ITB - Pepper-ball Launchers for the Harris County Sherrif's Office

Harris County, Texas, through the Harris County Sheriff's Office, is issuing an Invitation for Bids (IFB) for new, unused pepper-ball launchers and related equipment with a submission deadline of April 20, 2026, at 2:00 PM CST, and a public bid opening via Microsoft Teams on the same date. The procurement requires bidders to submit questions by April 10, 2026, at 12:00 PM CST. The pepper-ball launchers must feature yellow aluminum corrosion-resistant frames, folding stocks, adjustable projectile velocity, red dot sighting systems, semi-automatic operating modes, and two-point sling compatibility, with each unit including two magazines and spare parts limited to two additional magazines. All projectiles must be ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 certified with a three to five year shelf-life expectancy and include an equal mix of five payload types: Live PAVA 2%, Live-X PAVA 5%, inert training rounds, marking dye, and glass breaker projectiles. The procurement also requires instructor-led training at a Harris County site for twenty individuals over two consecutive days, conducted by instructors possessing POST (Peace Officer Standards and Training) certification or equivalent, with all training-related expenses the vendor's responsibility. Deliveries must be FOB inside destination to a Harris County-designated location, and all pricing must be all-inclusive with no separate line item charges, with pricing remaining firm for the entire contract duration. The anticipated contract term begins June 11, 2026, for one year with four optional one-year renewals subject to Harris County Commissioners Court approval and identical terms and pricing. Evaluation criteria include bidder qualifications, references, experience with comparable projects, and compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations.

This procurement is funded in whole or in part with federal grant monies, including potential HUD, FEMA, or GLO funding, subjecting bidders to extensive federal compliance requirements including 2 CFR 200 regulations and applicable prevailing wage standards. Bidders must meet the Harris County Minimum Wage Policy requiring $21.65 per hour for all workers directly assigned to the contract, comply with Section 3 employment provisions if HUD-funded (with benchmarks of 25 percent Section 3 worker labor hours and 5 percent targeted Section 3 worker labor hours), and demonstrate certification compliance with federal standards covering civil rights, environmental protection, debarment verification, and various labor and acquisition regulations. A five percent bid bond is required if the contract value exceeds $100,000, and a performance bond equal to the full contract amount must be provided within ten days of award for contracts exceeding $50,000. Minimum insurance requirements include workers' compensation with $1,000,000 employer's liability limits, commercial general liability with $1,000,000 per occurrence limits, automobile liability with $1,000,000 combined single limits, umbrella/excess liability with $1,000,000 limits, and professional/errors and omissions liability of $1,000,000 if applicable, with Harris County named as an additional insured on a primary/non-contributory basis. No specific incumbent vendor information or existing infrastructure integration requirements are detailed in the solicitation documents. While no specific budget range is provided in the available documentation, the contract value threshold for various compliance requirements and performance bonds suggests an anticipated award value potentially exceeding $100,000.