2025_Sole_Source_Letter.pdf

This is a Notice of Intent to Sole Source letter from the City of Plant City in Hillsborough County, Florida, regarding the procurement of Aqua Solv SC, a proprietary water treatment chemical. The City of Plant City intends to continue its sole source relationship with Flo Tec Automation Associates, Inc., the original developer of Aqua Solv SC, for the hauling and delivery of this specialized corrosion mitigation chemical used in the city's municipal metal piping systems. The chemical has been NSF/ANSI 60 certified and is manufactured in a climate-controlled blending facility with full lot traceability. The Notice of Intent opened on November 13, 2025, with vendor responses due by November 20, 2025, to verify whether alternative vendors can provide equivalent hauling and chemical delivery services. The purpose of this solicitation is to confirm that no other viable vendors can replicate Flo Tec's proprietary formulation and specialized service capabilities.

Flo Tec Automation Associates, Inc. is the incumbent vendor with a decades-long relationship with the City of Plant City Water Department, having supplied Aqua Solv SC for over 35 years. The proposed pricing structure is based on a 35% markup of raw material costs, with flexibility for market condition adjustments. Flo Tec emphasizes competitive pricing achieved through multiple vendor relationships and significant manufacturing scale. The procurement is focused on maintaining service continuity and preserving the city's existing successful water treatment approach, which has been integrated into the community's infrastructure for approximately 45 years. No specific set-aside designations or restrictions on respondent organizations are identified in the solicitation documents.