CONTRACT: Bottled Water (Short Term/Emergency)

The State of New Hampshire, through the Department of Administrative Services, Bureau of Purchase and Property, issued a competitive bid (Bid 2516-22) for a short-term/emergency bottled water contract covering ten county districts: Coos, Grafton, Sullivan, Carroll, Belknap, Cheshire, Merrimack, Hillsborough, Strafford, and Rockingham. The procurement seeks bottled water products in various configurations, including 5-gallon bottles, 1-gallon bottles, liter and 16.9-ounce bottles, 7-ounce paper cups, and hot/cold dispensing equipment. Vendors were required to provide bottled water meeting Safe Drinking Water Act standards, with a minimum 24-month shelf life, and must supply water within a 48-hour delivery window to any location in New Hampshire. The bid closed on October 8, 2021, at 10:30 AM EST, with a contract implementation date of November 1, 2021, or upon execution by the Commissioner of Administrative Services. The contract term is one year, with potential extensions up to a maximum of five years, and allows for emergency and bulk water usage on an as-needed basis primarily for state and government facilities.

The solicitation did not specify explicit set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises, but vendors were required to be registered with the State of New Hampshire and, if applicable, with the New Hampshire Secretary of State. Two vendors were awarded the contract: Blue Triton Monadnock and WB Mason, with pricing varying across different product lines and districts. Unit costs ranged from $3.99 to $25.00, with total extended costs calculated based on specific quantities for each district and product type. For instance, Blue Triton's pricing for 5-gallon bottles in Coos County was $4.99 per unit, totaling $548.90, compared to a competing bid of $6.00 per unit. The contract requires vendors to establish individual customer accounts within three business days of order placement and submit quarterly and annual usage reports. Vendors must also provide 100% warranty coverage on dispensing equipment, including parts, shipping, labor, travel, and associated expenses throughout the contract term, with no minimum order requirements and full replacement or refund for any quality-related returns.