AWOS Maintenance and Data Dissemination

The South Dakota Department of Transportation, Office of Air, Rail and Transit, is issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP #25RFP16047) for Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) maintenance and data dissemination services across 16 public-use airports throughout South Dakota. The procurement seeks a qualified vendor to provide scheduled tri-annual inspections, unscheduled maintenance, FAA data connection through NADIN (National Aeronautical Data Interchange Network), and certification management for AWOS III equipment. Key deliverables include maintaining federal certification through tri-annual inspections, coordinating NOTAMs during maintenance activities, tracking recertification dates, scheduling FAA onsite visits, and ensuring METAR dissemination to applicable Data Collection Servers. The selected contractor must employ technicians with current FAA Verification Authority letters and maintain all required licenses and certifications for AWOS III equipment servicing. The contract term is 24 months, commencing June 1, 2026, and ending May 31, 2028, with no extension options. Required qualifications include commercial general liability and professional liability insurance coverage of $1,000,000, business automobile liability coverage, and workers' compensation insurance, along with compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations and non-discrimination requirements. The schedule includes an April 10, 2026 deadline for responses to offeror inquiries, a May 8, 2026 proposal due date, and an anticipated award decision by May 22, 2026. Inquiries must be submitted to Jon Becker at jon.becker@state.sd.us with the subject line "RFP #25RFP16047."

The RFP document does not indicate specific set-asides or restrictions limiting responses to particular types of organizations or disadvantaged enterprises. Currently, 16 individual airports maintain separate AWOS maintenance contracts with various vendors, with expiration dates ranging from June 2026 through October 2027; the selected vendor will need to coordinate service transfers with these existing contractors to ensure continuity of operations. The contract will be executed exclusively between each airport sponsor and the selected vendor, with the South Dakota Department of Transportation serving as a reimbursable funding agency. The cost proposal must include statewide rates for on-site hourly labor and holiday rates for unscheduled maintenance, plus per-airport charges for tri-annual inspections (fully inclusive of all costs), unscheduled service mobilization, and holiday mobilization, with meal reimbursement following South Dakota Bureau of Finance and Management rates and lodging reimbursement at actual costs up to established US General Services Administration rates. The specific budget range or award value has not been disclosed in the available documentation.