Hard hats, HI-visibilty

The Commonwealth of Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Purchases, issued a Request for Bid (RFB) for the procurement of hard hats with hi-visibility features for the Elliott County jurisdiction. The solicitation seeks 100 flat-front hard hats in hi-visibility lime green, 50 flat-front hard hats in white, and 300 full-brim hard hats in hi-visibility lime green, all requiring custom imprinting with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet logo on the front center. All hard hats must meet OSHA and ANSI Z89.1-2009 TYPE 1, CLASS E and G requirements, feature lightweight polyethylene shells, 4-point ratchet suspension systems with pillowed brow pads, and include silver reflective striping. Product samples are required for approval prior to award. The RFB was issued August 24, 2020, with written questions due August 27, 2020 at 1:00 PM Eastern Time, the Commonwealth's response to questions due August 31, 2020 at 2:00 PM, and bids due September 11, 2020 at 4:00 PM Eastern Time (extended from the original September 8, 2020 deadline via Addendum #1). Bids must be submitted electronically only through the eMARS procurement system; no physical submissions will be accepted. Award will be determined using a best-value approach with 95 points allocated for price (lowest bidder receives maximum points) and 5 points for delivery time (measured in guaranteed calendar days), with vendors responsible for all freight charges on an F.O.B. Destination Freight Prepaid basis. The master agreement will be for an initial one-year period with four optional one-year renewal periods at the discretion of both parties.

Kentucky resident bidders may receive reciprocal preference against nonresident bidders registered in states offering similar preferences, and qualified bidders including Kentucky Correctional Industries and organizations serving individuals with severe disabilities may receive 20 percent and 15 percent preference points respectively. The procurement is subject to Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) 1273 requirements and Buy America provisions requiring that steel, iron, and manufactured products be produced in the United States, though prevailing wage (Davis-Bacon) rates do not apply as this is a commodity contract. Delivery delays will result in a 1 percent per day deduction from invoices for each day delivery is missed, except for delays caused by circumstances beyond the vendor's control, and price increases are not permitted during the first 12 months with only one increase allowed thereafter if justified by industry-wide changes and requested with 30 days' notice. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the solicitation materials. All bids must be valid for a minimum of 90 calendar days after closing, and vendors must comply with all required affidavits including annual compliance certifications and, if applicable, resident bidder status affidavits. The specific award value or budget range for this procurement is not disclosed in the available solicitation documents.