How to bid on South Rim Drive roadside restoration for the Federal Highway Administration

What the agency is buying and why it matters

The Federal Highway Administration, on behalf of the National Park Service, is planning a project to restore roadside safety on South Rim Drive in Montrose, CO. This follows damage from a wildfire event. The work involves removing existing hazards and installing new safety barriers.

The project includes removing 115 boulders and 475 linear feet of guardrail, preparing sites, and installing approximately 4,100 linear feet of specialized weathered-look guardrail at 12 locations. This is an opportunity for construction firms to contribute to public safety and infrastructure within a national park setting.

Key dates and what happens at the deadline

This is a Request for Information (RFI), not a request for bids. The deadline to submit your interest is August 7, 2026, by 2:00 PM Denver time (4:00 PM ET).

By this deadline, you must email your statement of intent, socioeconomic categories, bonding letter, and a list of relevant past projects to [email protected] (Attn: Denise Martinez). The agency will use this information to determine if the project can be set aside for specific small business programs. The actual bid is expected to be advertised in mid-September 2026, with construction anticipated from early April to late May 2027.

Who this opportunity suits

This opportunity is suitable for qualified prime contractors in road construction, particularly those with experience in selective boulder removal, site grading, base preparation, specialized guardrail procurement and installation, and traffic control. The estimated cost range for the project is between $700,000 and $2,000,000.

The RFI specifically seeks interest from small businesses, HUBZone small businesses, woman-owned small business concerns, 8(a) small businesses, and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses. Your firm must be capable of bonding for a single project of $2 million.

How to respond to this RFI

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To respond to this RFI, you must email the required documents to [email protected] (Attn: Denise Martinez) by the August 7, 2026, deadline. Your submission must include: a positive statement of your intention to bid as a Prime Contractor, a list of all confirmed socioeconomic categories that apply to your business, a letter from a bonding agent stating your firm’s capability to bond for a single project of $2 million and your aggregate bonding capacity, and a list of road construction projects of equal or greater value and scope that included selective boulder removal and dispersal, site grading and base preparation, specialized guardrail procurement and installation, and traffic control and sequencing. Do not send information on projects that do not include this specific work.

Practical tips for preparing a competitive response

Ensure your bonding letter clearly states both your single project bonding capacity of at least $2 million and your aggregate bonding capacity. This is a critical requirement for demonstrating your firm's financial capability.

When listing past projects, strictly adhere to the requested scope. Only include projects that specifically involved selective boulder removal and dispersal, site grading and base preparation, specialized guardrail procurement and installation, and traffic control and sequencing. Providing irrelevant project information may detract from your submission.

Verify your firm's socioeconomic categories and ensure they are accurately represented. This RFI is specifically designed to identify potential set-aside opportunities, so clear and correct categorization is important. Also, confirm your firm is certified in the System for Award Management (SAM).