Site work for a water / sewer project in Franklin, New Hampshire. Completed plans call for site work for a water / sewer project.

**As of February 17th, 2026 this project has not yet been awarded. A timeline for the award has not yet been established.** The project involves the cleaning out, removal, dewatering, transportation, and disposal of residual solids from two anaerobic digesters at a regional wastewater treatment facility. All four digesters are in operation during summer and autumn, and due to solids loading limitations, cleaning is scheduled for Secondary Digester #2 after April 1, 2026, and for Primary Digester #1 after April 1, 2027, with contract work for each to be completed before May 15 of the noted years. The digester material is dense and covered by a mat that must be broken up and mixed, possibly with added water to create a pumpable slurry. Access is via three 27-inch hatches and one 48-inch manhole, with the cover remaining in place. Firms are encouraged to visit the site to assess access and scope, and may take material samples by coordinating with WRBP. Contractors are responsible for all aspects of collection, sampling, transport, disposal, permitting, and logistics for biosolids, including costs (excluding tipping fees, paid directly by WRBP for approved sites), regulatory compliance, and correction of nonconforming or rejected materials. The primary biosolids disposal site is NCES landfill in Bethlehem, NH, with NEWSVT landfill in Coventry, VT as a contingent option; other pre-approved compliant sites are allowed. Contractors must ensure waste meets acceptance criteria at disposal sites and complete all required documentation and testing. Proposals must include signed and dated Exhibits A, B, and C, three references with descriptions of similar work, and acknowledgment of any addenda. The contract will be awarded based on the lowest qualified bid using Exhibit C's cost structure. All proposals are to be labeled clearly as specified and received by the noted deadline. Registration and good standing with the NH Secretary of State's Office is required for contracting, and selected firms must provide insurance certificates and other specified documentation. The contractor shall remove material from the digester, screen, macerate, and then dewater it using a centrifuge and polymer to a continuous minimum of 24 percent solids. Polymer is to be supplied by the contractor. Digester material shall be screened (mesh on the screen shall be no larger than 1/2 inch) and then macerated to shred any material that passes through the screen. The contractor shall dewater the digester contents into a watertight container or dump truck supplied by the contractor. The Contractor is also responsible for selection of, and approvals into, appropriate disposal site(s), transport and disposal of the dewatered material and debris. After the disposal of the material, the contractor will provide the WRBP with a copy of the weight slips for each load and/or manifests to confirm compliant disposal of all materials. Dewatering of anaerobically digested sludges may result in high recycled loads to the headworks of the treatment plant which can rapidly impact the treatment process, severely degrade effluent quality, and cause the WRBP to violate its NPDES permit. The recycled flow is high in ammonia and BOD and, depending upon the capture rate of the contractor's dewatering equipment, recycled flow may also be high in suspended solids. The WRBP has experienced these problems in past contract dewatering projects or when large quantities of supernatants are drawn from the digesters and recycled through the plant. The WRBP's concerns with the quality of the contractor's recycled flow are noted to make the contractor aware that the WRBP will be closely monitoring the capture rate of the dewatering process and that, on occasion, it may be necessary for us to request that the contractor take steps to reduce their recycling load to the treatment plant. These steps may include requirements such as operating the dewatering equipment to increase its capture rate or reducing the number of hours each day the contractor processes solids from the digester. Exercise of these steps shall not affect the contract cost or completion date. The contractor shall use a centrifuge to dewater the digester contents using polymer into a watertight container or dump truck supplied by the contractor. Dewatering equipment (centrifuge) shall provide a minimum of 24% solids and at least 95% solids recovery; however, the maximum concentration of Total Suspended Solids (TSS) in the recycle flow will be no greater than 250 mg/l. Once the contractor begins dewatering, samples of the digester's solids will be taken by the WRBP and tested to verify compliance with the current federal and state biosolids quality standards and the terms of the contract. Samples may also be required by the contractor's disposal location(s). The material will be collected by the contractor as it is being dewatered by the contractor and transported/disposed of off-site. Only dewatering using centrifuges will be allowed under this contract. Alternative dewatering methods are not effective and have led to plant operational issues. Contractors shall provide the power required to operate the equipment necessary to fulfill contract requirements so they shall supply a generator and connections necessary to complete the scope of work. The WRBP may supply nonpotable water for washdown, upon contractor request.