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CO NP ROMO 407(1) Holzwarth Culvert

TRANSPORTATION, DEPARTMENT OF.FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION.6982AF CENTRAL FEDERAL LANDS DIVISI · Response deadline: Tue, 27 Oct 2026

What the government is buying

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Central Federal Lands Division, is soliciting contractors for the CO NP ROMO 407(1) Holzwarth Culvert project. This is a highway, street, and bridge construction project located in Grand Lake, Colorado, within or near Rocky Mountain National Park (indicated by "NP ROMO," the National Park Service abbreviation for Rocky Mountain).

NAICS code 237310 covers Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction. This classification includes construction of highways, streets, roads, airport runways, public sidewalks and curbs, bridges, tunnels, and elevated highways. Culvert work typically involves installing or replacing drainage structures that allow water to flow under roads, trails, or other infrastructure—common in mountainous park terrain where stormwater and snowmelt management is critical.

Because this is a Federal Lands project, work will likely need to comply with federal construction regulations, environmental requirements for national park lands, and potentially seasonal restrictions due to weather or wildlife considerations.

Key facts

Who can bid

This is a full and open competition with no set-aside program, meaning any responsible contractor—large or small business—can submit a bid. Small businesses are not restricted from competing, but they will compete directly with larger firms with no price evaluation preference or reserved status.

To bid, a firm must:

• Be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) with active registration valid through the contract period
• Hold appropriate state contracting licenses for Colorado highway/bridge construction
• Demonstrate relevant past performance on comparable culvert, drainage, or federal lands roadway projects
• Meet FHWA's responsibility standards for construction contractors, including bonding capacity, financial capacity, and safety records

Firms without prior federal contracting experience should note that federal construction contracts require compliance with prevailing wage laws (Davis-Bacon Act), subcontracting plans if over certain thresholds, and potentially Buy America requirements for steel and iron materials.

How to put together a competitive bid

Given the project location in Rocky Mountain National Park and the tight 8-day turnaround from posting to deadline, bidders should move quickly:

Immediate priorities:

• Download the full solicitation package from SAM.gov immediately to obtain plans, specifications, and geotechnical data for the culvert replacement
• Verify bonding capacity for the project—see the solicitation for exact performance and payment bond requirements
• Assess equipment and crew mobilization costs to Grand Lake, a remote mountain community with limited contractor availability

Technical approach:

• Culvert projects in high-elevation park settings often require cold-weather construction procedures, fish passage or habitat considerations, and minimal-impact installation methods
• Schedule constraints may apply due to narrow seasonal windows in national parks; the solicitation should specify any restricted work periods
• Erosion and sediment control plans will likely require extra scrutiny given proximity to water resources

Pricing considerations:

• Material lead times for specialty culvert products (corrugated metal pipe, concrete box culverts, or arch systems) should be verified
• Federal projects require certified payrolls and Davis-Bacon wage determinations—factor prevailing wages into labor costs
• Without set-aside status, price competition will be direct; efficiency and local knowledge of Colorado mountain conditions may differentiate bids

Next steps

1. View the full solicitation on SAM.gov using solicitation number 6982AF27B000004 to obtain complete specifications, contract clauses, and amendment history
2. Note the deadline: October 27, 2026, at 2:00 PM Mountain Time—late submissions will not be accepted
3. Confirm active SAM registration and resolve any registration issues immediately
4. Evaluate bonding requirements and contact your surety if not pre-qualified for this contract size
5. Submit questions through the designated SAM.gov Q&A channel before any deadline specified in the solicitation for inquiries

Given the compressed timeline between posting and deadline, prospective bidders should prioritize obtaining and reviewing complete contract documents without delay.

View the official notice on SAM.gov →