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

The Louisiana Department of State, under Secretary of State Nancy Landry, is soliciting sealed bids for drayage services in Tensas Parish, specifically for the transportation of voting machines and election-related materials. The procurement covers the hauling of approximately 40 AVC "Advantage" voting machines serving 18 precincts, with services including transportation to and from storage warehouses and polling places. The contract is set to commence on January 1, 2026, and continue through December 31, 2026, with options to renew for two additional 12-month periods. Bidders must provide enclosed trucks or trailers and be prepared to handle voting machines, precinct registers, and "Vote Here" signs. The bid submission deadline is November 25, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. Central Standard Time, with public bid opening scheduled at the Archives Auditorium in Baton Rouge. Evaluation will focus on the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, with strict requirements for equipment, insurance, and potential performance penalties.

The contract does not specify explicit set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises. Contractors must provide comprehensive insurance coverage, including 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 automobile liability ($500,000 per occurrence). A performance bond or irrevocable letter of credit equal to 1.5 times the contract price is required, along with a five percent bid guaranty. Contractors causing damage to voting machines through negligence will be required to reimburse repair costs, and those whose contracts are canceled for cause will be ineligible to bid in the parish for three years. While specific budget ranges are not explicitly stated, payment will be made on a per-voting-machine round-trip basis, with invoicing and reimbursement within 30 days of service completion, contingent on no machine damage.