A grounding bid specification guide helps project managers and procurement professionals define the scope of work for electrical grounding, bonding, lightning protection, and corrosion control services. It provides suggested bid language, governing standards, and a printable master checklist for IEEE 80 projects.
A complete grounding specification should address soil resistivity testing (IEEE Std. 81), grounding system design (IEEE Std. 80 or IEEE Std. 142), installation standards (NEC Article 250), and acceptance testing. Specifying the required deliverables — test reports, design calculations, and as-built drawings — protects the project owner and ensures the contractor meets the engineering standard of care.
Evaluate proposals by verifying the contractor holds a Professional Engineer (PE) license in the project state, has experience with the applicable IEEE and NFPA standards, and can provide sample deliverables from comparable projects. Price alone is not a sufficient criterion for grounding work — an under-designed grounding system creates personnel safety and equipment protection risks that far exceed the cost of the original specification.
E&S Grounding Solutions provides bid specification consulting, proposal review, and owner's engineering services for grounding and lightning protection projects nationwide. Contact us to discuss your project requirements.