Cowlitz Area SMTG

Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is soliciting proposals for snowmobile trail grooming services on approximately 77 miles of trails in the Cowlitz Valley Ranger District of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest near Packwood in Lewis and Skamania Counties under RFP 527-309, with proposals due October 13, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. PST. A 10-point preference is available to Washington Small Business and/or Certified Veteran-Owned Business firms.

The scope encompasses trail grooming, clearing downed trees following storms, and maintaining safe riding surfaces across trails served by Johnson Creek, Orr Creek, and Wakepish Sno-Parks, with potential expansion to 130 miles if Skate Creek Sno-Park reopens. Grooming equipment must include a snow groomer with a closed, heated cab, communications systems, first aid kit, lighting, and GPS tracking capability; tracks at least 36 inches wide for two-track machines and 26 inches for four-track machines; and tillers, drags, or compactor bars with minimum 10-foot width. Trails must be groomed to a minimum 10-foot width. The contractor must employ experienced operators, attend mandatory monthly grooming council meetings and annual agency workshops, and provide weekly or monthly grooming schedules. Operators with less than two years of experience are subject to probation and close supervision, with possible contract termination for deficiencies.

The contract is structured as an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity on-call services agreement with an initial five-year term from December 1, 2026 through April 30, 2031, divided into fixed one-year winter seasons. Compensation is hourly for documented grooming service hours, based on a rate schedule to be completed post-award. The 2025–2026 season budget is capped at $46,916; future budgets are determined annually in July or August with no guaranteed minimum purchases. Subcontracting requires prior written approval. Bidders must register with a Washington Universal Business Identifier number and maintain $1,000,000 commercial general liability and automobile liability insurance.

Evaluation is on a 100-point scale (60-point minimum for responsiveness): equipment description and photos (35 points), bid pricing against a 140-hour standardized scenario (30 points), experience (25 points), and small business/veteran-owned business certification (10 points). A mandatory prebid conference is September 8, 2026 at 10:30 a.m. PST via Microsoft Teams (RSVP by September 3). The question period runs September 8–29, 2026 with responses by October 6. Letters of reference dated within approximately 90 days of posting are required.