(19 collars total)

The State of Maine Division of Purchases is requesting quotes for 19 wildlife tracking collars—10 GPS bear collars and 9 mortality sensor collars—with quotes due November 7, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. local time. Awards will be made to the lowest responsible bidder offering best value, with tie-bid resolution favoring in-state vendors or Maine-produced commodities when price and quality are equal.

GPS collars must deliver real-time location data with accuracy within 50 meters, a minimum four-year operational lifespan, and integration with existing Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife monitoring systems. Mortality sensor collars must employ accelerometer-based detection and transmit death alerts via cellular or satellite communication within 24 hours. Both collar types must be field-tested, pre-programmed with Maine-specific parameters, and delivered fully operational. Collar weight may not exceed 3% of target animal body weight. Waterproofing rating must be IP67 or higher. Vendors must provide data management software licenses and technical support for a minimum of three years post-deployment and demonstrate prior experience deploying wildlife tracking collars in northeastern forest ecosystems.

Quotes must be submitted electronically with unit prices for each item. All transportation charges must be prepaid and included unless otherwise stated. The state is exempt from federal and state sales and use taxes and will exclude these amounts from evaluation. Cash discounts of 20 days or more will be considered in bid evaluation; discounts under 20 days will not. Samples, when required, must be furnished at no charge. The State reserves the right to award on an individual-item basis or as a group, reject any or all quotes, waive formalities, and increase or decrease quantities by up to 10%. All questions must be submitted through the official Q&A portal on the solicitation details page; responses posted there represent the sole authoritative source for clarifications.