Eq Rental Drill and Blasting w/Op D-11 Rebid

The Commonwealth of Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Purchases, issued a Request for Bid (RFB) on August 30, 2022, on behalf of Highway District 11 in Carter County for equipment rental services involving drill and blasting operations with licensed operator support. The solicitation seeks a qualified vendor to provide rock fracturing and construction of stable final rock cut faces using presplit blasting and production blasting techniques, with a licensed Kentucky blaster responsible for determining hole patterns, blast sequences, hole diameters and depths, explosive amounts, and all associated equipment and appurtenances. The bid sheet specifies four primary service line items: hand-operated rock drilling services billed hourly with minimum 55-pound capacity and requiring a 160 CFM air compressor, hydraulic track drilling services capable of creating 2.5 to 5-inch diameter holes up to 30 feet deep, blasting agent services for holes up to 10 feet deep billed per hole, and blasting agent services for depths exceeding 10 feet billed per foot. Vendors must complete all line items and provide manufacturer and model information for equipment verification during evaluation. The electronic bid closing date was September 20, 2022, at 1:30 PM Eastern Time, with written questions due by September 12, 2022, at 3:00 PM and Commonwealth responses posted by September 13, 2022. The tentative award date was September 27, 2022. Bids are evaluated using a best-value approach with 95 points allocated to price and 5 points to response time, with the vendor required to guarantee response to emergency situations within 48 hours of notification, receiving $750 in mobilization costs for each piece of equipment delivered and operational within 24 hours, with deductions of $1,000 per day for failure to respond within 48 hours and potential immediate contract cancellation for failure to respond within 72 hours.

The initial contract period begins upon award and expires July 31, 2023, with options to extend for four additional one-year renewal periods subject to written approval from both the vendor and the Division of Purchases. Reciprocal preferences are available to Kentucky resident bidders and qualified bidders as defined under KRS 45A.490-494 and 200 KAR 5:410. All bidders must execute the Commonwealth of Kentucky's Annual Required Affidavit for Bidders, Offerors and Contractors and have it notarized prior to contract award, certifying compliance with Kentucky campaign finance laws, sales and use tax registration, state tax payment obligations, restrictions on boycotts of jurisdictions with open trade relationships, and prohibitions outlined in KRS 11A.236. Pricing is established on a firm fixed-price basis for the initial twelve-month contract period, with price increases prohibited during the first year and only one price increase permitted thereafter, provided the vendor submits written justification at least thirty days in advance based on industry-wide price changes. The vendor must furnish an ACORD Certificate of Insurance within ten days of notice of intent to award, showing Contractor's General Liability Insurance with limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence and Kentucky workers' compensation insurance. All bids must be submitted electronically through the Kentucky eProcurement System, with vendors required to be registered in the Vendor Self Service portal at least 24-48 hours prior to the bid closing date.