This is a service / maintenance or supply contract in Bismarck, North Dakota. Contact the soliciting agency for additional information.

PURCHASE DESCRIPTION: The State intends to enter into up to six contracts with current Professional Trail Builders Association (PTBA) member companies for the purpose of trail repair and maintenance within the State of North Dakota. The contracts will be for a two-year period with three renewal options for up to two years each. The contracts will also have a twelve-month extension option. The resultant contracts may not be used for new trail installation or trail design. The contracts will be strictly for the repair and maintenance of existing trail systems. To help ensure projects are responded to and completed in a timely fashion, to avoid excessive travel/mobilization expenses, and to expedite recall work and/or change orders, only PTBA members within 600 miles of Bismarck, North Dakota will be offered a contract. The State has identified six PTBA members within this range and they will be offered the option to enter into a State contract. The identified contractors are as follows: Integrated Trail LAB, Bozeman MT Blue Sky Trails LLC, Bismarck ND Dirt Candy Designs LLC, Grand Marais MN Trail Source LLC, Wayzata MN Pathfinder Trail Building LLC, Eagan MN Great Lakes Trailbuilders LLC, La Crosse WI The contractors who decide to sign a State contract will be added to a vendor pool known as State Contract #187 for Trail Repair & Maintenance Services. The contractors will have to comply with State registration and insurance requirements prior to the execution of their individual contract. The contracts will be cooperative State Contracts as authorized by the State's cooperative purchasing language shown below: Cooperative Purchasing. This contract is a cooperative purchasing contract established pursuant to N.D.C.C 54-44.4-13. This contract is made available to State entities, institutions under the jurisdiction of the State Board of Higher Education, other government entities (including counties, cities, townships, public primary and secondary educational entities, governmental boards and commissions), nonprofit entities established on behalf of public entities, tribal agencies, transportation providers under N.D.C.C 39-04.2, and the International Peace Garden (hereafter known as "Ordering Agencies"). Participation in this open-ended contract is not mandated; therefore, the estimated volume of this contract is not known. CONTRACTOR may contact the Procurement Officer for assistance in determining whether an entity is eligible to purchase under this contract. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: State entities looking to utilize the vendor pool will be invited to do so via a structured Task Order (TO) process. Qualifying State entities will be directed to fill out a Task Order template, to include the project scope, time parameters, and a TO response due date (among other things). The State entity will then email the TO to the entire pool of contractors. Once responses are received back, the State entity may proceed with the lowest cost, responsive contractor for their project. JUSTIFICATION: The State requires trail repair and maintenance services on an as-needed basis across the entire State of North Dakota. The requisite PTBA membership is a critical component of this contract for the following reasons: Quality of Work - Trail repair and maintenance is a highly specialized area of horizontal construction due to the very nature of trail locations, the need to mesh them into the surrounding natural environment, equipment competency, and the resiliency and sustainability requirements trails have for safety as well as remoteness of their locations. PTBA membership requires contractors to have documented success in trail projects as a condition of membership, and a track record of project experience in the field. This includes 3 years' experience, a minimum of 3 projects as a lead contractor or 5 as a subcontractor. Most of their work must be in trail planning, design, construction, maintenance, or industry-related activities. These requirements ensure that a member has the necessary specialized knowledge and skills to perform their jobs to a high standard. Compliance with Standards - PTBA members have the specialized knowledge and experience necessary to comply with established trail standards, including those of the National Park Service which the State follows where appropriate. This reduces the liability risk to the State and other potential legal issues. Risk Reduction - PTBA membership requirements by extension reduce the risk of accidents or injuries on State owned and managed properties, including trail networks. Their experiences and knowledge working in remote/primitive environments and with the various geotechnical challenges incumbent with trails better ensures specific safety protocols unique to trail construction, maintenance, and repair are adhered to, reducing the likelihood of accidents occurring. Professionalism - Qualifying for PTBA membership shows a level of dedication and professionalism on the part of a contractor. They have taken the time and effort to gain the necessary knowledge and skills to execute projects at a high level, which provides better peace of mind to the State. COST: The cost of this project is unknown due to the variability of trail repair and maintenance projects. Contractors within this business sector bid the job and don't typically maintain or publish a list of specific job type rates, equipment rates, or hourly worker rates. There is no way of knowing how many trail repair and maintenance projects will be completed under this contract over the course of any given year. The required competition within the pool will serve to ensure the State is receiving the best value for each project. CONTRACT NOT MANDATORY: The use of this contract will not be mandatory. If the State entity needing trail repair and maintenance is not satisfied with the responses received from the pool of contractors, the State entity may proceed with their own procurement process outside of this contract. Any project pursued outside of this State contract will be subject to any applicable procurement laws and/or rules. QUESTIONS: A vendor may contact the Procurement Officer to discuss whether its proposed solution meets the requirements. Submit any questions or requests for clarification to the Procurement Officer as soon as possible and before the response deadline.