Fuel and Diesel Exhaust Fluid Bulk and Delivery Services

The School District of Manatee County, Florida is soliciting competitive bids through an Invitation to Bid (ITB) for fuel and diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) bulk and delivery services under a three-year contract period running from June 1, 2026 through May 30, 2029, with options to renew for up to two additional one-year periods. The District seeks to establish multiple responsive and responsible contractors to provide Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel Fuel, 87 Octane Unleaded Gasoline, Red Dye Diesel Fuel, and DEF for buses and fleet vehicles through both bulk delivery to District fuel islands and direct "wet fueling" services at designated locations. The solicitation anticipates approximately 434,000 gallons of diesel and 101,000 gallons of gasoline annually for bulk fueling operations, plus approximately 250 gallons of diesel per day for ten buses located at Parrish Community High School with periodic DEF additions. Deliverables include scheduled and as-needed fuel deliveries within 48 hours of notification with minimum delivery quantities of 500 gallons for gasoline and 7,500 gallons for diesel, with bulk fueling availability between 5:30 AM and 4:00 PM on weekdays excluding holidays. All fuel must meet Federal Specification VV-F-800D and current ASTM standards, and contractors must maintain Comprehensive General Liability Insurance of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence and Automobile Liability Insurance of at least $1,000,000 per person or occurrence, with the District named as additional insured. Pricing shall be submitted as a fixed fee per gallon added to the Oil Price Information Services Daily Rack Averages base price for the Tampa, Florida PADD 1 Terminal, with the fixed fee including all markup, delivery, and handling costs. The request for information deadline is March 10, 2026, with bid submittals due April 8, 2026 at 3:00 PM via VendorLink; no pre-proposal conference is scheduled.

No specific set-aside designations or restrictions on bidder eligibility are identified in the solicitation documentation provided, and no incumbent vendors or current contractors are listed. The District reserves the right to use other suppliers or contracts if determined to be in its best interest, indicating a non-exclusive procurement open to qualified vendors. Bidders must comply with EPA regulations and all local, state, and federal environmental laws, and contractors are prohibited from subcontracting services to another firm or individual. The District reserves the right to make equitable adjustments to pricing based on extreme and unforeseen marketplace volatility meeting specific criteria, and during declared disaster situations, any bid items with markup shall be billed at actual cost without markup. No guarantee is given regarding the total dollar value of the contract, as the District intends to award to multiple bidders and may modify the number of vehicles, locations, types of vehicles or equipment, and products purchased throughout the contract period. Invoice fuel prices exclude Federal, State, and County taxes from which the District is exempt.