Far infrared source transmitter (UW-MAD) [18-0069]

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is seeking bids for the procurement of three Far InfraRed Source Transmitters to support the Madison Symmetric Torus Plasma Physics Experiment through its Purchasing Services Department. The procurement is a Request for Bid (RFB) with specific technical requirements for these specialized scientific instruments. Bidders must be original manufacturers, authorized distributors, or dealers with at least five years of experience providing Far InfraRed Source items and services. The bid was issued on May 15, 2018, with written questions due by May 22, 2018, and final bids due by May 29, 2018, at 2:00 PM Central Daylight Time. The desired delivery date is August 10, 2018, and the University reserves the right to conduct oral presentations, product demonstrations, and vendor site visits before making an award. Evaluation criteria will include bid pricing, delivery timeliness, and overall best interest of the University, with the potential for order cancellation if delivery dates are not met. Bid prices must be submitted as net unit prices in US dollars on an F.O.B. Destination basis, inclusive of packing, freight, insurance, and installation manuals.

The procurement includes supplier diversity preferences that allow certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) or Disabled Veteran-Owned Business (DVB) firms to receive awards if their qualified bids are not more than 5% higher than the lowest bid. Payment terms are Net 30 days following successful acceptance testing, which must occur within 30 days of delivery. The contractor will be required to provide the manufacturer's standard warranty, maintain replacement parts availability within five business days, respond to service calls within 72 hours, and complete maintenance within two weeks of the initial service request. While no specific budget range is mentioned, the procurement is for three Far InfraRed Source Transmitters to be used in a specialized plasma physics research environment. The contract will be awarded to the lowest qualified bidder whose extended net total bid is judged to be in the best interest of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, with consideration given to the technical specifications required for the Madison Symmetric Torus Plasma Physics Experiment.