Furnish and Deliver Water Quality Monitoring Buoy for the Chemistry Dept. Fax Inquiry Deadline 1/8/2025 - 1/22/2025

Southeastern Louisiana University's Purchasing Department is seeking bids for a comprehensive water quality monitoring buoy system for its Chemistry Department. The procurement involves furnishing and delivering seven water quality monitoring buoys with advanced real-time cellular communication capabilities, to be installed in Lake Maurepas at various depths ranging from 4.3 to 12.3 feet. Each buoy must be equipped with specialized sensors to monitor multiple water quality parameters, including turbidity, tryptophan, refined oil, BOD, COD, coliforms, and CH4. The buoy systems must be fully United States Coast Guard (USCG) compliant, with specific requirements for lighting and mooring. Vendors are required to provide complete pricing inclusive of shipping, installation, and one year of routine maintenance services. The bid response deadline was originally set for January 23, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. Central Time but has been extended to January 30, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. Central Time, with a fax inquiry deadline of January 8, 2025. The university demonstrates a preference for solar charging systems for cellular communications and will provide transportation and deployment services to the lake sites.

The solicitation does not explicitly outline specific set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises. Vendors must carry specific insurance coverages, including workers' compensation, commercial general liability ($1M per occurrence/$2M aggregate), and automobile liability ($1M combined single limit). The contract includes comprehensive indemnification requirements and allows for potential additional purchases by other Louisiana governmental agencies, subject to the awarded vendor's agreement. While a specific budget range is not detailed in the documents, the complexity of the buoy system, including multi-parameter sensors, cellular communication, and one-year maintenance, suggests a significant investment. The procurement allows for potential expansion, as other Louisiana governmental agencies may be permitted to purchase under the same contract terms. The university will evaluate bids based on compliance with technical specifications, sensor capabilities, USCG compliance, and overall system performance, with a focus on comprehensive water quality monitoring capabilities in Lake Maurepas.