Fire Alarm System Monitoring, Inspections, Testing and Maintenance

Carteret County is requesting proposals for fire alarm system monitoring, inspections, testing, maintenance, and repair services across eleven county facilities under RFP 070126CCGFIRE, with proposals due July 29, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. EST and a mandatory pre-bid conference on July 15, 2026 at 10:30 a.m. at the County General Services Building in Newport, North Carolina.

Vendors must be UL-certified with active licenses from the North Carolina State Fire Marshal and Electrical Licensing Board. Technicians must hold active certifications from fire alarm manufacturers, NICET, or other nationally recognized bodies meeting NFPA 72 standards. This certification requirement is the primary capability filter.

The scope encompasses 24/7 central station monitoring, annual inspections and testing of all fire alarm devices and components, preventive maintenance, troubleshooting, emergency response, repair or replacement of defective equipment, and full documentation of work. Services must ensure compliance with NFPA 72, local codes, and manufacturer requirements. Facilities include the Western Library, County Garage, Health Department, General Services, Civic Center, Senior Center, Social Services, Courthouse Complex, Jail, Beaufort Square, and Humane Society.

Service response times are mandatory: two hours maximum for Alarm and Supervisory signals, four hours for Trouble signals, with a 30-minute callback requirement. Vendors must carry Commercial General Liability Insurance of at least $1 million per occurrence, Automobile Liability Insurance of $1 million per occurrence, and full Workers' Compensation coverage.

Proposals must itemize Fire Alarm Inspection Price, Monitoring Price, UL Certification Price, and Alarm Monitoring Setup Price separately, plus service rates for regular business hours, after-hours, and holidays. All pricing must be all-inclusive of reporting fees, insurance, depreciation, trip charges, fuel surcharge, and mileage.

The contract runs July 31, 2026 through June 30, 2027 with an option for five additional one-year renewals at the County's discretion. Evaluation is weighted as follows: overall cost 30%, qualifications and experience 20%, scope compliance and approach 20%, past performance and references 20%, and response capability and staffing 10%. Questions are due July 22, 2026 at 4:00 p.m.