PKAA, Wandering Prospector Project

The State of Colorado, Department of Natural Resources, Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety is soliciting documented quotations for the Wandering Prospector Project (DQ1 PKAA 2026*0476), a mine closure and remediation initiative spanning Lake, Chaffee, and Pitkin Counties. The project encompasses the closure of twenty-one mine openings consisting of sixteen shafts and five adits using polyurethane foam plugs, concrete monolithic plugs, steel grating, backfill operations, and bat gate installations to preserve critical habitat and safeguard abandoned mine features. Successful bidders must submit lump sum pricing for five primary line items: mobilization and demobilization, a site health and environmental action plan (SHEAP), installation of mine closures across twenty-four distinct features with varying ownership designations (United States Forest Service and private), additional polyurethane foam (2 cubic yards), and mini excavator equipment rental (4 hours). The mandatory pre-bid meeting and site showing is scheduled for Thursday, June 4, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. Mountain Time at the Robert Emmet Mine parking area in Leadville, with attendance required for all prospective bidders. Bids must be submitted electronically through Colorado Vendor Self Service (ColoradoVSS) by 4:00 p.m. Mountain Time on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, with bid opening on Wednesday, June 24, 2026. The construction period spans July 27, 2026, through September 4, 2026, allowing forty calendar days for completion following the Notice to Proceed, including ten calendar days for mobilization. Contractors must comply with Davis-Bacon Act prevailing wage requirements, submit certified weekly payroll reports, maintain specified insurance coverage including workers' compensation and commercial general liability with minimum limits of $1,000,000, and adhere to comprehensive SHEAP specifications addressing hazard training, personal protective equipment, trenching and excavation procedures, MSHA certification requirements, fall protection, and specialized protocols including White-Nose Syndrome decontamination procedures for workers in caves and mines.

The project includes a 5% preference for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs) registered with the U.S. Small Business Administration's Center for Veteran Enterprise. The project is federally funded through the Department of the Interior's Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, and State of Colorado Severance Tax revenue, requiring compliance with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law's Buy America requirements mandating domestic sourcing of iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials unless approved waivers are obtained. The Buy Clean Colorado Act requires contractors to collect third-party verified Environmental Product Declarations for eligible materials and report transportation data for materials sourced over 100 miles from the project site. For projects exceeding $150,000, contractors must furnish Performance and Labor and Material Bonds at 100% of the contract price, with 5% retainage withheld until satisfactory project completion. Liquidated damages are assessed at $400.00 per day for project delays, and the successful bidder must be registered to do business in Colorado with executed contract documents, bonds, insurance certificates, and subcontractor lists submitted within ten days of the Notice of Intent to Award. No specific contract value or budget range is disclosed in the solicitation documents; prospective bidders should contact the single point of contact, Teresa Donaldson at Teresa.donaldson@state.co.us, for additional information regarding funding allocation or budget parameters for this remediation initiative.