Wednesday, August 19, 2026, 1:30 p.m. (Denver time), City & County Building, room 391
The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee heard two items. First, DOTI and Division of Small Business Opportunities staff presented requests to extend Small Business Enterprise (SBE) prime on-call contracts for project management (2023 contracts with $3 million capacities) and for general civil construction (restoring firms to original $5 million capacities), explaining the on-call mechanism, self-performance requirements, and how one firm (Gilmore) has been unresponsive to proposals. Council members asked about why the contracts were not re-bid, SBE certification requirements, prevailing wage, and apprenticeship; the item was voted out of committee to full council. Second, staff briefed the committee on the Welton Street Next Steps project, covering the project timeline, alternatives analysis for the D/L Line corridor and the planned central rail extension on Downing Street, and upcoming engagement, with RTD Director Michael Guzman discussing federal grant funds for full-depth reconstruction. Nine items sat on consent and the meeting adjourned.
0:08 Welcome. A Denver. It's time
0:10 for this biweekly meeting of
0:11 the Transportation and
0:12 Infrastructure Committee of
0:17 Denver City Council. Join us
0:18 for the transportation and
0:19 Infrastructure Committee.
0:25 Starting now. Good afternoon,
0:27 everyone. And welcome to
0:27 Transportation and
0:28 Infrastructure Committee. My
0:31 name is not on because I have
0:32 the honor of chairing this
0:34 We'll start with the council
0:35 member introductions and will
0:35 start on my left with counsel
0:38 member from that. I was able
0:39 thank you. Committee Chair
0:43 Darrell Watson District 9.
0:45 Chris, I'm from even finer
0:46 something perfect district.
0:50 All Kevin Flynn Council
0:52 district 2 home, the highest
0:56 natural point in the mile High
0:59 City and tell you where it is
1:03 something that's all the most
1:04 beautiful scenic say. Do we
1:05 have anyone on Well, while we
1:07 wait for getting to perform go
1:08 ahead and get started out of a
1:09 knife. You want to talk about
1:10 our first item, introduce team
1:13 that the ice. Thank you,
1:16 Beatrice. I'm a way to quarter
1:16 doggies, legislative liaison
1:20 here with my team to talk
1:21 about small business
1:23 enterprise or spd prime on
1:27 call contracts. So you MAY
1:28 recall back in DECEMBER, we
1:31 were here talking about corps
1:33 on toll on call contracts. And
1:34 APRIL, we were here again
1:36 talking about vertical
1:38 contracts. And so today we're
1:41 excited talk about the spe
1:41 prime and how those are
1:45 different from our other on
1:46 calls. Let my team introduced
1:47 themselves and then we'll dive
1:50 right into Travis. Hello,
1:51 everybody. I'm Travis Bowen of
1:52 the director of the special
1:53 projects and Initiatives
1:54 Division with Daddy. And
1:54 grateful to be here. Thank
1:58 you. My name Aaron Crook. I'm
1:59 with the division of small
2:01 business opportunities. So
2:06 I'll be speaking to ntsb.
2:07 Before midnight. The senior
2:09 engineering manager and it for
2:12 the Transportation Thanks,
2:14 Amy. So today you'll see a
2:15 similar format of the slides
2:18 were we will present on the
2:19 purpose of why the department
2:23 uses on call contracts the
2:25 benefits of spe Prine's our
2:25 small business enterprise,
2:28 prime contracts specifically
2:29 and then we'll go into 2
2:30 different packages. We have
2:33 the first team spe Project
2:34 management on calls. So those
2:40 are resolution requests. 26 57
2:43 through. 26 tenant. 62 and
2:44 then we'll talk about spe
2:45 general civil construction on
2:49 calls, which are resolution
2:49 requests. 26 10, 67, 3, 10.
2:58 74. I a refresher on not on
2:59 call contract uses and why we
3:02 have on calls. We'd like to
3:03 have a an established cooler
3:04 pre-qualified contractors to
3:07 help and consultants to help
3:09 us address urgent needs and
3:11 provide some additional
3:13 staffing capacity and resource
3:14 leveling and capacity to hit
3:17 some, you know, seasonal
3:19 timeline based projects. This
3:23 helps us deliver our capital
3:25 projects and run our programs.
3:26 What we're really proud of is
3:27 that this the sets were
3:29 talking about small business
3:30 enterprise sense. So you have
3:32 to be certified as a small
3:33 business enterprise with his
3:36 bow to be awarded one of these
3:38 on calls. And then once you're
3:39 in the pool, the competition
3:42 for work is really only
3:43 between the consultants or
3:48 contractors that have that
3:49 sets. What's even playing
3:50 field for s p e's to grow
3:55 capacity and get really good
3:56 project experience? You having
4:01 help grow their business, you
4:02 know, the these are just great
4:03 contracts. I'm gonna go to the
4:04 next slide here. Talk a little
4:05 bit about the prime set. So,
4:07 you know, we are committed to
4:10 promoting equity in our
4:11 project opportunities and
4:13 helping to grow and grow
4:14 capacity of our consultants
4:16 and contractors. And so we're
4:17 really proud of the great work
4:18 that we get into with his bow
4:19 in our industry. Partners in
4:21 this. That's the east.
4:23 Saturday's spe sets are a
4:24 great demonstration. As Alina
4:25 mentioned, we brought other
4:29 contracts, sets on call, sets
4:30 about 2 committee and council
4:31 for large vertical
4:35 construction or large. Typical
4:36 civil construction you
4:39 programmatic management dot
4:40 transportation design, all
4:43 kinds of different sets. These
4:44 sets are complementary to some
4:46 of those, but really targeted
4:50 for the s p e's right? And so
4:51 there's 3, 3 types that we
4:53 have for the spe sets. We have
4:55 the spd project management on
4:57 calls and I'll talk a little
4:58 bit more in the next couple
5:00 sides. We have the spe civil
5:02 construction on calls it a
5:03 nice going to talk about as
5:06 well. By what you've seen
5:08 recently, it's been through
5:09 countless spe vertical
5:10 construction on call. So we're
5:11 not talking about those today,
5:12 but just want to show the big
5:14 picture is we try to
5:16 compliment our large sets with
5:17 spe opportunities so that we
5:21 can really gives sp firms
5:22 opportunities to be primes and
5:23 meaningful work rate and grow
5:24 their experience and capacity
5:27 and how they work with us. And
5:28 couple of the things the spd's
5:30 have to self perform. 30 1% of
5:33 the work that's authorized by
5:35 dollar amount. As I mentioned,
5:36 you know, for that project
5:37 Management said we use this
5:39 for helping us with resource
5:40 leveling and to be able to
5:43 really respond to needs
5:44 timely. A couple things on
5:48 morning of the work when we
5:49 are cheering on Cole said
5:51 there's no funding encumbered.
5:54 We uncover the funding as we
5:56 authorize either. Professional
5:57 services worked to task orders
5:58 for the construction work to
5:58 work orders and for the
6:00 construction sets. There any
6:08 bid process to competition
6:09 contract capacity as you'll
6:10 see in the next slide. We have
6:11 3 million dollar capacities
6:11 for the sets. It's not a
6:16 guarantee of work, but try to
6:17 provide equity of
6:17 opportunities and we want to
6:19 make sure that each for that
6:20 has one of these contracts as
6:22 an opportunity to propose on
6:24 the work. There's no guarantee
6:26 that everybody gets same
6:27 amount of capacity because
6:30 some firms declined because of
6:34 maybe staff workload or, know,
6:35 they they have some other
6:37 reasons. But we want to make
6:38 sure everybody has
6:38 opportunities. So if we go to
6:40 the next slide, this is kind
6:43 of close to the end my piece.
6:44 Again, small business
6:48 Enterprise Project management
6:51 contracts formerly part here
6:52 executed in 2023. They had a
6:55 three-year term. You'll see in
6:55 the next slide. We do some
6:58 agencies, but we have plenty
6:58 of capacity. And so what we
7:02 would like to do is request a
7:02 two-year term extension so
7:03 that we can continue to
7:06 leverage these on call sets
7:08 continue to do this can work.
7:10 And, you know, we do have a
7:11 future intention of 3
7:14 procuring a new sets of the
7:14 similar types. And so we look
7:15 forward to coming back to when
7:19 Project Management, it's
7:19 that day comes for called
7:22 really any type of project
7:22 management skills so they can
7:25 help with scheduling in Costa
7:26 estimating in developing
7:28 project management plans and
7:28 quality management and
7:29 construction management and
7:32 risk management. So it's a
7:36 pretty broad But you know,
7:36 have a specific skills that
7:39 we're looking for. Project
7:40 managers subject matter
7:42 experts that work on these
7:44 contracts s couple examples of
7:45 work that we've authorized
7:47 with this again, really
7:49 meaningful projects. We've
7:50 authorize work for helping
7:53 with the sidewalk enterprise,
7:54 implement sidewalks, weve
7:56 authorize work for elevated
7:57 rice ponds. These contracts
7:58 helped us with project
8:00 management for 16th Street
8:01 Construction Convention
8:05 Center. Fire alarm. Some high
8:05 cost estimating support for
8:06 the Buck. Tell Project again,
8:09 it's great way to get dish
8:13 technical expertise and give
8:14 these firms really good
8:15 opportunities that they can
8:17 put on the resume is right and
8:21 used to grow their So the next
8:23 slide is just kind of a
8:26 summary of the 6 spe Project
8:33 management on cause. You can
8:38 see the firms on there and 3rd
8:46 column from the left. The
8:51 contract capacity as
8:54 originally authorize the
8:56 amount of work that's been
8:58 encumbered on these contracts
8:59 and is committed to the firm's
8:59 to date. So you can see
9:00 everybody's get in a little
9:00 bit of work and we have we
9:00 have a good amount of capacity
9:01 and we like to keep using the
9:01 set. And so great to be here
9:02 because this to me seems you
9:03 know, most proud of work. We
9:03 do a dining. But this is
9:04 something to be really proud
9:04 of freight to find
9:05 opportunities for helping
9:05 girls small business and get
9:05 meaningful engagement. It's
9:06 what we've been working for 3
9:06 years since ordinance
9:07 throughout station in 2020. So
9:07 and then I'll hand it over
9:08 again and talk a little bit
9:11 about the construction set.
9:15 Great. Yes, or civil
9:16 construction. They was fully
9:17 then awarded in 2023. So today
9:17 prepared and advertised and
9:20 we're looking at a two-year
9:22 term extension of that
9:24 contract and then also
9:25 restoring it to be story. Each
9:28 of the back to their original
9:30 capacity of 5 million dollars
9:31 So it's a varying amount those
9:31 contracts. But you can see in
9:35 the next slide, the work that
9:37 is delivered on this is peak
9:40 on services. And then minor
9:42 roadway. Bridges pavement,
9:44 rehab. Just all of those
9:47 lighting traffic signals. It's
9:48 just civil scope. So some of
9:50 those smaller projects that we
9:52 can deliver. We have funding
9:54 to deliver sometimes that we
9:55 can deliver an entire project
9:57 at once, but we can find a
9:58 piece of and then deliver it
10:00 through here cities as context
10:02 can can pivot and delivery in
10:04 a more efficient manner. So
10:06 just some of the examples of
10:07 work that we have to live or
10:08 id. No, 22 was 2 different
10:11 traffic signals that will be
10:12 energized if they aren't
10:15 already should be imminently
10:15 and that signage and striping.
10:17 That is also dishing up right
10:18 now. Iraq's lot painting was
10:22 done here and then multiple
10:23 different sidewalks to
10:24 districts. Different districts
10:26 were also delivered with this
10:30 work. So the range of services
10:32 that species can perform is
10:33 varied. And that's why we have
10:34 so many of them because some
10:37 of have different strengths
10:38 and others because as an spe,
10:40 they can't operating the
10:42 capacity of a large
10:43 contractor. And so we will
10:45 find somewhere that the
10:46 smaller projects that they can
10:47 deliver to help them to build
10:49 up their their portfolio to
10:49 what they hope graduate out of
10:54 the s p e projects. So here
10:57 all of the firm's their
10:59 original capacities. The added
11:00 capacities. And then what in
11:02 their new capacity would I
11:04 want to call attention to.
11:06 There is one from on here that
11:08 currently is getting 0
11:10 capacity That is because we
11:11 have sent a man many birds,
11:12 but they have been
11:13 unresponsive. So we have
11:16 engaged with They are aware we
11:17 continue to engage with them
11:18 to hope that one day they will
11:19 be responsive on those but
11:22 just wanted to call that out.
11:25 Otherwise, we have been really
11:25 utilizing these a lot
11:26 recently. And we hope to
11:29 continue to do that with the
11:29 extension and then adding
11:30 additional funding so we can
11:31 continue to deliver these new
11:37 projects throughout the city.
11:37 Thanks, Amy. But that we can
11:39 turn it over to the committee
11:41 for questions. Wonderful.
11:42 Thank you so much. Go ahead
11:43 and get started for before we
11:47 get started. I want to
11:48 PRESIDENT From your account.
11:49 Go online COUNCILWOMAN
11:50 Sandoval online. I will start
11:53 the queue with COUNCILMAN
11:54 Thank you. Thank you for being
11:55 here. Thank you for
12:00 presentation. MR. But I you
12:02 said that this is just a
12:05 two-year contract extension
12:07 otherwise. Also here, it's
12:08 more than just a two-year
12:10 contract extension also
12:13 resigning. Available funds
12:14 back to the original is that
12:16 number just to clarify, I was
12:18 talking to separation and
12:21 duties and I'm here to talk to
12:22 the spe Project Management
12:23 70's talking about the
12:24 construction of Army of
12:25 confuse things by doing an
12:27 overall reduction. So no
12:28 capacity I know capacity is
12:30 being requested for the spe
12:31 Project Management set. But
12:33 Amy is asking for some
12:36 capacity for the construction
12:37 I'm glad asked the question as
12:38 opposed to. Well, the slide
12:41 seems pretty evident, but
12:42 time. That that you know,
12:43 different things at the same
12:43 we're talking about a couple
12:44 time. Think that's important
12:52 too. What? Are there small
12:54 businesses that want to do
12:55 business with the city? I
12:56 mean, at the I see idea that
13:00 this is a contract extension.
13:02 It is reciting funds. But
13:04 seems like we have more small
13:05 businesses. We just came from
13:06 Best-value contracting
13:11 conversation earlier today. I
13:13 think that there might be
13:14 other small businesses that
13:15 want to do business with the
13:16 city. And I wonder what that
13:18 that unit thought processes of
13:23 continue to lock one set. But
13:24 that one consideration of of
13:30 anyone else. I can I I hope
13:31 and I'm confident that there
13:32 are a lot of different
13:32 companies that wanted to work
13:34 with us because we're great to
13:36 work with. That's that's the
13:41 goal. That's the amending that
13:43 are extending the term. It
13:45 doesn't preclude other s p e's
13:48 from formal stand-alone
13:50 procurements for preclude them
13:54 to be some other teams. But
13:55 this I really need to and
13:57 mechanism to do a couple
13:57 things. Part of the reason for
13:59 the amendment to perfect
14:00 world, we would love to go.
14:01 Henry compete all the time and
14:04 often, but it takes a
14:05 tremendous amount of resources
14:07 not just on our staff, but on