Eq Rental Offset Drill w/Operator D5 FHWA ER Eligible

The Commonwealth of Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Purchases, issued a Request for Bid on July 1, 2021, for equipment rental services on behalf of Highway District 5 in Bath County. The procurement seeks one modified rotary drill (truck or track mounted) with operator capable of drilling 7" to 10" diameter holes in soil and rock and installing Department-furnished steel railroad rails up to 40 feet in length. The drill rig must meet specific technical specifications including a minimum 130 HP motor, 16,000 lbs. pull-down pressure, 300 CFM air compressor, and the ability to offset drill a minimum of 5 feet from the carrier edge and operate on 15% slopes. Vendor responsibilities include providing site support labor and miscellaneous equipment and supplies such as acetylene blowtorches, chains, hooks, and cables. The initial contract period runs from award through July 31, 2022, with four optional one-year renewal periods available. Bids were due on July 22, 2021, at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time and required electronic submission through the Kentucky eProcurement system. The vendor must guarantee work initiation within 72 hours of emergency notification and maintain a minimum production rate of 800 linear feet of installed railroad rails per 8-hour work day, with liquidated damages of $500 per day for failure to meet response time or production rate requirements. Evaluation follows a best-value methodology allocating 95 points to lowest price and 5 points to response time.

The solicitation is funded through the Federal Highway Administration Emergency Relief program and requires compliance with Davis-Bacon wage determinations, Buy America provisions for steel and iron materials, and prohibitions on specified telecommunications equipment. Vendors must carry $1,000,000 general liability insurance and Kentucky workers' compensation insurance, with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet named as additional insured. Kentucky resident bidders receive reciprocal preference consideration. All bidders must complete the Annual Affidavit affirming compliance with Kentucky campaign finance laws, tax registration requirements, and various statutory prohibitions under KRS 45A and KRS 11A. Payment is based on field-measured length of railroad rails installed at contract unit rates within 30 working days of invoice submission. All mobilization, demobilization, travel between multiple work sites, and toll road expenses are the vendor's responsibility. No specific budget range or award value is identified in the solicitation documents; pricing will be determined through competitive bidding.