199-18577-008 (B41) The Cedars Natural Area Preserve, Southwest Region Natural Area Improvements

The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation is issuing an Invitation for Bids (IFB) for natural area preserve improvements at The Cedars Natural Area Preserve in Lee County, Virginia (Project Code 199-18577-008 (B41)). This sealed-bid procurement seeks a contractor to construct a new parking area and demolish several abandoned structures, including the Smith Heirs Dairy Barn, pole barn, Smith Concrete Slab, Coy and Maxicope House with shed and outhouse, and two additive bid items for the Wilder-Free House and Rajbansee House with associated outbuildings. The base bid work encompasses parking facility construction featuring 18-foot gravel stalls, a 24-foot drive aisle, ADA-accessible van parking, 61 linear feet of concrete sidewalks, and 267 linear feet of vehicle fencing, along with demolition of the first two residential structures and restoration of sites to natural condition through topsoiling, seeding with Annual Rye Grass at 60 pounds per acre minimum, and erosion control measures. Qualified bidders must hold a Class A Virginia Contractor License, be registered as vendors in eVA, and provide a Bid Bond equal to five percent of the total bid amount, with Standard Performance and Labor and Material Payment Bonds required upon award. Substantial completion is required within 150 consecutive calendar days from the Notice to Proceed, with final completion within 30 days thereafter. A mandatory pre-bid conference was held on March 12, 2026, at Cedar Hill Country Club in Jonesville, Virginia, with sealed bids due by 2:00 P.M. on April 1, 2026, and public bid opening scheduled for April 2, 2026, at The Lane Group, Inc. in Abingdon, Virginia. The project documents are available for free download from eVA or for purchase from The Lane Group for a $100 refundable deposit per set plus a $50 non-refundable shipping charge per set.

The contract documents do not identify any specific set-aside designations or restrictions limiting participation to disadvantaged enterprises or other protected categories of organizations, indicating this is an open competition available to all qualified bidders meeting the licensing and registration requirements. No incumbent vendor or current contractor is identified in the procurement documents. The contract will be awarded on a lump sum basis to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder for the Total Base Bid Amount, with two additive bid items available for the owner's discretion at sequential pricing, and a 5% retainage withheld from progress payments until final payment. The bidder documents do not specify an exact total project value or budget range; however, the prevailing wage requirements and contract administration procedures indicate the project cost may exceed $250,000. Contractors must maintain comprehensive insurance coverage including workers' compensation, general liability of $2 million per occurrence, automobile liability of $1 million, and all-risk builder's risk insurance, and must comply with E-Verify requirements if employing more than 50 employees, Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code standards, and all applicable environmental and worker safety regulations.