Pololu Trail Historic Restoration and Stabilization Project

The State of Hawaii, Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), Division of Forestry & Wildlife-Hawaii District is soliciting competitive bids through an Invitation for Bids (IFB) for the Pololu Trail Historic Restoration and Stabilization Project located in North Kohala on Hawaii Island. The procurement encompasses three distinct line items: constructing approximately 50 feet of concrete steps with stone inlay in historic style using concrete stamping techniques; hardening approximately 500 feet of trail tread with locally sourced large stones placed dry to create steps, cobbling, and drainage systems; and stabilizing and repairing loose cobbling over approximately 1,400 feet of trail. Bidders must submit separate pricing for each line item and bid on all items to qualify for selection, though award of individual line items is contingent upon bid amounts and available budget. The project must be completed within 12 months of notice to proceed, and bidders are required to submit questions by April 25, 2026, with bid closure at 2:00 PM on May 5, 2026, and bid opening on April 22, 2026. Contractors must hold an appropriate State of Hawaii contractors license, demonstrate experience with traditional Hawaiian stone masonry techniques and preferably prior work in the Kohala district, and submit a bid bond, performance bond, material bond, and payment bond with their proposals. Required qualifications include HCE (Hawaii Compliance Express) compliance, minimum insurance coverage of $2,000,000 combined single limit Commercial General Liability and $1,000,000 motor vehicle coverage, and compliance with prevailing wage rates established by the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations with weekly certified payroll documentation.

The procurement includes a workforce composition requirement mandating that Hawaii residents comprise at least 80 percent of the workforce in accordance with Act 68, SLH 2010. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are referenced in the solicitation documents. The project must maintain public trail access during construction, with any periodic closures requiring coordination with the project contact at least two weeks in advance. The project is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) through a University of Hawaii project focused on ecosystem restoration and climate resilience, though specific funding amounts or budget ranges are not disclosed in the available solicitation materials. Site visits are recommended for prospective bidders but have no designated date. All contract terms will be executed under Hawaii state law using the standard AG-008 General Conditions form, with offerors required to certify compliance with Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 84 regarding prohibited state contracts and attest that pricing was independently arrived at without collusion.