Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF)

The Commonwealth of Kentucky Finance and Administration Cabinet issued a Request for Bid (RFB) for Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) products to be made available to all state agencies and political subdivisions, including cities, counties, and school districts throughout Kentucky. The solicitation seeks fixed pricing for four commodity line items: 2.5-gallon containers packaged two per case with a minimum order of eight containers, 55-gallon drums, 275-330 gallon totes, and bulk DEF delivery via closed system. All DEF must be certified by the American Petroleum Institute, meet ISO-22241-1 specifications, contain at least 67.5% de-ionized water and 32.5% high purity synthetic urea, and maintain a minimum two-year shelf life when stored between 12 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Pricing must be submitted on an FOB Destination Freight Prepaid and Allowed basis with the vendor bearing all shipping costs, and vendors must bid all four line items to be considered responsive. The bid closing date was May 6, 2024 at 1:30 PM EST, with written vendor questions due by April 24, 2024 and Commonwealth responses issued April 26, 2024, supplemented by Addendum #1 on April 29, 2024. Award will be determined using a best value ranking approach with 90 points allocated to price (lowest bidder receives maximum points with others scored proportionally) and 10 points allocated to delivery time in working days. The resulting Master Agreement will have an initial term from award through August 31, 2025, with optional renewal for four additional two-year periods subject to renegotiation, and price increases are prohibited during the first twelve months of the contract.

Kentucky resident bidders are eligible for reciprocal preference in the evaluation process, while qualified bidders receive additional preference points, specifically 20 percent for Kentucky Correctional Industries and 15 percent for other qualified bidders. Vendors must be registered in the Commonwealth eProcurement System prior to submission, and electronic bid submission through this system is mandatory; paper bids are non-responsive. Prices must remain valid for a minimum of 60 calendar days after the bid due date, and prior to award, vendors must submit required affidavits, tax registration forms if applicable, and EEO forms where applicable. Material Safety Data Sheets and batch test results must accompany each shipment. No specific budget range or award value is identified in the solicitation, as this is an all-state agency Master Agreement with no guaranteed minimum quantities; the contract value will depend on actual usage by participating state agencies and political subdivisions throughout the initial and optional renewal periods.