IFB CSSSA25114, Rental Production Equipment

The California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA) issued Invitation for Bid (IFB) CSSSA25114 to procure comprehensive rental production equipment for its annual summer school program serving approximately 500 gifted high school students. The solicitation encompasses all labor, materials, parts, tools, supplies, transportation, equipment, permits, licenses, and related items necessary to supply film equipment on a four-week rental basis during the summer months of June through early August. Equipment requirements include an extensive range of production assets such as lighting supports (C-stands, turtle bases, grip equipment), production materials (apple boxes, flags, bounce cards), lighting units (CreamSource Vortex4, Aputure LS series, Astera Titan and Helios tube kits, LiteMat systems), grip and rigging equipment (Dana Dolly Kit, speed rails), and specialized accessories (control grids, light domes, lenses, power strips, AsteraBox transmitter), with 60 line items specified across two fiscal years. Delivery is required in mid-June or early July at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (3801 W Temple Ave, Pomona, CA 91768), with pickup no later than the first week of August. The two-year contract term is tentatively scheduled from June 1, 2026, through May 31, 2028. Bids must be submitted electronically by February 27, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. PT, with virtual bid opening at 1:35 p.m. PT via Microsoft Teams. Evaluation will be conducted on a lowest responsive cost basis, with the Notice of Intent to Award released by March 3, 2026, and the proposed award date of March 11, 2026. Bidders must submit detailed cost sheets in Excel format identifying weekly rental rates for each line item, provide a minimum of two references validating experience performing similar services within the last five years, and comply with all required attachments including certification forms, payee data records, and bidder declarations.

Set-aside incentives are available for qualifying small businesses, with Small Business (SB) and Microbusiness (MB) certifications receiving a five percent preference, while Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) participation receives variable incentives ranging from one to five percent based on confirmed participation levels. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the solicitation documents. The cost sheet specifies that bidders must indicate which line items are taxable and provide corresponding tax calculations, with a fixed contingency allocation of $2,250.00 per year for unanticipated materials, supplies, equipment, personnel, services, upgrades, rentals, and tasks approved only by the CSSSA Contract Manager. Invoices will be submitted in arrears upon completion of scheduled services and approved by the CSSSA Contract Manager, Sindy Arreola, with payment made in accordance with Government Code Chapter 4.5. The contract may be terminated without cause by the State upon thirty days written notice. While the specific total contract value is not explicitly stated, the cost sheet template indicates a contingency structure with calculations for both 2026 and 2027, with all services billed monthly, quarterly, annually, or on a one-time basis. The selected contractor must be ready to begin work within ten business days of contract award and may commence services no earlier than written approval from all entities is obtained.