Cleaning and Care of Interstate Rest Area-Chamberlain, SD

The South Dakota Department of Transportation is requesting proposals for maintenance and care of the Chamberlain interstate rest area on Interstate 90 at milepost 264.4, with proposals due September 21, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. CDT. Site visits must be completed by September 14, 2026; offerors should contact Jim Lolley at (605) 669-2371 or Jim.Lolley@state.sd.us to schedule.

The contractor must provide all equipment, supplies, and labor for daily operations including cleaning, minor plumbing and electrical repairs, grounds care, snow and ice removal, and kiosk monitoring. During peak season (May 17–October 31), the contractor or employees must be on duty a minimum of twelve hours daily, typically 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Specific responsibilities include lawn care (mowing between 2–4 inches), sidewalk and parking area maintenance, litter and recycling container management, and seven-day-per-week rest room cleaning as the highest priority. The contractor must wear "REST AREA CARETAKER" emblems and high-visibility safety apparel. The Department furnishes major repairs, utilities, and cleaning supplies.

Insurance requirements include commercial general liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence, professional liability of $1,000,000, business automobile liability of $1,000,000 per accident, and workers' compensation as required by South Dakota law.

The contract term runs from November 1, 2026 through October 31, 2028 (two years) with no renewal options. Evaluation criteria are cost, experience and reliability, expertise of personnel, availability to the project locale, and familiarity with the project locale. The anticipated award decision and contract negotiation date is October 12, 2026. Questions must be emailed to Lexi Lassle at lexi.lassle@state.sd.us with subject line "RFP #26RFP19918" — the deadline for inquiries is not specified in the source. All inquiries and responses will be posted on the state's e-procurement system.