Brass Goods

The City of Madison, Wisconsin Finance Department, specifically the Madison Water Utility, issued a Request for Quotation (RFQ #5210-0-2023-BG) for brass goods procurement on March 14, 2023. The solicitation seeks various brass components including curb stops in sizes ranging from 1/2-inch to 2-inch with configurations such as quarter-turn ball valves, flared, and compression styles, as well as corporation stops, service fittings, service bend fittings, and couplings. Key deliverables include specific items like twelve 1/8-inch (45) flat curb stops and 2-inch copper-iron curb stops. The procurement timeline includes questions due by March 20, 2023, answers by March 22, 2023, and quotes due on March 28, 2023, at 2:00 PM CST. Evaluation criteria are comprehensive, considering factors such as cost, quality, compatibility, warranty, delivery, past performance, and service reputation. Quotations must be submitted with delivered prices including all shipping charges, FOB Madison, to bids@cityofmadison.com, with materials to be delivered to 110 S. Paterson Street, Madison, WI 53703.

The solicitation incorporates a local vendor preference policy, providing scoring preference to registered local suppliers as of the bid due date. While no specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises were explicitly mentioned, the procurement process allows bidders to offer substitute items with manufacturer specifications for city evaluation. The competitive bidding process involved four vendors: Core and Main, ETNA, Ferguson, and First Supply. Ferguson was ultimately awarded the contract with a total bid of $840.94, which included a 1% discount with net 30 payment terms, despite First Supply submitting the lowest total price. Prices are required to remain firm for one year from the bid date, and the Water Utility reserves the right to purchase on the open market and back-charge the bidder if delivery is not made as promised. Manufacturers represented in the winning bid include Mueller, AYM, and Ford, indicating a diverse range of potential product sources.