety (90) calendar days after the
date set for the opening thereof, and all Bids shall be subject to acceptance by the Owner during
this period.
IRREGULAR BIDS: A Bid will be considered irregular and may be rejected for any one of the
following reasons:
1. If the Bid is on a form other than that furnished by the Owner, or if the form is altered
or any part detached.
2. If there are unauthorized additions, conditional or alternate bids, or irregularities of any
kind which tend to make the Bid incomplete, indefinite, or ambiguous in its meaning.
3. If the Bidder adds any provisions reserving the right to accept or reject an award, or to
enter into a contract pursuant to an award.
4. If the Bid does not contain a price for each item listed.
5. If the Bid does not contain the aggregate of the Bid, obtained by adding the extended
amounts of the various items, if applicable.
6. If the Bid contains obviously unbalanced bid prices.
7. If there is reason to believe that any Bidder is interested in more than one Bid on the same
project or that there has been collusion among the Bidders.
DISQUALIFICATION OF BIDDERS: More than one Bid from an individual, a firm or
partnership, a corporation or any association, under the same or different names, will not be
considered. Reasonable grounds for believing that any Bidder is interested as a principal in more
than one Bid for the work contemplated will cause the rejection of all Bids in which such Bidder
is believed to be interested. Any or all Bids will be rejected if there is reason to believe that
collusion exists among the Bidders. Contracts will be awarded only to responsible Bidders capable
of performing the class of work contemplated within the time specified and having sufficient
resources and finances to carry on the work properly.
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ACCEPTANCE OR REJECTION OF BIDS: The Owner reserves the right to reject any and all
Bids when such rejection is in the interest of the Owner; to reject the Bid of a Bidder who has
previously failed to perform properly or complete on time contracts of a similar nature; and to
reject the Bid of a Bidder who is not, in the opinion of the Engineer or Owner, in a position to
perform the Contract. The Owner reserves the right to waive any informalities and technicalities
in bidding. The Owner may also accept or reject any of the alternates that may be set forth on the
Bid.
METHOD OF AWARD: The Contract will be awarded to the responsive, responsible Bidder
submitting the lowest Bid complying with the conditions of the Contract Documents. Award will
be made based on the prices given in the Base Bid or a combination of the Base Bid and Alternate,
at the Owners option. The Bidder to whom the award is made will be notified.
A responsive Bidder submits a Bid in the proper form without qualifications or intent other than
as called for in the Contract Documents and who binds himself or herself on behalf of the Bid to
the Owner with the proper Bid Bond completed and attached, and who properly completes all
forms required to be completed and submitted at the time of the Bidding. The Bidder shall furnish
all data required by these Contract Documents. Failure to do so may result in the Bid being
declared non-responsive.
A responsible Bidder can fulfill the following requirements:
a. The Bidder shall maintain a permanent place of business. This requirement applies to the
Bidder where the Bidder is a division of a corporation, or where the Bidder is 50 percent
or more owned by a person, corporation, or firm.
b. The Bidder shall demonstrate adequate construction experience and sufficient equipment
resources to properly perform the work under and in conformance with the Contact
Documents. This evaluation will be based upon a list of completed or active projects and
a list of construction equipment available to the Bidder to perform the work. The Owner
may make such investigations as deemed necessary to determine the ability of the Bidder
to perform the work, and the Bidder shall furnish to the Owner all such information and
data for this purpose as the Owner may reasonably request. The Owner reserves the right
to reject any Bid if the evidence submitted by, or investigation of, such Bidder fails to
satisfy the Owner that such Bidder is properly qualified to carry out the obligations of the
Contract and to complete the Project contemplated therein.
c. The Bidder shall demonstrate financial resources of sufficient strength to meet the
obligations incident to the performance of the work covered by these Contract
Documents. The ability to obtain the required Performance and Payment bonds will not
alone demonstrate adequate financial capability.
Acceptance of the Bidder's documentation and substantiation or Contract Award by the Owner
does not relieve the Bidder of liability for non-performance covered in the Contract Documents,
nor will the Bidder be exempted from any other legal recourse the Owner may elect to pursue.
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PRE-CONSTRUCTION CONFERENCE: After the Contractor signs the AGREEMENT, and
submits all required documents, and prior to issuance of the NOTICE TO PROCEED, a pre-
construction conference will be held with representatives of the Owner, Contractor, and the
Engineer. At this conference, the construction schedule and inspection schedule will be approved.
Any problems with the Plans & Specifications will be resolved, and the Project Staff of the Owner
and the Contractor will receive approval.
NOTICE TO PROCEED: The Notice to Proceed will be issued within ten (10) calendar days of
the execution of the Agreement by the Owner. Should there be reasons why the Notice to Proceed
cannot be issued within such period, the time may be extended by mutual agreement between the
Owner and Contractor. If the Notice to Proceed has not been issued within the ten (10) calendar
day period or within the period mutually agreed upon, the Contractor may terminate the Agreement
without further liability on the part of either party.
ESTIMATED QUANTITIES: Bidders must satisfy themselves of the accuracy of the estimated
quantities in the Bid Schedule by examining the site and reviewing the Specifications, Drawings,
and Addenda. After Bids have been submitted, the Bidder shall not assert that there was a
misunderstanding concerning the quantities of work or of the nature of the work to be done.
COMPARISON OF BIDS: Bids will be compared based on the prices stated in the Bid. If there
is a discrepancy between the unit price and or the computed total amount, the unit price shall
govern.
EASEMENTS: The Owner has obtained, or will obtain, permanent easements and temporary
construction easements through private property. The temporary construction easements entitle
the Contractor to the occupancy and use of the designated area near or adjacent to the work for
purposes related to the work. The Contractor will not encroach on any property unless it has been
established that easements have been obtained. On all other land, the Contactor has no rights
unless he obtains permission from the proper parties.
WORK IN STATE AND COUNTY RIGHT-OF-WAYS: The Owner will obtain the necessary
easements and permits for construction across City, County and State Highway right-of-ways. The
Contractor shall abide by all rules, regulations, and requirements of these agencies regarding
construction under this contract, including the giving of notices, provisions for inspections, and
employment of such methods of construction as may be required. Wherever these Specifications
may be in conflict with the regulations or requirements of these agencies, such regulations shall
govern, and these Specifications shall be modified to such extent as necessary to conform to the
said rules, regulations, and requirements. Wherever additional costs are incurred due to
requirements of these agencies, such additional periods of maintenance, special features of
construction, etc., all such costs shall be included in the prices bid. No additional compensation
will be allowed for such costs after award of the Contract.
ITEMS AND INDETERMINATE ITEMS: The work to be done under this Contract has been
divided into items so that the actual quantity of work executed under each item may be paid for at
the unit price bid for the particular item even though such quantity is greater or less than the
estimated quantity stated in the Bid.
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