Grounds maintenance-blacksburg WC

The South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism is soliciting bids for comprehensive grounds maintenance services at the Blacksburg Welcome Center located on Interstate 85. The procurement is an Invitation for Bid (IFB) with solicitation number 5400020929, seeking a contractor to perform monthly grounds maintenance and as-needed clear zone area mowing services. The contract term is five years, from April 1, 2021, to March 31, 2026, with automatic one-year renewal options. Contractor qualifications require a minimum of five years of stable ground maintenance or landscaping business operations, submission of three recent comparable commercial contracts, and a list of South Carolina public bodies served. Key deliverables include weekly maintenance of clear zones along Interstate 85, mowing vegetation to a uniform height between 2-4 inches, clearing vegetation around interstate signs, and maintaining landscaped areas. A mandatory pre-bid conference was held on February 16, 2021, with bid submissions due online by February 23, 2021, at 1:00 p.m. A $5,000 bid bond is required, and the contract will be awarded to the lowest responsible and responsive bidder.

The solicitation does not explicitly indicate specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises, though South Carolina resident contractor preferences are available if certain qualifications are met. Contractors must maintain comprehensive insurance, including commercial general liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence, auto liability insurance of $1,000,000 per accident, and workers' compensation insurance. All bidders must register as state vendors and possess a valid South Carolina vendor number. Contractors must have personnel with specific qualifications, including a designated contact person, a supervisor with minimum five years of experience, and herbicide applicators with valid South Carolina Certified Pesticide Applicator Licenses. While a specific contract value is not stated, the solicitation indicates the potential for landscaping improvements up to $100,000 per location over the contract's duration. Contractors will be paid monthly upon satisfactory completion of services, with SCPRT reserving the right to withhold payment for unsatisfactory work or unresolved inspection findings.