Request for Proposals: Airport Consultant

Huerfano County is seeking proposals for an Airport Consultant through RFP #2025-07 to provide comprehensive planning, administrative, and professional services for the Spanish Peaks Airfield located near Walsenburg, Colorado. The selected consultant will be responsible for reviewing and updating airport plans, manuals, capital improvement programs, and regulatory documents, as well as supporting financial and marketing planning, assisting with grant applications, and providing on-call planning services. Proposals are due electronically by October 1, 2025, at 4:00 PM Mountain Time through BidNet Direct, with an anticipated contract start date of November 5, 2025. The selection process will involve a detailed evaluation scoring 100 total points across five key areas: experience and reputation (20 points), personnel and qualifications (20 points), understanding and approach (20 points), fee proposal (25 points), and interview evaluation (15 points). Consultants must possess a minimum of five years of airport service experience, demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of local, state, and federal regulations, and be familiar with Federal Aviation Administration policies.

The RFP does not specify explicit set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises. The initial contract period is two years, with potential renewal at the discretion of the Board of County Commissioners. While no specific budget range is explicitly stated, the Airport Master Plan indicates the airport currently serves approximately 20 based aircraft with 5,000 annual operations and anticipates modest growth to 24 based aircraft and 5,600 annual operations by 2042. The airport's funding model relies on Federal Aviation Administration Airport Improvement Program grants covering 90% of eligible costs, with the remaining 5% matched by state and local funding. The consultant's work will support critical functions including air ambulance services, flight training, and local economic development, with key strategic objectives including extending the primary Runway 9/27 from 4,715 to 7,400 feet, upgrading crosswind runway design standards, and developing landside facilities to support business, recreational, and medical transportation users.