Bridge Asset Management

The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) is seeking a qualified contractor to provide comprehensive bridge asset management services for 16 bridge structures located in Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, and Horry Counties. The Request for Proposal (RFP) solicits services for managing, maintaining, operating, and providing warranty protection for fixed and movable coastal bridges, with a contract term of four years and potential two one-year renewals. Contractors must demonstrate extensive qualifications in infrastructure management, engineering, maintenance, and operations, with specific requirements including professional engineers licensed in South Carolina, experienced bridge operators, and maintenance personnel knowledgeable of industry standards. The evaluation criteria will weight project team requirements and qualifications at 25 percent, understanding of base services scope at 25 percent, administrative requirements management at 20 percent, potential services execution at 20 percent, and heavy weather operations experience at 10 percent. Key submission dates include a non-mandatory pre-proposal conference on October 29, 2025, mandatory site visits from October 30 to November 7, 2025, proposal questions due by November 10, 2025, and final proposal submission due on January 5, 2026, at 11:00 AM ET, with award anticipated on March 3, 2026.

The solicitation does not specify explicit set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises. The contract requires contractors to maintain a project office in the Charleston area and provide comprehensive record-keeping systems, with specific operational requirements including 24/7 bridge tending, maintenance schedules, and adherence to federal regulations. Contractors must provide a performance bond of 50 percent of the contract sum and a payment bond of 50 percent of the contract price, issued by a surety company licensed in South Carolina. Insurance requirements include Commercial General Liability coverage of $2,000,000 per occurrence, Auto Liability of $1,000,000 per accident, and Worker's Compensation with Statutory Limits plus Employer's Liability of $1,000,000 per accident. The total contract value is structured with a base amount for years 1-4, and additional funding for years 5 and 6, with a total potential services budget of $12,000,000, including $8,000,000 for years 1-4 and $2,000,000 for each of years 5 and 6.