Buoys for various lakes/waters - FY09

The State of Maine is requesting bids on 580 buoys for various lakes and waterways under FY09 procurement, with bids due August 7, 2008. A tie-break preference favors in-state bidders or those offering products manufactured in Maine.

The procurement spans two size categories. The 9-inch buoy category comprises 387 units across multiple types: 10 rock buoys, 4 shallow-area markers, 69 hazard-area buoys, 3 black-and-white vertical-stripe buoys, 3 safety-zone buoys marked "Slow," 10 headway-speed-only markers, 33 swim-area buoys, 35 green channel markers, and 194 red channel markers. The 5-inch category comprises 193 units: 48 shallow-area markers, 24 hazard-area buoys, 23 black-and-white vertical-stripe buoys, 1 headway-speed-only marker, 1 swim-area buoy, 28 green channel markers, 30 red channel markers, and 1 solid-yellow milfoil-avoidance buoy.

Technical specifications are detailed and mandatory. Nine-inch buoys must be 61 inches overall height, constructed of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, weighing 49 pounds with 84 pounds of submerged buoyancy; 5-inch buoys must be 76 inches overall height with seamless ABS tube shell at 0.100-inch wall thickness, internally ballasted with concrete and filled with rigid closed-cell urethane foam per MIL-P-21929 Class I. All hardware must be galvanized steel per ASTM A-153-73. All buoys must feature reflective bands and lettering scratch- and fade-resistant with color integral to shell, permanently marked "PROP. STATE OF MAINE," and stamped with manufacture dates.

The estimated total project cost is $32,121.00 (9-inch buoys: $16,102.00; 5-inch buoys: $16,019.00). Awards will be made on an item-by-item or group basis at the state's discretion to the lowest responsible bidder based on best value, considering quality, specification conformity, delivery date, and cost. The state reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to increase or decrease ordered quantities by up to 10 percent. All prices must exclude applicable federal and Maine state sales and use taxes. Bidders must prepay all transportation charges unless otherwise specified and state delivery time in definite terms.