Automated Weather Observation System, Maint, Inspect, Repair

Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners Purchasing Department issued a Request for Quotation (RFQ) for preventative maintenance, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspections, and repair services for an Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS) III-P/T Series 900 at the North Palm Beach County General Aviation Airport. The AWOS system consists of multiple airfield and terminal components including a 30-foot tower, wind and temperature sensors, pressure and visibility sensors, precipitation and thunderstorm sensors, transmitters, antennas, data processors, and National Airspace System connectivity. The contractor must provide quarterly preventative maintenance and FAA inspections in accordance with FAA Advisory Circular 150/5220-16E requirements, as well as emergency repair services available 24 hours per day, seven days per week with a 24-hour response time requirement. Qualified bidders must demonstrate FAA certification, current FCC licensure, at least one year of experience with similar equipment within the past three years, three professional references, and maintain minimum insurance coverage of $1,000,000 for Commercial General Liability and Business Auto Liability. The pricing structure requires submission of two line items: a quarterly preventative maintenance and FAA inspection rate (weighted at 0.80) and a standard hourly labor rate for repairs (weighted at 0.20), with repair labor differentiated into standard rates (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday), overtime rates (1.5 times standard), and premium rates (2 times standard for Sundays and holidays). The RFQ submission deadline was September 27, 2018, at 4:00 p.m., with responses accepted via fax or email, and the contract will be awarded on an all-or-none basis to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder.

The procurement is subject to Palm Beach County's Small Business Enterprise and Local Preference Ordinances, which may provide set-aside considerations for qualifying small businesses and local vendors. All repair parts and materials must be supplied at the bidder's cost, with no compensation provided for travel, fuel, mileage, or incidental expenses. Criminal history background checks are required for all unescorted personnel entering critical facilities. The contract will be awarded for an initial 12-month term with options to renew for four additional 12-month periods, contingent on mutual written agreement and annual appropriations by the Board, providing potential contract value over a five-year period. The successful bidder is required to meet with County representatives within five days of award notification to formalize the engagement and establish operational procedures.