Arkansas Valley Conduit - Crowley Reach 1

The Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation seeks construction of the Arkansas Valley Conduit—Crowley Reach 1, a 5.3-mile water pipeline in Colorado, with proposals due May 29, 2026 at 2:00 PM MDT and questions due May 6, 2026. This is a total small business set-aside under FAR Part 15 competitive procedures.

Place of performance is Boone to Crowley, Colorado. The work comprises approximately 17,899 linear feet of pressure pipeline (HDPE or PVC), horizontal directional drilling for river and utility crossings, railroad bored crossings under Union Pacific and BNSF rights-of-way, trench excavation and backfill with controlled low-strength material, dewatering, utility relocation coordination, fiber optic conduit installation, cathodic protection systems, and related infrastructure. Construction must begin within 10 days of notice to proceed and be completed within 781 calendar days from contract start. An optional Price Schedule B covers railroad crossing work contingent on Union Pacific right-of-way acquisition, executable within 367 days of contract start.

Estimated project magnitude is $40 million to $65 million. NAICS code 237110 applies, with a small business size standard of $45 million. Offerors must submit all four Price Schedules (A–D) to be considered responsive; Schedule D pass-through permit costs are government-estimated at $250,125. A firm-fixed-price contract requires performance and payment bonds within 10 days of award. Bid guarantee is 20 percent of bid price or $3 million, whichever is less.

Evaluation criteria are Technical Approach and Schedule (50-page limit, addressing nine construction tasks) weighted at approximately 50 percent, Past Performance (three to five references within the past ten years, submitted as PPQs or CPARS or both) at approximately 50 percent combined with Technical, and Cost/Price reasonableness. Award goes to the responsible offeror providing best value considering all factors.

Proposals must be submitted electronically via Microsoft Teams (preferred) or Kiteworks in three separate volumes: Business Proposal (signed SF 1442, bid bond SF 24, representations and certifications from Section K, acknowledgement of amendments); Technical Proposal/Past Performance (Gantt chart schedule with Primavera Professional compatibility, crew composition, weather considerations, estimated Notice to Proceed September 11, 2026); and Pricing Proposal. Offerors must notify monica_burgio@ios.doi.gov and jamahel_fayall@ios.doi.gov no later than one week before submission.

Distinctive requirements include Davis-Bacon prevailing wage compliance for Colorado counties Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, El Paso, Jefferson, Larimer, Mesa, Pueblo, and Weld; geotechnical data addressing Cretaceous Pierre Shale bedrock with varying weathering profiles and groundwater; three project-specific areas of concern (contaminated soils and groundwater encasement in Boone requiring special trench design, limited footprint for HDD at western limits, and pending railroad crossing permits); and FAR clause 52.222-90 (Addressing DEI Discrimination by Federal Contractors). Contractor qualifications include ISO 9001 certification for pipe manufacturers with 10 years production experience and minimum 2 years foreman experience with similar pipe materials and diameters. Union Pacific railroad crossing work requires Commercial General Liability ($2 million per occurrence / $4 million aggregate), Business Automobile Coverage ($2 million per accident), Workers' Compensation ($500,000 per accident), Environmental Legal Liability ($2 million per loss / $4 million annual aggregate with five-year tail), and Railroad Protective Liability ($2 million per occurrence / $6 million aggregate), with Union Pacific listed as Additional Insured. Specifications reference AWWA, ASTM, AASHTO standards and include hydrostatic testing at 4,773 feet elevation for minimum 96 hours with maximum 5 psi pressure drop acceptance. Amendment 4, effective May 20, 2026, revised six specification sections and four drawings (Sheets 4, 41, 47, 49) with changes indicated by margin lines.