Traditional mowing-allendale, barnwell

The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) has issued an Invitation for Bid (IFB) for traditional mowing services across Allendale, Barnwell, and Hampton Counties, solicitation number 5400026136. The procurement encompasses comprehensive road maintenance services including routine mowing, rail mowing, ditch mowing, and bridge mowing activities on Interstate, Primary, and Secondary routes, with additional requirements for guardrail and cable rail maintenance. Contractors must provide all labor, equipment, materials, and work zone traffic control for routes spanning 326.71 centerline miles with a total mowing requirement of approximately 1,189.45 acres across secondary routes and primary routes. The contract term is five years, with an initial one-year period and four potential one-year renewals, estimated to run from March 1, 2024, to February 28, 2029. A mandatory pre-bid conference was held on November 8, 2023, with bidder questions due by November 9, 2023, and sealed bid submissions required by December 13, 2023, at 2:30 p.m. Bidders must be registered South Carolina vendors and submit comprehensive documentation including a signed Cover Page, equipment list, personnel statement, and minority participation questionnaire. Award will be made to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, with work to be performed between April 1 and November 15 annually for routine and rail mowing.

The solicitation does not explicitly outline specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged business enterprises, though a minority participation questionnaire is required. Bidders must maintain specified insurance coverage and provide a labor and material payment bond. Non-compliance penalties range from $500 to $1,000 per offense, with potential contract termination for serious violations. The procurement allows for unit price adjustments on a sliding scale between 0% and 25% for quantity changes between 0% and 50%. While specific budget ranges are not detailed, the solicitation provides estimated quantities over the five-year contract period, including 48,897.30 acres for Primary Routine Mowing, 1,577,473.80 linear feet for Primary Rail Mowing, 70,471 acres for Secondary Routine Mowing, and 496,760 linear feet for Secondary Rail Mowing. No incumbent vendor information is provided in the documentation. The procurement officer for this solicitation is Laura Bagwell, located at the SCDOT Procurement Office in Columbia, South Carolina, with the award notification scheduled for January 18, 2024, and the actual award to be posted on February 23, 2024.