Isotonic Sports Drink

Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners has issued Invitation to Bid (ITB-26-00233) seeking competitive sealed bids from experienced and qualified suppliers to provide isotonic sports drink beverages for Fire Rescue personnel to supplement fluid loss during firefighting and training operations. The procurement is for single-serve, 20-ounce plastic bottles of isotonic sports drinks (Gatorade, Powerade, or equal) available in three specified flavors: Cool Blue/Blueberry Blast, Lemon-Lime, and Orange, with carbohydrate concentrations of 8%-13% for regular drinks and 0% for low/no-calorie drinks, sodium levels between 240-270 mg per serving, and potassium at 80 mg per serving. All products must be new, unused, first-quality items packaged in cases of 24 bottles per case, palletized with shrink-wrap for quantities of 12 cases or more, with a minimum shelf life of 90 days from delivery and compliance with 21 CFR Part 165 and NFPA Standard 1580. The contract period is two years from the effective date with no guaranteed minimum purchase, and delivery must occur within five business days of purchase order receipt to the Public Safety Operations Complex at 9440 East Columbus Drive, Tampa, Florida 33619, Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, excluding County holidays. Award will be made to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder meeting all specifications, with bid pricing to remain fixed for the entire two-year contract term and submitted on a per-case basis. Bids must be submitted exclusively through the County's electronic bidding system (Euna Procurement) with a deadline of April 24, 2026, at 2:00 P.M. Eastern Time, and no pre-bid conference, site visit, or bidder meeting is specified in the solicitation.

Respondents must comply with multiple regulatory and administrative requirements, including submission of a Substitute W-9 Form for taxpayer identification, Drug-Free Workplace Certification in accordance with Florida Statute 287.087, Certificate of Liability Insurance with Hillsborough County named as an additional insured, and Direct Deposit Authorization Form if electing electronic payment. All insurance coverage must be obtained from companies authorized to conduct business in Florida with A.M. Best ratings of A- or better, and contractors must maintain Commercial General Liability coverage, Automobile Liability coverage, Workers' Compensation, and other specified protections as detailed in the County's insurance requirements document. The solicitation includes standard County requirements for E-Verify compliance, non-discrimination, indemnification, and compliance with Florida statutes regarding public records and digital accessibility, with the contractor responsible for all freight charges and proper temperature control throughout storage, staging, loading, and transportation in compliance with local, state, and federal sanitation regulations. No specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises are referenced in the available solicitation documents, and no incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified. The estimated project value is $137,500.00 for the full two-year contract period, with the County reserving the right to award by line item, group/section, or overall total net bid price as determined to be in the County's best interest, and an optional provision allowing other government agencies within the Hillsborough County Governmental Purchasing Council to purchase under the same terms and conditions.