40100 - Sign Removal Services

The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) is soliciting bids for sign removal services (Solicitation 40100) to establish a contract for the removal and disposal of illegal outdoor advertising devices located on private property within 660 feet of the State's right-of-way line. The procurement seeks multiple contractors to dismantle and dispose of vertical structures including wooden posts, concrete/brick supports, and steel monopoles, along with various sign face types such as static vinyl, tri-vision mechanical, and digital LED displays. Services required include site security, temporary access creation, safety and traffic management plan development, complete dismantling to ground level, utility disconnection, hole filling, potential vegetation replacement, and full debris disposal. Contractors must submit comprehensive rate cards listing all labor roles, vehicles, tools, equipment, and resources required for the 60-month contract term, along with unique work orders for six representative removal locations across Tennessee (Morristown, Knoxville, Jasper, Memphis, Holladay, and Monteagle). Mandatory qualifications include prior experience with elevated access work and controlled dismantling documented through project photos, invoices, permits, or completion records from the past three years; proper licensure under the Tennessee Contractors Licensing Act; workers' compensation insurance with minimum limits of $1,000,000; commercial general liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate; and automobile liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence. The bid period runs from May 19, 2026, at 10:00 AM CDT to June 15, 2026, at 10:00 AM CDT, with required delivery by June 10, 2026. A mandatory pre-response conference will be held on May 22, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. CT via Microsoft Teams, and written questions and comments must be submitted by May 29, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. CT.

The contract does not identify specific set-asides for disadvantaged enterprises, though respondents must comply with Tennessee's Iran Divestment Act certification and provide proof of registration with the Tennessee Department of Revenue for sales and use tax collection. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the solicitation documents. Award will be made using a ranked methodology with multiple contractors receiving separate contracts based on evaluated cost, with the highest-scoring proposer receiving a maximum liability of 70 percent of the estimated $900,000 cumulative spend ($630,000), and the remaining 30 percent ($270,000) split evenly among all additional awarded bidders. The contract pricing structure is governed by contractor-submitted rate cards establishing hourly labor rates (ranging from $17.00 per hour for general laborers and flaggers to $55.00 per hour for foremen and electricians), vehicle rates (ranging from $10.00 per hour for UTVs to $80.00 per hour for flatbed trucks), and equipment rates (such as $100.00 per hour for jiraffs with operators). Reimbursable expenses for materials and rentals not listed on the rate card may be invoiced at actual cost plus 15 percent markup with prior approval, subject to a 10 percent variance threshold from approved work order estimates. TDOT will issue written work orders with at least five business days' notice, requiring contractors to acknowledge within two business days and complete work within ten business days of the start date.