The Mayor and Common Council of Westminster ("the City") requests bids (hereinafter, a "Bid" or "Proposal") for Replacement of Bolts and Nuts on the 6", 8" and 12" Water Valves Phase 3 in accordance with the attached Contract documents. All Bids are to be accompanied by a bid bond in the amount of 10% of the Bid. A sample bid bond format is provided as part of this Request for Bids. All blanks on each form submitted in connection with the Request for Bids must be filled in, and no change shall be made to the items described in the form. All Bids must be signed in ink by the Bidder, with signature in full. Bids must be good for ninety (90) days. Prospective bidders who have questions regarding this Request for Bids should email their questions to Bids@westminstermd.gov. The closing time for submission of questions is 4:30 p.m. on Friday, September 20, 2024. This project involves the replacement of bolts and nuts on the 6", 8" and 12" Water Valves located on the water main on North Burning Tree Drive, Tahoma Farm Road and adjacent Streets. The existing bolts and nuts have to be replaced with new stainless steel bolts and nuts of the same quantity, diameter and length. The existing water valves must be fully exposed and dirt must be cleaned. All bolts and nuts should be replaced one by one with using clamps. The City does not intend to stop water services at the area and time of Contractor's work. The Contractor, upon completing of work in each location, must backfill the hole with CR-6 stone and restore paving per the City Standard Detail. A. The City reserves the right to waive formalities or technicalities in bids as the interests of the City may require. B. The City may waive minor differences in specifications, provided these differences do not violate the intent of the specification or materially affect the operation for which the item is being acquired. C. Bids that show omission, irregularity, alteration of forms, or additions not called for, and conditional or unconditional, unresponsive bids, or bids obviously unbalanced may be rejected. D. The City reserves the right to award Contracts on a lump sum or an individual item basis, or such combination thereof as the interests of the City may require. E. The City reserves the right to reject any and/or all bids; to accept a portion of a bid or bids only; to advertise for new proposals; to proceed to do the work otherwise; or to abandon the work, if in the City's judgment, the City's best interests will be served by doing so. F. Any contract resulting from this solicitation will be awarded to the bidder who has submitted the proposal most advantageous to the City in its sole discretion, considering such things as the price and the bidder's qualifications, experience, and references, in addition to any other factors identified in the Scope of Work. When payment, performance, and/or maintenance bonds are required by the agreement, they shall be posted by the Contractor in a form acceptable to the City. In that instance, template bonds will be included with the bid package. 9. Performance and Payment Bonds: Performance bond in the amount of 100% of contract amount and payment bond in the amount of 90% of contract amount are required. 10. Maintenance Bond: The Contractor will be required to obtain a Maintenance Bond in the amount of 10% of the Contract amount for a period of one year from the date of substantial completion. Such bond will designate the City as the Obligee and the Contractor as the Principal. The Bond shall be executed by the Contractor and a corporate bonding company licensed to transact such business in the State of Maryland. The expense of this Bond shall be borne by the Contractor. If at any time a Surety on any such Bond is declared bankrupt or loses its right to do business in the State of Maryland, the Contractor shall, within 10 days after notice from the Surety Company, substitute an acceptable Bond in such form and sum and signed by such other surety or sureties as may be satisfactory to the City. The premiums on such Bond shall be paid by the Contractor. No further payments shall be deemed due or shall be made until the new surety or sureties shall have furnished an acceptable Bond to the City. The closing time for submission of questions is 4:30 p.m. on Friday, September 20, 2024. All questions and the associated answers will be posted on the City website at http://www.westminstermd.gov/bids.aspx.