Changes for the upcoming winter season

Expect the following changes for the upcoming 2025/2026 snow and ice season:

Substantive changes

• The hourly rates for base vehicles and all accessories have received a 7.5 % increase. See Agreement Attachment A for details.
• MassDOT is increasing compensation for its Vendor Performance Payment program. Each equipment piece in a depot’s rotation will be eligible for an end-of-season Performance Payment, subject to meeting basic eligibility requirements. The payment for an in-rotation piece will be $2,500 or $3,500 for an entire season’s service. This adds $500 to either vehicle category's Performance Payment from FY 2025. See Attachment H for more information. Note that Sidewalk Crews A and B have been added to the Performance Payment program.
• Slurry Spreaders (Class Codes 470000 and 550000) now have a minimum liquid deicer capacity of 400gallons.

Administrative changes/notes

• Material spreaders (salt spreader & tankers) still must carry a GPS device that MassDOT verifies as visible on our GPS platform. Failure to do so makes a material spreader ineligible to remain on any depot's rotation list, ineligible for closed loop compensation, and ineligible for the end-of-season Vendor Performance Payment program. See Attachment H for details.
• There will be two (2) compliance deadlines. October 3rd, 2025 will be the paperwork deadline, including vehicle registrations. Note that picture submissions will only be necessary for new or modified equipment. All Vendors bringing material spreaders (Combos and Tankers) to work for MassDOT must submit one Attachment C GPS/AVL Agreement for each piece of equipment the by October 3rd, 2025 paperwork deadline. November 1st, 2025 will be the deadline for Equipment Inspections and Calibrations. Please seethe Snow & Ice Control Agreement for details. Vendors who need to order a GPS can do so online from AdvantageOne.
• Consistent with recent seasons, we are planning on accepting paperwork submissions only by email and paper-based mail-ins. Furthermore, payment invoices will continue to be emailed to vendors and, unless contested by a Vendor, presumptively approved, and paid following a 5-day period. If you have not provided a valid email address to the MassDOT Snow & Ice program, it is important that you do so prior to the 2025-2026 season.
• Vendors operating equipment pieces which dispense liquid deicers shall continue to supply their own related safety equipment, including impermeable gloves and eye protection. This is necessary to prevent possible person-to-person infection transmission from shared gloves and eye protection.