Getting Connected with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT)
INTRODUCTION
Who is CDOT? CDOT is responsible for 9,146 miles of highway including 3,447 bridges State government agency with funding from FHWA, FTA, FAA and the state of Colorado Primarily horizontal highway construction and maintenance Billion dollar multi-modal business with 3,300 employees Approximately $400M spent annually on highway construction projects and $115M on design and engineering Mission To provide the best multi-modal transportation system for Colorado that most effectively and safely moves people, goods, and information.
Who is CDOT? More than roads and bridges Aeronautics support for local airports Grants for rural transit and rail systems Transportation safety programs Funding for municipal roadway projects Co-projects with other transportation agencies (e.g., RTD) Rail interconnectivity future
Organization Structure
Transportation Regions
DOING BUSINESS WITH CDOT
What CDOT Buys There are 3 primary categories in which CDOT makes purchases Purchasing professional services, supplies and commodities Contracting for highway construction projects Contracting of design and engineering consultant services CDOT also purchases other low cost and special services General purchases of less than $25,000 Safety grant programs Emergency maintenance services
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES SUPPLIES AND COMMODITIES
Selling Professional Services, Commodities and Supplies to CDOT Goods and services for operations such as: Janitorial supplies and services Office supplies Heavy tow service Trailer mounted variable message signs Professional services Procurement managed by Colorado State Purchasing Office Must be registered on Colorado Bid Information Distribution System (BIDS) $40 annual registration fee
State Purchasing of Goods and Services
Colorado BIDS Solicitation Listing
Colorado BIDS Solicitation Listing
Selling Professional Services, Commodities and Supplies to CDOT Construction and Design Notices: State government facility and building construction Professional services > $100,000 Construction services > $25,000 Office of the State Architect Notification system separate from BIDS No registration fee
State Office of the Architect Purchasing
Construction and Design Notices
Types of Solicitations for Goods and Services Documented Quote Invitation for Bid (IFB) Request for Qualifications (RFQ) Request for Proposal (RFP) State Commodity & Service Pricing Agreements Each solicitation is different. The specifications, rules and instructions for responding are outlined in the solicitation document.
HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS
Selling Highway Construction Services to CDOT Contracts to construct, improve, repair, and maintain roads, bridges and other transportation facilities Projects range in size from small preventative maintenance work to multi-year, multi-million dollar highway construction CDOT terms these vendors contractors or bidders CDOT hires only prime contractors and the prime contractor hires all other firms, including subcontractors, material suppliers, truckers, fabricators and manufacturers Prime contractors must be prequalified by CDOT Small business path to entry is typically through subcontracting
Traditional Solicitations for Highway Construction Invitation for Bid (IFB) Advertised in bid notices and on the CDOT website Sealed competitive bid opening Electronic bid preparation using Electronic Bid Software (EBS) called Expedite Online bid submission using Bid Express (BIDX) System Award based upon lowest responsive and responsible bid Bid tabulations posted on CDOT s website
CDOT Construction Bid Listing
CDOT Construction Bid Tabulation
Basic Requirements You must be prepared to work as a contractor for CDOT Prequalification (CDOT Form 66) Standard specifications Standard special provisions Project special provisions Bid rules Special contract requirements Insurance Licenses Bonding Prevailing wage Certified payroll
Finding Construction Contracting Opportunities Advertisements ( Ad Notice ) of open solicitations Go Sheet of upcoming projects Prequalified prime contractor directory Plan holders listing Bid tabulations and cost data BIDX lettings and small business network Regional CDOT Project Engineers Regional Civil Rights Managers Pre-bid conferences and industry events Teaming and subcontracting
DESIGN & ENGINEERING CONTRACTS
Selling Consultant Services to CDOT Professional consulting services that help construct, improve, repair, and maintain roads, bridges and other transportation facilities Types of contracted services are diverse and include: Design Engineering Inspection Surveying Environmental Construction Management Intelligent Transportation Systems Traffic Studies CDOT terms these vendors consultants for design & engineering projects Does NOT include professional services from attorneys, accountants, insurance agents, brokers, information technology, etc. These are contracted through the state procurement process.
Traditional Solicitations for Consultants Request for Statement of Interest or Invitation for Consultant Services Advertised in design notices on the CDOT website Project specific (PS) or Non-project specific (NPS) Submit of a Statement of Interest (SOI) and Work Plan Scoring form and a tally of points used to compare vendors Award based upon most qualified
CDOT Consultant Notices
Statement of Interest (SOI)
Basic Requirements You must be prepared to work as a consultant for CDOT Prequalification (CDOT Form 1058) Statement of Interest Contract or subcontract requirements and conditions Design bulletins and manuals Special contract requirements Professional insurance Auto insurance P.E. licenses Audited overhead rates
Finding Consulting Contracting Opportunities Teaming and subcontracting Prequalified prime consultant directory Regional CDOT Project Engineers Industry and association events Advertised projects and upcoming consultant service needs Innovative contracting project websites Note: When you see a request for consultant services listed publically, it is probably too late to be in a position to compete for the work. Make sure to establish your teaming role with the prime and/or Project Engineer before the project is released.
ALTERNATIVE PROCUREMENT TYPES
Alternative Procurement Types Purchase card Credit card purchases for less than $25,000 Requires a merchant account to accept payment Emergency maintenance services Safety grant programs Innovative contracting
Innovative Contracting Most common method is Design-Build Combination of design (consultant) and build (construction) projects Advertised in bid notices and on the CDOT website Request for Letters of Interest Request for Qualifications Request for Proposals Award based upon qualifications or low bid or combination
CDOT Innovative Bid Listing
CDOT Innovative Bid Listing
CDOT CONTRACTING SUMMARY
CDOT Contract Opportunities Colorado State Procurement CDOT Contracts and Market Analysis Janitorial supplies Office supplies Heavy tow service Variable message signs Parts and maintenance Equipment and machinery Aggregates Professional services Information technology Highway maintenance Project materials Site prep and cleanup Professional services Public involvement Traffic studies Planning Traffic control Trucking Painting and striping Asphalt paving Electrical installation Masonry Geotechnical services Environmental mitigation Construction management ITS Certain types of opportunities may be listed by the State or CDOT so you need to check both procurement systems
SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS
Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Federally Mandated Program U.S. DOT program administered by CDOT Center for EO Federal statute 49 CFR Part 26 Helps disadvantaged businesses compete for transportation contracts Qualifications Small for profit business concern 51% owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individual(s) Most minority and all women owners presumed to be disadvantaged SBA business size standard Maximum 3 year average revenue of $22.41M and Personal net worth cap of $1.3M
Unified Certification Program (UCP) Application with supporting documentation and site visit Certification by either CDOT or City and County of Denver DBE certification recognized and used by other local agencies (e.g., RTD, municipalities, regional airports) Other agencies may consider different types of businesses for DBE certification beyond highway transportation projects Listing on Colorado UCP Directory
How CDOT Implements the DBE Program Overall annual FHWA and FTA DBE goals Project specific goals set as percentage of total project value DBE percentage is reserved for DBE participation only Prime contractors must meet goal or show a good faith effort Monitoring, reporting and compliance
Benefits of the DBE Program Listed publicly in the Colorado UCP DBE Directory Prime contractors actively seek out DBE firms to meet goals Provides a competitive advantage for subcontractors to promote small business growth Support services such as training and technical assistance Special mailings and notices of contracting and other opportunities
Emerging Small Business (ESB) State Funded Program Race and gender neutral emerging small business program Authorized by Colorado State Legislature Specific to CDOT only Does NOT apply to other local agencies Qualifications Small for profit business concern 50% of SBA business size standard for type of work Maximum 3 year average revenue of $11.205M Must provide services in a CDOT eligible area of work May also be a DBE certified firm
How CDOT Implements its ESB Program ESB application and orientation session Optional incentive-based ESB goal on CDOT projects ESB target percentage is reserved for ESB participation only Prime contractors receive incentives to use ESB subcontractors ESB restricted projects for ESB bidding only Strong encouragement for prime contractors to utilize ESBs
Benefits of the ESB Program Prime contractors actively seek out ESB firms to meet optional target participation amount Listed publicly in the CDOT ESB Directory Limited competition for ESB restricted projects Special mailings and notices of contracting and other opportunities Support services such as training and technical assistance
Small Business Support Services Connect2DOT Provided by the Colorado Small Business Development Centers Available to DBE and ESB contractors and consultants statewide Free business support and technical services One-on-one consulting Workshops and training Access to project plans and bid documents Reverse trade fairs CDOT Center for Equal Opportunity One-on-one consulting with CDOT small business specialists Up to $300 per year in tuition reimbursements Internal training and small business forums Free BIDX accounts
READY, SET, GO!
Keys to Success Do your homework Get prequalified Get certified Attend CDOT and industry events, forums and meetings Network and team Identify key contacts Leverage CDOT and SBDC resources Bid with knowledge and insight Be persistent
Ready to Connect2DOT? Schedule a free one-on on-one one consultation today! Denver Small Business Development Center (303) 620-8076 info@denversbdc.org www.denversbdc.org/programs/connect2dot