After 20+ years of bidding municipal and HOA pavement work across the Northern Rockies and Dakotas, we can predict the outcome of a project from the RFP alone. Tight RFPs attract tight bids and produce great work. Loose RFPs attract loose bids and produce disputes.
This is the structure we recommend — and the language we wish more boards and public-works directors used — when scoping crack sealing, sealcoating, line striping, or full preservation programs.
What a strong pavement RFP includes
| Section | Why it matters | What to include |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Site inventory | Bidders can't price what they can't measure | Square footage by surface, lane-miles, drawings or aerial map |
| 2. Current condition | Forces apples-to-apples bids | PCI estimate, crack inventory, photos, oil-spot count |
| 3. Scope of work | The legal heart of the contract | Itemized tasks with units (LF, SF, EA) |
| 4. Material specification | Stops the race to the bottom | ASTM standards, EPA 8310 PAH cap, manufacturer spec sheets |
| 5. Submittals required | Filters serious bidders | COI, references, sample data sheets, lab reports |
| 6. Evaluation criteria | Tells bidders how to win | Price weight + technical weight + responsiveness |
| 7. Schedule & access | Prevents change-order fights | Working hours, lot-closure windows, weather contingencies |
| 8. Warranty & documentation | Defines "done" | Warranty term, post-job submittals, before/after photos |
1. Site inventory
Provide a measured square footage by surface type (drive lane, parking stall, ADA path, sidewalk). If you can attach an aerial PDF with quantities marked, you'll get bids 20% tighter on average.
2. Current condition
Don't make bidders guess. State the PCI range (or have a free assessment done — we offer them across our service area), itemize the cracks > 1/8", and call out oil spots that need primer. A 3-page condition report turns a $40,000 sealcoat job into a $40,000 ± $1,500 bid range instead of $30k–$65k.
3. Scope of work — itemized, not narrative
Bad scope: *"Contractor shall sealcoat the parking lot."*
Good scope:
- *Crack seal: 4,200 LF of cracks ≥ 1/8" with hot-applied rubberized sealant meeting ASTM D6690 Type II.*
- *Oil-spot primer: 47 EA, each treated with a manufacturer-approved oil-spot primer prior to sealer application.*
- *Sealcoat: 48,500 SF, two coats of asphalt-emulsion sealer applied at the manufacturer's published rate, with sand additive at 3 lbs/gal.*
- *Line striping: re-stripe to existing layout, 4" white traffic paint, 92 stalls and 4 ADA stalls, ADA symbols and signage per ADA compliance guide.*
4. Material specification — write it once, win every year
This is the single most under-used section in HOA and municipal RFPs. The standard language we recommend:
> *Sealer shall be an asphalt-emulsion (non-coal-tar) pavement sealer meeting ASTM D-217 (cone penetration ≥ 340mm), D-2042 (10–35% asphalt residue), D-244 (15–20% water), D-3910 (wet track abrasion ≤ 35g loss), C-136 (#16 sieve 100% passing), and D-562 (≥ 75 KU viscosity). Total PAH shall be ≤ 1 ppm per EPA Method 8310, documented on a batch-specific lab report.*
Pitch Black® meets every clause — see the Technical Bulletin and the coal-tar bans post for context on why the PAH cap is now standard.
5. Required submittals
Ask for these at bid time, not after award:
- Certificate of Insurance (general liability ≥ $2M, auto, workers' comp).
- Three references on similar-scope projects within the last 24 months.
- Manufacturer data sheets and EPA 8310 lab report for the proposed sealer.
- Sample warranty document.
- Crew credentials and equipment list.
Bidders that can't produce these in 5 business days will not produce them in 90.
6. Evaluation criteria — publish the weights
A defensible municipal evaluation is typically 60% price / 30% technical (experience, materials, references) / 10% schedule & responsiveness. HOAs can run a simpler 70/30. Publishing the weights gets you better technical bids — and a paper trail if you need to defend the award.
7. Schedule and site access
- Working hours (allow Sundays for retail).
- Allowable lot-closure days and notification requirements (signage, email blasts).
- Weather contingency language — application temperature requirements per the sealer manufacturer's spec.
- Substantial-completion vs. final-completion definitions.
8. Warranty and post-job documentation
Require these as submittals after the work:
- Time-stamped before/after photos of every area.
- Application logs (gallons applied, temperatures, dates).
- One-year workmanship warranty signed by the contractor.
- Final invoice with quantities verified.
See Summit's standard warranty page for a model.
The 1-page template summary
If you'd rather start from a 1-pager than draft this from scratch, email us at info@summit-surface.com and we'll send you the editable template we share with HOA boards and small-city public-works departments at no charge. It's not a sales document — it's the framework we wish every owner used, even on jobs we don't bid.
When in doubt, do a free site walk first
The cheapest 60 minutes you'll spend on the entire project is a pre-RFP site walk with someone who's actually paving in your region. We do them for free across MT, ID, WA, ND, and SD. Call (406) 309-SEAL or schedule a site walk.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should a good pavement-maintenance RFP include?
Eight sections: site inventory, current condition, itemized scope of work, material specification (ASTM + EPA 8310 — see the coal-tar bans post), required submittals, evaluation criteria with published weights, schedule and access, and warranty plus post-job documentation. Pair the scope with the right services — crack sealing, parking-lot sealcoating, and line striping.
How should bids be weighted on a municipal pavement RFP?
A defensible municipal evaluation is typically 60% price, 30% technical (experience, materials, references), and 10% schedule and responsiveness. HOAs can simplify to 70/30. See How to Vet a Commercial Sealcoating Contractor for the technical-scoring checklist.
What material spec language should I require for sealcoat?
*Sealer shall be an asphalt-emulsion (non-coal-tar) pavement sealer meeting ASTM D-217, D-2042, D-244, D-3910, C-136, and D-562 with documented total PAH ≤ 1 ppm per EPA Method 8310 on a recent production batch.* Pitch Black® meets every clause — and the wholesale program ships the lab report with every order.
What submittals should bidders provide at bid time?
Certificate of Insurance (general liability ≥ $2M, auto, workers' comp), three references on similar-scope projects within 24 months, manufacturer data sheets, an EPA 8310 lab report, a sample warranty document, and crew credentials with equipment list. Bidders who can't produce these in 5 business days won't produce them in 90.
Does Summit Surface Partners share its RFP template?
Yes — email us at info@summit-surface.com and we'll send the editable 1-page template we share with HOA boards and small-city public-works departments at no charge. We bid across our five-state territory, including Missoula sealcoating, Bozeman sealcoating, Fargo sealcoating, and Sioux Falls sealcoating.
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