PKAA-1000-Bells Gap Project

The State of Colorado, Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (DRMS) issued an Invitation for Bid (IFB) for the PKAA-1000-Bells Gap Project, a mine reclamation initiative located in Huerfano County west and northwest of Walsenburg. The project scope involves safeguarding twenty-two mine subsidence features using machine backfill closure methods, with ten features guaranteed and nine additional features pending landowner consent. Work deliverables include site grading, topsoil stripping and replacement, installation of imported rockfill materials (ranging from ten to thirty cubic yards depending on feature specifications), fence removal and replacement, removal of branches and wood from subsidence features, revegetation with hay or straw mulch, and development of a comprehensive Safety, Health, and Environmental Action Plan (SHEAP). Bidders must submit sealed bids by 4:00 p.m. on August 23, 2016, with bid opening scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on August 24, 2016; a mandatory pre-bid meeting and site inspection was held on August 9, 2016. Construction work is scheduled between September 26, 2016 and November 25, 2016, with a completion deadline of 61 calendar days from the Notice to Proceed. Evaluation criteria include the lowest grand total price, contractor equipment adequacy, and capability to meet performance time requirements. Bidders must provide a bid bond equal to five percent of the total bid price, performance and labor/material payment bonds for one hundred percent of the contract price, equipment lists, proof of insurance coverage, project schedules, and OSHA/MSHA certifications prior to contract execution.

Colorado labor law restrictions require that eighty percent of laborers employed on this project be Colorado residents. The project is funded by federal grant money from the U.S. Department of Interior, Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement through Title IV of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (CFDA 15.252), with all features funded through Huerfano County OSM funding. Award will be made to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. Retainage terms are structured based on bid amount: bids between $50,000 and $149,999 will have ten percent retainage withheld until project completion and advertisement, while bids of $150,000 or more will have five percent retainage held. Liquidated damages of $400.00 per day apply for delays in project completion. The project includes two non-guaranteed contingency line items for additional imported common fill (50 cubic yards) and machine time (10 hours), allowing for flexibility in final contract pricing based on actual site conditions and owner approval.