Commercial freeze dryer(UW-MAD)[20-0053]

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is conducting a competitive bid process for the procurement of a commercial freeze dryer for the Food Science Department, with bid solicitation 20-0053 issued on December 3, 2019. The requested equipment must be a sophisticated freeze drying system with specific technical requirements, including five movable shelves with over 7.5 square feet capacity, shelf temperature range from -70 to 65 degrees Celsius, hot gas defrost capability, and a 12-liter per 24-hour condenser capacity. The procurement includes the freeze dryer unit, automated data recording software, and eight hours of on-site training for 6-8 staff members. Written questions were due by December 10, 2019, with final bid submissions required by 2:00 p.m. Central Standard Time on December 17, 2019. The university reserves the right to request oral presentations, product demonstrations, and site visits before making an award determination. Bidders must submit one hard copy and one flash drive copy of their completed bid to UW Purchasing Services, with delivery specified as F.O.B. Destination Installed at 1605 Linden Drive, Madison, Wisconsin.

The contract opportunity is open to original manufacturers, authorized distributors, or manufacturer-authorized dealers with documented service and repair capabilities and at least three years of experience providing freeze dryer equipment. Bidders must provide three client references from comparable institutions where similar equipment has been supplied within the past three years. The university qualifies for governmental and educational discounts, which must be reflected in unit pricing, and will utilize Net 30 payment terms following acceptance and verification of equipment specifications. Optional line items for year-long service contracts covering the first, second, and third years after warranty expiration may be quoted. While no specific set-aside designations were mentioned, the bid requires comprehensive documentation including published price lists, previous buyer lists, and fair price analysis. The procurement does not specify a precise award value, but requires comprehensive pricing that includes packing, freight, insurance, setup, instruction, per diem, and operation manual charges, excluding import/export costs.