1301-25-R-IFBD-00007

The Mississippi State Department of Health is issuing an Invitation for Bid (IFB) for a comprehensive liquid argon gas procurement and tank rental contract. The solicitation, identified as RFX #3160007161, seeks a qualified vendor to provide a 1500-liter bulk tank and supply ICP/MS Grade liquid argon gas that is 99.998% pure and Krypton free. The estimated annual usage is 450,000 cubic feet, with an anticipated contract term of five years beginning April 5, 2025. Key deliverables include tank installation within 4 weeks of contract award, emergency delivery capabilities within 8 hours of order receipt, and comprehensive maintenance and repair services for the tank at no additional cost. Vendors must submit sealed bids by February 24, 2025, at 10:00 AM CST, with preliminary questions due by February 12, 2025, and official answers to be posted by February 17, 2025. The contract will be awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, with pricing required to include all associated costs such as tank rental, maintenance, hazmat fees, telemetry fees, and delivery charges.

The solicitation does not explicitly specify set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises. Bidders must provide workers' compensation and liability insurance with minimum coverage of $1,000,000 per occurrence. No bid bond or performance bond is required for this procurement. Vendors are expected to maintain firm pricing throughout the entire five-year contract period, with all associated costs included in the initial bid. The tank installation and gas supply will be critical to the Mississippi State Department of Health's operational needs, suggesting this is a strategic procurement for laboratory or medical research purposes. While specific budget ranges are not detailed in the available documentation, the comprehensive nature of the contract—including tank rental, gas supply, maintenance, and emergency delivery—indicates a potentially significant investment in this long-term service agreement.