Movable Bridges Operational and Custodial Services

The Michigan Department of Transportation is requesting proposals for operational and custodial services on six movable bascule and swing bridges across two regions (Southwest and Metro), with proposals due July 2, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern and a question deadline of June 24, 2026. The contract involves 24/7 operations during navigational seasons on three bridges (Fort Street, Bicentennial, Blossomland) and four additional bridges in the Metro Region (Jefferson, Dix Avenue, Grosse Ile), each with Coast Guard-mandated opening protocols under 33 CFR 117.

Bridge operators must meet specific qualifications including corrected vision of 20/40 or better, ability to distinguish red, yellow, and green colors, hearing capability between 500 and 6,000 Hertz, and ability to climb stairs and hand-crank bridge gates. All operators require Trained Bridge Operator certification, obtained through minimum eight-hour classroom training plus on-site testing, valid for 24 months per specific bridge. The contractor must establish and maintain comprehensive compliance with federal drug and alcohol testing requirements for all safety-sensitive positions, including pre-employment, random, reasonable-suspicion, post-accident, and return-to-duty testing at contractor expense. A dedicated program manager must be available 24/7 with 15-minute telephone response and 30-minute in-person response.

Custodial duties include daily window cleaning, floor sweeping, dusting, restroom maintenance, and weekly wet mopping and monthly waxing. Equipment and materials specifications are detailed for cleaning supplies, de-icing chemicals, and powered washers. The contract term is three years with two optional one-year renewals, anticipated start August 1, 2026, following three-week advance notice. Pricing must be submitted per region on a lump-sum monthly basis plus annual mobilization fees and per-opening fees for off-season winter navigations (December through February). Bidders must bid separately by region; the State reserves the right to award multiple contracts by region. Evaluation is pass/fail on four criteria: Confidential Treatment Form completion, Vendor Questionnaire completion, Schedule A completion with answered questions, and Standard Contract Terms agreement. Award goes to the lowest-priced responsive and responsible bidder. Liquidated damages may be imposed after three written warnings, including $200 per hour for bridge abandonment and up to $200 per occurrence for other violations. Proposals are binding for 180 days.