RFP-165-26 merp package - cumberland & adair counties

The Commonwealth of Kentucky Finance and Administration Cabinet, Division of Engineering and Contract Administration, on behalf of the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet, Division of Oil and Gas, is issuing Request for Proposal (RFP) RFP-165-26 for the Methane Emissions Reduction Program (MERP) Package 2 covering Cumberland and Adair Counties. This firm-fixed-price procurement seeks qualified contractors to provide well plugging and remediation services for six identified oil and gas wells (Kentucky Well Permit Numbers 44137, 45282, 67883, 112952, 113053, and 113338). The scope of work includes plugging abandoned oil and gas wells, conducting comprehensive site reclamation, managing remediation of TENORM (technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive material) where applicable, and restoring wellsites and access roads to original conditions. Proposals must be submitted electronically through the Kentucky Vendor Self Service portal by January 9, 2026, at 3:00 PM Eastern Time, with written questions from vendors due by December 15, 2025, and Commonwealth responses provided by December 19, 2025. The contract award is anticipated for February 13, 2026, with substantial completion required within 180 calendar days from contract award and final completion one year thereafter. Evaluation criteria allocate 45 of 70 total points to pricing (lowest bid receives maximum points with proportional reduction for higher bids) and 25 points to the technical proposal, which is assessed based on prime and subcontractor experience and project history, equipment adequacy, completeness of the work plan, and past performance with the Division of Oil and Gas. All bidders must submit a bid guarantee of not less than 5 percent of the lump sum base bid and, if selected, provide 100 percent performance and payment bonds within five calendar days of award, with liquidated damages of $200 per calendar day applying for delays beyond completion deadlines.

The Commonwealth provides reciprocal preference to Kentucky resident bidders, and preference points are available for qualified bidders or the Department of Corrections Division of Prison Industries. Bidders must certify they have no current or past affiliations with parties that owned, operated, or abandoned the wells included in the project scope. Required insurance coverage includes commercial general liability with minimum combined single limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $3,000,000 annual aggregate, automobile liability of $500,000, and workers' compensation with statutory benefits. The project is subject to Davis Bacon federal prevailing wage requirements, with current wage rate schedules attached as exhibits to Addendum No. 1, effective December 16, 2025. If TENORM-impacted metals are discovered exceeding twice background levels, the Contractor will be reimbursed documented disposal costs plus ten percent administrative costs upon receipt of satisfactory documentation and shipping/disposal manifests. No specific contract award value or budget range is provided in the solicitation documents; however, the Commonwealth reserves the right to delete individual sites and adjust the contract price accordingly based on individual site costs submitted by the Contractor. The contract is governed by Kentucky law, with a pre-construction conference to be held no later than ten calendar days after contract execution with mandatory attendance by authorized representatives of the Owner, Architect/Engineer, Contractor, and major subcontractors.