IFB 2027-17 HVAC Equipment and Supplies-RA_BP.dh.pdf

INVITATION FOR BIDS

Via eProcurement System

IFB NO. 2027-17

HVAC EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES, AND RELATED MATERIALS

OPENING: OCTOBER 21, 2026 AT 11:00 A.M.

PRE-BID CONFERENCE: SEPTEMBER 28, 2026 AT 10:00 A.M.

BUYER: Brent M. Guyton

PHONE: 410-313-0668 EMAIL: bguyton@howardcountymd.gov

HOWARD COUNTY, MARYLAND

OFFICE OF PROCUREMENT

AND CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

6751 Columbia Gateway Drive, Suite 226, Columbia, MD 21046 https://www.howardcountymd.gov/Departments/County-Administration/Procurement-and-Contract-Administration mailto:bguyton@howardcountymd.gov https://www.howardcountymd.gov/Departments/County-Administration/Procurement-and-Contract-Administration https://www.howardcountymd.gov/Departments/County-Administration/Procurement-and-Contract-Administration

Invitation For Bids No. 2027-17

Howard County, Maryland Page 2 of 6 Office of Procurement

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SPECIFICATIONS

1 SCOPE: Howard County, Maryland (the “County”) seeks a qualified supply distributor firm (the

“Contractor”) to furnish heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment, supplies, and related materials as detailed on the line items tab in the eProcurement system.

2 PRE-BID CONFERENCE:

2.1 A pre-bid conference will be held virtually via WebEx on the date and time specified to discuss objectives and answer questions relating to this solicitation. Contractor’s attendance is not required but is strongly encouraged. Additionally, attendance may facilitate the Contractor’s understanding and ability to meet the County’s Equal Business Opportunity goals. Please see PlanetBids for the meeting link.

2.2 It is recommended that Contractors read the solicitation prior to attending the conference and bring a copy to the conference.

2.3 Please confirm attendance by selecting the RSVP button at the Pre-Bid Meeting Information section in the eBidding system.

2.4 If there is a need for language interpretation and/or other special accommodations, please advise purchasing@howardcountymd.gov so that reasonable efforts may be made to provide special accommodations.

3 INQUIRIES AND ADDENDA:

3.1 The Buyer in the Issuing Office is the sole point of contact for this solicitation. Questions must be submitted in the eProcurement system by the date and time specified.

3.2 Addenda to solicitations often occur prior to the bid opening, sometimes within a few hours of the opening. It is the potential Contractor’s responsibility to visit the Office of Procurement and

Contract Administration eProcurement website to obtain Addenda. Addenda, when issued, must be acknowledged in the eProcurement system.

4 CONTRACTOR’S QUALIFICATIONS:

4.1 Contractors must be engaged in the HVAC supply business and must have been actively engaged in this field for a period of no less than five years. The experience of owner(s) may be imputed to a newly formed company/contractor provided the owner(s) has/have at least five years of demonstrated experience of reliability and meets the criteria set forth herein.

4.2 The Contractor shall be a full line distributer for major HVAC supply manufacturers of commercial and residential products. Brokers/jobbers shall not be accepted.

4.3 The County has a preference for Contractors to have a physical store or warehouse within a 25-mile radius of the Howard County Department of General Services, Operations and Maintenance location, 9200 Berger Road, Columbia, Maryland 21046, as determined by Google Maps . Location of the store or warehouse may be a determining factor for award.

4.4 The Contractor shall provide counter service staffed with knowledgeable customer service representatives capable of answering technical questions related to all HVAC supplies and materials sold by the Contractor.

mailto:purchasing@howardcountymd.gov

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4.5 The County reserves the right to inspect the Contractor's warehouse, distribution center, or store, and to perform such investigations as may be deemed necessary to ensure that competent personnel and management will be utilized in the performance of the Agreement.

4.6 In accordance with Howard County Code Sec. 4.117 (a) (4), the quality of performance of previous contracts or services shall be considered in determining the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. Quality of performance may be determined through contracts or services provided to the

County or to other entities. Quality of performance to other entities will be determined from reference checks when references are required. The determination of quality performance includes the Contractor’s history of reasonable and cooperative behavior and commitment to customer satisfaction and the Contractor’s businesslike concern for the interests of the customer. The County reserves the right to reject any bid deemed not responsible or non-responsive.

5 AGREEMENT PERIOD: The Agreement period shall be for one year commencing on or about December

01, 2026, with a renewal option for five additional years in one-year increments, exercisable at the sole discretion of the County.

6 COOPERATIVE PURCHASE:

6.1 The County reserves the right to extend all of the terms, conditions, specifications, and unit or other prices of any Agreement resulting from this solicitation to any and all public bodies, subdivisions, school districts, community colleges, colleges, and universities including non-public schools. This is conditioned upon mutual agreement of all parties pursuant to special requirements, which may be appended thereto. The Contractor agrees to notify the issuing body of those entities that wish to use any Agreement resulting from this solicitation and will also provide usage information, which may be requested.

6.2 The County assumes no authority, liability, or obligation, on behalf of any other public or non-public entity that may use any Agreement resulting from this solicitation. All purchases and payment transactions will be made directly between the Contractor and the requesting entity. Any exceptions to this requirement must be specifically noted in the bid response.

7 PRICE ADJUSTMENT:

7.1 Prices offered shall remain firm against any increase for one year from the effective date of the

Agreement. Prior to the commencement of subsequent renewal periods, it shall be the Contractor’s responsibility to notify the Issuing Office in advance of any requested price changes.

7.2 Requests for price adjustments must be submitted to the Issuing Office, not the User Agency.

7.3 Requests for price adjustments must be accompanied by bona-fide manufacturer’s documents or price lists reflecting the changes. Increases shall be limited to the actual cost increase to the

Contractor. The County reserves the right to grant or deny the request for price increase and will do so in writing. If the price increase is approved, the price increase will be effective upon written approval and will remain firm through the renewal period.

7.4 If a price increase is requested following Agreement renewal and it has been longer than one year since the last increase, the County may entertain a request for escalation if it is in the County’s best interest. If the price increase is granted, the price increase will be effective upon approval and will remain firm through the renewal period, or for one year, at the County’s sole discretion.

7.5 In the event of any decrease in price either by the manufacturer or if the Contractor shall charge a lower price to other customers, the County shall be notified promptly and receive such decrease.

8 NON-EXCLUSIVITY: Nothing herein is intended nor shall be construed as creating any exclusive arrangement with the Contractor. The contract shall not restrict the County from acquiring similar, equal or like goods and/or services from other entities or sources.

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9 ESTIMATED QUANTITIES: The estimated annual quantities stated are provided as a general guide for bidding and are not guaranteed. Actual quantities may be more or less than those estimated. The County reserves the right to add, change or delete items as deemed necessary.

10 METHOD OF AWARD:

10.1 The County intends to make awards to one or more primary Contractors for the same line items, effectively to the lowest responsive and responsible Contractors. The estimated annual quantities on the line items represent the total volume of work for all Contractors combined.

10.2 The assignment of work shall be at the sole discretion of the County. The Contractor(s) shall waive any claim of either Contractor against the County for extra compensation or damages arising out of assignment of work by the County.

10.3 If only one bid is received, the County reserves the right to award a single Contractor if it is in the best interest of the County.

11 BILLING AND PAYMENT:

11.1 The Contractor shall submit separate invoices for each Purchase Order issued. Invoices shall be sent to Howard County Department of General Services, Fiscal, 9200 Berger Road, Columbia, Maryland 21046. Invoices in the proper form and approved by the County shall be paid by the

County within 30 days of receipt. Invoices without the necessary information may be returned for correction prior to payment.

11.2 Each invoice shall include the following information:

11.2.1 Contractor’s name;

11.2.2 Address;

11.2.3 Federal tax identification number;

11.2.4 Contract number, if applicable (i.e., 44XXXXXXXX);

11.2.5 Purchase Order number (i.e., 2XXXXXXXXX);

11.2.6 Contract line number;

11.2.7 Unit price and extended price (unit price must match a contract line); and

11.2.8 Description of goods provided and/or services performed.

11.3 The County reserves the right to make payments on Visa procurement cards when orders are placed using procurement cards as indicated in the Purchase Order Terms and Conditions, Method of

Ordering. Contractors are not permitted to charge the County additional fees over and above their bid prices to process payments on procurement cards.

11.4 The County reserves the right to make payments via electronic funds transfer (a.k.a. ACH).

11.5 Delivery tickets signed by authorized County personnel shall accompany invoice, if applicable.

11.6 Payment shall be made after delivery and upon receipt of proper invoice from Contractor and authorization by the head of the department or their designee.

11.7 All amounts, costs, or prices referred to herein shall be United States of America currency.

11.8 The proper form of County invoices requires that the necessary information be included on all invoices. Invoices without the necessary information may be returned for correction prior to payment. The County reserves the right to approve invoices, in its sole discretion, and to request such detail and additional information as the County, in its discretion deems appropriate.

11.9 All pricing shall be quoted as FOB Destination, Inside Delivery.

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12 EXCEPTIONS: If the Contractor cannot meet the terms, conditions and/or specifications of the IFB, the

Contractor must furnish a statement on company letterhead giving a complete description of any exceptions to the terms, conditions, and specifications. Failure to furnish the statement shall mean that the Contractor agrees to all terms, conditions, and specifications. Exceptions taken do not obligate the County to change the terms, conditions and/or specifications. Exceptions to the terms and/or conditions may be sufficient cause for rejection of the Contractor’s response. The County will not consider any exceptions to the terms, conditions and specifications after the solicitation closing date and time.

13 WARRANTY:

13.1 The Contractor warrants the equipment and supplies furnished to be of the highest quality, complying with the specifications and free from all defects whatsoever in workmanship and materials, for a period of one year from the date of delivery. Replacements and repairs under this warranty are to be made by the Contractor at no cost and to the satisfaction of the County.

13.2 The material supplied by the Contractor shall carry the manufacturer's standard new material warranty.

14 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

14.1 The Contractor shall have a store or warehouse location stocked with frequently use HVAC supplies/materials required for a small to medium commercial and residential maintenance and repair operation.

14.2 The Contractor’s business hours, at minimum, shall consist of Monday – Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. and Saturday, 7:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., not including observed holidays.

14.3 The Contractor shall maintain reasonable after-hour availability to respond to emergency HVAC supplies/materials requests outside of the business hours listed in Subsection 14.2. The Contractor shall provide a designated emergency contact name and telephone number or reliable means of contacting such representative at all times. Upon receipt of an emergency request, the Contractor representative shall acknowledge the request within 30 minutes and, when reasonably necessary, meet a Howard County, Department of General Services employee at the Contractor’s location to purchase emergency supplies/materials.

14.4 The Contractor shall provide item pricing in an electronic format at time of product inquiry, order, or sale.

14.5 All products offered shall be available for purchase under the contract. Discounts off manufacturers’ list price as submitted in response to this solicitation and any additional discounts subsequently negotiated shall be applied.

14.6 The Contractor shall accept telephone, online, and in store orders for equipment, supplies, and related materials.

14.7 The Contractor shall be capable of accepting online orders 24 hours a day and 7 days a week for all materials offered for sale.

14.8 The Contractor shall provide delivery service, when needed, to the Howard County Department of

General Services facility located at 9200 Berger Road, Columbia, Maryland 21046. Same or next day delivery, regardless of order size is required.

14.9 All parts shall be new from the manufacturer.

14.10 Credit shall be issued by the Contractor for return of unused parts.

14.11 The Contractor shall provide, annually, before December 1st, a report detailing all HVAC equipment, supplies, and related materials purchased in the preceding year. The report shall include

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