Submit a City/Town/Other Awarding Authority Prequalification Form

Cities, Towns and Other Awarding Authorities are strongly encouraged to download and read the Chapter 90 Program Municipal Guidance Document, even if their project will not receive Chapter 90 Program funds. This document includes important information regarding MaPIT, the prequalification process and information specific to Consortia.

It is the City/Town/OAA’s responsibility to determine if their project requires a MassDOT prequalified horizonal construction firm and if so, to email the Prequalification Program the Prequalification Form and required attachments at least two weeks before the bid opening date.

NOTE: A MassDOT prequalified horizontal construction firm is required for a City/Town/OAA project, as follows:

• The project uses state funds where the cost exceeds $50,000;
• The project is on a state-numbered road and/or highway;
• The project requires MassDOT Prequalification as a condition for State Funding Reimbursement; or
• A public entity (i.e., City/Town/Other Awarding Authority) chooses to require MassDOT Prequalification, regardless of funding source.

Complete and submit to the Prequalification Program one individual Prequalification Form for each project and/or number of contract awards along with the following three required documents:

• Prequalification Form: Read the instructions before completing the Prequalification Form.
  • NOTE: Contractors who are not prequalified to bid a project because they do not meet the Single Class Limit for the assigned Class of Work, but do meet the single year waiver threshold (without documented poor performance issues) and want to bid the project, must be given the opportunity to submit a waiver request at least 2 weeks prior to the bid opening date to allow for time to appeal a waiver denial. It is the City/Town/OAA's responsibility to ensure that the project's bid opening date meets this timeline.
• Engineer's Bid Estimate List: Submit a list of specified bid items and allowances and the Total Value of all Bid Items for the duration of the project (inclusive of any option years).
  • NOTE: It is strongly recommended that the MassDOT’s Engineer's Bid Estimate Items List be used. This form is located in the Downloads section.
  • Complete the engineer’s bid estimate list, as follows:
    • Include only specified bid items and allowances.
    • Do not include engineering and construction contingencies, police assignment/detail, fuel cost/adjustment unless specifically included in the specification or is an allowance.
• Scope of Work: Submit a Scope of Work with a detailed narrative.

Email the Prequalification Form and the two required documents to the Prequalification Program at prequal.r109@dot.state.ma.us.

The project’s advertisement is emailed to the Prequalification Program after the City/Town/OAA receives its Prequalification Form with the required signature, as explained below:

• The Prequalification Program reviews the Prequalification Form and attachments and assigns the project’s class of work. The form is then signed by either the Prequalification Program or the State Aid Engineer (Chapter 90 projects only). The Prequalification Program then emails the signed Prequalification Form to the City/Town/OAA. Upon receiving the signed form, the City/Town/OAA emails the project’s advertisement or addendum to prequal.r109@dot.state.ma.us.
• The Prequalification Program will review the advertisement or addendum to confirm both the assigned class of work and total project value are included in the advertisement or addendum. Suggested advertisement or addendum language: “MassDOT prequalification of contractors with the class of work as, (INSERT CLASS OF WORK), for the project with an estimated value of $(INSERT TOTAL PROJECT VALUE) will be required.” The Prequalification Program will not email a list of prequalified contractors to a City/Town/OAA until the advertisement or addendum is received.
  • NOTE: For an option years project, it is suggested the advertisement also include language regarding the project value. For example, if the project has two options years, suggested language would be: "Awarding Authority reserves the right to extend the contract for two (2) additional 12 month options. Valuation for purposes of MassDOT Prequalification is based on first year times three (3) to arrive at an estimated total value of all bid items. The estimated value provided in this Invitation to Bid is for one year. Vendors are expected to be able to provide their services over three (3) years at three (3) times the initial estimated value."

An updated list of prequalified bidders and waiver list (if any) will be emailed to the City/Town/OAA weekly and on the day of the bid opening.

• NOTE: A City/Town/OAA should not accept a bid from a contractor who is not on the official bidders list or waiver list, nor should they give out official plans/specs without the contractor being on the official bidders list or waiver list.
• NOTE: A list of prequalified contractors will not be provided after the bid opening date.