Huber STEPSCREEN Products, Parts and Service

Sarasota County is pursuing a sole source procurement with Huber Technology, Inc. for STEPSCREEN products, parts, and service, specifically for the Bee Ridge Water Reclamation Facilities. The procurement focuses on a proprietary wastewater treatment technology that filters sewage coming from sewer lines, with the current sole source agreement to be extended for three years from 5/24/2025 to 5/23/2028. The solicitation was released on March 21, 2025, with key deadlines including March 25, 2025, for questions and March 26, 2025, at 5:00 pm for responses. The county's primary objective is to maintain its existing STEPSCREEN machine infrastructure without requiring complete re-engineering of the collection system. Vendors are required to demonstrate authorized representation from Huber Technology, Inc., with the solicitation emphasizing that only factory-trained service technicians can perform repairs without voiding product warranties. The procurement is specific to STEPSCREEN products manufactured by Huber SE and Huber Technologies Inc., with the county reserving the right to cancel the sole source procurement if alternative vendors can prove equivalent product capabilities.

The procurement is explicitly restricted to vendors authorized by Huber Technology, Inc., effectively limiting competition to the incumbent vendor. No specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises were identified in the documentation. The current infrastructure involves a STEPSCREEN machine at the Bee Ridge Water Reclamation Facilities, which requires specialized parts and service from the original manufacturer. The estimated expenditure is $50,000.00 per fiscal year, indicating a moderate-value contract over the three-year period. The solicitation allows for potential alternative vendors to submit an Intent to Sole Source Response form with supporting documentation, though the county has determined that changing to another process would be operationally complex. Huber Technology, Inc. is positioned as the exclusive source for parts and authorized service technicians in the United States, with the county emphasizing the vendor's long-standing field testing and staff familiarity with the system. The procurement appears designed to maintain continuity of critical wastewater treatment infrastructure with minimal disruption.