CAVEA Lighting

Auraria Higher Education Center is soliciting documented quotes on behalf of Metropolitan State University of Denver for the CAVEA theater lighting upgrade in Denver, Colorado, with a mandatory pre-bid conference and site tour on November 4, 2026 at 2:30 p.m. and quotes due November 16, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Mountain Time. The solicitation applies Colorado resident bidder preference, and bidders must meet State-set minimum qualifications.

Bidders must not have been previously terminated by the State for non-performance, must have operated under the same business name for two years, and must show contracting experience on at least two projects exceeding $140,000 in hard costs. Attendance at the mandatory pre-bid conference is required. The AHEC quote requires at least 80% of work performed by Colorado residents, while the State Office of the State Architect's Documented Quote Form states that the 80% Colorado labor, Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, apprenticeship, and prevailing wage requirements do not apply to Metropolitan State University of Denver projects.

The scope replaces existing theatrical track lighting with individually addressable, DMX-controlled track-head fixtures, installs an updated lighting control station, and completes associated electrical work at the CAVEA facility, 890 Auraria Parkway, Denver, Colorado 80204. Work also includes removing existing fluorescent luminaires and installing tunable white LED fixtures in recessed, surface, and track mounts. The new dimming system centers on an ETC Unison DRd12-24-120 dimmer panel with 24 circuits fed from existing panel L4B3, and the contractor must connect new lighting to the existing lighting control system and ensure full operational functionality. Electrical outages require coordination with the owner's representative at least two weeks in advance, Method of Procedure submissions four weeks in advance, and off-hours work. Bidders must comply with Colorado reporting requirements for embodied carbon of eligible materials and Environmental Product Declarations meeting Global Warming Potential limits set by the Office of the State Architect. Hot work permits are required three working days in advance, and the Auraria Campus is tobacco-free.

Bids require one hard-copy quote with a bid bond of 5% and a qualifications summary, and bid prices hold for 30 days. Under C.R.S. 38-26-106, contracts of $150,000 or more require payment and performance bonds of at least 50% of contract value, with bonding costs included in the bid. Late quotes are rejected. The State Office of the State Architect's Information for Bidders states that the contract goes to the lowest responsible bidder, considering the Colorado resident bidder preference.

Questions are due November 9, 2026 at 4:00 p.m., and the final addendum is anticipated November 11, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. Public bid opening follows the quote deadline immediately. Award intent notification is anticipated November 23, 2026, with purchase order issuance December 1, 2026. Construction runs December 14, 2026 through January 15, 2027, with the theater operational by January 16, 2027.