COMMERCIAL REFRIGERATION REPAIR AND INSTALLATION SERVICES, SDMC No. 26-0001-MR

The School District of Manatee County (SDMC) has issued Invitation to Bid (ITB) No. 26-0001-MR for commercial refrigeration repair and installation services covering Manatee and Sarasota Counties in Florida. The procurement seeks contractors to provide comprehensive services including labor, supervision, equipment, transportation, and technical expertise for consultation, troubleshooting, repair, and replacement of commercial refrigeration equipment such as walk-in freezers, walk-in coolers, reach-in freezers, reach-in coolers, ice machines, milk boxes, open air drink coolers, and serving counters. Bidders must possess a current Florida Class "A" HVACR license and have a minimum of five years' experience in refrigeration equipment repairs. Key evaluation criteria include hourly labor rates for standard and non-standard working hours, with maximum markups of 15 percent on materials, 10 percent on rental equipment, and 10 percent on subcontracted services. Critical dates include a Request for Information deadline of March 4, 2025, bid submission deadline of March 13, 2025 at 3:00 PM ET via VendorLink, an evaluation meeting on March 26, 2025, and a Notice of Intent to Award expected on April 28, 2025, with School Board approval anticipated on May 20, 2025.

The contract is non-exclusive, allowing SDMC to utilize other sources or contracts as needed. Contractors must provide 24-hour emergency service with a two-hour response time and comply with E-Verify requirements and the Jessica Lunsford Act regarding Level II background screening and fingerprinting for employees accessing school grounds. Insurance requirements include comprehensive general liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence, automobile liability insurance of $1,000,000, and workers' compensation coverage. The contract term is three years, from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2028, with the possibility of renewal for up to three additional one-year periods. The district estimates potential annual expenditures of approximately $250,000, though actual volume may vary. Three bidders were identified in the bid tabulation: B & I Contractors Inc., McCloskey Mechanical Contractors, and USA-HVAC PRO, INC., with repair technician hourly rates ranging from $96.00 to $150.00 for standard hours and $123.00 to $184.00 for non-standard hours.