IFB Materials Lab Testing and Reporting, Various Bay Area Counties, CA.

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has issued an Invitation for Bid (IFB) for on-call materials laboratory testing and reporting services covering multiple Bay Area counties, including Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma Counties. The contract requires a contractor to provide comprehensive materials testing services at their own laboratory, performing up to 58 different types of laboratory tests on construction materials such as concrete, aggregates, soils, hot mix asphalt, and asphalt binder. Bidders must be located within 50 driving miles of Oakland and must possess specific accreditations, including AASHTO accreditation and Caltrans Independent Assurance certification. Laboratory supervisors are required to have either NICET Level III certification in Construction Materials Testing or a valid California Professional Engineering license, with a minimum of three years of demonstrated testing experience. Key procurement dates include a deadline for written questions on December 10, 2024, bid submission by December 17, 2024 at 2:00 p.m., and a bid opening at 2:30 p.m. on the same day, with an estimated contract award date of January 16, 2025.

The procurement includes significant set-aside goals, specifically a 22% Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) participation requirement and a 25% Small Business (SB) participation goal. The previous contract was held by BSK Associates, which utilized two DBE subcontractors: Inspection Services Inc. (ISI) and Summit Associates, who provided materials lab testing support totaling $228,634.00. While no precise total contract value is specified, the previous contract was valued at $914,535.00, suggesting a similar budget range for this procurement. Contractors must maintain comprehensive insurance coverage, including commercial general liability, automobile liability, workers' compensation, and professional liability insurance. The contract term is anticipated to run from February 25, 2025, through February 24, 2028, providing a three-year period for materials testing services across the specified Bay Area jurisdictions. Bidders must submit detailed documentation, including certification statements, laboratory addresses, and proof of appropriate qualifications to be considered for the contract.