Blewett Pass Snowmobile Trail Grooming

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission's Winter Recreation Program is soliciting proposals for snowmobile trail grooming services on approximately 70 miles of designated trails within the Blewett Pass trail system in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, with proposals due October 13, 2026, at 3:00 p.m.

The contract is structured as an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity on-call services agreement with a potential 10-year relationship divided into two fixed 5-year terms, commencing December 1, 2026, through April 30, 2031. Grooming operations run December 1 through March 31 annually, contingent on adequate snowfall (12–18 inches base depth). The 2025/26 season budget for the contract area is a maximum of $38,074, with no guarantee of consistent funding across future seasons; continuation is contingent on funding availability. Compensation is based on documented hours of trail grooming service, with payment determined annually in July or August according to available revenues and Snowmobile Advisory Committee recommendations. Invoices are paid within 30 calendar days of State Parks' acceptance.

Grooming must produce a minimum 10-foot-wide finished surface on designated trails. Equipment must include closed-cab snow groomers with track widths of at least 36 inches (two-track) or 26 inches (four-track), tiller or compactor bar systems, two-way radio or cellular/satellite communications, GPS progress tracking, 24-unit first aid and survival kits, dual rotating beacons with backup lights, functioning backup alarms, and accurate hour meters. Contractors must submit grooming calendars by October 16 and monthly schedules by November 1, complete daily trail grooming logs by the 10th of each month, and maintain GPS tracking documentation. Missed scheduled grooming requires catch-up grooming the following day; failure to groom for five consecutive days triggers State Parks' right to contract alternative services at the contractor's expense. Operators with less than two years of experience enter probation status and may face one-year termination if deficiencies persist.

Contractors must maintain commercial general liability insurance with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence and automobile liability at the same level if vehicles are used. Subcontracting is prohibited without express written approval. The scope spans Kittitas County and Chelan County, Washington.