Janitorial Services: Carter Co. I-64 Rest Areas

The Commonwealth of Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Purchases, issued a Request for Bid (RFB) on June 14, 2023, for janitorial and custodial services at two Interstate-64 rest area facilities in Carter County, Kentucky (Eastbound at MP 174.001 and Westbound at MP 173.587), with a bid closing deadline of June 22, 2023, at 1:30 PM EDT and written questions due by 4:00 PM EDT on the same day. The procurement seeks a contractor to provide comprehensive janitorial services, grounds maintenance, and minor repairs at these facilities, which service approximately 1,400 daily vehicle traffic counts, operating continuously across three eight-hour shifts (7:00 AM-3:00 PM, 3:00 PM-11:00 PM, and 11:00 PM-7:00 AM) seven days per week, 24 hours per day. The scope of work includes daily custodial maintenance of building interiors (lobbies, restrooms, storage areas, and vending areas), grounds maintenance (litter removal, snow and ice removal, sidewalk cleaning, picnic table cleaning, and landscaping), and minor repairs, with all cleaning supplies, materials, equipment, chemicals, paper products, bathroom supplies, and uniforms provided at no cost to the Commonwealth. The selected contractor must maintain a minimum staff of 12 employees (four per shift with one designated shift supervisor per shift) plus one full-time project supervisor available 24 hours daily, with provision for additional temporary staffing on a per-man-hour basis at 40 man-hours for supplemental needs. Required qualifications include a minimum of 24 months in business experience, current criminal background checks for all employees verified against the National Sex Offender Registry, workers' compensation insurance, and general liability insurance with $1,000,000 minimum per-occurrence limits. Award will be based on best value scoring criteria using price (95 points maximum, with the lowest-priced bidder receiving maximum points and subsequent bidders scored proportionally) and months in business experience (5 points maximum, with a 24-month minimum requirement). The initial contract term runs from August 1, 2023, through July 31, 2024, with four optional one-year renewal periods available at the Commonwealth's discretion, and the tentative award date is August 1, 2023.

Kentucky resident bidders registered in the Commonwealth are eligible for reciprocal preference, and qualified bidder preferences are available for Kentucky Correctional Industries (20 percent preference) and certain nonprofit organizations serving individuals with disabilities (15 percent preference). An Annual Affidavit for Bidders, Offerors, and Contractors must be submitted pursuant to Kentucky Revised Statutes 45A.110 and 45A.115, with the affidavit remaining effective for one year from execution and requiring notarization by an authorized representative of the contracting party attesting that the contractor has not knowingly violated Kentucky campaign finance laws. Bidders must submit responses through the Kentucky Vendor Self Service (VSS) portal, with pricing provided for Line Item 1 (janitorial services at a daily rate for 365 days) and Line Item 2 (supplemental temporary staffing at an hourly rate), and supporting documentation limited to a maximum of 65 megabytes per file with up to ten files per upload. Performance will be evaluated using a standardized Rest Area Maintenance Inspection Report form assessing eight distinct areas (Lobby/Tourism Area, Women's Restroom, Men's Restroom, Family Restroom, Grounds Area, Vending Building, Utility Room, and Staff Performance) with a total of 258 possible inspection points, with a threshold of 175 points or below triggering vendor complaints or show cause letters and liquidated damages assessed on a daily rate basis for unsatisfactory performance, uniform violations, staffing shortages, and failure to meet operational standards. No specific budget range or award value is provided in the solicitation documents; however, payment will be made monthly upon submission of proper invoices showing services rendered within 30 working days of receipt in accordance with Kentucky statutes, with a 1% monthly penalty assessed for payments exceeding 30 working days.