Glass Spheres (Beads)

The State of California Department of General Services Procurement Division is issuing an Invitation for Bid (IFB) for Glass Spheres (Beads) to support the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). The procurement seeks to establish a three-year contract with two potential one-year extensions, covering two geographic regions: Northern California (Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, and 10) and Southern California (Districts 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, and 12). The solicitation requires glass beads in three specific types (Type 1, Type 2, and Type 3) with precise technical specifications, including moisture-proof coating, specific gradation, refractive index, and post-consumer recycled content requirements. Bids are due by August 26, 2025, at 2:00 PM PT, with a public cost opening scheduled for 2:15 PM PT on the same day. Bidders must provide comprehensive pricing details, including list prices, contract discounts, and unit prices for various packaging configurations such as totes, drums, and bags, with estimated total quantities ranging from 2,700 to 2,944,505 pounds across different bead types.

The contract includes several socioeconomic program requirements and preferences, with specific emphasis on Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) and Small Business participation. Bidders must complete a detailed narrative response addressing business registration, tax permits, and potential certifications as small businesses or veteran-owned enterprises. The contract includes a 1.25% incentive fee for local governmental agency transactions and will be mandatory for all State of California Departments, with availability for participating local agencies. The historical value of the current mandatory statewide contract for Glass Spheres (Beads) is $2,973,562.53 over three years. Pricing adjustments may be considered after the first 12 months based on Producer Price Index (PPI) and fuel costs. Manufacturers must comply with strict quality assurance provisions, including submitting 1-quart samples to the Transportation Laboratory for testing and providing a Certificate of Compliance. The solicitation requires bidders to adhere to various state and federal certifications, including civil rights laws, Iran Contracting Act, and Russian sanctions.