Eq Rental w/Operator D-1 FHWA ER Eligible

The Commonwealth of Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Purchases, on behalf of Highway District 1 in Jessamine County, issued a Request for Bid (RFB) for equipment rental services with operators. The procurement seeks bids for heavy construction equipment including one primary excavator-track with bucket and grapple (145 HP or minimum) and up to 13 additional line items encompassing various equipment such as tandem dump trucks, crawler dozers, skid steer loaders, light plants, motor graders, wheeled loaders, and escort trucks, with estimated usage ranging from 40 to 425 hours per line item. All equipment must be provided in excellent mechanical condition with guaranteed operators and comprehensive maintenance, repairs, fuel, and lubrication included. Vendors must guarantee response times for routine work with mobilization and demobilization at no cost, and for emergency situations must begin work within 48 hours of notification with two 24-hour emergency contact phone numbers provided. Bids were evaluated on a best value basis with price weighted at 95 points and response time at 5 points, with the lowest price bidder receiving maximum score. The bid submission deadline was March 22, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time through the Kentucky Vendor Self Service e-Procurement system, with a tentative award date of March 29, 2023, and contract performance beginning from the award date through February 29, 2024, with four optional one-year renewal periods available.

Vendors must carry $1,000,000 in general liability insurance and Kentucky workers' compensation insurance, naming the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet as additional insured. The contract is funded through Federal Highway Administration Emergency Relief (ER) funds, subjecting vendors to Davis Bacon Act wage determinations, Buy America requirements, Build America Buy America Act provisions, and prohibitions on certain telecommunications equipment. All bidders must submit an Annual Affidavit for Bidders, Offerors, and Contractors attesting under penalty of perjury that they have not knowingly violated Kentucky campaign finance laws, and vendors must be registered in the Commonwealth eProcurement System prior to bid submission with online bidding mandatory and late bids not accepted. Vendors are not required to own all equipment but must be able to readily provide each piece when requested, and bidders must bid on all line items to be considered for award. Only one price increase is permitted during the initial contract period after the first 12 months, and one additional increase may be granted during extended renewal periods after the first six months. No specific set-aside designations, incumbent vendor information, or award value ranges were identified in the solicitation documents.