Gases, welding & accessories, purchase of

Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners, Purchasing Department, issued Request for Quotation (RFQ) #650408/JM for the purchase and delivery of welding gases, welding supplies, and related accessories under a term contract. The solicitation is divided into three lots: Lot #1 covers welding gases for all county departments except Palm Tran and Glades (29 line items with annual quantities ranging from 2 to 50 units); Lot #2 covers welding gases for Palm Tran only (5 line items with smaller quantities); and Lot #3 covers welding gases for Glades operations (6 line items with annual quantities ranging from 50 to 85 units). The successful bidder will be responsible for all pick-up, refill, and distribution of cylinders to various Palm Beach County Fire Rescue stations and other county locations, as well as hydrostatic testing and certification of cylinders, repairs and maintenance, and compliance with OSHA, NOSH, and NFPA standards. Bidders must submit firm, fixed unit prices per cylinder refill with no escalation clauses, along with pricing for hourly repair rates, replacement prices for lost rental cylinders, replacement prices for county-owned cylinders deemed uneconomical to repair, and for Lot #2, rental prices for regulators. Required qualifications include evidence of authorization to pick up, fill, and distribute welding and oxygen gases, a minimum of three references, specified insurance coverage including $500,000 in Commercial General Liability and Business Auto Liability, and compliance with non-discrimination policies and criminal history record check requirements. The submission deadline is December 19, 2016, at 4:00 p.m. Palm Beach County time, with quotations accepted by fax or email. The contract will be awarded on a lot-by-lot basis to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, with an initial term of twelve months and an option to renew for four additional twelve-month periods subject to mutual written agreement and appropriation of funds.

The solicitation includes Small Business Enterprise (SBE) ordinance requirements applicable to Lots #1 and #3, though Lot #2 is not subject to SBE set-asides due to Federal Transit Administration (FTA) requirements, as it is funded through Palm Beach County's contract with the U.S. Department of Transportation. Local preference provisions are included in the solicitation, and all bidders must comply with standard federal and state compliance requirements and non-discrimination policies. Palm Beach County will pay rental fees at a fixed rate of $0.10 per day per cylinder for rentals not owned by the county. The anticipated contract value is $36,000 over the twelve-month initial term, with the contract term potentially ending earlier if the estimated value is reached. No incumbent vendors or existing contractors were identified in the solicitation documents provided. The successful bidder must demonstrate readiness to integrate with Palm Beach County's existing fire rescue station network and other county operational locations to ensure seamless delivery and service of welding gases and related supplies.