On-call, As Needed Railroad Flagging Services throughout the State in California

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is issuing an Invitation for Bid (IFB) No. 56A0904 for on-call, as-needed railroad flagging services throughout California, with services required across 25 counties and multiple cities within Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR), Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF), and Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA)/Metrolink right-of-way corridors. The contractor shall provide all labor, tools, equipment, materials, travel, and work signs necessary to support railroad flagging services during bridge inspections conducted by Caltrans personnel, operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week on both daytime and nighttime shifts, excluding state holidays. Bid pricing must be submitted for three line items: regular daytime flagging services (estimated at 87 hours per month), night/weekend/holiday flagging services (estimated at 25 hours per month), and observer fees, with all costs including employer payments, subsistence, travel, insurance premiums, and taxes included in quoted rates. Contractors must be approved vendors of UPRR, BNSF, and SCRRA/Metrolink, maintain valid Department of Industrial Relations registration, and satisfy prevailing wage requirements if the total bid amount exceeds $15,000, with both state and federal prevailing wage rates applicable, with rates ranging from approximately $14.70 to $90.40 per hour depending on occupation and location. Required submittals include proof of vendor approval from all three railroads, bid proposals with unit prices, bid/bidder certification, California Civil Rights Laws certification, and Darfur Contracting Act certification, along with evidence of required insurance coverage including Commercial General Liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence/$2,000,000 aggregate), Automobile Liability ($1,000,000 combined single limit), and Workers' Compensation with Employer's Liability ($1,000,000). Written questions must be submitted by March 12, 2026, with bids due by 2:00 p.m. on March 19, 2026, followed by bid opening at 2:30 p.m., and the estimated award date is March 26, 2026. The contract is structured as a multiple-provider agreement on an as-needed basis with an estimated start date of April 1, 2026, and an expiration date of March 31, 2029.

Caltrans supports a 25 percent Small Business (SB) participation goal and will grant SB preference to firms certified with the Department of General Services Office of Small Business and DVBE Service; however, Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) goals do not apply to this IFB. The IFB includes a flagging bridge list identifying 63 bridges across multiple California counties where inspections and flagging services may be required. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the solicitation materials. The agreement is subject to federal funding provisions and compliance with prevailing wage determinations published by the California Department of Industrial Relations, with Addendum No. 1, issued March 9, 2026, incorporating Federal Prevailing Wage Determinations into the Proposed Form of Agreement as Attachment D and establishing mandatory wage rates based on federal prevailing wage determinations under the Service Contract Act. All covered occupations receive health and welfare benefits of $5.55 per hour (up to 40 hours per week), paid vacation accrual after one year of service, eleven paid holidays annually, and one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked (up to 56 hours per year) as required by Executive Order 13706. Specific budget or award values are not disclosed in the solicitation documents provided.