Groundline Pole Inspections

Background

The City of Ames, Iowa, is seeking bids from qualified vendors to provide groundline pole inspection services for the Electric Services Department. The primary goal of this contract is to ensure the safety and reliability of the city's electrical distribution and transmission infrastructure through thorough inspections and treatments of poles.

Work Details

The contractor will be responsible for conducting groundline inspections and treatments of distribution poles, 69kV transmission poles, and 161kV transmission poles. Specific tasks include: 1. Furnishing all supervision, labor, tools, equipment, and materials necessary for inspections and treatments. 2. Conducting visual inspections to assess pole conditions and report any attachments needing repair. 3. Performing sound and bore tests to locate internal decay in poles. 4. Excavating to a minimum depth of 18 inches at the groundline to remove external decay. 5. Conducting ground resistance testing on all grounded poles. 6. Inspecting visible hardware for any needed repairs or replacements. 7. Labeling inspected poles with aluminum tags indicating inspection dates and treatment details. 8. Reporting findings in an Excel spreadsheet along with GIS data in specified formats (Shapefile, Personal Geodatabase, File Geodatabase).

Period of Performance

The contract will commence on July 1, 2026, and conclude on June 30, 2027, with options for up to four additional one-year renewals.

Place of Performance

The work will be performed within the City of Ames, Iowa.

Bidder Requirements

Bidders must have a minimum of four years' experience in pole inspection and treatment and hold certification from the Iowa Department of Agriculture in Category 7E (Wood Preservatives). Bidders are not allowed to subcontract any part of this contract.