Landscape Maintenance Carter County I-64 Rest Areas Rebid

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, through its Division of Purchases, is seeking a landscape maintenance contractor for Carter County I-64 Rest Areas, with a comprehensive Request for Bid (RFB) soliciting services for approximately 7.3 acres of turf and 1,700 square feet of landscape beds. The contract requires extensive maintenance including mowing, trimming, pruning, mulching, weed control, insect control, fertilization, and plant maintenance. Specific deliverables include adherence to precise pesticide and herbicide specifications, such as using products like Gallery 75DF, Roundup Pro, and Mavrik Aquaflow, with contractors required to possess valid pesticide applicator certification. The bid will be evaluated using a best value ranking system, allocating 97 points to pricing and 3 points to response time, with an electronic submission requirement through the Kentucky Vendor Self Service system. Key dates include a bid closing on May 1, 2025, at 1:30 PM, a tentative award date of May 9, 2025, and an initial contract period running from March 29, 2025, to March 31, 2026, with potential for four additional one-year renewals.

The procurement appears open to all qualified vendors, with preferences given to Kentucky resident bidders. Contractors must provide commercial general liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence and Kentucky workers' compensation insurance. While no specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises are explicitly mentioned, the bid includes provisions for potential point adjustments for qualified bidders. The contract requires strict compliance with the Pesticide Discharge Management Plan and environmental regulations, with potential substantial penalties for non-compliance. Contractors must be prepared to manage potential work interruptions and meet detailed performance standards. Though a specific contract value is not directly stated, the comprehensive nature of the maintenance requirements and the multi-year potential suggest a significant annual investment. Interested vendors must carefully review all specifications, particularly the detailed pesticide and herbicide requirements, and be prepared to demonstrate technical expertise in landscape maintenance for highway rest area environments.