Otsego Lake & PRC vaults

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is issuing Request for Proposal No. 250000001790 for vault and septic pumping services at Otsego Lake State Park and Pigeon River Country Recreation Management Unit, located in Gaylord, Michigan. This procurement seeks a contractor to provide comprehensive waste management services on an on-call basis with 24-hour completion requirements, including pumping of 39 vault toilets across 28 service locations at Otsego Lake Unit and multiple vault toilets at Pigeon River Country facilities, as well as septic tank pumping services at four tanks within the Otsego Lake campground. The contractor must be licensed through the Environment, Great Lakes & Energy (EGLE) agency to remove and transport septage waste and must arrange disposal through an EGLE-approved facility. Over the three-year initial contract term with two optional one-year renewal periods, the scope encompasses an estimated 324 vault pumping occurrences and 72,000 gallons of septic pumping, along with vault disinfection using bleach or equivalent solutions and coordination with park staff to minimize visitor disruption. The State will evaluate all proposals on a pass/fail basis across nine criteria including requirements compliance, service specifications, staffing qualifications, project management capabilities, pricing, ordering procedures, invoicing and payment terms, liquidated damages provisions, and additional requirements. Proposals are due electronically through www.michigan.gov/SIGMAVSS by 9:30 a.m. Eastern on Friday, March 28, 2025, with written questions required by 3:00 p.m. Eastern on Friday, March 21, 2025, and answers posted by 4:00 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, and the anticipated contract begin date is Friday, April 4, 2025.

The RFP documents do not specify set-aside designations or restrictions limiting participation to disadvantaged enterprises or particular organization types, indicating this opportunity is open to all qualified vendors meeting the technical and insurance requirements. Contractors must carry Commercial General Liability insurance with a minimum $2,000,000 aggregate, Automobile Liability coverage of $1,000,000 per accident, Workers' Compensation, and Employers Liability insurance of $500,000 per accident, with the State named as an additional insured. Pricing must be submitted in modifiable formats (Microsoft Word or Excel) on the provided Schedule B, with contractors offering per-vault unit pricing for toilet vault pumping and per-thousand-gallon pricing for septic tank pumping services; pricing is firm for the initial 365-day period with potential cost adjustments thereafter supported by documented evidence such as Consumer Price Index data. The contractor will be required to maintain a dedicated Contractor Representative available during business hours via a toll-free customer service number and must provide at least 14 calendar days' notice before removing or replacing this representative. Specific award value or budget ranges are not disclosed in the available documents; however, contracts equal to or exceeding $250,000 require approval by the State Administrative Board. The Solicitation Manager is Patricia Graves, reachable at 517-927-2272 or Gravesp2@michigan.gov, and the State reserves the right to conduct on-site facility visits, oral presentations, interviews, reference checks, and background checks during the evaluation process.