Massachusetts public building bids, in plain English.
Issue #4 covers every housing authority solicitation on COMMBUYS that is still open this week (pulled Fri Oct 16): 55 in all, 14 of them new since last week and marked New. I read each notice. For every job you get what it is, when it's due, and what could trip you up. Every item links to the official notice.
Replace four steel fire doors, one entrance door with its framing and large sidelight, and one garage door: tear-out, prep, and new doors, frames and hardware. The notice doesn't give the building; Randolph's capital plan lists “Replace Fire Exit & Main Entry Doors” at McCauley Murray Lewis (667-03), $89,843 total cost, which is likely this job.
Watch: The site visit was Oct 13. Bids go in at biddocs.com.
Exterior door replacement. The notice itself says only “Doors”; the attached spec is titled “Rowley 254047 Exterior Doors.” Rowley's fiscal 2027 plan lists two door projects, “Replace Exterior Doors” at Plantation ($140,585 total development cost) and “Exterior Door/Screen Door Replacement” ($216,876, no development named), so this is likely one of them.
Watch: The pre-bid was Oct 8. Run by Chelmsford HA staff (Sharon Smith).
Groton HA wants a designer for construction administration on a project with a $1,225,000 construction cost. The notice doesn't name the project; the details are in the document attached to the notice.
Watch: For design firms, not contractors. Run by Chelmsford HA staff (Sharon Smith).
Design and construction administration for converting heating and hot water systems, and upgrading building electrical service, at five buildings of the Edwin A. Seibel Apartments, 121–125 Nonotuck St (elderly development 667-2).
Watch: For design firms, through the state's Designer Selection Network (project 137105), not COMMBUYS. Questions about the network go to the EOHLC Designer Selection Coordinator.
Replace bathroom ventilation at 35 Fruit Street and 137 High Street.
Watch: The pre-bid walkthrough was Oct 7. Documents at biddocs.com.
The rest of a site-wide modernization: 38 units in five 8-unit buildings. New kitchens and baths, asbestos flooring removed and replaced with resilient and tile floors, and failing or out-of-code mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems replaced.
Watch: Filed sub-bids (tile, resilient flooring, painting, plumbing, HVAC, electrical) were due Oct 7. RFIs closed Sep 29. 5% bid deposit. Participation goals: 8.6% MBE, 8.8% WBE, 3% VBE.
Replace the water service at 56–62 Pond Street (Lower Pond), plus concrete sidewalk and pad work, work in the basement, resetting granite curb and fencing, and restoration. Designed by GCG Associates.
Watch: The work has to be finished by Nov 15, 2026. RFIs closed Oct 16. Documents at BidDocs.com.
Fire alarm and sprinkler system upgrade at Cusack Terrace (development 667-5), designed by LIRO-Hill.
Watch: The site walk was Sep 29.
Drywall, insulation, a new kitchen, bathroom work, flooring, doors, ceilings, painting and code fixes in unit #39 at 9 Newtowne Ct. 60 calendar days from notice to proceed.
Watch: COMMBUYS moved the due date up to Thu Oct 22; last week it said Oct 30. Davis-Bacon wages apply, and a 50% payment bond is required if the contract tops $25,000. Request the quote documents from [email protected].
Replace two heating boilers, swap two gas-fired water heaters for three new ones, and remove the old solar hot-water pre-heat system.
Watch: The pre-bid was Sep 29.
Install emergency lighting in the common hallways at 33–49 Laurie Drive. Leominster's capital plan lists “Emergency Lights Common Hallways” at Laurie Drive (667-1), $49,913 total cost, planned for fiscal 2027.
Watch: The pre-bid was Oct 14.
Fire alarm and sprinkler work at Caggiano Plaza (170 South Common St), McGee House (37 Green St) and Shepard & Warren (35 Shepard St), designed by MacRitchie Engineering.
Watch: Filed sub-bids were due Oct 9. The pre-bid was Oct 1.
Replace faulty gate valves and abate asbestos pipe insulation at Village Green (667-3), 1 Village Green. East Longmeadow's capital plan lists this project (FISH 085083) at $12,100 total cost, under Village Green 667-1.
Watch: The pre-bid walkthrough was Oct 8. Bids go in at biddocs.com, not COMMBUYS.
Tear off and replace the asphalt shingle roofs at 46 Thompkins Ave, 3 Lyric Ave and 1 Lull St. East Longmeadow's capital plan lists this project (FISH 085088) at $92,000 total cost.
Watch: The site visit was Oct 13. Bids go in at Projectdoc.com (project 261873), not COMMBUYS, with a 5% bid deposit.
Replace and modify fire alarm systems at Chestnut Court (667-1), the Jean Elder congregate house (667-3), Sunrise Ave (689-2) and Ann Whalen Apartments (667-2). Amherst's capital plan has an ARPA-funded “Complete Fire Alarm System” project (FISH 008100, $231,164) covering the first three of those developments.
Watch: General bidders need DCAMM certification in Electrical. The optional bidders' conference was Oct 7. Bids go in at biddocs.com, not COMMBUYS.
Replace apartment and utility doors and hardware, repair the metal railings, and paint the courtyard walls, decking, and the undersides of the walkways.
Watch: Filed sub-bids (miscellaneous and ornamental metals, painting) were due Oct 9. Participation goals: 15.3% MBE, 6.9% WBE, 3% VBE. The site visit was Sep 17.
Repair the concrete parapet walls and modify the aluminum guardrails on 51 concrete balconies, then paint. The building stays occupied.
Watch: HUD procurement rules apply, with both state and Davis-Bacon wage rates. The walkthrough was Sep 29.
Pre-bid walkthroughs still ahead. Some are the only chance to see the site before you price, so they fill up calendars fast.
| When | Job and meeting point | Bid due |
|---|---|---|
| Tue Oct 20 9 AM | Somerville HA: On-call boiler services 30 Memorial Rd, administration building (tell Anthony Crespo you're coming) | Thu Oct 29 |
| Tue Oct 20 10 AM | New Bedford HA: Elevator maintenance Tripp Towers, 12 Ruth St | Thu Oct 29 |
| Wed Oct 21 10:30 AM | East Longmeadow HA: Common kitchen, patio doors and awning 81 Quarry Hill, main office and community building | Wed Nov 4 |
| Wed Oct 21 11 AM | Braintree HA: Siding repairs 25 Roosevelt St | Wed Nov 4 |
| Wed Oct 21 1 PM | Cambridge HA: Construction manager, Corcoran Park (visit 1 of 3) Corcoran Park (RSVP to Chris Doran) | Fri Dec 4 |
| Wed Oct 21 1 PM | Chelsea HA: Roll-in showers, Margolis Apartments 260 Clark Ave | Wed Nov 18 |
| Thu Oct 22 10 AM | Fall River HA: Site improvements and tree removal Bishop Eid, 33 Quequechan St | Thu Oct 29 |
| Thu Oct 22 10 AM | Westford HA: Automatic doors 65-67 Tadmuck Road, then 7 Church Street | Thu Oct 29 |
| Thu Oct 22 11 AM | Dukes County RHA: Building and site improvements 78 Forest Ave, Oak Bluffs (tell the architect 2 days ahead) | Thu Nov 5 |
| Mon Oct 26 1 PM | Cambridge HA: Construction manager, Corcoran Park (visit 2 of 3) Corcoran Park (RSVP to Chris Doran) | Fri Dec 4 |
| Wed Oct 28 10 AM | Beverly HA: Manual snow removal 17 Courtney Drive | Wed Nov 4 |
| Thu Oct 29 10 AM | Cambridge HA: Construction manager, Corcoran Park (visit 3 of 3) Corcoran Park (RSVP to Chris Doran) | Fri Dec 4 |
| Thu Oct 29 11 AM | Sutton HA: Bathroom fan installation 5 Church St, community center | Fri Nov 6 |
| Tue Nov 3 11 AM | Dedham HA: Unit renovation 163 Dedham Boulevard, sidewalk by the parking lot | Tue Nov 10 |
By appointment: snow removal site visits for Avon, Bridgewater, Stoughton and Taunton (Greg Caswell), Sandwich's plumbing and HVAC contract (Eric Steinhilber) and New Bedford's elevator sites (Kevin Rego).
Exterior renovation: new roof, siding, windows and exterior doors.
Watch: Roofing and flashing filed sub-bids are due Tue Oct 20, 11 AM. The pre-bid was Oct 6. Participation goals: 7.5% MBE, 6.9% WBE, 3% VBE.
Accessibility and compliance work at the BHA's Lower Mills development (IFB 2373-02). The notice itself has no scope; it's all in the advertisement attached to it.
Watch: Read the attached advertisement for the scope, any pre-bid, and bid requirements.
Parking lot, sidewalk, ramp and stair work. The notice says no more than that; the details are in the advertisement attached to it. Middleton's fiscal 2027 plan proposes three projects at Orchard Circle: paving, curb cuts, grading and drainage ($385,078 total cost), an ADA ramp repair ($9,500) and a main entry railing replacement ($44,921). This job may cover one or more of them.
Watch: The pre-bid was Oct 14. Run by Chelmsford HA staff (Sharon Smith).
Alterations to the common bathrooms at the Hauser Building (667-4), designed by Abacus Architects + Planners. The advertisement attached to the notice is numbered 010149, which Arlington's capital plan lists as “ADA Bathrooms in Community Room” at the Hauser Building, $125,000 total cost.
Watch: The notice lists a pre-bid on Oct 1 at 8 AM at the Hauser Building, 37 Drake Road, but the notice only went up Oct 7, so check the attached advertisement for the actual date.
The BHA wants an architect or engineer (RFP 2421-01) for the modernization of the 202 units at Fairmount Apartments. This is a re-advertisement; the details are in the advertisement attached to the notice.
Watch: For design firms, not contractors.
New bath exhaust fans with humidity and motion controls, each vented to the outside, in 96 bathrooms, plus a new kitchen hood in every apartment. Two adjoining elderly developments, 96 one-bedroom units.
Watch: Filed sub-bids (roofing and flashing, HVAC, electrical) were due Oct 15. The site visit was Oct 6. Participation goals: 6.3% MBE, 9.4% WBE, 3% VBE.
Site improvements and tree removal at Bishop Eid, 33 Quequechan St (project #095204). The notice gives no more scope than that, and the number is newer than anything in Fall River's posted capital plan.
Watch: Sealed quotes only; don't submit through COMMBUYS. Bid documents are available starting Fri Oct 16; for help, contact Arthur Anderson, the FRHA's director of modernization: 508-675-4565, [email protected]. Optional pre-bid and site visit Thu Oct 22, 10 AM, at Bishop Eid.
Automatic doors. Westford's capital plan lists FISH 330057 as “Automatic Doors for Community Room at 667-1 - Front entrance doors at 667-2” at Westford Elderly Housing, $58,544 total cost.
Watch: Open for inspection Thu Oct 22, 10–11 AM, starting at 65-67 Tadmuck Road and moving on to 7 Church Street. Run by Chelmsford HA staff (Sharon Smith).
Remove tubs, tile surrounds, plumbing trim and flooring; install new shower pans, shower surrounds, plumbing trim and LVT flooring. Norwood's capital plan lists “Tub Surround Replacement - Phase 1” at Willowood (667-1), FISH 220092, $170,320 total cost, which is likely this job.
Watch: Plumbing filed sub-bids were due Oct 16, and the pre-bid was Oct 14. General-bid RFIs close Oct 26 at 1 PM. COMMBUYS still lists the bid opening as 1:00 AM on Oct 30. Every other deadline in the notice is at 1 PM, so that may be a typo; until the bid documents at biddocs.com confirm the time, plan to have your bid in by the end of Oct 29.
Kitchen, bathroom and finish renovation of one vacant townhouse-style unit (unit 3) at Flag Rock Village (705-1).
Watch: The pre-bid was Oct 13. Bids go in at biddocs.com, not COMMBUYS, with a 5% bid deposit.
Replace failing siding planks and re-attach others on the two-story buildings, plus exterior work at community building #25. The siding is a proprietary spec: Cape Cod Cedar Clapboards (section 07 46 90). Braintree's capital plan lists “Siding Repairs 667-3” at Highlands Green for $30,250 total cost, which may be this job, though the notice's estimate is about three times that.
Watch: Site visit Wed Oct 21, 11 AM, 25 Roosevelt St. Bids go in at biddocs.com only; paper bids aren't accepted. Designer: Jacob Levine, [email protected].
Renovate the common kitchen, replace the patio doors and infill around them with new windows, and replace the exterior awning fabric at McLaren House (667-4), 81 Quarry Hill. East Longmeadow's capital plan lists FISH 085085 as “Replace porch doors” at McLaren House, $16,615 total cost; the job as advertised is bigger than that.
Watch: Pre-bid walk Wed Oct 21, 10:30 AM, at the main office and community building, 81 Quarry Hill. Bids go in at Projectdoc.com (project 262204), not COMMBUYS, with a 5% bid deposit.
A long list: new siding and trim over new rigid insulation, window extension jambs and trim, new windows, luxury vinyl plank in bedrooms, offices and halls, new accessible kitchens with solid-surface counters, parking and driveway landscaping, interior and exterior painting, a new water heater on Forest Ave, a structural crack repair at the Concord Ave kitchen, and two tubs replaced with roll-in showers (one in each building).
Watch: General bidders need DCAMM certification in General Building Construction. Participation goals: 6.1% MBE, 5.8% WBE, 3% VBE. Site visit Thu Oct 22, 11 AM, 78 Forest Ave, Oak Bluffs; tell the architect ([email protected]) at least 2 days ahead. Bids at biddocs.com only. Check the bid documents for any filed sub-bid deadlines.
Install bathroom fans. Sutton's capital plan lists “SUST Install Bathroom Fans” at Orchard Apartments (667-1), $130,092 total cost, which is likely this job.
Watch: Pre-bid walk Thu Oct 29, 11 AM, at the community center, 5 Church St. Documents at BidDocsOnline.com; don't submit through COMMBUYS.
A unit renovation. The notice says no more; the details are in the advertisement attached to it. FISH 073157 is newer than anything in Dedham's posted capital plan.
Watch: Pre-bid Tue Nov 3, 11 AM, 163 Dedham Boulevard: meet on the sidewalk next to the parking lot. Run by Chelmsford HA staff (Sharon Smith).
Salem HA wants an architect for building envelope restoration, insulation and waterproofing at 27 Charter St. Its capital plan has two active Charter Street projects, “HILAPP: Exterior Upgrades (Water Infiltration) Charter St.” at $590,416 and “27 Charter Street Window Replacement Project” at $46,900, plus a proposed fiscal 2027 “Windows, balcony & building envelope” project at $2,765,440; the notice doesn't say which this covers.
Watch: For design firms, not contractors. The request is attached to the notice; contact Debra Tucker, [email protected]. No pre-bid.
Roll-in showers at Margolis Apartments (16-4), designed by Architectural Solutions Inc. The scope is in the bid documents.
Watch: Pre-bid Wed Oct 21, 1 PM, 260 Clark Ave. Questions to James Krasco, [email protected]. COMMBUYS lists bids due Wed Nov 18, 1 PM; since the listing is titled only “Plumbing,” check the attached advertisement for whether that's the general bid date and for any filed sub-bid deadlines.
The Cambridge Housing Authority, as owner's project manager for the Cambridge Affordable Housing Corp, wants a construction manager with a guaranteed maximum price for Project 1301, the redevelopment of Corcoran Park, phase 1. This is a re-bid.
Watch: For construction management firms. It's procured under Chapter 268 of the Acts of 2022, so Chapter 149/149A, prequalification and filed sub-bids don't apply; the CM brings its own subs, subject to the owner's approval. Three pre-proposal site visits at Corcoran Park: Wed Oct 21, 1 PM; Mon Oct 26, 1 PM; Thu Oct 29, 10 AM. RSVP to Chris Doran, [email protected]. Don't respond in COMMBUYS.
On bigger state-funded building jobs, certain trades bid straight to the housing authority, before the general contractors do. If you're one of those trade subs, this is your deadline, not the general bid date.
| Sub-bids due | Job and trades | General bids |
|---|---|---|
| Tue Oct 20 11 AM | Mashpee HA: Roof, siding, windows, doors Roofing and flashing | Tue Oct 27 |
These are the actual titles on COMMBUYS. If you search by trade, you'll never find them.
| Listed as | What it actually is |
|---|---|
| “FISH 254047” Rowley HA | Exterior door replacement |
| “Designer” Groton HA | Construction administration on a $1,225,000 project |
| “Middleton” Middleton HA | Parking lot, sidewalks, ramps and stairs |
| “Plumbing” Chelsea HA | Roll-in showers, phase 2, at Margolis Apartments |
| “ASHP Suffolk County” Chelmsford HA | Annual maintenance on ductless mini-split heat pumps for the Suffolk County housing authorities |
| “FISH 330057” Westford HA | Automatic doors for the community room at 667-1 and the front entrances at 667-2 |
| “FISH 073157” Dedham HA | A unit renovation (the notice's only description; the number isn't in Dedham's posted plan yet) |
| “NBHA-26-150” New Bedford HA | Elevator maintenance, 3 years |
What's a FISH number? FISH is the Financial Information System for Housing, the state housing office's tracker for capital projects. Per the state, every project, large and small, gets a FISH number. The first three digits identify the housing authority, and the rest is the project. Match it against the authority's capital plan and you get the job, the development and the budget. That's how the Westford and East Longmeadow jobs above were matched to their plans.
Every housing authority files a capital plan with the state. I went through all 230 on the state's portal. In the 131 plans in this year's new format, 93 authorities list 453 projects for fiscal 2027 (July 2026 through June 2027), about $95 million in total project costs. Here's that work by trade:
| Trade | Projects | Budgets |
|---|---|---|
| Paving, walkways & site | 62 | $15.8M |
| Heating, boilers & HVAC | 47 | $15.8M |
| Windows & doors | 56 | $13.2M |
| Elevators | 6 | $11.4M |
| Roofing & gutters | 28 | $6.6M |
| Kitchens & baths | 40 | $6.2M |
| Siding, masonry & exterior | 36 | $4.8M |
| Fire alarm & sprinklers | 14 | $3.8M |
| Electrical & generators | 22 | $2.8M |
| Water, sewer & plumbing | 19 | $2.5M |
| Unit turnovers & renovations | 36 | $1.7M |
| Accessibility (ADA) | 5 | $1.5M |
| Security & access | 13 | $1.3M |
| Interiors, flooring & painting | 21 | $1.2M |
| Everything else | 48 | $6.1M |
A rough split by the words in each project's title. Paving and site includes a $5 million flood-resilience project in Gloucester. Work the authorities do with their own staff is left out.
The ten biggest planned projects. Gloucester and Woburn alone list about $38 million between them.
| Authority | Planned job | Budget |
|---|---|---|
| Woburn HA | Elevator major upgrade (listed as a funding request) | $7,653,603 |
| Gloucester HA | Storm resilience: trimming and site flood protection, Riverdale Park | $5,047,129 |
| Gloucester HA | Mechanical and electrical systems, Riverdale Park | $4,880,995 |
| Salem HA | Windows, balconies and building envelope, Charter St | $2,765,440 |
| Salem HA | Paving, Rainbow Terrace | $2,515,377 |
| Woburn HA | Roofs, Nichols Street Extension | $2,363,920 |
| Gloucester HA | New elevator, Curtis B. Clark | $2,250,000 |
| Woburn HA | Bathroom modernization | $1,910,846 |
| Gloucester HA | Meter upgrade, Lincoln Park | $1,623,740 |
| Wakefield HA | Fire alarm and Federal Pacific panel upgrade, Harts Hill | $1,364,004 |
Each budget links to the authority's plan. These are plans, not bids. The plans themselves warn that costs often rise before construction and that projects get delayed or split into phases. Budgets are total project costs, including design. Every authority's plan, one page each.
Building and maintenance jobs from towns, cities and state agencies that appeared on COMMBUYS since last week's issue. Earlier ones are in Issue #3, Issue #2 and Issue #1. I cleaned up the titles but haven't read these notices yet, so check each one for scope and requirements.
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