ODOT State Radio Project rolls out strategy offering $8.9 million for peak season work
The Oregon Department of Transportation’s State Radio Project kicks off its busiest construction season with a new strategy to expedite the site work and create opportunities for contractors.
Over the next four months, ODOT will offer $8.9 million in civil site work for 70-plus sites statewide. The bid packages for work to upgrade Oregon’s aging public safety communications system are being offered in groups, or bundles, similar to the successful strategy employed by ODOT’s Oregon Transportation Investment Act III State Bridge Delivery Program.
The first three bundles are currently advertised on the state procurement website, Oregon Procurement Information Network (ORPIN), with more bundles added each week in the next four months.
Upcoming packages will include a statewide bundle for work at 15 sites statewide, with an estimated value of nearly $2.5 million. Another statewide bundle will be advertised within the next two months and will include 10 or more sites. The project’s smallest bundle is four sites with an estimated value of $167,000.
By bundling the work, ODOT hopes to expedite the large work load by attracting additional contractors who normally bid on larger projects. Subcontracting opportunities will also be available in a variety of work areas.
Radio project site work ranges from new installations of towers, shelters, generators, propane tanks, fencing and underground utilities to existing site improvements, such as replacing a tower, rehabbing a shelter and other upgrades. Minor repair work can include bringing the grounding system up to code, repairing fencing for security and upgrading the battery plant to be compatible with the new equipment.
By the end of the year, the sites will be ready to complete the microwave and trunking installations, creating an integrated statewide network and allowing for shared efficiencies with other users of the radio system.
For more information, visit www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/StateRadioProject.