Fishery Operations

The Colorado Department of Corrections Division of Correctional Industries (CCi) issued Request for Proposal 2015000182 for Fishery Operations, a competitive procurement seeking a qualified partner to assume ownership and operational control of a tilapia hatchery and nursery facility located at the Arrowhead Correctional Facility in Canon City, Colorado. The 32,000 square-foot operation produces fry and fingerlings for sale to tilapia producers throughout the United States and includes male and female broodstock, 32 brood tanks with 200-gallon capacity, nursery tanks, and associated aquaculture equipment totaling approximately 25,000 pounds of market-size livestock distributed across multiple tank systems as of the February 2015 inventory date. Prospective bidders were required to attend a mandatory pre-proposal conference on March 30, 2015, at 10:00 AM, submit written inquiries by April 3, 2015, at 1:00 PM, and submit completed proposals by April 17, 2015, at 4:30 PM, with an anticipated award announcement on April 24, 2015, and contract start date of June 1, 2015. Bidders must propose pricing that includes an offer for identified equipment based on an independent appraisal, inventory of livestock, and proposed monthly rental fees and term length for continued facility use and labor access, with the option to maintain an offender labor agreement with CCi. The evaluation committee will assess proposals based on bidder qualifications and experience, including sustainability and growth potential, existing contracts and references, and cost considerations. All bidders must be registered with the Colorado Secretary of State and maintain specified insurance coverage including workers' compensation, commercial general liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence, and automobile liability of $1,000,000 combined single limit.

Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses meeting specific state criteria may receive preference if proposals are comparable to other responsive bids, while non-resident bidders may be subject to reciprocal preference penalties. The facility includes offender labor resources available at no additional cost to the contractor as part of ongoing monthly fees for asset realignment or tank repositioning needs, though the contractor assumes responsibility for acquiring any additional assets beyond the facility realignment services provided by the Colorado Department of Corrections. No incumbent vendor or current contractor is identified in the procurement documents, though CCi retains ownership of all equipment and livestock as of November 5, 2014, and reserves the right to decline any or all offers if not deemed in the State's best interests. The proposal evaluation will consider the sustainability and growth potential of the bidder's business plan, existing references and contract history, and the total cost of the proposed arrangement. No specific award value or budget range is disclosed in the solicitation documents; instead, the procurement solicits competitive offers for equipment acquisition, livestock inventory, and monthly operational fees for facility and labor access. All resulting contracts remain subject to Colorado's standard Special Provisions and applicable state procurement rules, with final contract validity contingent upon approval by the Colorado State Controller.