Request for Proposal for San Miguel County Deep Creek Workforce Housing Project

San Miguel County (County) and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), are soliciting requests for proposals (RFP) from innovative firms specializing in Architectural and Engineering Design Services. The selected firm will develop a comprehensive master site plan which will include designs for the operational site needs (CDOT and County Road and Bridge Operations) and Deep Creek Workforce Housing Project.

The scope of work includes architectural design, engineering, and site planning to ensure all necessary maintenance activities can be accommodated within the western County’s portion of the site and with the relocation of the operational activities, to the eastern portion of the site will be designed for housing. The project must include the following; for detailed scope, see the deliverables section below:

• Consolidated Site and Housing Plan. Master Plan integrating housing layout for approximately twenty-five (25) residential units or more, with consideration for additional units and/or phases if reasonably feasible.
• Phased Design Packages. Conceptual sketches, design development drawings, and approximately eighty percent (80%) construction drawings and specifications for the approved project.
• Detailed Construction Cost Estimate. Itemized estimate by phase, including maintenance facilities, housing infrastructure/site preparation, and any housing construction phases.
• Supporting Documents. Zoning analysis (Section 5-315-PUB), maintenance plan, coordination memo, permitting checklists.
• Optional Services. Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) Proposal (at County/CDOT discretion). Prepare GMP based on eighty (80%) drawings, phased (Maintenance Facilities, Site Preparation, Housing). Construction Readiness (addendum): Bid preparation, CM/GC qualification, inspections, punch lists. Timeline: 6-9 months from NTP; assumes 2-week feedback, no scope changes; excludes 100% CDs/permitting.

San Miguel County (County) and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), collectively referred to as the Parties have partnered to develop plans for a workforce housing project located at 15551 HWY 45 Telluride (Deep Creek CDOT Maintenance Yard) in San Miguel County, Colorado. Under a Workforce Housing Planning Agreement, both parties intend to jointly plan and if necessary modify the layout of the CDOT and County properties to accommodate the construction of essential facilities and residential units. The project’s purpose is to provide workforce housing for both County and State employees.

Advancing this project will help address the critical shortage of workforce housing affecting the San Miguel County community and key employers such as CDOT. The Parties are now soliciting from qualified contractors to provide Architectural, Engineering, and Site Planning services for the Deep Creek Workforce Housing Planning Project.

Since 2024, San Miguel County and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) have explored a partnership to develop a workforce housing project on their respective parcels. The County owns the parcel located at 15553 HWY 145 Telluride, known as the San Miguel County Deep Creek Road and Bridge Shop, which comprises 3.201 acres. CDOT owns the adjacent tract of land, identified as Parcel No. 1 in the SE1/4 of Section 26, Township 43 North, Range 10 West, NMPM, known as 15551 HWY 145 Telluride of the Deep Creek CDOT Maintenance Yard, consisting of of 2.515 acres.

Under the agreement, the Parties will jointly undertake all necessary actions to develop a site plan that accommodates the required maintenance activities on the County property while supporting the development of workforce housing on the CDOT property. The agreement further directs CDOT and County to take all steps necessary, under the County Land Use Code and other applicable state and local regulations, to obtain approval for a residential development on the CDOT property. In addition, the parties will prepare eighty percent (80%) of the construction drawings and obtain construction cost estimates for the approved project.

This agreement is limited to the planning and design phase. It does not commit either party to the project’s final construction. A separate agreement or amendment will be executed if both parties determine that the project to be viable and elect to proceed.

The 5.72-acre site is located off of Highway 145 in San Miguel County, Colorado and is designated as Public under the County Land Use Code, with surrounding properties zoned Forestry/Agriculture.

The Public Zone District is intended to ensure that development within the district is guided by an adopted master plan. Uses allowed with one-step planning commission approval must meet specific criteria, and additional details on these zoning standards are provided in Section 5-315-Public (PUB) of the County Land Use Code.

Background Studies and Project Goals

The 2025 San Miguel County Housing Needs Assessment, in partnership with the Town of Mountain Village and the Town of Telluride worked with the San Miguel County Regional Housing Authority (SMRHA) to conduct a Regional Housing Needs Assessment. SMRHA contracted EPS and RRC Associates to conduct the market analysis, which describes the current need for affordable housing within a multi-jurisdictional area that meets the actual workforce demand in San Miguel County and will serve as a planning tool for future housing initiatives. In 2025, San Miguel County began undertaking a comprehensive land use code audit and update to identify and remove regulatory barriers that constrain housing development in unincorporated areas. This project will assess current zoning regulations, development standards, and permitting processes to identify where unnecessary complexity, costs, or delays prevent housing production. This project will implement key recommendations from the East End Master Plan and other community planning efforts. The goal of this project is to enable more housing choices while preserving community character. The following documents and reports will help inform and define the projects program and goals:

• San Miguel County Housing Needs Analysis 2025
• San Miguel County Housing Needs Assessment Presentation 2025
• San Miguel County Housing Code Update
• San Miguel County Board of County Commissioners Mission Statement 2026
• Colorado Department of Transportation Performance Plan 2025-2026

The following outlines the primary duties and key tasks for the scope of work, deliverables of the firms specializing in Architectural and Engineering Design Services for successful project delivery. The project will follow a structured, phased design process and the final scope will be refined and agreed upon during the fee negotiations between the County and CDOT and the selected firm. Each phase will require both CDOT and County review of progress plans prior to proceeding to the next phase.

Key Tasks

1. Architectural Design. Architectural design will be developed for residential units of various unit types and sizes, emphasizing a phased approach to support 20-25 units (or more if reasonably feasible based on-site constraints, zoning, feasibility). Architectural design of maintenance facilities will not be included as part of this project. Footprints and layout for these facilities will be included under site planning.
2. Engineering Analysis. Perform utility, drainage, access, and maintenance evaluations for all project areas, including necessary survey and geotechnical assessment for all areas of the site plan.
3. Site Planning. Optimize the layout on both sites, specifically CDOT’s portion for housing, and both parcels for open space circulation, and long-term access for all associated activities.
4. Regulatory and Stakeholder Coordination. Ensure all design phases comply with the County’s Land Use Code, master planning needs. Coordinate regularly with key stakeholders, including CDOT and any relevant County departments.

1. Conceptual Design Phase. Develop an initial site layout for both sites, housing massing (20-25 + units), location for CDOT maintenance buildings, a master plan framework, and zoning compliance sketches; incorporate maintenance easements and early stakeholder input by both Parties.
2. Design Development Phase Refine plans with detailed architectural, structural, civil, and MEP engineering; produce 80% construction drawings for County/CDOT review.
3. Preconstruction Services Phase. Conduct value engineering, permitting coordination, and detailed constructability reviews to support the construction cost estimate and transition readiness.

1. Consolidated Site Plan and Housing Plan. Comprehensive master plan integrating housing layout (20-25+ units), site features, maintenance zones, and zoning compliance from conceptual phase. Including the master plan as referenced in the Exhibits, housing, maintenance, and other associated structures on both parcels. Format/Quantity: PDF and CAD (1 full set).
2. Phased Design Packages. Conceptual sketches, design development drawings, and 80% construction set with preconstruction specifications. Format/Quantity: AutoCAD renderings, 3D Models and specification booklet in MasterFormat.
3. Detailed Construction Cost Estimate Itemized estimate covering all elements, informed by preconstruction value engineering.  Estimates to be identified by phase including. Maintenance Facilities. Housing Infrastructure/Site Prep. Any Identified Housing Construction Phases. Format/Quantity: Spreadsheet with narrative report.
4. Supporting Documents. Zoning analysis (Section 5-315-PUB), maintenance plan, coordination memo, permitting checklists. Format/Quantity: PDF report (up to 4 copies).

• Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) Proposal: At County/CDOT discretion, prepare GMP based on 80% drawings for construction amendment approval. The GMP proposals should be broken down by phase including: Phase A: Maintenance Facilities (constructed separately). Phase A: Site Preparation. Phase B: Housing Construction (including any sub phases identified).
• Construction Readiness and Coordination: Provide bid package preparation, Construction Manager/General Contracting CM/GC prequalification, on-site inspection support, and punch list management via contract addendum.
• Project Timeline and Assumptions: Target completion within 6-9 months from notice to proceed, assuming prompt County feedback (within 2 weeks per phase) and no major scope changes. Excludes full 100% construction documents, permitting, or construction unless amended.

The final Project Schedule is not certain at this time; however, it is County’s intent to select the successful respondent by April 28, 2026, and to commence Architectural and Engineering Design Services immediately upon execution of an agreement.

All dates are subject to change at the discretion of the County and CDOT.

• RFP Issued: Mar 6, 2026
• Questions Deadline: Mar 26, 2026 by 4pm MST
• Questions Response Deadline: Apr 2, 2026 by 4pm MST
• Proposal Due: Apr 9, 2026 by 4pm MST
• Notification of Selection: Apr 16, 2026
• Contract (Tentative): Apr 28, 2026
• Project Kickoff: May 5, 2026
• Project completion (Tentative)

Inquiries or questions on the contents and requirements of the RFP will be accepted in written electronic form only. Inquiries can be emailed to the attention of: Drea Araiza to For security reasons, you must enable JavaScript to view this E-mail address. using the subject line “Questions on Deep Creek Workforce Housing Planning Project”. The deadline for inquiries is Thursday, March 26th, 2026, at 4:00 PM Mountain Standard Time, after which no further inquiries will be addressed.

Substantive requests for information received may be responded to in writing by the County in the form of an addendum to this RFP and sent to all recipients of the RFP.