Janitorial Services: Shelby Co. I-64 Welcome Center

The Commonwealth of Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Purchases, on behalf of the Division of Maintenance, is soliciting bids through a Request for Bid (RFB) for janitorial and grounds maintenance services at the Interstate 64 Welcome Center and Rest Area facility located in Shelby County, Kentucky. The procurement requires comprehensive custodial maintenance of rest area buildings including lobbies, restrooms, storage areas, and vending areas, along with grounds and parking area maintenance encompassing litter removal, trash collection, sidewalk cleaning, snow and ice removal, and leaf removal, performed on a 365-day annual basis across three shifts (7:00 AM-3:00 PM, 3:00 PM-11:00 PM, and 11:00 PM-7:00 AM). The successful contractor must maintain a minimum staff of nine employees distributed across the three shifts (four on shift one, three on shift two, and two on shift three) plus one project supervisor available 24 hours daily; all employees must be at least 18 years old and pass criminal background checks within 30 days of employment. The facility serves approximately 1,100 daily visitors and includes a main building measuring 71 feet by 104 feet with two separate restrooms, a lobby, storage areas, vending buildings, and grounds containing 30 aggregate waste containers, 10 fiberglass benches, 5 drinking fountains, 14 picnic tables, 6 picnic grills, and 116 car parking spaces plus 18 truck spaces. Bids were due June 27, 2023, at 1:30 PM Eastern Time, with the anticipated contract start date of August 1, 2023, for an initial one-year term (August 1, 2023, through July 31, 2024) with four optional one-year renewal periods available at mutual written approval. Evaluation criteria allocate 95 points to price (lowest bidder receives maximum points) and 5 points to months in business (minimum 24 months required, with 120 months maximum for evaluation purposes); bidders must submit bids electronically through the Kentucky Vendor Self Service eProcurement system. The contractor must maintain general liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence and Kentucky workers' compensation insurance, provide all cleaning supplies, chemicals, materials, equipment, and safety items, and must comply with all performance standards as evaluated through rest area maintenance inspection reports using a standardized form with a minimum acceptable score of 175 points out of 258 possible points, with liquidated damages of 10 percent of the daily contracted rate assessed for failure to meet minimum staffing or performance standards.

The procurement includes several set-aside designations and preferences: Kentucky Industries for the Blind, nonprofits furthering KRS Chapter 163 purposes, and qualified nonprofit agencies serving individuals with severe disabilities receive a qualified bidder preference equal to 15 to 20 percent of maximum points; reciprocal Kentucky resident bidder preference also applies per KRS 45A.490-494 and 200 KAR 5:410. All bidders must submit a Required Annual Affidavit for Bidders, Offerors, and Contractors affirming compliance with Kentucky campaign finance laws, and bidders claiming resident status must submit a Required Affidavit for Bidders Claiming Resident Bidder Status to qualify for reciprocal preference consideration. The solicitation documents do not identify any incumbent vendors or current contractors serving the facility. Pricing must be submitted as a daily rate for janitorial services and a per-man-hour rate (40 man-hours available) for supplemental temporary staffing; no budget range or estimated contract value is specified in the solicitation materials. Price increases are prohibited during the first 12 months of the contract; thereafter, only one price increase based on industry-wide price changes is permitted with 30 days' written notice and supporting justification.