Eq Rental w/Op D-12 FHWA ER Eligible

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Purchases, issued a Request for Bid (RFB) on behalf of District 12 (Pikeville District) for equipment rental with operator services to support federally funded highway projects. This master agreement contract solicitation encompasses 16 line items of heavy construction equipment including rear dump trucks, excavators of various sizes, articulated trucks, tractors, impact breakers, hydroseeders, motor graders, loaders, skid steers, and escort vehicles, all to be provided with qualified operators. Equipment quantities range from 10 to 300 hours depending on the equipment type, with all units required to be in excellent mechanical condition and meet FHWA Emergency Relief eligibility standards. Vendors must provide comprehensive operator support, maintenance, fuel, and lubrication at no additional cost, with a guaranteed minimum of eight hours per work order. The procurement evaluation utilizes a best-value approach weighted at 95 points for the lowest hourly rental rate and 5 points for response time; bidders must specify their guaranteed response time in calendar days, with failure to meet contracted response times resulting in 1% daily invoice deductions. The solicitation deadline is April 21, 2026, at 1:30 PM Eastern Time, with submission required exclusively through the Kentucky Vendor Self Service electronic procurement portal; the tentative award date is May 8, 2026. The master agreement contract period runs from June 1, 2026, through May 31, 2027, with four optional one-year renewal periods available at the Commonwealth's discretion. Vendors must be pre-registered in the eProcurement system prior to submission, with registration requiring 24-48 hours to complete.

This procurement carries no disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE) set-aside, with a 0% DBE participation goal established for the contract. All work requires strict compliance with Davis-Bacon Act wage determinations, Federal Highway Administration 1273 provisions, Buy America and Build America Buy America (BABA) Act requirements, and the CIO-126 Artificial Intelligence Policy. Contractors must maintain commercial general liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate, automobile liability insurance if applicable, and Kentucky workers' compensation insurance. A guaranteed 48-hour response time is required for emergency work, with $750 mobilization costs paid for equipment delivered within 24 hours of notification and $1,000 daily penalties assessed for failure to respond within 48 hours. Rental rates are fixed for the initial 12-month period, with price increases permitted only thereafter upon written justification of industry-wide changes. No specific award value or budget range is disclosed in the solicitation documents; contract value will depend on actual utilization of equipment hours by District 12 throughout the agreement period.