Lead Abatement Contractors
There is opportunity for lead abatement contractors to get paid fixing homes and protecting children!
In Grand Rapids, more than 30,000 homes were built before 1978 - the year lead-based paint was banned. Dozens of trained professionals are needed to ensure the lead-based paint in each of these properties is maintained and to ensure children are protected.
Every year, the City of Grand Rapids secures and spends millions of dollars in State, federal and local resources to help property owners abate lead hazards. Recently the City was awarded another $6.6 million in federal funding to fix homes. This comes in addition to Medicaid funds received each year to fix lead hazards in the homes of the children with the highest blood lead levels. In addition, larger projects receiving HUD funds are also required to have lead hazards abated. This results in more than 60 lead projects every year.
State-certified lead abatement contractors who are paid to make the repairs that keep children safe are the front line in this effort. Would you like to be a part of this opportunity?
See below to learn how.
Apply to be a City-Approved Lead Abatement Contractor
Requirements
- Participating contractors must have the following licenses and certifications
- The firm must be a State of Michigan (MDHHS) certified Lead Abatement Firm (see this sample Firm License(PDF))
- At least one employee must be a State-licensed Lead Abatement Supervisor
- The firm must be EPA-accredited to conduct RRP activities (see this sample EPA certificate(PDF))
- The firm must have a State of Michigan Residential Builder's License
- The firm must have general liability, auto, and workers compensation insurance in effect that meets the standards of this document(PDF)
- The firm must have the financial capacity to manage payroll and suppliers until projects are completed
- The firm must have positive customer references (the City may ask to inspect past work to ensure quality)
- Required background checks will be conducted
LINC UP partners with the City on contractor recruitment efforts and supports contractor training and development. Laura St. Louis from LINC UP can walk alongside you and guide you the whole way. Contact her at (616) 406-8038 or Laura@lincrev.org or fill out this convenient online form and Laura will get in contact with you.
Do you have questions about how to get City-approved? Contact the City's Housing Rehabilitation Office by calling (616) 456-3030 or emailing lhcp@grcity.us.
Application Documents
How Much Work is There?
A total of about $1.3 million is anticipated to be expended annually for lead abatement work. The City expects to facilitate approximately 75 lead abatement jobs each year. On average, jobs involve around $18,000 in contracted abatement work, more if combined with non-lead work like roofing and other repairs.
What Can I Expect?
Once you are approved as a City lead abatement contractor, you must register with the City's Purchasing Department. The City offers electronic funds transfer for timely payment, or you may opt for a printed check.
Because the program receives federal funds, you must also obtain a Unique Entity ID (UEI) number from the federal government if you do not have one already,
Once these tasks are completed, you will receive bid opportunity notifications for lead hazard control jobs.
The Bid Process
We use a competitive, sealed bid process to ensure fairness and reasonable pricing. For each lead hazard control project, the City develops work specifications and cost estimates.
The bid process includes:
- A project walk-through. Contractors must be present at the walk-through to be eligible to bid.
- Sealed bids are due on or before the date and time indicated in the bid request, typically within 10 days of the walk-through.
- Bids received are presented to the property owner who selects the contractor.
Inspections / Oversight
All lead hazard control work must be performed by State of Michigan certified lead abatement professionals.
A City Housing Rehabilitation Specialist will visit the job site most days to check on progress, to ensure work is meeting City standards, and to ensure work is completed in compliance with State lead abatement rules.
All jobs must pass a clearance examination conducted by a third-party lead inspector or risk assessor hired by the contracting firm. The firm may elect to conduct partial clearances so that families may have access to the home (ex. interior clearance) and so the contractor may receive partial payment.
Getting Paid
Some projects are big and take time. To help contractors with cash flow, the City offers the opportunity for partial payment after interior clearance is achieved. The final payment will then be issued after all work and punch list items are completed and suppliers, subcontractors, and the property owner signoff on lien waivers.
While it's more the exception than the rule, we understand that in a limited number of special cases a change order may be needed. To keep the bidding process fair, all change orders must be documented, submitted in writing, and approved by staff before work is performed.
More Information
For more information on our program, see this handy FAQ.(PDF)
Documents for Certified Firms
- Full Unconditional Waiver Form(PDF)
- Sworn Statement(XLSX) (Grand Rapids)
- Subcontractor Activity Report(XLSX) (Grand Rapids Section 3 Report)
- Occupant Protection Plan (State of Michigan)
- Notification of Lead Abatement Activity (State of Michigan)
