Private Underground Utility Locating Service

The Commonwealth of Kentucky Finance and Administration Cabinet, on behalf of the Division of Waste Management, is issuing Request for Bid (RFB) 758 2600000107 to establish a Master Agreement for private underground utility locating services available statewide. The procured services encompass horizontal location of private underground utilities at sites throughout Kentucky using electromagnetic (EM) and ground penetrating radar (GPR) technology, with drilling capabilities extending up to 30 feet below ground surface. Contractors must provide utility identification, photographic documentation upon request, GPR data delivery for review, and mark findings according to APWA standards using environmentally safe paint and flags, with services available in remote areas and across the entire state. Bidders must demonstrate years of experience with similar utility locating work and capability to operate on a statewide basis. The evaluation criteria allocate 90 points for price and 10 points for years of experience in similar work, with the lowest-priced responsive and responsible bidder receiving maximum points and subsequent bidders scored proportionally. Pricing is structured at $60.00 per hour for both regular locator services and extended service tech mobilization for work outside the vendor's service area. Written vendor questions are due by September 3, 2025, at 10:00 AM ET, with bid closing on September 10, 2025, at 1:30 PM ET; all submissions must be made electronically through the Commonwealth eProcurement system in Microsoft Word, Excel, or PDF format only. The contract will be awarded for an initial period of one year beginning February 10, 2026, with four optional one-year renewal periods available subject to written approval by all parties and potential renegotiation of terms.

Kentucky resident bidders may receive reciprocal preference against nonresident bidders from states that provide preference to their own residents, as defined in KRS 45A.490-494. Qualified bidders, including Kentucky Correctional Industries and certain nonprofit organizations meeting criteria under KRS Chapter 163 that employ individuals with severe disabilities for at least seventy-five percent of direct labor hours, will receive applicable preferences. All bidders must provide proof of Commercial General Liability Insurance ($1,000,000 per occurrence, $2,000,000 aggregate) and Automobile Liability Insurance ($1,000,000 combined single limit) prior to contract award, with the Finance and Administration Cabinet named as additional insured on a primary and non-contributory basis. Vendors must submit a Kentucky Tax Registration Application (Revenue Form 10A100), required affidavits affirming compliance with Kentucky campaign finance laws and state tax and employment laws, and documentation of authorization to transact business in the Commonwealth. No incumbent contractors are identified in the solicitation, and no specific budget or award value is disclosed in the available documentation; however, pricing must remain firm for 60 days after the bid due date and shall not increase during the first 12 months of the contract, with any price increases thereafter requiring written justification based on industry-wide changes. Inquiries regarding the solicitation should be directed to Debbie Mathews at 502-564-8649.