27SCH004B On Call School Kitchen Refrigeration Repairs and Maintenance

The Town of Needham Department of Public Works is issuing an Invitation for Bid (IFB) for on-call school kitchen refrigeration repairs and maintenance services across eight Needham Public School locations. The procurement seeks a qualified contractor to provide preventative maintenance and emergency repair services for commercial refrigeration and freezer equipment, including walk-in units. Key deliverables include biannual preventative maintenance at each school location and on-call emergency and routine repair services, with hourly rates varying based on time of service (weekday hours 7 am to 5 pm, evening/weekend hours, and Sunday/holiday hours). Required qualifications include proof of three continuous years in business and five professional references with at least three demonstrating experience with commercial kitchen refrigeration repairs within the last three years. Critical performance obligations mandate emergency response within two hours, immediate on-call requests within 48 hours, and scheduled work requests fulfilled within 48 hours with completion within two weeks; failure to meet response time obligations results in penalties of $500 per business day. The bid package is available as of May 21, 2026, with written questions due by June 1, 2026 at 5:00 pm and sealed bids due June 9, 2026 at 1:00 pm at the Administration Office, 500 Dedham Avenue, Needham, MA 02492. Contract award is anticipated in July 2026, with the initial term running from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, with one additional optional renewal year through June 30, 2028.

No specific set-aside designations or restrictions on organization types are detailed in the available procurement documents. The contractor must submit a 5 percent bid deposit and furnish a 50 percent payment bond and, if required, a 100 percent performance bond; prevailing wage rates established by the Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards apply to all work performed. Workers' compensation insurance and general liability coverage with the Town named as additional insured are mandatory requirements. The Town will award the contract to the lowest responsible and eligible bidder based on total year-one bid price, with evaluation considering compliance with supervision requirements (noncompliance results in $200 per business day penalties). No specific budget range or award value is disclosed in the procurement documents, though costs will be determined based on unit prices for biannual preventative maintenance and variable hourly rates for on-call services submitted by responsive bidders.