Hauling of Voting Machines for Natchitoches Parish - Advertisement Change of Link to view Drayage Bid Packets

The Louisiana Secretary of State's Department is seeking a drayage contractor to handle voting machine transportation for Natchitoches Parish, with sealed bids due on November 25, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. CST. The procurement involves transporting approximately 109 AVC "Advantage" voting machines across 50 precincts, including precinct registers, "Vote Here" signs, and related election materials between warehouse storage facilities and polling places. Bidders must submit a cost per voting machine for round-trip drayage services, with the contract term running from January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2026, and potential renewal options for two additional 12-month periods. Evaluation will require a 5% bid guaranty submitted as a bond, certified check, or money order, and bidders must demonstrate capability to manage complex logistics and maintain strict handling protocols. The bid package will be available starting October 22, 2025, with public bid opening scheduled at the State Archives Building in Baton Rouge, and the successful bidder to be notified within ten days of bid opening.

The contract includes specific insurance requirements, mandating contractors maintain workers' compensation insurance of at least $100,000 per person, public liability insurance of $100,000 per person, bodily injury liability of $300,000 per occurrence, property damage liability of $50,000 per occurrence, and auto liability insurance of $500,000 per occurrence. Contractors must provide a performance bond equal to 1.5 times the contract price from a U.S. Department of Treasury-approved bonding company or a Louisiana-domiciled insurance company with an A.M. Best rating of at least A. The contractor will be financially responsible for any voting machine damage caused by negligence, with potential penalties including contract cancellation and three-year bidding ineligibility in the parish. The contract's financial execution is contingent on legislative appropriation of sufficient funds, and payment will be processed within 30 days of invoice receipt, provided no machine damage occurs. While no specific set-aside designations or disadvantaged enterprise requirements are mentioned, the comprehensive insurance and bonding requirements suggest a need for financially stable and operationally sophisticated contractors.