IFB Guardrail Services in Del Norte, Siskiyou, Trinity, Humboldt, Mendocino and Lake Counties

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has issued an Invitation for Bid (IFB) for guardrail services in District 01, specifically covering Del Norte, Siskiyou, Trinity, Humboldt, Mendocino, and Lake Counties. The procurement seeks a contractor to provide comprehensive guardrail repair and replacement services, including labor, materials, tools, traffic control, and equipment necessary to address damaged highway infrastructure components such as Metal Beam Guardrail (MBGR), Midwest Guardrail System (MGS) barrier, Thrie Beam Barrier, Terminal Systems, Crash Cushions, Transition Railings, End Anchor Assemblies, and channel rail. Bidders must possess a valid Department of Industrial Relations registration and either a Class A General Engineering license, C-13 Fencing Contractor license, or C-32 Parking and Highway Improvement Contractor license. The solicitation contains 113 line items with estimated quantities for various guardrail reconstruction, installation, crash cushion, and traffic control activities. Key deadlines include written questions due by January 12, 2026, and final bid submission by January 20, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time, with bid opening at 2:30 p.m. the same day. The proposed agreement will run for three years, from January 20, 2026, to January 19, 2029, with work available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The procurement includes specific provisions to encourage participation from Small Businesses (SB), Micro Businesses (MB), and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises (DVBE), offering a 5 percent preference for certified SB/MB bidders and a DVBE incentive program with a $100,000 dollar cap for combined incentives and preferences. Contractors must meet substantial insurance requirements, including $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate Commercial General Liability, $1,000,000 combined single limit Automobile Liability, and Workers' Compensation with Employer's Liability limits of $1,000,000. A bidder's bond is required for bids of $461,000 or greater at 10 percent of the total bid, and payment bonds of 100 percent of the Service Request price are mandatory for Service Requests exceeding $25,000. Prevailing wage requirements apply if the total bid amount exceeds $15,000, with wage rates determined by the Department of Industrial Relations for each county. The contract will be awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder meeting all specifications, though no specific funding amount is specified in the solicitation. The estimated agreement award date is January 27, 2026, with work to commence immediately thereafter.