Fire Sprinkler System Installation

1. Purpose and Summary

Connected Circles, LLC ("Connected Circles") invites qualified Vermont-licensed fire-protection contractors to submit fixed-price bids for the design, permitting, and installation of a complete fire sprinkler system at the building located at 2096 Airport Road, Berlin, Vermont. The work is structured in two phases, and bidders must submit discrete, separately-priced bids for each phase. Phase 1 sub-options must also be priced separately. Connected Circles reserves the right to award one phase, both phases, multiple phases to different contractors, or to reject all bids.

2. Project Background

2.1 About Connected Circles

Connected Circles is a Vermont approved independent school that serves students aged 12–22 who have experienced trauma and have struggled in traditional educational settings. The school is trauma-informed, relationship-based, and uses restorative justice practices. The 2096 Airport Road building will house Connected Circles' educational program after the planned renovations and life-safety upgrades, of which the fire sprinkler system is one element.

2.2 Property and Plans of Record

The building at 2096 Airport Road, Berlin, Vermont is being prepared for occupancy by Connected Circles as a school. The intended use is educational throughout, including classrooms, administrative offices, library, gymnasium or activity space, cafeteria or food-service area, and ancillary storage and shop areas typical of a school setting. No external residential or commercial occupancy is contemplated.

Architectural and structural plans dated 1997 are available to bidders at the link below.

Building plans (1997 vintage): View on Google Drive
17-sheet scanned plan set, approximately 24" × 36" architectural sheets, image-only PDF (no text-searchable layer).

2.3 Project Intent

Connected Circles intends to install a code-compliant fire sprinkler system covering the entire building, with appropriate hazard classifications per NFPA 13 reflecting the school's intended occupancy. The system must be supported by a water supply adequate for the calculated demand, and the water supply work is structured as Phase 1 of the project so that supply alternatives can be evaluated, priced, and selected on the basis of cost, schedule, and feasibility.

3. Scope of Work

3.1 Phase 1 — Water Supply

Phase 1 establishes the water supply for the future sprinkler system. Bidders must price both options below as discrete, independent sub-bids. Connected Circles will select the option to be carried forward at the time of award, in consultation with the awarded contractor and the engineer of record.

3.1.1 Municipal Water Service Tie-In

Bring municipal potable and fire-protection water service to the building, sized to meet the demand of the Phase 2 sprinkler system. Scope includes (at minimum):

• Engineering, design drawings, and hydraulic calculations supporting the sprinkler demand sized to building hazard classifications under NFPA 13
• All municipal coordination with the Town of Berlin water utility, including service application, tap-fee schedule confirmation, and inspection coordination
• Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) right-of-way coordination if the service line crosses or runs within Airport Road right-of-way
• Service line excavation, installation, backfill, and surface restoration
• Curb stop, meter pit if required, backflow preventer assembly meeting Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation cross-connection-control requirements
• Fire department connection (FDC) at building exterior in a location acceptable to the Berlin Fire Department or jurisdictional authority
• Building entry, post indicator valve where required, and stub-out for Phase 2 connection
• All permits, inspection fees, and tap fees
• Final flush, hydrostatic test per NFPA 24, certification, and acceptance documentation

3.1.2 On-Site Water Storage and Fire Pump

Install a basement-located water storage and pumping system sized to deliver the design demand of the Phase 2 sprinkler system for the duration required by NFPA 13 (light hazard 30 min minimum; ordinary hazard 60–90 min as applicable to the design areas). Scope includes (at minimum):

• Engineering, design drawings, hydraulic calculations, and tank sizing calculations
• Storage tank: capacity, material, listing (UL/FM), and installation meeting NFPA 22 requirements
• Fire pump: NFPA 20 compliant electric (or diesel if required by jurisdiction), with controller, suction and discharge piping, jockey pump, and pressure-maintenance loop
• Dedicated electrical service or generator-backed power supply meeting NFPA 20 reliability requirements; coordination with electrical contractor and utility as needed
• Tank fill connection from domestic supply with appropriate cross-connection control; level monitoring; tank low-water alarm to the building fire-alarm panel
• Fire department connection (FDC) at building exterior
• Pump room ventilation, drainage, and access required by NFPA 20
• All permits, plan-review fees, and inspections
• Witnessed pump acceptance test per NFPA 20, including flow and pressure verification at design points; certification and acceptance documentation

Bidder must state pump-room footprint required, electrical service size required, and any structural-modification requirements (such as housekeeping pad, floor reinforcement, or wall openings) so Connected Circles can evaluate basement implications before award.

3.2 Sprinkler Distribution

Design, fabrication, installation, and acceptance testing of a complete wet-pipe automatic fire sprinkler system covering all areas of the building. Scope includes (at minimum):

• Engineering, NICET-stamped or PE-stamped sprinkler-system design drawings, and hydraulic calculations per NFPA 13
• Hazard classification per area: Light Hazard for classrooms, offices, library, corridors, and assembly areas; Ordinary Hazard Group 1 for cafeteria, kitchen, mechanical rooms, storage rooms, and any shop or maker space; bidder to specify and justify per-area classification in the design submission
• All risers, mains, branch lines, sprinkler heads (concealed pendant in finished spaces; upright or sidewall as appropriate elsewhere; high-temperature heads in mechanical and kitchen spaces)
• Riser room layout, riser-room signage, control valves, drain valves, inspector's test connection, and all required appurtenances
• System interface with the building fire alarm: water-flow switches and tamper switches at all required points, wired to the fire alarm panel (alarm coordination by sprinkler contractor; FA system modifications by others unless quoted as an alternate)
• Coordination with the Phase 1 water supply (whichever option Connected Circles selects)
• All required cutting, patching, and finish restoration in finished spaces
• Permits, plan review by the Vermont Division of Fire Safety where applicable, local Berlin permits, inspection fees
• Hydrostatic test, main drain test, alarm test, witnessed acceptance test, contractor's material and test certificate (NFPA 13 Form 1A or equivalent)
• One-year materials and workmanship warranty starting from substantial completion
• Owner-training session covering valve operation, periodic inspection, and the NFPA 25 inspection-and-testing schedule
• As-built drawings (PDF and CAD) and a complete operations and maintenance manual

3.3 Phase Coordination

Phase 1 and Phase 2 are sequenced. Phase 2 cannot be commissioned until Phase 1 is in place. Bidders bidding both phases must describe how they will coordinate the sequencing and what milestones gate the start of Phase 2 (for example, completion of FDC and stub-out under Phase 1).

If Connected Circles awards the two phases to different contractors, the Phase 1 awardee must coordinate stub-out specifications, location, and pressure with the Phase 2 awardee at no additional cost. Bidders should price Phase 1 assuming a separate Phase 2 contractor may be selected.

3.4 Items Excluded from Scope

Unless quoted as alternates with separate line items, the following are outside the scope of this RFP:

• Building fire alarm system (existing or future) beyond the interface points required by NFPA 13 and listed above
• Hood-suppression systems for kitchen cooking equipment (separate package, not part of this RFP)
• Portable fire extinguishers and signage
• Painting of exposed sprinkler piping in finished public spaces beyond standard manufacturer finishes
• Demolition of finished ceilings or walls beyond what is necessary to install the system; the contractor is responsible for cutting and patching but not for general renovation work
• Architectural ceiling-grid replacement beyond restoration of disturbed tile
• Asbestos or hazardous-material abatement; if encountered, work stops and Connected Circles is notified

4. Bid Format and Pricing Requirements

4.1 Discrete Phase Pricing

Bidders must provide separate fixed-price bids for each phase and each Phase 1 sub-option. The bid summary must use the following structure:

4.2 Line-Item Backup

Each phase price must be supported by a line-item breakdown that distinguishes, at minimum:

• Engineering and design
• Permits, plan review, and inspection fees
• Material
• Labor
• Mobilization
• Sub-contractor work (with sub names, scope, and dollar amounts)
• Bonds and insurance allocation
• Contractor overhead and profit
• Contingency or allowance items, with each item itemized

4.3 Alternates

Bidders may, but are not required to, propose priced alternates that may reduce cost or improve schedule (for example, an alternate sprinkler-head finish, a phased install around occupied summer-program activity, or a deduct alternate for omitting a non-occupied area). Each alternate must be presented as a separately priced add or deduct line tied to base scope.

4.4 Allowances

If the bidder needs to carry an allowance for an item not yet defined (for example, a Berlin fire department coordination fee with an unconfirmed amount), the allowance must be itemized and labeled as an allowance, with the basis of estimate stated.

4.5 Bid Validity

All bids must remain valid for sixty (60) calendar days from the bid due date.

5. Codes and Standards

The work must comply with all applicable codes and standards in effect on the date of permit application, including but not limited to:

• NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems
• NFPA 20, Standard for the Installation of Stationary Pumps for Fire Protection (Phase 1, Option B)
• NFPA 22, Standard for Water Tanks for Private Fire Protection (Phase 1, Option B)
• NFPA 24, Standard for the Installation of Private Fire Service Mains and Their Appurtenances (Phase 1, Option A)
• NFPA 25, Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems
• Vermont Fire and Building Safety Code (current adoption of NFPA 1, NFPA 101, and ICC IBC by reference)
• Vermont Division of Fire Safety plan review and acceptance requirements
• Town of Berlin permitting and inspection requirements
• Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation cross-connection-control requirements
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility standards where applicable
• All applicable manufacturer listing requirements (UL, FM)

In the event of conflict between standards, the more stringent applies unless the authority having jurisdiction directs otherwise.

6. Bidder Qualifications

Bidders must be Vermont-licensed fire-protection contractors with the following minimum qualifications:

• A current Vermont fire sprinkler contractor's license in good standing
• A minimum of five (5) years of continuous experience installing wet-pipe sprinkler systems in Vermont
• At least three (3) reference installations of similar scope (school, institutional, or commercial occupancy of comparable square footage) completed in the past five years; references must include owner contact information
• A NICET Level III (or higher) certified designer or a licensed Professional Engineer responsible for the system design
• Documented experience with Vermont Division of Fire Safety plan review
• For Phase 1 Option B bidders: at least two (2) reference installations of NFPA 20 fire pump systems

Bids from contractors not meeting these qualifications will be deemed nonresponsive unless the bidder requests and receives a written waiver from Connected Circles before the bid due date.

7. Insurance and Bonding

7.1 Insurance

Prior to commencement of any work and throughout the contract term, the awarded contractor must maintain at minimum:

• Commercial General Liability: $1,000,000 per occurrence / $2,000,000 aggregate
• Automobile Liability: $1,000,000 combined single limit
• Workers' Compensation: statutory limits per Vermont law
• Employer's Liability: $1,000,000
• Umbrella / Excess Liability: $5,000,000

Connected Circles, LLC must be named as an additional insured on the General Liability and Automobile Liability policies. A waiver of subrogation in favor of Connected Circles is required on all policies. Certificates of insurance must be provided before any site mobilization.

7.2 Bonding

Performance and Payment Bonds, each in the full amount of the awarded contract, are required for any award exceeding $50,000. Bonds must be issued by a surety licensed in Vermont and rated A- or better by AM Best.

8. Site Visits

Pre-bid site visits are not mandatory but are strongly recommended. Bidders may schedule a site visit by emailing Dr. Mathew Johnson at mathew@sparcinsights.com to arrange a time. Site visits will be available during business hours, weeks of April 27 and May 4, 2026.

Bidders may not access the site without an appointment. Bidders are responsible for their own personal protective equipment during the visit.

Verbal information provided during the site visit is not binding; only written addenda issued through the RFP process modify the scope.

9. Submission Requirements

9.1 Format

Submit a single PDF document via email to mathew@sparcinsights.com no later than Monday, May 18, 2026, 5:00 PM Eastern Time. The email subject line must read: Connected Circles Sprinkler RFP — [Firm Name].

A submission is considered timely only if the full PDF is received in Mathew Johnson's inbox by the deadline. Late submissions will be rejected without consideration.

9.2 Required Contents

The PDF must contain, in this order:

1. Cover letter — signed by an officer of the firm with authority to bind, identifying the firm, contact, and confirming all terms of the RFP are accepted (or noting any exceptions)
2. Bid summary table per §4.1 with the three discrete fixed prices
3. Line-item backup per §4.2 for each priced bid
4. Alternates and allowances per §4.3 and §4.4 if any
5. Firm qualifications per §6, including license number, years in business, and NICET / PE designations
6. Reference list — three (3) reference projects with owner contact information
7. Project approach narrative — brief description of approach to the work, key personnel, and any constraints noted during the site visit or document review
8. Proposed schedule — week-by-week or milestone-based schedule showing engineering, permitting, mobilization, installation, and acceptance testing for whichever phases the bidder is bidding
9. Subcontractor list — any subcontractors planned and the scope each will perform
10. Insurance and bonding statement — confirmation that the firm carries the required limits and can post the required bonds, with sample certificates if available
11. Exceptions or clarifications — any deviations from the RFP scope, terms, or requirements (presented as an explicit list, not embedded in narrative)

10. Questions and Addenda

Questions about this RFP must be submitted in writing by email to mathew@sparcinsights.com no later than Friday, May 8, 2026, 5:00 PM Eastern Time. No questions will be answered verbally.

Connected Circles will compile and respond to all questions in a single Q&A addendum distributed by email to all firms that received this RFP no later than Monday, May 11, 2026. Only written addenda issued through this process are binding. Bidders must acknowledge receipt of all addenda in their cover letter.

11. Evaluation Criteria

Connected Circles will evaluate bids on a best-value basis using the following weighted criteria:

Connected Circles reserves the right to:

• Award one phase, multiple phases, both phases to different contractors, or no phase
• Negotiate scope and price with one or more bidders before final award
• Reject any or all bids
• Waive minor irregularities in submitted bids
• Request additional information or clarification from any bidder

12. Schedule

13. Terms and Conditions

13.1 Compliance

The contractor must comply with all federal, state, and local laws, ordinances, codes, and regulations applicable to the work, including OSHA construction safety standards.

13.2 Indemnification

The contractor shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Connected Circles, LLC, its directors, officers, employees, agents, and representatives from any and all claims, damages, losses, and expenses arising out of or resulting from the performance of the work, except to the extent caused by the sole negligence of Connected Circles.

13.3 Termination

Connected Circles reserves the right to terminate any contract resulting from this RFP for cause or for convenience, in accordance with terms to be defined in the executed contract.

13.4 Confidentiality

This RFP and all communications between Connected Circles and bidders are confidential. Bidders may not publicly announce, advertise, or otherwise disclose their participation in this process without Connected Circles' written consent.

13.5 Public Records

Connected Circles is a private institution. Bid materials are not subject to public-records disclosure under Vermont law. Connected Circles will maintain bid materials in confidence except as needed for evaluation, award, and contract administration.

13.6 No Obligation

This RFP does not commit Connected Circles to award a contract, to pay any costs incurred in the preparation of a bid, or to procure any portion of the scope. All costs of bid preparation are the bidder's.

13.7 Governing Law

Any contract resulting from this RFP shall be governed by the laws of the State of Vermont.

14. Contact

All communications about this RFP — including questions, site-visit requests, and bid submissions — must be directed to:

Appendix A — Building Plans

1997 architectural plans for 2096 Airport Road, Berlin, Vermont:

View building plans on Google Drive

17-sheet scanned plan set. Image-only PDF. Plans are provided for reference only and are not warranted to reflect current conditions. Bidders must field-verify all dimensions and conditions during the site visit.

Appendix B — Recipient List

This RFP has been distributed to the following firms: