Audio Service and Rental for KY State Fair

The Commonwealth of Kentucky Finance and Administration Cabinet, on behalf of Kentucky Venues, is soliciting bids through Request for Bid (RFB) 758-2100000442 for comprehensive audio service and rental at the Kentucky State Fair to be held at the Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center in Louisville. The procurement seeks vendors to provide complete sound systems (estimated between two to five systems), sound technician services, and associated audio equipment including 24-channel front-of-house mixers, 3-way speaker systems with minimum 2000-watt capability, monitoring equipment, 25 wired microphones, 25 wireless handheld microphones, 10 wireless lavalier microphones, stands, and cables. Sound technicians must possess a minimum of four years of experience in operating stage show sound equipment, with vendor submission of employee resumes required. The initial contract period commences tentatively on April 27, 2021, for one year with four optional one-year renewal periods subject to written approval and potential renegotiation. Pricing shall be quoted on a per-system-per-day basis for equipment rental and an hourly rate for technician services, with estimated requirements of 55 days of equipment rental and approximately 1,500 hours of technician services. The bid evaluation will utilize best value methodology with 90 points allocated to price and 10 points to vendor experience, with the lowest-priced compliant bid receiving maximum price points and experience points awarded based on years of technician experience exceeding the four-year minimum. Written vendor questions were due February 23, 2021, at 12:00 PM ET, with bid closing on March 3, 2021, at 1:30 PM ET. Electronic submission through the Kentucky eProcurement system is mandatory, requiring vendors to register in the Vendor Self Service System prior to bidding and submit all pricing on the provided bid sheet with a placeholder entry of $0.01 in the electronic unit price field.

Kentucky resident bidders are eligible for reciprocal preference consideration in the award decision. Qualified bidders, including Kentucky Correctional Industries and nonprofit organizations serving individuals with disabilities meeting specific employment percentage requirements under KRS 45A.465(3), may receive preference equal to 15 to 20 percent of maximum points based on their qualified bidder status. All bidders must submit mandatory documentation prior to award, including Revenue Form 10A100 for tax registration, proof of Secretary of State registration for foreign entities, required affidavits establishing compliance with Kentucky campaign finance laws and tax obligations, and EEO forms if applicable. Prices must exclude federal excise tax and Kentucky sales or use tax, remain firm for twelve months, and may be adjusted thereafter only with written justification for industry-wide changes. No partial bids are accepted; vendors must bid all line items or their bid will be deemed non-responsive. Proposed pricing must remain valid for a minimum of 60 calendar days after the bid due date. The specific award value or total contract budget is not disclosed in the solicitation documents; however, the estimated scope indicates requirements for two to five complete sound systems for 11 days with five to nine technicians per day, suggesting a substantial service contract for the duration of the Kentucky State Fair.