Town of Lincoln (MA) procurement pulse: school space lease + water main replacement + Pierce House restoration work

Executive takeaway

The Town of Lincoln has a small cluster of near-term opportunities with very different bidder profiles: (1) a multi-year lease of classroom and administrative/support space for Lincoln Public Schools at the Hartwell Building, (2) a water main replacement phase on Lincoln Road (details appear to be in an attached legal notice), and (3) two Pierce House repair/restoration efforts at 17 Weston Road, including roof balustrade/railing restoration (procured under M.G.L. c. 149 with prevailing wage) and a separate porch repair package (prevailing wage).

What the buyer is trying to do

Lease: classroom + administrative/support space (Hartwell Building)

Lincoln Public Schools is seeking proposals to lease classroom and administrative/support space in the Hartwell Building at 6 Ballfield Road, Lincoln, Massachusetts. The contemplated lease period is September 1, 2026 through August 31, 2031, per the notice snippet.

Construction: Lincoln Road water main replacement (Phase 2)

The Town is advertising a Phase 2 water main replacement on Lincoln Road. The notice indicates: “See Full Legal Notice Attached.” Expect key scope, bonding, bidding form requirements, and site conditions to live in the attachment.

Historic/municipal facilities: Pierce House railing + porch repairs

The Town is soliciting (a) written quotes for removal, restoration, and reinstallation of existing decorative roof balustrade/railing assemblies at the Pierce House, and (b) bids for structural and carpentry repairs to the B Side Porch of the John H. Pierce House. Both are at 17 Weston Road, Lincoln, MA, and both explicitly note prevailing wage (with the railing project also stating procurement under M.G.L. c. 149).

What work is implied (bullets)

• Hartwell Building lease
  • Provide (and manage) classroom space plus administrative/support space in the Hartwell Building at 6 Ballfield Road.
  • Support a defined lease term spanning September 1, 2026 through August 31, 2031.
  • Comply with the enclosed “Specifications” referenced in the notice (verify full requirements in the solicitation package).
• Lincoln Road water main replacement – Phase 2
  • Perform water main replacement work on/around Lincoln Road (Phase 2 scope to be confirmed).
  • Follow the “Full Legal Notice” requirements (forms, bid security, schedule, etc.) per the attachment.
• Pierce House roof railing removal/restoration/reinstallation
  • Remove existing decorative roof balustrade/railing assemblies.
  • Restore and reinstall the assemblies after roof system replacement by others.
  • Operate under M.G.L. c. 149 procurement framework and prevailing wage.
• Pierce House porch repair (2026)
  • Structural and carpentry repairs to the B Side Porch of the John H. Pierce House.
  • Prevailing wage applies.
  • Obtain and follow bid specifications (available for pickup and also referenced as downloadable from the Town website in the notice).

Who should bid / who should pass (bullets)

• Bid if you are:
  • A property owner/manager or real estate lessor positioned to provide classroom and administrative/support space in the Hartwell Building for a multi-year term (lease opportunity).
  • A licensed water utility contractor experienced with municipal water main replacement work (Lincoln Road Phase 2), and comfortable bidding off a legal notice/spec set.
  • A preservation-capable exterior carpentry/metal/wood restoration firm that can carefully remove, restore, and reinstall decorative roof railing assemblies (Pierce House railing project) under prevailing wage.
  • A general contractor or carpentry contractor with structural repair experience for porch restoration/repair under prevailing wage (Pierce House porch project).
• Pass if you:
  • Cannot meet prevailing wage compliance and documentation expectations for the Pierce House projects.
  • Do not have the right trade capability for delicate restoration work (railing/balustrade) and intend to treat it as standard demo/replace.
  • Need a fully detailed scope but cannot access or satisfy the attached legal notice/specifications for the water main replacement (or cannot price unknowns without that package).

Response package checklist (bullets; if unknown say “verify in attachments”)

• For the Hartwell Building lease proposal
  • Completed proposal response per the enclosed “Specifications” (verify in attachments).
  • Lease term acknowledgment: September 1, 2026 through August 31, 2031.
• For Lincoln Road water main replacement – Phase 2
  • All bid forms and submissions required by the Full Legal Notice Attached (verify in attachments).
  • Any bid security, bonding, certifications, or addenda acknowledgments (verify in attachments).
• For Pierce House roof railing removal/restoration/reinstallation
  • Written quote per the Town’s request.
  • Prevailing wage compliance items (verify exact submittals in attachments/specs).
  • A clear scope narrative: removal method, restoration approach, and reinstallation plan coordinated around roof replacement by others.
• For Pierce House porch repair (2026)
  • Sealed/required bid response per bid specifications (verify in attachments/specs).
  • Prevailing wage compliance items (verify exact submittals in attachments/specs).

Pricing & strategy notes (how to research pricing; do not invent pricing numbers)

These solicitations don’t provide enough detail in the snippets to price responsibly without the full specs/legal notice. Your pricing plan should start with document capture and a quick “unknowns list.”

• Lease (Hartwell Building): Build pricing around the full “Specifications” package—confirm what the school expects as included vs. excluded (verify in attachments). Use comparable municipal/school leases in your region as reference points, but align the structure to what the solicitation requests (e.g., whether they want a single all-in lease rate or separate pass-through items—verify in attachments).
• Water main replacement (Phase 2): Pull the attached legal notice and any referenced plans/specs first. Price risk is usually driven by scope definition, traffic/site constraints, and the bid form structure—all of which are likely in the attachment. If the legal notice references unit prices vs. lump sum, mirror that format precisely (verify in attachments).
• Pierce House railing restoration: Restoration work can swing based on the condition of assemblies, required finish level, and handling logistics. If the specs don’t define condition assumptions, consider clearly stating assumptions within the quote (to the extent allowed) and identify what would trigger a change (verify in attachments).
• Pierce House porch repair: Confirm what “structural and carpentry repairs” include in the bid specs. If drawings/details are limited, attend any site walk (if offered in specs) and document observed conditions for internal pricing validation (verify in attachments).

Subcontracting / teaming ideas (bullets)

• Pierce House roof railing project: Team a restoration-focused carpenter/metalworker with a shop capable of careful restoration, plus a field crew experienced with safe removal and reinstallation at height.
• Pierce House porch repair: If you’re a GC, consider pairing a structural carpentry lead with a finish carpenter familiar with historic detailing (as the Pierce House is a named historic property in the notice context).
• Water main replacement: If permitted by the bid documents, consider subcontracting specialty items (e.g., pavement restoration or traffic control) to firms that routinely support municipal utility work (verify in attachments).

Risks & watch-outs (bullets)

• Document dependency: The water main replacement notice relies on an attached legal notice; avoid committing resources until you’ve reviewed the attachment and any referenced specs.
• Prevailing wage compliance: Both Pierce House notices state prevailing wage applies. Ensure you can document compliance and manage subs accordingly.
• Coordination risk (railing vs. roof replacement by others): The railing work is explicitly to facilitate a roof system replacement performed by others. Clarify sequencing, access windows, and responsibility boundaries in your plan/quote (as allowed by the solicitation).
• Quote vs. bid format differences: One Pierce House notice solicits written quotes (railing), while the porch notice solicits bids. Confirm submission format and any required forms for each (verify in attachments/specs).
• Timing: These notices have different deadlines; plan production so you’re not reusing the wrong forms or scope language across packages.

Related opportunities

• Lease of Classroom and Administrative/Support Space in the Hartwell Building
• LINCOLN MA – Lincoln Road Main Water Replacement – Phase 2
• Pierce House Roof Railing Removal, Restoration and Reinstallation
• Pierce House Porch Repair 2026

How to act on this

1. Pick the lane: lease, water main replacement, railing restoration, and/or porch repair—each requires different capabilities.
2. Download and review the attachments/specifications referenced in each notice (especially the Lincoln Road legal notice and the Pierce House bid specs).
3. Build a compliance matrix for the specific package you’re pursuing (submission format, wage requirements, and any M.G.L. c. 149 obligations where stated).
4. Finalize pricing only after confirming scope, assumptions, and any required forms (verify in attachments).

If you want a second set of eyes on compliance, bid strategy, and your response package assembly, reach out to Federal Bid Partners LLC for proposal support.