2026-2029 Construction Engineering & Inspection (CEI) Term Contracts:

Location:	Montana
Posted:	Nov 5, 2025
Due:	Dec 4, 2025
Agency:	State Government of Montana
Type of Government:	State & Local
Category:	C - Architect and Engineering Services - Construction Q - Medical Services
Solicitation No:	2026-2029
Publication URL:	To access bid details, please log in.

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Christopher Dorrington, Director

2701 Prospect ▪ PO Box 201001

Helena MT 59620-1001

Date:

November 4, 2025

Subject: Request for Proposals

2026-2029 Construction Engineering & Inspection (CEI) Term Contracts

To Whom It May Concern:

The Montana Department of Transportation is accepting proposals from consulting firms

interested in a term contract for performing Construction Engineering & Inspection (CEI)

services at various locations throughout Montana.

MDT intends to establish term contract(s) to utilize consultants on an "as-needed" basis for the

work described herein. At this time, the intention is to award five (5) agreements that will be

approximately $1,000,000 each, for a three-year period from February 2026 through

January2029. MDT reserves the right to revise the number of term contracts, the contract values,

or contract timeframes, depending on the responses received. Extension(s) of contracts, by

mutual agreement of both parties, may be made at one (1) year intervals, or any interval that is

advantageous to MDT. Contracts, including any renewals, may not exceed a total of five (5)

years.

Teams may be established as necessary; however, it is expected that the prime consultant will be

capable of completing the vast majority of the work. As a rule, the prime consultant must

complete at least 50% of the work for a specific task assignment unless written exception is

given.

Montana professional engineering licensure is required for this work and must be in-hand at the

time your proposal is submitted. If this requirement is not met and clearly identified in the

proposal, your proposal will be considered non-responsive.

If your firm is interested, please submit a proposal as described herein.

Consultant Design Bureau

Phone: (406) 444–6209

Fax: (406) 444–6253

An Equal Opportunity Employer

Engineering Division

TTY: (800) 335–7592

Web Page: www.mdt.mt.gov

SCOPE OF WORK

The objective is to provide Construction Engineering & Inspection (CEI) services to verify that

the Contractor is performing work in conformity with the governing specifications, plans, and

special provisions for specific construction projects.

The scope of work for individual term assignments may include any or all services described

herein, generally captured as contract administration & compliance, construction engineering &

inspection, ensuring the safety & mobility of the travelling public, construction surveying &

layout, materials sampling & testing, construction oversight, communication with MDT Project

Monitor and Contractor, tracking material quantities for payments to the Contractor, and project

office documentation of the construction contract, further detailed below. Proposals should

address the firm’s qualifications for completing all of these items. Construction inspection will

include the observation of the Contractor’s means and methods. The Consultant will also provide

construction inspection to include project & construction contract documentation, record

keeping, record drawings, and minor dispute resolutions.

Key Terms used throughout this RFP:

Project Monitor: The MDT employee that is the primary point of contact for the Consultant.

Consultant: The professional services consultant (and their related subconsultants) that is

selected through this RFP.

Contractor: The construction contractor (and their related subcontractors) responsible for

the physical construction of the project.

The following tasks represent the individual services that are to be provided by the Consultant

under this agreement:

1. Project Initiation: The Consultant will review concept and project documents, set up the

record keeping system, and create a work plan. The Consultant will schedule and attend a

kick-off meeting with MDT to define materials testing roles and responsibilities. Testing

laboratories for the project will be identified.

2. Pre-Construction Conference: The Consultant will prepare and conduct the pre-

construction conference. Duties include reserving space/location, sending invitations,

facilitating, answering questions, and completing & distributing minutes.

3. Construction Staking (Initial): The Consultant will begin initial construction staking

activities including setting up survey files, establishing control points, slope staking,

construction layout, grade checks, confirming Contractor work, etc. The Consultant will

perform staking and construction layout in a timely manner to not delay the Contractor’s

work, so long as adequate notification of the work plan is provided.

4. Project Management: The Consultant will manage the project and provide overall

coordination of the work completed by the construction engineering team. The work shall

consist of managing work assignments, internal team and safety meetings, client

coordination, subconsultant coordination, plan and specification interpretation,

administering requests for information from the Contractor and monitoring Consultant

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project budget and schedule. The Consultant will be the point of contact with the contractor

and subcontractors to enforce contract requirements and ensure safety issues are addressed

timely.

5. Construction Administration: The Consultant will provide the qualified personnel

necessary to administer the Plans, Special Provisions, and Specifications of the project to

ensure the project is accepted by the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT), the

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), as well as Regulatory Agencies and Local

Governments as applicable. The following sub-tasks represent a partial list of those

activities necessary to administer the contract:

5.1. Submittal Log: Consultant will develop a list of required submittals for the project

prior to start of construction and will also track and maintain a log of shop

drawings and submittals and encourage reviewers to complete their review in a

timely manner. Deficiencies will be promptly reported to the Project Monitor.

5.2. Labor Compliance: AASHTOWare CRL will be utilized for Contractor and Sub-

contractor electronic certified payrolls. The Consultant will:

i. Conduct labor compliance interviews of contractor’s employees.

ii. Verify correct classifications and wages are reported against the contract’s

specific USDOL Wage Decision.

iii. Notify Contractors of incorrect classification, pay scales, etc.

iv. Ensure timely submissions of electronic certified payrolls. Delay in

submittal of payrolls could result in delay of payment on the monthly pay

estimate.

v. Maintain records in compliance with program requirements.

vi. Ensure the labor compliance deficiencies are resolved.

5.3. Civil Rights Compliance: The Contractor’s and Sub-contractor’s personnel will

be monitored for civil rights compliance. The Project Monitor will be notified of

instances of non-compliance. The Consultant will:

i. Inspect Project Billboard for required Civil Rights and EEO Compliance

Postings.

ii. Monitor other items and activities for civil rights compliance, as

applicable.

5.4. Filing & Records Management: The Consultant will save all project files to a

designated location; maintain and save files on a recommended daily basis, but at

a minimum, on a weekly basis; and make files and records readily available to the

Project Monitor. MDT will perform periodic checks of the files will occur during

the project to ensure that all records are being accurately kept and the filing

system is up to date. The Consultant will:

i. Maintain project filing system electronically in a designated location

ii. Address periodic review comments

iii. Utilize AASHTOWare Project Construction and Materials (AWPR) to

record test results within 24 hours of completion of testing.

iv. Utilize AWPR to document material acceptance paperwork for items

designated for acceptance via datasheets or certificates of compliance

without samples and tests. This includes Buy America and Build America

Buy America (BABA) documentation.

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v. Utilize AWPR to post material pay quantities

vi. Utilize MDT’s QA Suite for incentive/disincentive calculations

vii. Utilize AWPR to generate estimates. Check pay item quantities against

material summary reports to ensure quantities posted have appropriate

certifications and test results.

5.5. Progress Estimate Preparation: For each scheduled progress estimate, the

Consultant will prepare for and present to the Project Monitor the quantities and

justification for each bid item payment with a summary sheet showing the

amounts to be paid. The Consultant will:

i. Prepare semi-monthly or monthly pay estimate packages.

ii. Enter Payment Estimates in AASHTOWare Project Construction and

Materials.

5.6. Materials Certifications: The Consultant will collect certifications, as required by

bid item, for all materials incorporated into the project. No materials will be

accepted for payment until the certifications are received and reviewed for

acceptance.

5.7. Pre-paving/Pre-Pour Meeting: The Consultant will facilitate a pre-paving or pre-

pour meeting with the Contractor whenever applicable. The Consultant will:

i. Coordinate and perform meeting with testing firms and Contractor.

ii. Prepare and distribute meeting agenda and minutes.

5.8. Weekly Progress Meetings: Weekly/Periodic progress meetings will be held on-

site or at another location approved by the Project Monitor. The Consultant will

attend and conduct weekly/periodic progress meetings and prepare minutes for

distribution and review.

5.9. Monthly Invoicing: The Consultant will submit monthly invoices of the

Consultant’s costs to the Project Monitor for review and processing each month.

Each invoice package will contain approved timesheets for all labor expended and

appropriate support for all direct costs. The Consultant will formally notify the

Project Monitor and Contract Liaison (MDT Consultant Design Engineer) upon

reaching 85% of the expended contract amount.

5.10. Subcontracts: The Consultant will verify consented subcontracts in

AASHTOWare prior to allowing subcontractor on site. Coordinate review of

subcontracts of contracts with MDT CAS Bureau.

5.11. Change Orders: The Consultant will review and analyze, in coordination with the

Project Monitor, all requests received from the Contractor for time extensions,

contract changes, and extra work. The Consultant will prepare and analyze

Change Orders for review and approval by the Project Monitor. The Consultant

will:

i. Consult with the Project Monitor and in coordination with other assigned

MDT personnel, as required by the MDT Contract Administration

Manual, and prepare other documents necessary to complete the change

order process.

ii. Assist the Project Monitor in preparing for any construction claims,

disputes, mediation, arbitration and/or litigation or other action that may

arise.

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iii. Maintain accurate force account records showing actual cost of such work

for pending claims concerning extra work or work beyond the original

scope.

5.12. Contract Submittal Review: The Consultant will review and approve/disapprove

Contract submittals as necessary and provide a response to the Contractor. It is

understood that some interpretations and clarifications will be directed to the

Project Monitor. The Consultant will:

i. Review Traffic Control Plans for compliance with MUTCD, MDT

specifications, Detailed Drawings, and provide approval/disapproval to the

construction Contractor.

ii. Analyze, review, and approve/disapprove the Contractor’s baseline CPM

or ASC schedule. Review the Contractor’s monthly schedule and written

narrative to ensure that activity dates and schedule logic are correctly

recorded for accuracy.

iii. Review and approve/disapprove submittals for material to be incorporated

into the project per the specifications.

iv. Perform routine interpretations and clarifications on the project. Sensitive

decisions and interpretations that affect compliance with environmental

laws and permits will be reviewed by the Project Monitor prior to final

decision.

v. Transmit shop drawings for their review and approval. The Consultant

will notify the Project Monitor when these are transmitted.

vi. Review and approve staging area requests and waste site approval requests

through coordination with the MDT.

vii. Review and submit Contractor submitted mix designs and source approval

requests through coordination with the Project Monitor and MDT District

Laboratories to MDT’s Materials Bureau for approval.

viii. Check items found on the MDT Qualified Products List prior to the

material being incorporated into the project.

5.13. Public Relations: The Consultant will respond to and coordinate all public and

media inquiries and/or concerns with the Contractor, the Project Monitor for

appropriate action. The Consultant will maintain records of contacts and

responses. Additionally, MDT may hire a PI Consultant independent of this CEI

Contract. The CEI Consultant will coordinate with the PI Consultant in a

cooperative and responsive manner.

6. Survey Verification: The Consultant will check and verify Contractor surveys for accuracy

and compliance with the plans and specifications.

7. Project Inspection: The Consultant will perform inspections with qualified and certified

inspection staff. The Consultant will prepare and maintain a spreadsheet with qualifications

and certifications to ensure full compliance with the MDT, WAQTC, and any other

reciprocal certifications (ACI, NICET, etc.) requirements. The following sub-tasks

represent a partial list of those activities necessary for project inspection.

7.1. Inspector Diaries: The Consultant will prepare daily work reports in

AASHTOWare Project Construction and Materials to record the Contractor’s

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This is the opportunity summary page. It provides an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation.

Title	Closes
2026-2029 Construction Engineering & Inspection (CEI) Term Contracts:	12/04/2025

2026-2029 Construction Engineering & Inspection (CEI) Term Contracts:

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See also