RFP-RFQ 2026-001 Colchester Water and Sewer Easement Clearing

Agency:	Town of Colchester
State:	Connecticut
Type of Government:	State & Local
NAICS Category:	237110 - Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction 238910 - Site Preparation Contractors
Posted Date:	Feb 5, 2026
Due Date:	Feb 19, 2026
Original Source:	Please Login to View Page
Contact information:	Please Login to View Page
Bid Documents:	Please Login to View Page

Attachment Preview

Bernie Dennler

First Selectman

Town of Colchester

127 NORWICH AVENUE, SUITE 201 & 202

COLCHESTER, CT., 06415-1260

(860) 537 - 7220

FAX: 537 – 0547

Invitation to Bid

Water and Sewer Easement Clearing

Town of Colchester

RFP #2026-001

15 January 2026

Bids shall be addressed to and received by First Selectman, Bernie Dennler, 127 Norwich

Avenue, Office of the First Selectman, Suite 201, Colchester, Connecticut 06415 on or

before 2:00 P.M. Thursday, February 19th, 2026. Bids shall be submitted in a sealed

envelope clearly marked, “Water and Sewer Easement Clearing RFP 2026-01”.

Bid opening shall take place at the Colchester Town Hall, Meeting Room 1, 127 Norwich

Avenue, Suite 201, Colchester, CT. 06415 at 2:00 P.M. Thursday, February 19th, 2026.

Any questions concerning this bid may be answered via addenda in response to RFI’s

submitted to Angela Petrowski, Financial Assistant at (860) 537-7289 or at

apetrowski@colchesterct.gov

No right shall accrue to any person submitting a bid until such bids have been

accepted and contract awarded in writing by the duly authorized representative of

the Colchester Board of Selectmen. The Colchester Board of Selectmen reserves the

right to reject any and all bids and to make such awards, including acceptance of

other than the lowest bid, and to waive any informalities, omissions, excess verbiage,

or technical defects in the Bidding, if, in the opinion of the Board of Selectmen, it

would be in the best interest of the Town of Colchester to do so.

Bernie Dennler

First Selectman

Town of Colchester

127 NORWICH AVENUE, SUITE 201 & 202

COLCHESTER, CT., 06415-1260

(860) 537 - 7220

FAX: 537 – 0547

INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS

1. GENERAL

The Town of Colchester is soliciting sealed bids from qualified contractors to clear utility

easements belonging to the Colchester Sewer and Water Department. The work shall be

performed on the following easements:

• RT 85 to Broadway Sewer Easement approximately 2486 LF

o Contractor to coordinate equipment staging.

• Dr Foote to Linwood Ave Sewer Easement approximately 2886 LF

o Equipment may be staged on site within the easement.

• 140 Taintor Hill Rd Sewer Easement approximately 156 LF

o Equipment may be staged on site on town property at 140 Taintor Hill Rd

• Elmwood Heights to Chrysty Ln Water Easement approximately 437 LF

o Equipment may be staged on site on town property at 27 Elmwood Heights

Easements shall be cleared to 10’ on either side of the utility for an overall easement

width of 20’. The easements shall be cleared free of any encroaching hanging branches,

ground to sky. Stumps must be ground to be flush with the ground to allow for regular

easement maintenance by town staff with a brush hog. Chips may be left within the

easement but must be spread/leveled out similar to a mulch. Work and final site condition

shall be inspected and approved by a Sewer and Water Department representative prior to

payment.

All Work shall be completed prior to June, 1st 2026 or will be subject to liquidated

damages of $100/day until completion and final approval.

2. INTERPRETATIONS OR ADDENDA

No oral interpretation will be made to any bidder as to the meaning of the Contract

Documents or any part thereof. Every request for such an interpretation shall be made in

writing to the Town of Colchester. Any inquiry received seven or more days prior to the

date fixed for opening of bids will be given consideration. Every interpretation made to a

bidder will be in the form of an Addendum to the Contract Documents, and when issued

will be on file in the office of the First Selectman at least five days before Bids are

opened. In addition, all Addenda will be mailed to each person to whom Contract

Documents have been issued, but it shall be the Bidder's responsibility to make inquiry as

to, and to obtain, the Addenda issued, if any. All such Addenda shall become part of

Contract and each Bidder shall be bound by such Addenda, whether or not received by

the Bidder.

Bernie Dennler

First Selectman

Town of Colchester

127 NORWICH AVENUE, SUITE 201 & 202

COLCHESTER, CT., 06415-1260

(860) 537 - 7220

FAX: 537 – 0547

3. INSPECTION OF SITE – PRE-BID CONFERENCE

A pre-bid conference will be held on Wednesday, 28 January 2026 at 10:00 a.m. at the

Colchester Sewer and Water Department located at 140 Taintor Hill Rd, Colchester, CT

06415. At this conference, contractors will have the opportunity to walk each easement

with the Sewer and Water Department. While attendance at the pre-bid meeting is not

required to submit a proposal, it is highly recommended.

Each Bidder should visit the site of the proposed work and fully acquaint him/herself

with the existing conditions there, and should fully inform him/herself as to the facilities

involved, the difficulties and restrictions attending the performance of the Contract. The

Bidder should thoroughly examine and familiarize him/herself with the attached

Specifications and all other Contract Documents. The Contractor by the execution of the

Contract shall in no way be relieved of any obligation under it due to his/her failure to

receive or examine any form or legal instrument or to visit the site and acquaint

him/herself with the conditions there existing and the Town of Colchester will reject any

claim based on the facts regarding which he/she should have been on notice.

4. BIDS

A. Each bid must be submitted on the enclosed bid sheet. All blank spaces must be

filled in as noted in ink and no changes shall be made in the forms or in the items

mentioned therein. Erasure and other changes in the bid must be explained or

noted over the initials of the bidder. In the event of any discrepancy between the

written amounts and the figures, the written amounts shall govern.

B. The bidder shall sign his/her bid in the blank space provided for this purpose. If

the bid is made by a partnership, or corporation, the name and address of the

partnership or corporation shall be indicated, together with the names and

addresses of the partners or officers. If the bid is made by a partnership, it must

be acknowledged by one of the partners; if made by a corporation, by one of the

officers.

C. Bidders shall furnish with their bids the following:

1. Bid Guaranty

2. Non-Collusion Affidavit of Prime Bidder

3. Statement of Bidder's Qualifications

4. Certification of Bidder Regarding Equal Employment Opportunity

Bernie Dennler

First Selectman

Town of Colchester

127 NORWICH AVENUE, SUITE 201 & 202

COLCHESTER, CT., 06415-1260

(860) 537 - 7220

FAX: 537 – 0547

D. The Town of Colchester may consider informal any bid not prepared and

submitted in accordance with the provisions hereof, and may at its option waive

any informalities, or accept or reject any and all bids. Any bid received after the

time, date and place specified shall not be considered.

5. BID GUARANTY

A. The bid must be accompanied by a bid guaranty which shall not be less than

$1,000 (one-thousand dollars) or 5% of the bid, whichever is greater. The bid

guaranty may be in the form of a Bid Bond issued by a Surety licensed in the

State of Connecticut or in the form of a certified check.

B. Revised bids submitted, before the opening of the bids, whether forwarded by

mail or telegram, if representing an increase in excess of two percent (2%) of the

original bid, must have the bid guaranty adjusted accordingly; otherwise the Bid

will not be considered.

C. Bid bonds or Certified checks, or the amount thereof, of unsuccessful bidders,

will be returned as soon as practicable after the opening of the bids.

NON-COLLUSIVE AGREEMENT

Each bidder submitting a bid to the Town of Colchester for any portion of the work

contemplated by the documents on which bidding is based, shall execute and attach

thereto an affidavit substantially in the form herein provided, to the effect that he/she has

not colluded with any other person, firm or corporation in regard to any bid submitted.

6. STATEMENT OF BIDDER'S QUALIFICATIONS

Work shall be performed by a qualified contractor who has been in the forestry/clearing

industry for a minimum of 5 years. Each bidder shall, as noted in the Form of Bid, submit

on the form furnished for that purpose (a copy of which is included in the Contract

Documents), a statement of the bidder's qualifications, his/her experience record in

performing the type of work embraced in the Contract, and his/her organization and

equipment available for the work contemplated; and, when specifically requested by the

Town of Colchester shall also submit a detailed financial statement. The Town of

Colchester shall have the right to take such steps as it deems necessary to determine the

ability of the bidder to perform his/her obligations under the contract and the bidder shall

furnish the Town of Colchester all such information and data for this purpose as it may

request. The right is reserved to reject any bid where an investigation of the available

evidence or information does not satisfy the Town of Colchester that the bidder is

qualified to carry out properly the terms of the Contract.

Bernie Dennler

First Selectman

Town of Colchester

127 NORWICH AVENUE, SUITE 201 & 202

COLCHESTER, CT., 06415-1260

(860) 537 - 7220

FAX: 537 – 0547

7. CORRECTIONS

Erasures or other changes in the Bids must be explained or noted over the signature of the

bidder.

8. TIME FOR RECEIVING BIDS

Bids received prior to the advertised hour of opening will be kept securely sealed. No bid

received thereafter will be considered.

9. OPENING OF BIDS

At the time and place fixed for the opening of bids, the Town of Colchester will cause to

be opened and publicly read aloud every bid received within the time set for receiving

bids, irrespective of any irregularities therein. Bidders and other persons properly

interested may be present, in person or by representative.

10. WITHDRAWAL OF BIDS

Bids may be withdrawn on written request dispatched by the bidder and received by the

Town of Colchester in time for the bid opening. The bid guaranty of any bidder

withdrawing his/her bid in accordance with the foregoing conditions will be returned

promptly.

11. AWARD OF CONTRACT; REJECTION OF BIDS

A. The contract will be awarded within sixty (60) days after the date of the bid

opening, to the lowest qualified responsible bidder complying with the conditions

of the Invitation for Bids. The bidder(s) to whom the award(s) is/are made will be

notified at the earliest possible date. The Town of Colchester, however, reserves

the right to reject any and all bids or to waive any informality in submitted bid

documents whenever such rejection or waiver is in its interest.

B. The Town of Colchester reserves the right to consider as unqualified to do the

work required by these Contract Documents any bidder who does not habitually

perform with his/her own forces and equipment the major portions of the work

involved in these Contract Documents.

C. The ability of any bidder to obtain a bid bond will not be regarded as the sole test

of such bidder's competency or responsibility.

This page summarizes the opportunity, including an overview and a preview of the attached documents.

RFP-RFQ 2026-001 Colchester Water and Sewer Easement Clearing

Attachment Preview

Sign-up for a Free Trial, Government Bid Alerts

See Also