RFP-228-26 merp 4 - meade county

The Commonwealth of Kentucky, through the Finance and Administration Cabinet's Division of Engineering and Contract Administration, in partnership with the Kentucky Energy and Environmental Cabinet and Division of Oil and Gas, is soliciting competitive proposals via Request for Proposal (RFP-228-26) for the Methane Emission Reduction Program (MERP) 4 project in Meade County. This firm fixed-price procurement seeks construction and remediation services for orphan well plugging and reclamation at six identified well sites (permit numbers 79456, 77171, 78274, 87859, 87860, and 88042). The scope of work encompasses plugging wells from total depth to surface, conducting wellbore inspections, performing cement operations, detecting gas, addressing TENORM (Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material) concerns, and reclaiming well sites and access roads. Bidders must submit responses through the Kentucky Vendor Self-Service system and the State of Kentucky Projects collaboration portal by April 2, 2026, at 3:00 PM Eastern Time, with vendor written questions due by March 13, 2026, and the Commonwealth's responses issued by March 19, 2026. Evaluation criteria include a 45-point cost evaluation based on proportional pricing (lowest bid receives full points), technical proposals scored on a 25-point scale assessing prime and subcontractor experience, project history, equipment adequacy, work plan completeness, and past performance with the Division of Oil and Gas, for a combined maximum score of 70 points. The contract requires substantial completion within 365 calendar days from award, with final completion within one additional year thereafter, and includes liquidated damages of $200 per calendar day for delays beyond completion deadlines.

The RFP does not specify set-aside designations or restrictions on organization types eligible to respond. Bidders must provide bid bond guarantees of not less than five percent of the lump sum base bid, with 100% performance and payment bonds required within five calendar days of award. Contractors must maintain comprehensive insurance coverage including $1,000,000 commercial general liability with the Commonwealth named as additional insured, comply with Davis-Bacon Act wage requirements and Equal Employment Opportunity regulations for projects exceeding $500,000, and certify they have no affiliation with previous well owners or operators. The Commonwealth of Kentucky is not tax exempt, making the winning bidder liable for Kentucky sales and use tax. The contract will reimburse contractors for TENORM-impacted metal disposal costs exceeding twice background levels upon submission of appropriate documentation and shipping manifests, plus ten percent administrative costs. The specific total contract value and funding source are not identified in the RFP documentation; however, proposal evaluation is scheduled for April 15, 2026, with contract award anticipated by May 1, 2026.