CR 543 Bridge Replacement

Huerfano County is soliciting bids for the County Road 543 Bridge Replacement project located in Gardner, Colorado, which involves a comprehensive infrastructure improvement initiative. The procurement is for a single prime contract to replace an existing bridge over the Huerfano River, including roadway improvements, guardrail installation, and associated construction activities. The project requires replacing the bridge with two potential construction methods: a cast-in-place box culvert or a precast box culvert, with the county reserving the right to select the most cost-effective option. A mandatory pre-bid conference is scheduled for August 29, 2024, at 11:00 AM MST at the Raymond Aguirre Community Center, and bids will only be accepted from pre-qualified bidders who attend this conference. The bid submission deadline is September 27, 2024, at 1:00 PM MDT, with bids to be received through the Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System - BidNet Direct. Contractors must submit a comprehensive bid package including a 5% bid bond, contractor's license, lists of proposed subcontractors and suppliers, and a bidder qualification statement. The project has a substantial completion timeline of 100 calendar days and a final completion deadline of 120 calendar days, with liquidated damages set at $1,400 per day for delays.

The project is federally funded through a Federal Aid Project (BRO P2C1-004) and is subject to various federal regulations, including Davis-Bacon wage requirements and Equal Employment Opportunity provisions. While the initial Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) contract goal is set at 0%, bidders are still required to demonstrate good faith efforts in minority and women's business participation. The project includes specific environmental and safety considerations, such as protections for migratory birds, water quality control, and archaeological and cultural resource preservation. Nine construction and engineering firms were represented at the pre-bid meeting, including KLJ, Myers & Sons, Jalisco Int'l, Dazzler, ENF Inc., Fremont/United, TLM Constructors, Slide Inc., Rock ML Inc., and JMY Construction, indicating a competitive bidding environment. Although a specific total project budget is not explicitly stated, the comprehensive nature of the specifications suggests a significant infrastructure investment. The project involves detailed engineering work, including 696 cubic yards of embankment material, 134 cubic yards of topsoil, 643 linear feet of erosion logs, and 0.179 acres of native hydraulic seeding, with various construction traffic control devices required.