Towing services for scde bus shops

The South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) Office of Transportation is seeking on-call and emergency towing and recovery services for school buses and service vehicles throughout South Carolina. This fixed-price bid solicitation covers towing service, light recovery, and full recovery services to be delivered to local school bus maintenance shops, with Richland County identified as a key jurisdiction. Contractors must provide a maximum unit price per tow not exceeding $1,000 and maintain a minimum of three vehicles available to respond within thirty minutes on a 24/7 basis. The solicitation requires contractors to possess specific equipment classifications, including Class A, B, and C towing/recovery vehicles with defined specifications. Key procurement dates include a bid opening on March 17, 2022, at 11:00 AM EST, with vendor questions due by February 24, 2022, at 5:00 PM EST, and award notification scheduled for March 25, 2022. The contract term will span an initial one-year period beginning April 6, 2022, with four potential one-year renewal options, creating a maximum five-year contract period ending April 5, 2027.

Potential contractors must be registered vendors with the State of South Carolina and carry comprehensive insurance, including $1,000,000 in Commercial General Liability per occurrence, $1,000,000 in Auto Liability per accident, and Worker's Compensation with Statutory Limits. Multiple contracts will be awarded to responsive and responsible offerors, with the SCDE reserving the right to cancel service requests at any time, including up to the point of vehicle hook-up, without incurring charges. Successful bidders must comply with all state, county, and local ordinances and regulations, obtain necessary licenses and permits, and demonstrate financial capability for contract performance. While specific set-aside designations are not explicitly mentioned, contractors will need to provide detailed estimates for each service call, which are subject to SCDE approval prior to service rendering. Although a specific budget range is not provided, the solicitation suggests a flexible procurement approach that can accommodate multiple vendors capable of meeting the stringent operational and insurance requirements for school bus towing services.