Professional lawn and grounds maintenance of rest area

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), Division 11, is seeking professional lawn and grounds maintenance services for a rest area facility located on I-77 southbound in Surry County, 0.5 miles south of the NC/VA stateline. The procurement is a Request for Proposal (RFP) for comprehensive grounds maintenance services, including mowing, fertilization, aeration, overseeding, pesticide application, mulching, pruning, debris removal, and stormwater control measure maintenance. The contract duration is one year, from April 1, 2026, through March 31, 2027, with potential extensions for four additional one-year periods. Bidders must submit proposals by 2:00 p.m. on January 28, 2026, with bid questions due by 5:00 p.m. on January 13, 2026. Key qualifications include holding a valid North Carolina Ground Applicator Pesticide License with Ornamental and Turf pest control sub-classification, and the contract requires a minimum of 32 man-hours per week from February through November and 12 man-hours per week during December and January.

The contract is designated as a Small Business Enterprise (SBE) set-aside, restricting bidders to those certified by the NCDOT Office of Civil Rights SBE Program Manager with annual gross income not exceeding $1,500,000 (excluding materials). While no incumbent vendor is specified, contractors must provide comprehensive commercial-grade equipment and maintain liability insurance with $5,000,000 minimum coverage naming the state as additional insured. The compensation structure includes a monthly fixed price for services, with separate line items for materials such as 180 cubic yards of mulch, 4 tons of turfgrass fertilization, 15 tons of limestone, 2,500 pounds of turfgrass overseeding, and repair seeding for 2 acres. Performance requirements include mandatory national criminal background checks for employees and supervisory staff, and the contract incorporates a detailed compensation reduction schedule for non-compliance. Although specific budget ranges are not explicitly stated, the contract requires a performance guarantee equal to five percent of the monthly compensation for the first year, suggesting a moderate-value procurement focused on small, local businesses.