ATC grounds maintenace and landscaping

Aiken Technical College (ATC) is seeking a comprehensive grounds maintenance and landscaping services contractor for its 88-acre campus with 11 buildings located in Graniteville, South Carolina. The procurement is a Best Value Bid solicitation issued by the State Fiscal Accountability Authority, with a focus on bi-weekly mowing from March 1 through September 30, routine shrub and ground cover maintenance, weeding, hard edging, trash removal, surface blowing, and preventative weed control. Mandatory qualifications include a minimum of three years of experience with similar-sized locations, a pesticide utilization license, and the ability to maintain a professional workforce. Evaluation criteria are weighted 60 percent for cost, 20 percent for industry experience on large campuses, and 20 percent for vendor experience with similar scope and complexity. Key procurement dates include a non-mandatory pre-bid conference on December 13, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. EST via Microsoft Teams, with questions due by December 15, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. EST. Proposals are due January 19, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. EST, with an anticipated award posting on February 8, 2024. The contract term is one year with four optional one-year renewals, potentially extending the contract to five years from February 17, 2024, through February 16, 2029.

No specific set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises were explicitly mentioned in the procurement documents. The solicitation does not identify an incumbent contractor and provides no information about existing infrastructure requiring integration. Contractors must maintain commercial general liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence, auto liability of $1,000,000 per accident, and workers' compensation with statutory limits. All contractor personnel must wear company uniforms, conduct themselves professionally, and comply with ATC's tobacco-free campus policy. While a specific budget range is not provided, bidders are required to submit pricing for a one-year contract, with the procurement system multiplying the year-one price by five years to calculate the maximum contract value. A designated Contracting Officer's Representative will oversee technical aspects and conduct periodic quarterly walk-throughs to identify and require correction of any deficiencies at no additional cost to ATC. Invoicing will be conducted monthly, with payment processed via electronic funds transfer within 30 days of receipt.