AHEC-25925-D - Capital IT Project, Phase I (CCD Fiber)

The Auraria Higher Education Center is soliciting bids for the Capital IT Project, Phase I (CCD Fiber), with a solicitation number of DQ1-GMAA-2026000523-3, posted on June 24, 2026, and a response deadline of June 29, 2026, at 2:00 PM Mountain Time. The procurement is for construction contracting services to install a 24-fiber singlemode OSP armored fiber optic network spanning approximately 3,500 feet, along with three 3-inch Maxcell cells and a 24-ST splice cassette, with an estimated project cost of $80,000. The work will be performed at the Aurora Higher Education Center in Denver, Colorado, and is governed by Colorado state laws, including prevailing wage requirements for projects over $500,000, apprenticeship utilization standards for contracts exceeding $1 million, and a mandatory requirement that at least 80% of labor hours be performed by Colorado residents. The award will be made to the lowest responsible bidder under a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) methodology, with no trade-offs allowed between price and technical compliance. All bids must include bid security equal to 5% of the submitted bid amount, performance and payment bonds at 50% of the contract value, and full documentation including certificates of insurance, affidavits regarding illegal aliens, and environmental product declarations meeting specified Global Warming Potential thresholds. Contractors must also certify their business status, including any claim to Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business status, which requires VA certification. Bidders are required to attend a mandatory pre-bid conference held at the Facilities Management office in Denver and must submit proposals electronically via ColoradoVSS or BidNet Digital, or physically to the AHEC Procurement Services office with prior arrangements. Proposals must fully complete the Documented Quote Form, provide accurate timeframes from Notice to Proceed to Substantial Completion and from Substantial Completion to Final Acceptance, and include signed affidavits on labor compliance and service location. Fiber installation must meet strict technical standards including maximum connector loss of 0.5 dB per mated pair, maximum splice loss of 0.1 dB per fusion splice, and bidirectional insertion loss within the calculated budget plus a 0.5 dB margin, verified through OTDR and insertion loss testing using calibrated equipment. Final acceptance requires submission of as-built drawings,