Founders Building Hot Water system rennovation

The intent of this solicitation is to award an Agency Contract to reconfigure the Founders Hall hot water distribution system.

The project includes a complete replacement and upsizing of the hot water distribution piping, which will improve delivery times and help balance temperature and flow across the building’s various wings.

Scope of Work Includes a turnkey project:

• Removal of the existing electric tanked water heater
• Installation of four (4) Navien NPE-240A2 tankless water heaters in the boiler room
• Isolation of the commercial kitchen to continue operating on existing tankless units, ensuring uninterrupted service
• Upgraded recirculation system: Removal of the external recirculation pump in the commercial kitchen
• Use of internal recirculation pumps on both existing and new units
• Integration of an external recirculation loop for the rest of the building
• Insulation of all hot water piping, and insulation of cold water piping located in conditioned spaces
• Use of a scissor lift and safe partitioning of work areas to maintain hallway access during construction

Timeline & Impact:

• Total project to work around class schedules with the least disruption
• Hot water service will be temporarily interrupted for 1–2 days, minimized by assembling the new system in advance
• All changes or updates to this timeline will be communicated promptly with facility staff and maintenance

Permits & Warranty:

Vendor will handle and provide for:

• All permits
• Coordination of inspections
• Manufacturer warranty on the Navien tankless units includes:
• 8 years on heat exchangers
• 5 years on parts
• 1 year on labor (with recirculation)

System Redundancy & Reliability:

The new system should offer built-in redundancy. If one unit goes offline for maintenance or service, the remaining three will automatically continue to provide hot water without noticeable interruption. This significantly reduces the risk of total system failure compared to a single tanked unit.

Tasks/Deliverables

The vendor shall provide the following as part of their scope:

• Project Kickoff Meeting – Within 10 business days of contract award
• Site Survey and Design Proposal – Including preliminary drawings, within 30 days
• Submittals Package – Full shop drawings, specifications, and code compliance documents
• Installation Schedule – Including key milestones, labor plan, and material delivery timelines
• Progress Reports – Bi-weekly updates during installation
• Inspection and Testing – Coordination with licensed third-party inspectors
• Final Documentation – Including as-builts, warranties, and service manuals
• Commissioning and Acceptance – Final walkthrough and sign-off

**Sealed, mailed responses ONLY** will be accepted for this solicitation. Attempts to submit a bid via facsimile (FAX) machine, telephone, or email in response to this IFB shall NOT be accepted.

Submit a signed, original executed bid response, two (2) photocopies, zero (0) un-redacted copies on CD, DVD or flash drive and, if required, zero (0) redacted copies on CD, DVD or flash drive of your bid simultaneously. Submit your bid in a sealed package. Clearly mark each package with: (1) Vendor name; (2) the IFB number; and (3) the due date.

Late bids, regardless of cause, will not be opened or considered, and will be automatically disqualified from further consideration.

For a contract to be awarded to you, your company (you) must be a North Carolina registered Vendor in good standing. You must enter the Vendor number assigned through eVP (Electronic Vendor Portal).

All responsive bids will be reviewed, and an award or awards will be based on the responsive bid(s) offering the lowest price that meets the specifications provided herein, to include any required verifications set out here in such as but not limited to past performance, references, and financial documents.

Offer shall be valid for at least sixty (60) days from date of bid opening.

The Contract shall begin on the date of final Contract execution (the “Effective Date”) or November 12, 2026, whichever is later. The Vendor shall begin work under the Contract within 30 business days of the Effective Date.

It shall be **MANDATORY** that a representative from each Vendor be present for a pre-bid site visit.