Rhino Barn Gates and Interior Fencing

The City of Little Rock, located in Pulaski County, Arkansas, has issued an Invitation to Bid (ITB) for the Rhino Barn Gates and Interior Fencing project at the Little Rock Zoo. The procurement seeks a qualified contractor to install heavy-duty gates, interior fencing, poles, and ancillary services to secure the Rhino Barn facility. The project encompasses four distinct scopes of work: North Side Gate installation, West Side Gate installation, Interior Poles and Gate installation, and Paddock Pipe and Miscellaneous Services. Specific deliverables include replacing existing gates and poles with new 2-inch schedule 40 steel tubing components, installing branded SHUTIT BADASS ORIGINAL HINGES, and applying Sherwin Williams direct-to-metal oil-based paint in Chestnut Bronze. Bidders must attend a mandatory pre-bid meeting on January 21, 2026, at 10:00 AM to obtain field measurements, submit three references and project examples, and hold a current Arkansas State Contractor License. Vendor questions are due by January 30, 2026, with final bids required by February 5, 2026, at 12:00 PM Central Time through the LRPROCURE online portal.

The ITB is open to businesses authorized in the State of Arkansas, with specific licensing requirements for in-state and out-of-state vendors. The City encourages minority-owned and women-owned business partnerships as defined by Arkansas Code Annotated 15-4-303, though no specific set-aside percentages are mentioned. Bidders must provide a Certificate of Insurance with comprehensive general liability coverage of one million dollars, naming the City as additional insured. Contractors must complete the Combined Certification for Contracting, affirming they do not boycott Israel, energy industries, fossil fuels, firearms, or ammunition industries. The contract will be awarded on an "all or none basis" to the lowest qualified bidder, with pricing to remain valid for ninety days following the bid opening. The successful vendor will be responsible for all four project components, provide a one-year warranty on parts and labor, and participate in monthly vendor update meetings. While no specific budget range is detailed in the documents, the comprehensive scope suggests a substantial investment in the zoo's infrastructure security and animal containment systems.