Janitorial Services: Powell Co. Mountain Parkway Rest Area

The Commonwealth of Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Purchases, issued a Request for Bid (RFB) for janitorial and custodial services at the Mountain Parkway Rest Area in Powell County, Kentucky. The procurement seeks a qualified contractor to provide comprehensive facility maintenance services including daily cleaning of the main rest area building (36 feet by 49 feet), restrooms, lobbies, storage areas, and vending areas, along with grounds maintenance for an estimated 450 daily vehicle traffic count. Services must be delivered 24 hours per day, seven days per week across three 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.) with a minimum staffing requirement of six employees including two per shift plus one shift supervisor, and one project supervisor available by phone at all times. The contractor must provide all labor, equipment, materials, supplies, chemicals, uniforms, and related items necessary to maintain the facility in a clean, safe, and sanitary condition; perform minor repairs up to $25 per item with departmental approval required for higher-value repairs; and conduct background checks and verification against the National Sex Offender Registry for all employees. Evaluation criteria allocate 95 points to price and 5 points to months in business, with bidders required to demonstrate a minimum of 24 months in business and submit responses electronically through the Kentucky Vendor Self Service system at https://vss.ky.gov. The solicitation closed on June 29, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time, with an anticipated contract start date of August 1, 2023, for an initial one-year period through July 31, 2024, with four optional one-year renewal periods available.

The Commonwealth offers reciprocal preference to Kentucky resident bidders and extends a 15-percent preference to qualified bidders including Kentucky Industries for the Blind and nonprofits serving individuals with disabilities. The contractor must maintain general liability insurance coverage of $1,000,000 per occurrence and Kentucky workers' compensation insurance, and must submit all chemicals and materials with corresponding Material Safety Data Sheets for departmental approval prior to use. Performance monitoring occurs through the Rest Area Maintenance Inspection Report form, with penalties assessed for failure to meet standards, including liquidated damages of 10 percent of the daily contracted rate per occurrence and potential contract termination for three or more violations. Price increases are prohibited during the first 12 months of the contract, with only one increase permitted during the remainder of the initial contract term based on industry-wide cost changes and subject to 30 days' notice. The specific budget or award value is not disclosed in the solicitation documents; however, the contract encompasses a full year of 24/7 operational coverage beginning August 1, 2023, with potential extension through July 31, 2028, if all renewal options are exercised.