Bids must be submitted on the Bid Pricing Sheet (Exhibit 2), which is included as part of this RFB Package and must be completed in its entirety. The quoted price should not include sales or use taxes but should only reflect the actual bid price of the service and materials. ONWASA reserves the right to reject any or all bids, to waive informalities, and to accept any offer which, in the opinion of ONWASA, appears to be in its best interest or to award this project in part or in total. Bids will be evaluated by determining the lowest responsive, responsible bidder considering: o Bidder's ability and capacity to provide the designated materials. o Bidders price for services. o Character, integrity, reputation, judgment, experience, and efficiency of bidder. All bids shall be notarized. Bidders responding to this RFB are hereby notified that North Carolina General Statutes relating to licensing of contractors will be observed in receiving bids and awarding projects. This RFB and all Bidder responses are considered public information after the project is awarded, except for trade secrets specifically identified in writing by the Bidder, which will be handled according to North Carolina State Statute or other laws. Any section of the Bidder's response package deemed a trade secret by the Bidder shall be submitted in a separate envelope marked "TRADE SECRET INFORMATION- DO NOT DISCLOSE." 1. SCOPE OF WORK The Bidder shall provide all labor, equipment, and materials necessary to remove and replace an existing 4-inch meter and underground meter vault that serves as an interconnection between the Town of Surf City and ONWASA potable water systems. A detailed Scope of Work for this project is included as Exhibit 1. TIME OF PERFORMANCE As time is of the essence in completing this project, after receiving a written Notice to Proceed from ONWASA, all work shall be completed within thirty (30) consecutive calendar days. The Contractor shall at all times during the continuance of the Project work with such resources as are sufficient to complete the work within the time specified. The Contractor must be able to bring in additional equipment as necessary, should any onsite equipment require repairs that extend beyond five (5) calendar days. ADDITIONAL WORK Any additional work or repair identified during the Surf City Interconnection Replacement Project shall be described and submitted to Matthew Padgett, Field Operations Administrator, via email at mpadgett@onwasa.com before performing the additional work. The Contractor must have written authorization from ONWASA before beginning any additional work. Bids must be written legibly on the Bid Pricing Sheet (Exhibit 2) and addressed to: Onslow Water & Sewer Authority Surf City Interconnection Replacement Project Finance Office 228 Georgetown Road Jacksonville, NC 28540 Bids may be received before the date and time of the bid opening. It is the Bidder's responsibility to ensure that ONWASA receives the bid before the hour and date specified in this RFB. Any bids received after that hour and date will be returned unopened. Any addendum issued prior to the date set forth for bid submittal shall be covered in the bid amount and shall be made a part of the project. It is the responsibility of the Bidder to be aware of information issued in the form of an addendum. Receipt of all addenda issued shall be acknowledged by Bidder in the space provided on the Bid Pricing Sheet. 5. INTERPRETATION OF DOCUMENTS If any Bidder submitting a bid is in doubt as to the true meaning of any part of this RFB or finds discrepancies or omissions in the RFB, he may submit a request for an interpretation or correction to ONWASA's Finance and Purchasing Supervisor. Any interpretation or correction of the documents will be made only by an addendum duly issued, and a copy of such addendum will be posted on ONWASA's website. ONWASA will not be responsible for any other explanations or interpretations of the documents. Receipt of addenda should be noted on the Bid Pricing Sheet (Exhibit 2). Any questions pertaining to the Scope of Work or the ONWASA Specifications should go to Matthew Padgett, Field Operations Administrator, via email at mpadgett@onwasa.com. 6. WITHDRAWAL OF BID Any Bidder may withdraw their bid, either personally or by written request, at any time prior to the scheduled closing time for receipt of bids. Bids shall remain valid for ninety (90) days after submittal. 7. AWARD OR REJECTION OF BIDS If a project is awarded, ONWASA will award to the lowest, responsive, responsible bidder whose bid, in ONWASA's opinion, best complies with the criteria outlined in this RFB, taking into consideration price, methodology, quality, performance, and the time specified in the bids for the performance of the project. ONWASA reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids if deemed best for the public good and waive any informality in the bids received. The Contractor shall provide all labor, equipment, and materials necessary to replace an existing underground meter vault and associated piping that serves as an interconnection between the Town of Surf City and ONWASA potable water systems. The work shall consist of the removal of the existing water meter assembly and vault, followed by the installation of a new vault housing a strainer, replacement meter, and double-check valve assembly to be provided by ONWASA. All work will be performed at the current interconnection site, which is adjacent to the intersection of North New River Drive (Highway 210) and Broadway Street on Topsail Island. Contractors are strongly urged to physically inspect the work location before submitting a proposal. Please contact Matthew Padgett, Field Operations Administrator, via email at mpadgett@onwasa.com to arrange a suitable date and time. All materials and work on this project shall conform to the following: 1) GENERAL REQUIREMENTS a) Work shall be performed in accordance with all applicable State and local codes and regulations governing this project. b) Materials and installation shall comply with the ONWASA Manual of Standards, Specifications, and Details (MSSD), latest edition. c) ONWASA shall obtain any permits/approvals required for this project prior to the start of work; this includes NCDOT approvals necessary for work in the Highway 210 right-of-way. d) Contractor shall include in their bid all costs associated with establishing and maintaining NCDOT-compliant traffic control equipment/activities during the construction period. e) Contractor shall conduct the work in such a manner as to minimize or avoid damage to adjacent site features (sidewalks, grassed areas, roadway pavement, etc.). ONWASA shall document existing site conditions prior to beginning work, and any damage caused by the Contractor's operations shall be repaired to the satisfaction of the owner (NCDOT, Town of Surf City) at no additional cost to ONWASA.