The California High-Speed Rail Authority presented an informational update on a planned multiple-award task order contract (MATOC) intended to expand opportunities for local and small businesses to perform repair and minor-construction work along the alignment.

Emily Morrison, chief of contracting, said the MATOC will be a five-year bench-style contract that the authority will divide into three contractor pools: large businesses, small businesses and a utility-relocation pool. Task orders will be limited to $15 million each and sample projects for small businesses will generally target work under $5 million.

Why it matters: Authority staff said the MATOC is designed to give small and local firms repeated access to work through on-ramp procedures every 18 months to two years, addressing industry concerns that firms who miss an initial solicitation can be locked out for years.

Morrison said the authority will evaluate offers in a two-phase process that includes a price determination and that successful bidders on sample projects may receive immediate task orders. The authority plans to publish the RFP on California's procurement portal in September, keep the solicitation open through November and host outreach events; staff noted a small-business resource fair Oct. 22 in San Francisco and said the authority plans a Central Valley outreach event.

Morrison said 93 respondents answered an earlier RFEI on MATOC and that nearly half of those respondents identified as small businesses. Board members asked about local workshops in Fresno and about how the MATOC would interface with other procurements; Morrison said staff will host additional regional workshops, including in the Central Valley and Southern California.

No board action was requested for agenda Item 3; the presentation was informational and will guide the authority's forthcoming solicitations and outreach program.