54-TJK-03-PR38329, custodial operations and maintenance of rest area including lawn and grounds maintenance

The North Carolina Department of Transportation is requesting proposals for custodial operations and maintenance of a rest area on US 421, ten miles south of Clinton in Sampson County (Division 3), with proposals due August 26, 2026 and a bid question deadline of August 12, 2026. This is a Small Business Enterprise (SBE) contract restricted to firms currently certified by the NCDOT Office of Civil Rights SBE Program Manager and listed in the Directory of Transportation Firms at bid opening, with a maximum annual gross income ceiling of $1.5 million (exclusive of materials).

Services include janitorial and grounds maintenance of the service building (interior and exterior), utility and storage buildings, vending machine building, outside lighting, picnic facilities, water and sewer systems. The facility receives an estimated 52,924 annual visitors with average water usage of 2.51 gallons per person. Staffing mandates one attendant on duty seven days per week, year-round, from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, with a shift-working supervisor available 24/7 within 50 miles or one hour's travel time. Mandatory wage rates are $16.82 per hour for attendants and $19.82 per hour for supervisors.

The contract runs November 1, 2026 through October 31, 2027, with two optional one-year extensions at two percent annual increases. The estimated annual contract value is $500,000. Bidders must submit a standard lump-sum bid and an alternate bid for reduced staffing (5 hours daily, 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM) during budget restrictions; the standard bid determines award. A performance guarantee of five percent less than monthly compensation (refundable upon completion absent default) is required. Commercial general liability insurance naming North Carolina as additional insured must provide $5 million per occurrence and $5 million general aggregate limits. General Contractor's license and contract bonds are waived. Background checks are mandatory for all employees, with disqualifying criminal histories prohibiting rest area employment. Prequalification is waived and no mandatory pre-bid conference will be held.