Highway Markers and Posts

The Commonwealth of Kentucky Finance and Administration Cabinet, on behalf of the Kentucky Historical Society, issued Request for Bid (RFB) 758 2400000034 on July 31, 2023, to establish a Master Agreement for the manufacture and supply of highway markers and posts. The procurement encompasses ten line items including 30 standard markers with identical designs on both sides, 30 standard markers with different designs on both sides, 5 standard markers with metal photographs on both sides, 5 standard markers combining different designs and metal photographs, 10 cemetery markers with identical designs on both sides, 75 seven-foot posts, 10 four-foot surface-mount posts with flanges, 30 repair and refurbishment services for standard-size markers, 10 repair and refurbishment services for two-post markers, and 10 ten-foot posts for two-post markers. All markers must be manufactured from cast secondary aluminum alloy with integrated state seals, specific lettering requirements (1-1/2 inch or 2 inches for captions; 1 inch or 1-1/2 inch for text), and detailed finish specifications including powder coating in Shading Olive Green with brilliant gold lettering and clear protective topcoats. Vendors must demonstrate a minimum of ten years of manufacturing and finishing experience for historical markers and posts in the United States, with all bids to be evaluated on a best value basis weighted at 100 points for pricing and pass/fail for experience. Written questions are due by August 7, 2023, at 10:00 AM ET, with bids due electronically through the Commonwealth eProcurement system by August 14, 2023, at 1:30 PM ET. The initial contract period runs one year beginning September 6, 2023, with four optional one-year renewal periods subject to written approval by all parties. Repaired markers must be returned to the appropriate Department of Transportation facility within sixty days of completion.

Bidders claiming resident status must affirm authorization to transact business in Kentucky and demonstrate one year of prior Kentucky corporate income tax filings, unemployment insurance fund payments, and workers' compensation policies through the contract advertisement date. Qualified bidder status is available for nonprofit corporations under Kentucky Revised Statutes Chapter 163 or qualified nonprofit agencies for individuals with severe disabilities, with the latter requiring 75 percent of direct labor man-hours performed by individuals with severe disabilities. All bidders must complete and submit required affidavits attesting to compliance with Kentucky campaign finance laws and other statutory obligations; these affidavits must be notarized and remain effective for one year from execution. Kentucky resident bidders may receive reciprocal preference against nonresident bidders registered in states offering similar preferences. Quoted prices must be F.O.B. Destination Freight Prepaid and Allowed, exclusive of federal excise tax and Kentucky sales or use tax, with prices remaining valid for a minimum of 60 calendar days after the bid due date. All line items must be bid or the response will be deemed non-responsive. No sample markers are required prior to award, though vendors must be capable of manufacturing samples at their own expense upon request.