Contractors

Demolition projects begin with a public advertisement both on the Land Bank’s website and in a paper of general circulation within the county.

Residential and commercial structures, slated for demolition, are first inspected, sampled, and tested by the Land Bank for their potential asbestos or hazardous material content. The results are then incorporated into the project bid packet, along with a full listing of the properties and any special conditions on the work scope for each location. If hazardous material abatement is necessary, demolition contractors must utilize a professional in the industry that is pre-qualified through the Land Bank for the remediation of the specified material and, obtain a quote for the cost of the necessary remediation. Remediation costs must be incorporated into the demolition company’s final bid at the time of bid submission. Only pre-qualified contractors may be utilized, for work undertaken by the Land Bank or utilized as subcontractors by a pre-qualified contractor.

Project bid packets are then made publicly available on the pre-specified date and, pre-qualified contractors, eligible for contract awards, then engage in a competitive bidding process. If stated in the public notice, contractors must also attend a mandatory per-bid conference, followed by their submission of their comprehensive but final bids. Bids must be received by the pre-specified submission date and any bids received after that date or, from contractors who did not attend a mandatory pre-bid conference or, contractors who have not been pre-qualified… will be deemed ineligible.

Contracts are awarded on the basis of the “BEST and LOWEST” bid. Although bid packets may contain multiple project locations; this does not guarantee that the entire project packet will be awarded to a single contractor. It is at the sole discretion of the Board of Directors to determine how projects shall be awarded on the basis of the “BEST and LOWEST” bid. It is also at the Board’s sole discretion to reject all bids and, re-bid the project for a later date.

Once a contract or contracts are awarded, contractors must complete their Ohio EPA notification for both hazardous material and demolition remediation and, provide verification of said notice to the Land Bank along with a work schedule for each individual project location. In addition to the Ohio EPA notice, contractors must contact OHIO811 to verify the location and protection of utilities that should not be inadvertently damaged or affected by the work to be undertaken. Although the Land Bank takes steps to ensure that all utilities are disconnected prior to the commencement of demolition projects, it is ultimately the responsibility of the demolition contractor to ensure that all disconnects have been completed before demolition work may commence.

Although each project may contain variations in the work scope; the general practice of the Land Bank is to demolish and remove all surface and sub-surface construction elements. This is to include but is not limited to, basements, crawls space, septic tanks, and abandoned wells or cisterns. This would also include any ancillary structures at any location. Clean fill and topsoil shall be used as backfill and compacted to an industry-standard, suitable for future redevelopment. If a public sewer or a viable septic tank is present then, the contractor must make a connection to the existing drainpipe, leaving a capped locator pipe at least 18 inches above finish grade. Locations are then graded level to the existing grade of the surrounding property, removing any large rock, roots or like matter. Locations must then be grass seeded and covered in straw in accordance with the scope of work indicated in the project bid packet. If specified in the project bid packet, contractors will be required to take pictures of each project from pre-demolition through post-demolition. Upon completion of each project location, the contractor must notify the Land Bank, so to obtain a final approval inspection. Project pictures and final invoicing must be submitted to the Land Bank in a timely manner and in accordance with the terms of the contract. The Land Bank’s operational practice is to pay approved invoices within 30-days of their receipt, barring any incomplete requirements of the contractor’s responsibility.