Massachusetts public building bids, in plain English.
Every week I read the state's list of newly posted public bids, pull out the housing authority jobs and other building work, and read each notice. For every job: what it is, when it's due, and what could trip you up.
Electrical repair and preventive maintenance at each authority's public housing, three years each. All four list the same contacts (Taunton Housing email addresses), so the paperwork should look alike.
Watch: site visits are by appointment only, through Greg Caswell at (857) 276-4159. With three business days left, call Monday.
Official notices: Taunton · Stoughton · Bridgewater · Avon
Tear out and replace two suspended bathroom ceilings, roughly 8 × 6 ft each. R-19 insulation, fill and tape, no paint, haul the debris. A good fit for a small GC or drywall crew.
Watch: the notice says studs and supports may need replacing. Price that unknown instead of hoping.
Dig down, repair the damaged section of water main, backfill, compact and repave.
Watch: "scope may increase after excavation," and an addendum is already out. Make sure you have it before you price.
An elevator maintenance contract. The scope isn't posted online.
Watch: the specs aren't posted online. You have to request them by email or pick them up at 65 Union St, Lawrence (Alan Fielding, 978-689-0281).
Fire alarm upgrade and smoke detector replacement at the Prattville development (Guam Rd / Exeter St / Burma Rd).
Watch: the walkthrough was Thu Sep 24. The listing doesn't say whether it was mandatory. Check the bid documents before you spend time on it.
Repair exterior concrete decks: crack repair, sealing, and replacing wood fascia boards.
Watch: hard-copy bids won't be accepted. The site walk was Sep 24.
On the state's list, this job's title is just a project number, which is exactly why people scroll past it. It's a hot water and furnace replacement.
Watch: the walkthrough was Sep 23. The contacts listed are Chelmsford Housing Authority staff, so questions go there.
Renovation of two vacant apartments. The detail page wasn't publicly viewable when I checked, so I can't describe the scope yet.
A fire alarm and sprinkler upgrade. The site walk meets at Cusack Terrace, 8 Summer St.
Watch: the site walk is this Tuesday at 11 AM, outdoors at the main entrance, with off-street parking. It's the one walkthrough on this list you can still make.
Housing authorities publish capital plans listing future jobs and budgets before anything is bid. Here's part of Dedham Housing Authority's plan for fiscal 2027–2031. These are planned jobs, not bids.
| Planned job | Where | Budget |
|---|---|---|
| Rear entry doors replacement | East Dedham Family | $264,385 |
| Intercom replacement | Doggett and O'Neil | $242,000 |
| Bottom siding replacement, new trim | Parker / Staples Rd | $193,600 |
| New mailboxes | Doggett Circle | $45,375 |
| Smoke detector replacement | Parkway Court | $25,300 |
Dedham Housing Authority Annual Plan 2027 →
The plan is to do this for every housing authority in the state, sorted by trade, so you can see your next year of work coming.
Why is a bid called "FISH 139064"? FISH is the Financial Information System for Housing, which the state housing office uses to track every capital project, large and small. The number is the project's ID there. Some housing authorities post that ID as the whole title, which tells you nothing and makes the job easy to scroll past. Hopkinton's hot water and furnace job above is one of them.
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