Federal multi-well plugging contract - wirt & ritchie

The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP), Office of Oil and Gas is soliciting bids for a Federal Multi-Well Plugging Contract covering thirty-three orphaned and abandoned oil and natural gas wells located in Wirt and Ritchie Counties. The procurement is structured as an Agency Request for Quote (ARFQ) with the solicitation number DEP2600000056, focusing on comprehensive well plugging, reclamation, and permitting services. Specific deliverables include permitting activities for all wells, individual well plugging operations, and wellsite reclamation, with each well requiring pre- and post-plugging methane emissions testing. The contract mandates compliance with Davis-Bacon prevailing wage rates, Buy America requirements, and Endangered Species Act regulations. A mandatory pre-bid meeting is scheduled for December 17, 2025, at 9:00 am eastern time, with technical questions due by December 23, 2025, at 2:00 pm eastern time. Bids must be submitted electronically through the wvOASIS Vendor Self Service (VSS) system by January 9, 2026, at 10:30 am, with vendors required to provide a valid bid bond equal to five percent of their total bid amount.

The solicitation does not specify explicit set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises or small businesses. Contractors must provide performance and labor/material payment bonds each equal to 100% of the contract value, along with commercial general liability and automobile liability insurance with minimum limits of two million dollars per occurrence. The contract is federally funded under Section 40601 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and is structured as a one-year term contract with potential renewal for up to three successive one-year periods. While specific budget ranges are not explicitly stated, the comprehensive nature of the project involving thirty-three wells suggests a substantial contract value. Contractors will be responsible for obtaining all necessary permits from agencies including the WVDEP Office of Oil and Gas, West Virginia Division of Highways, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and other applicable state and federal agencies. The contract includes a six-month warranty period and imposes liquidated damages of one thousand dollars per working day for delays beyond the contract completion timeline.