Janitorial Services: Bullitt Co. I-65 Welcome Center

The Commonwealth of Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Purchases, issued a Request for Bid (RFB) for janitorial and grounds maintenance services at the Bullitt County I-65 Welcome Center, a rest area facility located at mile-point 113.539 on southbound Interstate 65 in Bullitt County, Kentucky. The procurement seeks comprehensive custodial maintenance, grounds maintenance, equipment repairs, and supplies for a 365-day service year across three work shifts (7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., and 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.) at a facility measuring 71 feet by 104 feet with lobbies, separate men's and women's restrooms, storage areas, vending areas, and tourism areas, plus grounds and parking facilities containing 140 car spaces and 28 truck spaces serving approximately 1,700 vehicles daily. The contract requires a minimum staff of ten full-time personnel consisting of one shift supervisor and three attendants on the first shift, one shift supervisor and three attendants on the second shift, one shift supervisor and one attendant on the third shift, plus one 24-hour project supervisor. Bidders must meet specific qualifications including a minimum of 24 months in business experience, general liability insurance with limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence, Kentucky workers' compensation insurance, criminal background checks for all employees including verification against the National Sex Offender Registry, uniforms meeting Commonwealth specifications, and compliance with all safety and security requirements. The evaluation criteria allocate 95 points to price (lowest bidder receives maximum points) and 5 points to experience measured in months in business (with a maximum of 120 months counted for evaluation), and performance will be measured against standardized inspection criteria covering lobby/tourism areas, restrooms, grounds, vending buildings, utility rooms, and staff compliance. Bids were required to be submitted electronically through the Kentucky Vendor Self Service system by June 27, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time, with a tentative award date of August 1, 2023, and the initial contract period running from August 1, 2023, through July 31, 2024, followed by four optional one-year renewal periods available at the Commonwealth's discretion.

Qualified bidders claiming status under Kentucky's qualified bidder preference program—including nonprofits furthering the purposes of KRS Chapter 163, Kentucky Industries for the Blind, and qualified nonprofit agencies serving individuals with severe disabilities—receive a 15 to 20 percent preference equal to the maximum points awarded, and resident bidders of Kentucky may receive reciprocal preference. The contract is subject to liquidated damages assessments of 10 percent of the daily contracted rate for non-compliance with staffing requirements, failure to meet cleaning schedules, or failure to meet inspection standards, with performance evaluated using the standardized Rest Area Maintenance Inspection Report form assessing 225 possible points across multiple facility categories. No incumbent vendor was identified in the solicitation documents. All contractors must provide an Annual Affidavit for Bidders, Offerors and Contractors attesting to compliance with Kentucky campaign finance laws pursuant to KRS 45A.110 and 45A.115, notarized and submitted prior to contract award. Pricing is submitted on a daily rate basis for janitorial services covering 365 days, plus supplemental temporary staffing priced at a per-man-hour rate, with the Commonwealth reserving the right to adjust prices during the initial 12-month period if justified by industry-wide price changes and requiring that price decreases be passed through immediately. Although no specific award value is stated in the solicitation documents, the contract encompasses full operational costs for staffing, equipment, materials, and supplies for a comprehensive rest area maintenance operation serving over 1,700 daily vehicles across three shifts for a one-year period with renewal options.