26-99576 RFP for Material Testing for Lakewalk and Coastal Improvement Project

Purchasing Division, Finance Department
218-730-5340 | purchasing@duluthmn.gov
Room 120 | 411 West First Street | Duluth, Minnesota 55802
www.duluthmn.gov
City of Duluth Request for Proposals
Material Testing Services for
Lakewalk and Coastal Improvement Project
RFP Number 26-99576
Issued July 14, 2026
Proposals due Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at 3:00 pm Central Time
Submit to
City of Duluth
Attn: Purchasing Division
City Hall, Room 120
411 West 1st Street
Duluth, MN 55802
The City of Duluth is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

PART I - GENERAL INFORMATION
I-1. Introduction and project Summary. The City of Duluth is soliciting proposals from qualified
engineering and construction materials testing firms to provide field and laboratory testing services for
the Lakewalk Improvement project. The scope of work includes concrete testing, soils testing
(Standard Proctor and gradation), density testing, and grout cube testing associated with 2.2 miles of
bituminous shared-use trail reconstruction along Lake Superior, including modular block retaining
walls, cast-in-place structures, shoreline stabilization, lighting, and landscaping.
Additional detail is provided in Part IV of this RFP.
I-2. Calendar of Events. The City will make every effort to adhere to the following schedule:
Activity Date
Deadline to submit Questions via email to
July 21, 2026
purchasing@duluthmn.gov
Answers to questions will be posted to the City website no later July 28, 2026
than this date.
Proposals must be received in the Purchasing Office by 3:00 PM August 4, 2026
on this date.
I-3. Questions & Answers. Any questions regarding this RFP must be submitted by e-mail to the
Purchasing Office at purchasing@duluthmn.gov no later than the date indicated on the Calendar of
Events. Answers to the questions will be posted as an Addendum to the RFP.
I-4. Addenda to the RFP. If the City deems it necessary to revise any part of this RFP before the
proposal response date, the City will post an addendum to its website
https://www.duluthmn.gov/purchasing/bids-request-for-proposals/. Although an e-mail notification will
be sent, it is the Bidder's responsibility to periodically check the website for any new information. Any
addenda issued must be acknowledged on the Proposal Sheet attached as Appendix A.
I-5. Rejection of Proposals. The City reserves the right, in its sole and complete discretion, to reject
any and all proposals or cancel the request for proposals, at any time prior to the time a contract is fully
executed, when it is in its best interests. The City is not liable for any costs the Bidder incurs in
preparation and submission of its proposal, in participating in the RFP process or in anticipation of
award of the contract.
I-6. Small Diverse Business Information. The City encourages participation by minority, women, and
veteran-owned businesses as prime contractors, and encourages all prime contractors to make a
significant commitment to use minority, women, veteran-owned and other disadvantaged business
entities as subcontractors and suppliers. A list of certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprises is
maintained by the Minnesota Unified Certification Program at http://mnucp.metc.state.mn.us/ .

I-7. Agreement. The awarded proposer will be required to sign the agreement attached as Appendix
B. Questions about the agreement should be submitted to purchasing@duluthmn.gov by the question
deadline in the schedule above.
I-8. Award. The agreement award amount will be based on the time and materials submitted in the
proposal, but will be a lump sum, not-to-exceed agreement.
I-9. Term of Contract. The term of the contract will begin once the contract is fully executed and is
anticipated to end by May 31st, 2028. The selected Bidder shall not start the performance of any work,
nor shall the City be liable to pay the selected Bidder for any service or work performed or expenses
incurred before the contract is executed.
I-10. Mandatory Disclosures. By submitting a proposal, each Bidder understands, represents, and
acknowledges that:
A. Their proposal has been developed by the Bidder independently and has been submitted
without collusion with and without agreement, understanding, or planned common course
of action with any other vendor or suppliers of materials, supplies, equipment, or services
described in the Request for Proposals, designed to limit independent bidding or
competition, and that the contents of the proposal have not been communicated by the
Bidder or its employees or agents to any person not an employee or agent of the Bidder.
B. There is no conflict of interest. A conflict of interest exists if a Bidder has any interest that
would actually conflict, or has the appearance of conflicting, in any manner or degree with
the performance of work on the project. If there are potential conflicts, identify the
municipalities, developers, and other public or private entities with whom your company
is currently, or have been, employed and which may be affected.
C. It is not currently under suspension or debarment by the State of Minnesota, any other
state or the federal government.
D. The company is either organized under Minnesota law or has a Certificate of Authority
from the Minnesota Secretary of State to do business in Minnesota, in accordance with
the requirements in M.S. 303.03.
I-11. Notification of Selection. Bidders whose proposals are not selected will be notified in writing.
PART II - PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS
II-1. Proposal Submission. To be considered, hard copies of proposals must arrive at the City on
or before the time and date specified in the RFP Calendar of Events. The City will not accept
proposals via email or facsimile transmission. The City reserves the right to reject or to deduct
evaluation points for late proposals.
Proposals must be signed by an authorized official. If the official signs the Proposal Cover Sheet
attached as Appendix A, this requirement will be met. Proposals must remain valid for 60 days or
until a contract is fully executed. Terms of the awarded proposal as stated must be valid for the
project length of time.

Please submit one (1) unbound paper copy of the Technical Submittal and one unbound (1) paper
copy of the Cost Submittal. The Cost Submittal should be in a separate sealed envelope.
All materials submitted in response to this RFP will become property of the City and will become
public record after the evaluation process is completed and an award decision made.
II-2. Proposal Content.
Proposals should include a cover letter that communicates the firm's understanding of the project,
construction type, and timeline. Proposal should also include the scope of proposed services,
assigned personnel and their qualifications, and any assumptions made in the proposal. Proposals
should be limited to 20 pages (10 double-sided pages), exclusive of any City-required forms or
acknowledgements.
PART III - CRITERIA FOR SELECTION
The proposals will be reviewed by City Staff. The intent of the selection process is to review
proposals and make an award based upon qualifications as described therein. A 100-point scale will
be used to create the final evaluation recommendations. The factors and weighting on which
proposals will be judged are:
Qualifications of the Bidder and Personnel 40%
Prior experience with similar work 30%
Work Plan 10%
Cost 20%
PART IV - PROJECT DETAIL
The selected firm will provide construction materials testing for the Lakewalk Improvement project
involving 2.2 miles of bituminous shared-use trail reconstruction along Lake Superior, including
modular block retaining walls, cast-in-place structures, shoreline stabilization, lighting, and
landscaping.
Construction is expected to begin in September 2026, with work continuing through the fall and
resuming in spring 2027, to be completed by late fall 2027.
The selected firm will coordinate with the City project manager, design team, and contractor to
efficiently complete the required inspections and testing; attend project meetings if needed; and
summarize and report test findings, issues and recommendations to the project team.
Material testing services will include concrete testing, Standard Proctor and gradation testing, density
testing of backfill materials, and grout cube testing for bedrock-anchored shoreline elements. All
testing shall be performed in accordance with the project specifications, City of Duluth Construction
Standards, and applicable ASTM and MnDOT requirements. Cost proposals should be submitted
using the cost proposal form provided as a separate Excel document with this RFP.

See Appendices B, City of Duluth Schedule for Materials Testing; Appendix C, Project Coastal
Engineer Coastal Infrastructure Material Testing requirements; and
Appendix D, State Aid for Local Transportation (SALT) Schedule of Materials Control for additional
information regarding testing requirements and scheduling.

APPENDIX A - PROPOSAL COVER SHEET
CITY OF DULUTH
RFP# 26-99576 Material Testing Services for Lakewalk and Coastal Improvement Project
Bidder Information:
Submitter Name
Mailing Address
Contact Person
Contact Person's Phone Number
Contact Person's E-Mail Address
Federal ID Number
Authorized Signature
Name & Title of Authorized
Signer
Email of Authorized Signer
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF ADDENDA
ADDENDUM # INITIAL/DATE
ADDENDUM # INITIAL/DATE
ADDENDUM # INITIAL/DATE
ADDENDUM # INITIAL/DATE

APPENDIX B - CITY OF DULUTH SCHEDULE FOR MATERIALS TESTING
CITY OF DULUTH
RFP# 26-99576 Material Testing Services for Lakewalk and Coastal Improvement Project

2026
City of Duluth, Minnesota
Construction Standards
APPENDIX B
Schedule for Materials Testing
Public Works & Utilities
Engineering Division
Duluth, MN

SCHEDULE FOR MATERIALS TESTING
CITY OF DULUTH STREET AND UTILITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS
The Engineer will perform materials testing for acceptance and quality assurance at these minimum rates on local projects. Material testing on projects
with State or Federal funding will be performed as required in the current MnDOT Schedule of Materials Control. When deemed appropriate, the
Engineer will perform additional testing to determine acceptance. Additional testing and retesting shall be at the Contractor's expense.
Table 1: Base Construction
Specification Specified Sampling & Testing Sampling Notes Compaction Testing Compaction Notes
Method
City of Duluth Specified One sieve and ASTM Materials to be tested: * Take moisture of native * The maximum loose
thickness of each
2451 Density D698 standard * Course filter material on first day of utility
backfill layer shall be 8
Excavation, proctor for each aggregate work.
inches. Additional tests
Backfill, and backfill borrow
* Granular * Take densities at rate of; where inspector notes
Compaction material at source One per each 200' of mainline
backfill rutting or pumping;
for Utilities and one for each pipe, One per each 4 service
additional moistures after
* Native material
different laterals, and One per each 4
wet weather
classification of from site manholes at every 3 feet in * Most common problem is
depth.
onsite native Note: too much moisture in
material. If material looks like it * Required compaction is 100% native backfill; may
around manholes full depth; require granular borrow
changed, test again
100% in the top 3 feet of backfill to be used.
utility trench below top of * Retest at Contractor's
subgrade; 95% in utility trench cost.
below the top 3 feet.
Schedule for Materials Testing 1

Specification Specified Sampling & Testing Sampling Notes Compaction Testing Compaction Notes
Method
City of Duluth Specified One sieve and ASTM Take additional * Take densities at rate of four * Take additional densities
2106 Select Density D698 standard samples if material or per block prior to Class 5. where rutting is noted.
Granular proctor for each source changes, at
* Compact in 8" layers or less. * The most common
Embankment backfill borrow Contractor's cost.
* Required density is 100%. problem with select
material at source.
granular is not enough
moisture or more than 7%
passing the No. 200 sieve.
* Retest at contractor's
cost.
City of Duluth Specified One sieve and ASTM Take additional * Take densities at rate of two * Excavate and re-compact
2211 Density D698 standard samples if material or per block prior to curb and areas where visible
Aggregate Base proctor at source. source changes, at gutter and/or paving. rutting.
MnDOT 2221
Contractor's cost.
* Test in areas with greatest * Most common problem is
Shoulder Base rutting or deflection and at segregation of aggregates;
Aggregate least 1 foot from an replacement/blending as
unconfined edge. directed by the Engineer.
* Required density is 100%. * Retest at contractor's
cost.
Schedule for Materials Testing 2