Grounds maint. -venues at arsenal hill

The South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism (SCPRT) is soliciting bids for comprehensive grounds maintenance services at the Venues at Arsenal Hill in Columbia, Richland County. The procurement seeks a contractor to provide monthly landscape maintenance, turf management, debris removal, and weed control for multiple properties including the Lace House, Caldwell-Boylston House, Mansion Mall, Carriage House, Tea House, and associated gardens and perimeter areas. The contract is structured with two service periods: eight months of weekly mowing from March through October, and four months of bi-weekly mowing from November through February. Key qualifications include a site supervisor with minimum three years of full-service grounds maintenance experience, and mandatory staff background checks and professional uniforms. Contractors must provide Commercial General Liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence, Auto Liability of $1,000,000 per accident, and Worker's Compensation coverage. Critical procurement dates include a pre-bid conference and site visit on February 3, 2022, questions due by February 4, 2022 at 5:00 PM, proposal submissions due by February 16, 2022 at 3:00 PM, and award scheduled for February 18, 2022. Bids must be submitted online at http://www.procurement.sc.gov.

The solicitation includes provisions for South Carolina Resident Contractor and Resident Subcontractor preferences as outlined in Section 11-35-1524 of the South Carolina Code of Laws, which may provide advantages to in-state businesses. Contractors claiming these preferences must provide their in-state office address and certify qualification. The contract period is initially set for one year beginning March 1, 2022, with options for two additional one-year renewals, potentially extending through February 28, 2025. Either party can terminate the contract with thirty days' written notice. The document anticipates potential facility renovations beginning in November 2022, with contract modifications to be addressed through change orders. Specific seasonal responsibilities include specialized tasks such as pruning, trimming, vegetation removal, and path maintenance, with all timing and activities subject to venue manager coordination. While no specific contract value or budget range was disclosed in the documents, the detailed specifications suggest a comprehensive and nuanced grounds maintenance requirement with potential for ongoing service.