Aluminum Sign Blanks and Aluminum Sheets

The Connecticut Department of Administrative Services is conducting a competitive procurement (25PSX0256) to establish a supply contract for aluminum sign blanks and aluminum sheets for the Connecticut Department of Transportation. The solicitation seeks qualified contractors to supply Alloy 5052-H38 or 6061-T6 aluminum materials meeting ASTM B 209 standards with specified surface treatments including degreasing, etching, and chromate conversion coating per ASTM B-449 Class 2 specifications. The contract encompasses 86 distinct line items featuring various pre-cut aluminum products ranging from 4" x 8" sheets to 5' x 12' blanks in multiple configurations including square, rectangular, diamond, octagon, pentagon, triangular, and circular shapes with thicknesses from .040" to .125", all punched with holes per the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices standards. The contract is structured as a four-year term contract running from January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2029, with extension options available. The procurement process consists of two phases: Phase 1 requires submission of all documentation without pricing by September 30, 2025, at 2:00 PM Eastern Time through the CTsource system, with evaluation based on responsibility and qualification criteria including financial responsibility, past performance, conformity to specifications, and delivery terms; Phase 2 consists of a reverse auction conducted by EASiBuy LLC on October 7, 2025, at 10:00 AM Eastern Time where qualified respondents submit pricing in real-time. The vendor question and answer period runs from September 16, 2025, at 7:15 AM through September 23, 2025, at 2:00 PM Eastern Time. Respondents must provide three separate references from non-Connecticut state agencies demonstrating past contract fulfillment and experience with similar supplies, and all pricing must be submitted net and fully prepaid including transportation and delivery charges under FOB Destination terms with Net 45 Days payment requirements.

The solicitation documentation does not identify specific set-aside designations or restrictions limiting participation to disadvantaged enterprises or minority-owned businesses, though accelerated payment terms of 25 days are available for certified small contractors and minority business enterprises. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are specified in the available solicitation materials, and contractors are responsible for all delivery to the Connecticut Department of Transportation Sign Shop in Rocky Hill, Connecticut, during business hours of 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time on flatbed trucks with palletized, forklift-compatible packaging. All contractors must execute the EASiBuy Supplier Agreement Terms and Conditions prior to participation in the reverse auction and are subject to a one percent transaction fee on the total final purchase price paid to EASiBuy LLC. Contractors must provide a Material Certificate with each shipment and maintain commercial general liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate, naming the State as an additional insured. Pricing shall remain firm for twenty-four months from the effective date, with price adjustment requests permitted only during the thirty-day period preceding each annual anniversary based on Northeast Region Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index data for aluminum products, subject to sole discretion approval by the Department of Administrative Services. No specific award value or budget range is disclosed in the solicitation materials; actual procurement quantities are estimated only and do not represent a commitment to purchase any particular amount, with quantities to be identified on individual purchase orders.