Hydrostatic Air Cylinder Testing Services

The City of Austin Fire Department is soliciting competitive bids through Invitation for Bid (IFB) 8300 SDS1001 for Hydrostatic Air Cylinder Testing Services, with proposals due May 5, 2026, at 2:00 PM Central Time. This procurement requires qualified vendors to provide hydrostatic testing services for Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) cylinders across four categories: 30-minute cylinders (2 units estimated annually), 45-minute cylinders (500 units), 60-minute cylinders (25 units), and 15-minute cylinders (5 units). All testing must be conducted at U.S. Department of Transportation registered facilities in accordance with Compressed Gas Association Standards, performed by or under the direct supervision of a DOT-certified hydrostatic test operator using computer-operated equipment that generates individual test reports. Tested cylinders must be internally steamed and dried, visually inspected, and marked with epoxied seals indicating test date and pressure, with completion required within seven days of pickup from the Austin Fire Department Air Shop (2011 E 51st Street, Austin, Texas; Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM). The initial contract term is 36 months with two optional 12-month renewal periods exercisable at the City's sole discretion, and pricing shall consist of fixed unit prices with potential economic adjustments not to exceed 25 percent after the initial 12-month period, subject to Producer Price Index verification. Evaluation criteria include best value competition, facility compliance demonstration, minimum five verifiable customer references, qualified key personnel, wage theft ordinance compliance, and appropriate insurance coverage. Questions are due by April 14, 2026.

No Minority-Owned and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MBE-WBE) subcontracting goals apply to this procurement due to insufficient subcontracting opportunities and inadequate availability of certified firms; however, offerors intending to use subcontractors must comply with the City's M/WBE Procurement Program procedures and either employ City-certified M/WBE firms or demonstrate good faith efforts to solicit such firms. The solicitation includes optional price discounts available to qualifying entities: five percent for local businesses and small businesses on bids up to $500,000, or three percent for bids between $500,000 and $50 million, with both discounts applying to entities qualifying as both local and small businesses. A local business is defined as any entity with headquarters located within the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos Metropolitan Statistical Area (Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis, and Williamson counties), and small business status must be recognized by the U.S. Small Business Administration in accordance with applicable size standards. No incumbent contractor or existing infrastructure integration requirements are specified in the solicitation documents. All proposals must be submitted electronically through the City's Austin Finance Online system, and offerors must provide Certificates of Insurance prior to contract execution, comply with City wage theft ordinance requirements, complete wage theft training within 30 days of award, and submit comprehensive pricing information inclusive of all labor, tools, equipment, travel, administrative costs, overhead, and transportation to the Austin area with no separate charges permitted.