Stratford Arboretum - Ketcham Road & Philo Street

The contract for the Stratford Arboretum – Ketcham Road & Philo Street project encompasses comprehensive site development including removal and disposal of existing pavements, site clearing, and installation of new infrastructure such as sidewalks, walking trails, road repairs, drainage structures, and manholes. It also requires installation of site amenities including seven benches, four bike racks, two trash receptacles, a bus shelter, fencing, and educational signage, along with full landscaping featuring perennials, lawn, and six trees. All work must adhere to the 2024 edition of the Connecticut Department of Transportation Standard Specifications for Road, Bridges, and Incidental Construction (Form 819), with additional compliance to ASTM and ANSI standards for materials, compaction, soil quality, and plant health. Materials must be delivered F.O.B. Destination with proper packaging, labeling, and protection from weather and contamination, and storage must prevent damage, theft, or degradation. Bids must be submitted physically by 10:00 AM on August 25, 2026, to the Town of Stratford Purchasing Department, with no electronic submissions allowed. The contract mandates stringent compliance with bonding, insurance, and labor requirements: bidders must submit a bid bond equal to 10% of the bid amount, and non-resident contractors bidding over $250,000 must provide a 5% surety bond to the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services. Surety companies must be rated A-VIII or better by A.M. Best, and insurance carriers must be rated A- or better. All work is subject to prevailing wage compliance under Connecticut law for projects exceeding $100,000, requiring certified payroll reporting. The contractor must employ a Connecticut-licensed Professional Engineer as Special Inspector and use an NVLAP-accredited testing lab with a full-time P.E. overseeing reports. Non-discrimination provisions enforce compliance with state law covering protected classes in hiring and subcontracting. The contract includes a 12-month maintenance period post-planting, with inspections and acceptance conducted on-site by the Town’s Landscape Architect or Special Inspector, and requires advance notice for inspections using CEPP/SEC Forms. Traffic control is budgeted at $50,000, but total contract value remains unstated as all other line-item prices are left blank for bidder completion.