BL147-23, Purchase of Warming Station Supplies on an Annual Contract

Gwinnett County's Department of Community Services issued solicitation BL147-23 for the purchase of warming station supplies on an annual contract basis with four renewal options. The procurement encompasses five distinct line items: cot sheets (240 cases of 50 sheets per case), single-use comfort blankets (480 bags), disposable pillows (240 cases of 50 pillows per case), individual sleep eye masks (120 packs of 100 masks per pack), and bath wipes (400 cases of 24 packs per case). All unit prices must be firm for the initial contract term, with documented increases or decreases proposed for renewal periods, and delivery must be provided on an F.O.B. destination, prepaid basis to the Gwinnett County Senior Services Center in Lawrenceville, Georgia. The original bid deadline of September 29, 2023, was extended via Addendum #2 to October 5, 2023, at 2:50 P.M., with public bid opening at 3:00 P.M. Questions regarding the solicitation were due by September 22, 2023, at 3:00 P.M., directed to Jake Scarpone, Purchasing Associate II. Award was made to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder based on lowest unit of measure pricing, with the County reserving the right to award by item, section, or to the overall lowest bidder, split awards, or reject any or all bids. Required qualifications included references demonstrating similar work experience, active SAM.gov registration with a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), compliance with federal E-Verify participation requirements, and submission of a Contractor Affidavit and Agreement and Code of Ethics Affidavit.

The solicitation contained no designated set-asides for disadvantaged enterprises but incorporated extensive federal compliance requirements due to funding under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), including labor standards, equal employment opportunity, debarment certification, and anti-lobbying provisions. Bidders currently on the Gwinnett County ineligible source list were explicitly prohibited from submitting offers. The contract was ultimately awarded to two vendors: Nashville Medical & EMS Products, Inc. (Springfield, Tennessee) with the lowest overall bid of $93,768.00 and A.V.M. Enterprises, Inc. (Chattanooga, Tennessee) with a bid of $110,097.60, for a combined base bid amount of $100,000.00. Both awarded vendors committed to holding pricing firm through renewal options with specified annual increases ranging from 4% to 7% depending on the vendor and renewal period. A third bidder, Aasdel Corporation, submitted a non-responsive bid of $174,019.20 and was not awarded. The award notice was issued on November 14, 2023, with the contract commencing upon award.