108-20260722134819 Ocean Springs

The City of Ocean Springs, Mississippi is requesting unpriced technical proposals for two compact excavators (one 5-ton class and one 6-ton class) with pricing to be determined through an online reverse auction on August 14, 2026, with technical proposals due August 11, 2026 at 10:00 AM. This is a two-phase procurement combining prequalification with reverse-auction pricing.

Bidders must submit completed Specification Response Forms, product specifications, brochures, warranty information, and vendor documentation through the PH Bidding Group portal at www.oceanspringsbids.com. The 5-ton excavator requires minimum 44 net horsepower and 35 gpm hydraulic flow; the 6-ton unit requires minimum 55 net horsepower and 40 gpm flow. Both machines must be new, current-production models with three buckets, hydraulic curved thumbs, quick couplers, and two-speed travel capability. The 6-ton excavator must additionally include a hydraulic breaker/jack hammer attachment. All equipment must be delivered FOB Destination with freight prepaid, fully assembled, inspected, and ready for immediate operation.

In the reverse auction phase, pre-qualified vendors submit pricing exclusively through the online platform and view only their own ranking, not competitors' prices. The auction includes automatic three-minute extensions if bids are placed within three minutes of closing, continuing until a full three-minute period elapses without new bids. Evaluation criteria include warranty coverage, service support, delivery timeframe, and vendor reputation.

The City has made a Caterpillar 305.5E compact excavator available as a possible trade-in; trade-in allowances are submitted separately and do not factor into auction pricing or bidder rankings. A PH Bidding Group administrative fee of 4 percent of the total contract price applies to all winning suppliers. The contract is subject to Mississippi Code Section 31-7-13 and will be funded entirely by the City.