Container Crane Maintenance and Repair

Broward County Port Everglades Department is seeking a qualified firm to provide comprehensive maintenance and repair services for 15 container cranes, including fourteen ship-to-shore cranes and one mobile harbor crane. The solicitation requires the selected vendor to perform preventative maintenance, corrective maintenance, upgrades, and part replacements in accordance with original equipment manufacturer (OEM) specifications, with a critical performance requirement of maintaining a 99.8% annual crane up-time. The evaluation will assess vendors across five key criteria: Management Structure and Professional Personnel (10 points), Project Approach to Operating Program (40 points), Past Performance (20 points), Location (5 points), and Price (25 points). The solicitation is posted on September 29, 2025, with vendor questions due by a specified date through the BPRO platform, and final proposals due on November 12, 2025. Vendors must submit comprehensive documentation including organizational charts, staff resumes, maintenance strategies, quality assurance programs, training initiatives, and references from at least three similar projects completed within the past five years. The contract appears to be for an initial three-year term, with seven of the fourteen ship-to-shore cranes currently undergoing upgrades to increase lifting capacity from 46.5 to 65 long tons and transition from DC to AC functions.

The procurement includes significant preferences and requirements for Small Business Enterprises (SBE) and County Business Enterprises (CBE), with potential bidding advantages for certified local businesses. Specifically, for Invitations to Bid, a certified SBE or CBE within 10% of the lowest bid can be offered the opportunity to match the lowest bid, and for Request for Proposals, a certified SBE or CBE scoring within 5% of the highest-ranked non-certified proposer can proceed to contract negotiations. Additional local economic development requirements include participation in the Workforce Investment Program, which mandates vendors utilize CareerSource Broward for employment candidates and prioritize hiring economically disadvantaged individuals, with a goal of filling at least 50% of contract-related vacancies with Qualifying New Hires. The solicitation also includes various certification requirements related to domestic partnerships, lobbyist registration, criminal history screening, and living wage provisions. While no specific incumbent vendor is mentioned, the county will provide office space, spare parts inventory, and some specialized equipment, with the contractor responsible for providing staffing, tools, vehicles, and safety equipment. Though a specific budget is not explicitly stated, the comprehensive nature of the maintenance contract and the port's critical infrastructure suggest a substantial contract value.