Mill Creek Park Grading RFP

Location: Mill Creek Park. The first parcel on the east side of Mill Creek Rd. Telluride CO 81435

The San Miguel County Parks & Open Space department is seeking qualified bidders for soil prep, fine grading and revegetation of the Mill Creek Park Parcel. Mill Creek Park is a 1.09 acre site located on the northwest corner of the SH145 Spur and Mill Creek Road diagonally across from the Shell gas station as you enter the Town of Telluride. Last year we had the southern half of the parcel graded, historic foundations covered, and revegetated the disturbed location.

This project will include all preparations, machinery and materials necessary to fine grade, resurface, and prepare the soil with compost amendment, and revegetate with a County approved seed mix, which will be provided by the Parks & Open Space Dept.

This is a new San Miguel County park on land that is an added part of the previously recorded, historic San Miguel City, a National Historic Landmark site directly associated with Telluride’s mining boom of the late 19th century and the first (1876) established township in present-day San Miguel County.  The park’s location is approximately 1.3 miles west of the Town of Telluride alongside the popular Telluride Bike Path paved recreational trail that travels between Telluride and Lawson Hill.  The site is adjacent to Highway 145, and across the highway from the Telluride Valley Floor Open Space and the San Miguel River.   This park is 1.09 acres in size, defined by the boundaries of the parcel owned by San Miguel County, and is nestled into the corner of the intersection of Highway 145 and Mill Creek Road at an average elevation of approximately 8,750 ft.  The site is gently sloped to the south, with a variety of trees, shrubs and grasses fed by a small irrigation ditch which flows intermittently through the parcel.   Soils are characterized as gravelly loams, typically associated with alluvial fans, stream terraces and mountain slopes, with depths up to 80 inches.

Remnants of the historic San Miguel City have been found on site, although any architecture that once was present here is now gone.  Historic artifacts and features are located throughout the parcel, but the majority of artifacts present appear to be coming from underground via rodent activity.  It is assumed that due to the site’s close proximity to the town and bike path, illicit artifact collection may have taken place over time and the lack of artifacts on the present ground surface could suggest vandalism.  However, according to the Colorado Cultural Resource Survey performed by Metcalf Archaeological Consultants, Inc. in April 2021 and recorded at Colorado Historical Society, Office of Archaeology & Historic Preservation, Denver, the site and some specific features have a clear presence of potentially intact subsurface 2 archaeological cultural materials (Cultural Resources Inventory for the Mill Creek Park Development, for San Miguel Parks & Open Space, Telluride, Colorado).  The report notes the historic setting and feeling are compromised as modern developments in the immediate area have altered the environment and the experience of being at this location, which no longer reflects the life of an historic mining town.  However, through at least one feature, a historic foundation, a connection can still be drawn between the site and its history as the early mining town of San Miguel, an important predecessor of nearby Telluride. The consultants’ report also suggests that historic interpretive signage/ displays are incorporated into the park plan area. The historic foundations on site have been buried.

San Miguel County requests proposals include:

• Procure all machinery, materials and labor necessary to complete the job.
• Take precautions to prevent disturbing the stream, existing trees or the buried historical foundations.
• Grade and resurface the 1.09 acre parcel using the attached grading plan. (See attached)
• The land south of the utility pole has been roughly graded, covering historic foundations and artifacts. The southern portion has not been soil amended with compost. (See attached map)
• Strip the topsoil to 6” deep and stockpile, then set the subgrade to 6” below the final grade, place the stockpiled topsoil and amended with compost at a ratio of 6 cubic yards per 1,000 square feet.
• Composted material shall consist of aged organic matter, free of weed or other noxious plant seeds, lumps, stones, or other foreign contaminants harmful to plant life, and having the following characteristics based on a nutrient test performed no longer than 3 months prior to its incorporation into the project:
  1. Organic matter: twenty five percent (25%) maximum.
  2. Salt content: Five (5.0) mmhos/cm maximum.
  3. pH: 7.5, maximum
• After regrading, the disturbed location will need to be revegetated with a County supplied seed mix.
• The site must be returned to visitor ready condition.

A site pre-bid visit at the Mill Creek Park location is mandatory in order to respond to this RFP. Please contact Janet Kask (see below) to schedule. It is the responsibility of the bidder to arrange for a pre-bid site visit or a self-guided visit.

1. Name of firm and complete contact information. Include the resumes of personnel who will be working on this project.

2. A general statement of qualifications and at least three (3) examples of similar completed projects that have been completed by the firm or personnel who will be working on this project. 3. Outline a general schedule for completion of the Scope of Services.

4. Fees for services described in the Scope of Services.

5. Submission Deadline: No later than 5 p.m. on May 23, 2025. Bids must be submitted to Janet Kask either via email or physically dropped off by the RFP submission deadline.

San Miguel County reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids. Award of bid shall be based on price, experience, references and the ability to perform the work as determined by San Miguel County. Contracts will be awarded accordingly upon review.

The contractor shall review and execute the Independent Contractor Agreement contract prior to beginning work. Upon award, this contract will define the project, the term and services to be performed. This is a legal-binding document between the contractor and San Miguel County. A draft Independent Contractor Agreement is attached for your review.

RFP packages may be obtained by accessing the details on the San Miguel County website https://www.sanmiguelcountyco.gov/Bids.aspx or contacting Janet Kask at the Parks & Open Space department in Telluride (see details below).

Please contact for any questions and to schedule a site visit -

Janet Kask, Director, Parks & Open Space

San Miguel County Parks & Open Space Dept.

333 West Colorado Avenue, 3rd Floor

Telluride, CO 81435

Office: (970)369-5469

The complete bid package including maps and independent contractor agreement is available April 13-May 23, 2025.