Hauling of voting machines for St. Charles Parish

The Louisiana Secretary of State's office is seeking a contractor for drayage services to transport voting machines in St. Charles Parish for the 2025 election cycle. This Invitation to Bid (ITB) covers the transportation of approximately 111 voting machines across 44 precincts, requiring delivery to and from storage warehouses, polling places, and demonstration sites. The contract will run from the date of award through December 31, 2025, with an option to renew for two additional 12-month periods. Bidders must provide enclosed trucks or trailers with proper moving straps, and submit a bid guaranty or bond equal to 5% of the total bid amount. Specific insurance requirements include workers' compensation ($100,000 per person), public liability ($100,000 per person), bodily injury liability ($300,000 per occurrence), property damage liability ($50,000 per occurrence), and auto liability ($500,000 combined single limit). Sealed bids are due by January 6, 2025, at 10:00 am CST, with bid packages available beginning December 6, 2024.

The contract includes restrictions limiting bidders to no more than 1,000 total voting machines or four parishes, whichever limit is reached first. For private elections and demonstrations, the contractor will receive double the standard per-machine rate with a minimum guarantee of three machines. A performance bond of 1.5 times the contract price is required from the winning bidder. The procurement does not specifically mention set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises or minority-owned businesses. The document does not provide a detailed budget range, but the pricing will be calculated based on the number of machines and transportation services required. Contractors must be prepared to handle sensitive election equipment with care, demonstrating professional transportation capabilities and meeting stringent insurance and bonding requirements. The contract appears to be open to qualified transportation and logistics providers with experience in handling specialized equipment and meeting strict logistical and safety standards.