The Colorado Dept. of Transportation, the High Performance Transportation Enterprise and the Colorado Bridge have received five statements of qualification (SOQ) from private partners interested in building the I-70 East Project, which extends from Brighton Boulevard to I-225. The SOQs were received from combined teams of construction and engineering firms, operators and equity investors.

CDOT is pursuing a possible public-private partnership to deliver I-70 East, based on a design-build-finance-operate-maintain (DBFOM) model for  finance and delivery of the project. An SOQ is a summary of a team’s experience in the industry and that of similar projects, which helps CDOT begin the process of choosing the most qualified team for the project.

“We are thrilled at the caliber of the teams that responded to our request for qualifications,” said Project Director Tony DeVito. “I-70 East is one of the state’s most critical highway segments, and we are seeking the best of the best to partner with CDOT to address the long-standing safety and congestion problems along this corridor.  From the response we saw yesterday, we are on the right track to reaching that goal.”

Here are the five teams that submitted SOQs:

• 5280 Connectors: Plenary Group, equity member; Skanska Infrastructure Group, equity member; Skanska USA Civil Inc., lead contractor; Zachry Construction Corp., lead contractor; HDR Engineering, lead engineer; and Transfield Services, lead operator.

• Denver Mobility Partners: InfraRed, equity member; Star America, equity member; Fluor, equity member, lead contractor, lead operator; Ames, lead contractor; Granite, lead contractor; Parsons, lead engineer; and DBi Services, lead operator.

• Front Range Mobility Group: Hochtief PPP Solutions, equity member; ACS Infrastructure Development Inc., equity member; AECOM Capital Inc., equity member; John Laing Investments Ltd., equity member; Flatiron Constructors Inc., lead contractor; Dragados USA Inc., lead contractor; URS Energy & Construction Inc., lead contractor; CH2M Engineers Inc., lead engineer; URS Energy & Construction Inc., lead engineer; Hochtief PPP Solutions, operations, lead operator; ACS Infrastructure Development Inc., lead operator; and AECOM Capital Inc., developer, lead operator.

• I-70 Mile High Partners: Cintra Infraestructuras Internacional, equity member, lead operator; Bechtel Development Co. Inc., equity member, lead operator; Ferrovial Agroman US Corp., lead contractor; Bechtel Infrastructure Corp., lead contractor; Sema Construction Inc., lead contractor; Janssen & Spaans Engineering Inc., lead engineer; Othon Inc., lead engineer; and Bechtel Infrastructure Corp., lead engineer.

• Kiewit/Meridiam Partners: Kiewit Infrastructure Group Inc., equity member; Meridiam Infrastructure North America Fund II, equity member; Kiewit Infrastructure Co., lead contractor; Parsons Brinkerhoff Inc., lead engineer; Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., lead engineer; and Roy Jorgensen Associates Inc., lead operator.

CDOT has begun reviewing the SOQs and will provide executive summaries for public review as soon as possible. The next step is shortlist for an RFP. The first draft of the RFP will be issued this fall, with a goal of selecting a private partner by the end of 2016. CDOT says it will continue to hold public meetings throughout this process, including a meeting later this summer on the RFP process.

“HPTE and CDOT are committed to ensuring that the public is aware of each step we take toward a possible public-private partnership for I-70 East,” said Michael Cheroutes, director of CDOT’s High Performance Transportation Enterprise. “We invite the public and stakeholders to join us this summer as we discuss next steps in this process.”

The selection process does not prejudge the final project to be constructed, CDOT says, which will be determined at the end of the environmental impact statement process. The current phase one project for I-70 East includes adding an express lane in each direction on I-70 from I-25 to I-225, removing the 50-year-old viaduct between Brighton Boulevard and Colorado Boulevard and lowering the interstate along this stretch, and constructing a four-acre cover over a portion of the lowered interstate.

The final environmental impact statement is due to be released early next year. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2017.