Invitation for Bids for Construction of Fresno Station Early Works

The California High-Speed Rail Authority has released an Invitation for Bids (IFB No. HSR25-12) for the Fresno Station Early Works construction project, which encompasses comprehensive improvements to the historic Fresno Southern Pacific Railroad Depot and surrounding urban areas in Fresno County and Fresno City. The project scope includes accessibility improvements, hazardous materials abatement and removal, seismic retrofitting of the historic depot, and development of plazas serving two future station entrances in downtown and Chinatown areas. Specific deliverables include utility upgrades, relocations and connections, demolition, park and plaza development, multimodal station parking, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The procurement requires contractors to possess a valid Class A and/or Class B California Contractors State License Board license and submit bids exclusively through the Trimble Unity Construct Bid Portal. Key procurement dates include an in-person pre-bid conference and job walk on December 18, 2025, bidder inquiries due by December 26, 2025, and bids due on February 9, 2026, at noon Pacific time, with bid opening at 2 p.m. the same day. The contract will be awarded on a lowest-bid basis, evaluating responsiveness, responsibility, past performance, and bid price.

The procurement includes significant small business and disadvantaged enterprise participation goals, including a 25 percent Small Business utilization target (with 3 percent reserved for Microbusinesses), a 10 percent Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) goal, and a 3 percent Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) goal. Contractors must comply with the Community Benefits Agreement and National Targeted Hiring Initiative Plan, which requires 30 percent of project work hours to be performed by National Targeted Workers, with at least 10 percent of those hours completed by Disadvantaged Workers. The project is funded through a blend of federal (69 percent) and state (31 percent) funds, including Federal Railroad Administration grants, and is subject to Buy America requirements. The contract has an estimated value of $50 million and a performance period of 505 working days, with contract execution and Notice to Proceed anticipated in March 2026. All subcontractors must be registered with the California Department of Industrial Relations, and the project will adhere to prevailing wage requirements and Davis-Bacon Act compliance.