Massachusetts public building bids, in plain English.
Issue #5 covers every housing authority solicitation on COMMBUYS that is still open this week (pulled Fri Oct 23): 40 in all, 10 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.
Exterior renovation: new roof, siding, windows and exterior doors.
Watch: Roofing and flashing filed sub-bids were due Oct 20. 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 have been available since Oct 16; for help, contact Arthur Anderson, the FRHA's director of modernization: 508-675-4565, [email protected] (the notice's description was corrected Oct 19, though its item text still shows the old .com address). The optional pre-bid was Oct 22.
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: The sites (65-67 Tadmuck Road and 7 Church Street) were open for inspection Oct 22. 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Mon Oct 26 1 PM | Cambridge HA: Construction manager, Corcoran Park (visit 2 of 3) Corcoran Park (RSVP to Chris Doran) | Fri Dec 4 |
| Tue Oct 27 10 AM | Newton HA: Window and door replacement 76 Thurston Rd (Echo Ridge) | Thu Nov 19 |
| Tue Oct 27 10 AM | Pembroke HA: Exterior trim replacement 10 Mayflower Court | Tue Nov 10 |
| Tue Oct 27 10 AM | Taunton HA: Designer for Federal Pacific panel replacement Massasoit Apts, 450 Middleboro Ave, East Taunton | Fri Nov 6 |
| Tue Oct 27 11 AM | Pembroke HA: Window replacement 490 Center St | Tue Nov 10 |
| Tue Oct 27 1 PM | Halifax HA: Roof replacement, buildings 4 and 5 4 Parsons Lane | Thu Nov 12 |
| Wed Oct 28 10 AM | Beverly HA: Manual snow removal 17 Courtney Drive | Wed Nov 4 |
| Wed Oct 28 10 AM | Taunton HA: Mini-split maintenance, Norfolk County 15 W. Britannia St, Taunton (pre-bid) | Mon Nov 16 |
| Wed Oct 28 1 PM | Newton HA: Windows, siding and doors 27 Kerry Court, West Newton | Thu Nov 19 |
| 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 |
| Mon Nov 2 11:30 AM | Newton HA: Single-family home renovation 91 Christina St | Thu Nov 19 |
| Tue Nov 3 11 AM | Dedham HA: Unit renovation 163 Dedham Boulevard, sidewalk by the parking lot | Tue Nov 10 |
| Thu Nov 5 10 AM | Watertown HA: Flooring overlay location not in the notice | Thu Nov 12 |
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).
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: The site visit was Oct 21. 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: The pre-bid walk was Oct 21. Bids go in at Projectdoc.com (project 262204), not COMMBUYS, with a 5% bid deposit.
Renovate a unit at 149 Willow St (the listing's title says “2 bedroom to 3 bedroom”): drywall, insulation, a new kitchen and bathroom, flooring, doors, ceiling refinishing, painting and code fixes, plus source removal and coordinating any hazardous-material testing. 30 calendar days from notice to proceed.
Watch: The site visit was Oct 22. The attachment's file name calls it a re-bid; I haven't seen an earlier listing. The notice doesn't say how to get the scope documents. Contact: [email protected].
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. The site visit was Oct 22. Bids at biddocs.com only. Check the bid documents for any filed sub-bid deadlines.
Taunton HA wants an architect or engineer to design the replacement of Federal Pacific electrical panels and subpanels at multiple developments. Estimated construction cost: $578,000. The RFQ references HUD form 51915.
Watch: For design firms, not contractors. Request the documents from Corey Inacio, [email protected]. Site visit Tue Oct 27, 10 AM, at Massasoit Apts, 450 Middleboro Ave, East Taunton. Sealed qualifications go to 308 Bay St, Taunton, marked “Qualifications for Designer Services.”
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.
Remove all the double-hung windows and their interior and exterior trim; install new vinyl replacement windows with new trim. Pembroke's capital plan proposes “Window Replacement 167-1” at 490 Center Street for fiscal 2027, $107,106 total cost, which is likely this job.
Watch: Site visit Tue Oct 27, 11 AM, 490 Center St. Bids go in at biddocs.com only; paper bids aren't accepted. Designer: Greg Siroonian, [email protected].
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).
Replace the fascia and rake boards with PVC (the gutters are reused), replace the gable-end siding with composite board and batten and new composite vents, and redo the entry portico trim and moldings in PVC. Pembroke's capital plan proposes “Exterior Trim Replacement 667-1” at Mayflower Court for fiscal 2027, $131,752 total cost.
Watch: Site visit Tue Oct 27, 10 AM, 10 Mayflower Court. Bids go in at biddocs.com only; paper bids aren't accepted. Designer: Greg Siroonian, [email protected].
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.
A flooring overlay. The notice says no more; the details are in the advertisement attached to it. Watertown's posted plan, as parsed, lists no FISH-numbered projects, so this one couldn't be matched.
Watch: Open for inspection Thu Nov 5, 10–11 AM; the notice doesn't say where, so check the attached advertisement. Run by Chelmsford HA staff (Sharon Smith).
Tear off and replace the asphalt shingles on buildings 4 and 5 at Parsons Lane; replace the fascia and rake boards with PVC trim and add new gutters on building 4; add attic insulation and ventilation in both. Halifax's capital plan proposes “Roof Replacement Bldgs 4 & 5” at Parsons Lane for fiscal 2027, $110,821 total cost.
Watch: Site visit Tue Oct 27, 1 PM, 4 Parsons Lane. Bids go in at biddocs.com only; paper bids aren't accepted. Designer: Greg Siroonian, [email protected].
Roll-in showers at Margolis Apartments (16-4), designed by Architectural Solutions Inc. The scope is in the bid documents.
Watch: The pre-bid was Oct 21. 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.
General renovations to a vacant single-family home that Newton HA owns at 91 Christina St.
Watch: Electrical is a filed sub-bid; check the bid documents for its deadline. All bidders need DCAMM certification. Pre-bid Mon Nov 2, 11:30 AM, at the house. Contact: Christine Long.
Replace windows and doors at 60–76 Thurston Road (Echo Ridge), including the community room building.
Watch: DCAMM certification required. Pre-bid Tue Oct 27, 10 AM, 76 Thurston Rd. Contact Christine Long, [email protected].
Envelope work at 27 Kerry Court (705-6E), West Newton: new siding, windows and doors, soffit repairs, new gutters and downspouts, and finish painting. Designed by Richard Alvord Architects.
Watch: The notice calls for sealed electronic general bids but doesn't say on which platform; ask Christine Long, [email protected]. Pre-bid Wed Oct 28, 1 PM, at 27 Kerry Court.
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. Two pre-proposal site visits remain at Corcoran Park: Mon Oct 26, 1 PM, and Thu Oct 29, 10 AM (the first was Oct 21). 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.
No open notice lists a filed sub-bid deadline on or after Oct 26. Newton's 91 Christina St job has an electrical filed sub-bid; the notice gives no date, so check the bid documents.
These are the actual titles on COMMBUYS. If you search by trade, you'll never find them.
| Listed as | What it actually is |
|---|---|
| “Middleton” Middleton HA | Parking lot, sidewalks, ramps and stairs |
| “Plumbing” Chelsea HA | Roll-in showers, phase 2, at Margolis Apartments |
| “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 |
| “FISH 321113” Watertown HA | A flooring overlay (the notice's only description; Watertown's posted plan has no FISH numbers to match) |
| “Statements of qualifications…” Taunton HA | A designer for replacing Federal Pacific electrical panels at multiple developments |
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 #4, 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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