Grounds maintenance-hardeeville WC

The South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism (SCPRT) is seeking a qualified contractor to provide comprehensive grounds maintenance services for the Hardeeville Welcome Center, located in Lancaster County, South Carolina. The solicitation is for a 60-month contract with an initial one-year term and four potential one-year renewals, commencing on 11/03/2025. Services will include weekly maintenance of all grounds areas, excluding irrigation system monitoring, with work to be performed during daylight hours and coordinated with Welcome Center staff. Required services encompass vegetation care, mowing, pruning, weed control, mulching, and other landscaping tasks, with specific requirements for maintaining clear zones and ensuring visibility along interstate routes. Bidders must have a minimum of 5 years of commercial landscaping experience and provide three references of similar size and scope. A pre-bid conference is scheduled for 10/14/2025 at 1:30 PM at the Hardeeville Welcome Center, with offers due by 10/22/2025 at 3:00 PM. The procurement requires a $5,000 bid bond and will involve detailed specifications for clear zone mowing, including maintaining vegetation height between 2-4 inches and ensuring no debris is deposited on road surfaces.

The contract allows for potential landscaping improvements up to $50,000 per location and includes provisions for resident contractor and subcontractor preferences. Contractors must meet specific equipment and safety requirements, including operational amber warning lights, slow-moving vehicle emblems, and workers wearing class II safety vests with orange-red backgrounds. While no specific set-aside designations are explicitly mentioned, the solicitation emphasizes local contractor involvement. The contractor will be responsible for providing all necessary equipment, materials, licenses, permits, and insurance, with stringent personnel qualification standards including background checks and safety protocols. Although a specific budget range is not provided, the contract will involve monthly pricing with unit prices required for the entire 60-month period. Payment will be made by SCPRT for satisfactorily completed services, with the potential for payment withholding for unsatisfactory work, damages, or incomplete tasks. The procurement will be competitively bid and awarded based on the most responsive and responsible bidder meeting all specified requirements.