Ski Trail Grooming Services - VASA Pathway

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has issued an Award Recommendation for ski trail grooming services on the VASA Pathway under RFP #250000000553, with the intended awardee Traverse Area Recreation and Transportation (TART) Trails, Inc. pending State Administrative Board approval as of September 1, 2026.

TART Trails, Inc., located at 148 E Front Street, Suite 201, Traverse City, Michigan, was the sole bidder and was evaluated as responsive and responsible against mandatory requirements including Schedule A sections and required documentation. The vendor is not a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Business or Geographically Disadvantaged Business Enterprise.

The contract value is $75,000 over a three-year term with an option for up to two, one-year renewal periods. The pricing structure consists of three deliverables: pre-season grooming services at $125.00 per groom, complete groom service using a snow cat at $375.50 per groom, and complete groom service using a snowmobile at $190.00 per groom.

The RFP was posted on November 27, 2024, with a 14-day solicitation period and proposals due December 11, 2024. The evaluation team included Brooke Jones (Solicitation Manager), Stephanie Rosinski (Subject Matter Expert), and Ashlyn Forman (Subject Matter Expert), all from the Department of Natural Resources. Debriefing sessions for non-selected bidders are available through Brooke Jones at jonesb30@michigan.gov or (517) 388-6833.