Request for Proposal:Sky Acres Project

TOWN OF WASHINGTON, VERMONT
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)
Dry Stone Headwall at Culvert #1 – Sky Acres

Date Issued: Friday, April 17th, 2026
Pre-bid Site Visit: Monday, April 27th, 2026 @ 8am
Proposal Due Date: Monday, May 4th, 2026 by 3pm
Bid Opening: Monday, May 4th, 2026 @ 6:30pm selectboard meeting
Bid Review and contract awarded: no later than Monday, May 18th, 2026

Project Completion: July 11th, 2026

1. Introduction

The Town of Washington, Vermont is soliciting proposals from qualified contractors for the installation of a dry stone headwall on the inlet side of Culvert #1 on Sky Acres Road. The 6' diameter culvert is located directly northeast of where Sky Acres and VT-110 meet at GPS coordinates 44.061214, -72.463003. The project entails the following three phases of work: (1) excavation surrounding the inlet side of the culvert that bares the structure down to its base at least six feet back on both sides and above the structure; (2) laying a dry stone headwall around the culvert, with a minimum total height of 6' on either side, including a minimum of 2' above the culvert; and (3) restoring the road surface and utilising rip rap to apron out from the road surface and road shoulders to the headwall. Filter fabric provided by the town will be inserted under the stone fill.

This project is being funded through FEMA's hazard mitigation program and must conform to state codes and standards as outlined in the VTrans Orange Book, as well as those best practices for headwalls laid out in the VTrans Vermont Better Roads Manual, page 35. The headwall is intended to provide durable, long-lasting protection to both the culvert and the roadbed, especially in high-volume rain events.

The project has a not-to-exceed budget of $12,752. This budget includes both town costs (restricted to purchased stone here) and contractor costs (equipment, labor, and large-stone hauling). All bids should show that total costs will not exceed this amount.

     2. Project Scope

(1)  Excavation

                  Excavation around the culvert will bare the first six feet of its inlet side on all three sides the eventual headwall will surround. On the lateral sides of the culvert, the excavated area will extend at least four feet in each direction. Above the culvert, the excavation will remove all material up to the level of the road surface,  and laterally to the extent of excavation on both sides.

(2) Dry Stone Headwall

                  The headwall will be built primarily from large Type II and Type III stone.                              Building should conform to basic principles of good dry stone walling: so most stones should be laid with their long axis into the wall; joints should be well crossed, not just lipped over; stones should be laid at their true horizontal, rather than at sloping angles; the face of the headwall should be either flush with the end of the culvert or built at a slight batter back from it as it rises; an abundance of small stone pinning should be avoided.

                  Figure 33 on page 35 of the Vermont Better Roads Manual offers a visual type here, with the primary exception being that the headwall to be built in this case is to utilize much larger quarried stone.

                  Behind the large building stones will be a tightly packed composite of large and medium-sized stones back to the extent of that 6' inward depth. The use of crushed stone to build up the roadbase is fine above the culvert, but there should be a barrier of large or medium stone between it and the building stones which show a face on the outside of the headwall.

                  headwall notes:

                  (a) All stone will be purchased on the town account at a mutually agreed upon quarry.

                  (b) The amount of stone needed and of what type should be included on the contractor's estimate, even though this cost will be absorbed by the town.

hauling

                  (c) All Type II and Type III stone will be hauled by the contractor, and the hauling should be included as such within the contractor's bid.

                  (d) All dense grade or crushed stone will be hauled by the town.

(3) Resurfacing and Riprapping

                  If some of the north side of the roadway needs resurfacing, a base of DGCS will be used, with the top 6" consisting of fine, crushed gravel. No need to grade or compact, as the Town will attend to this.

                  Riprapping should apron out above and around the completed headwall to help integrate the headwall into a well-stabilised surrounding bank.

hauling

(a)   all necessary riprap will be hauled by the contractor.

●        Must comply with all federal, state, and local regulations.

●        dry stone work and/or headwall construction).

●        5. Site Visit

●        A pre-bid site visit will be held on Monday, April 27th at 8am. The meeting point will be at Culvert #1 on Sky Acres in Washington, VT, just above where Sky Acres and VT-110 meet (gps: 44.061214, -72.463003).

●             6. Evaluation Criteria

●        Proposals will be evaluated based with proportional weighting on the following criteria:

●        Experience and qualifications (weighed at 10%)

●        Understanding of project scope and technical approach (10%)

●        Cost-effectiveness and value (40%)

●        Proposed project schedule (20%)

●        Equipment and staffing capacity (10%)

●        References and past performance (10%)

The Town reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, and to award the contract in the best interest of the community.

7. Evaluation Process

Following the submission deadline, the Selectboard reserves the right to schedule an evaluation meeting and/or to establish a three-person committee with representation from the Road Foreman, FEMA Grants Administrator, and 1-2 Selectboard members in order to evaluate all bids and make a recommendation to the Selectboard within fourteen (14) calendar days.

The evaluation meeting, if held, will serve as an opportunity for the Selectboard to:

●        Ask clarifying questions of one or more respondents;

●        Evaluate presentations or proposals in greater detail;

●        Facilitate open discussion on project approach, timeline, and capacity;

●        Score and compare bids in accordance with the evaluation criteria outlined in this RFP.

Participation in this meeting may be requested of any or all respondents at the Selectboard’s discretion. Respondents will be notified in advance if such a meeting is scheduled and are expected to make appropriate representatives available if invited.

8. Submission Instructions

Submit sealed proposals by Monday, May 4th at 3:00 pm to:

Town of Washington
Notch Road Culvert Replacement Proposal
2895 VT Route 110
Washington, Vermont 05675

Electronic submissions and late proposals will not be accepted.

Qualified small, minority, and veteran-owned businesses, women's business enterprises, and labor surplus area firms are encouraged to submit bids. The Municipality is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.

9. Project Schedule

Work must be completed by July 11th, 2026, and coordinated with the Road Foreman. Delays due to weather or unforeseen site conditions may be negotiated with the written approval of the Road Foreman.

10. Payment Process

Payment will be made in lump sum for the bid amount within 30 days of project completion.

11. Contact Information

Questions regarding this RFP are to be directed to town road foreman, Stuart Coburn, who can be contacted at 1-802-522-0132.

12. Additional Information

·         The contractor is responsible for safety at the job site.

·         The selected contractor will be required to comply with federal contract provisions.

Issued by Town of Washington

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