JPMC Salt for Water Softener Zone 1-2-3

The State of Illinois, through the Department of Central Management Services (CMS), is seeking bids for a joint purchase master contract to provide salt products for water softeners to governmental units and qualified not-for-profit agencies across the state. The contract will have an initial term of four years, with no option to renew, and will cover three defined geographic zones aligned with the Illinois Department of Transportation highway districts. Vendors must meet detailed technical specifications for the salt products, including requirements for fineness, moisture content, and impurities. Deliveries are to be made F.O.B. Destination to agency locations, with minimum order quantities specified. Vendors must report annual contract usage to CMS, and pricing will be firm for the first year and then subject to economic adjustments based on changes in the Producer Price Index (PPI) for rock salt and evaporated/solar salt. Bids are due by February 4, 2021.

The contract does not contain any small business, minority-owned, women-owned, or veteran-owned business participation goals. However, the State of Illinois has an aspirational goal of awarding at least 20% of the total dollar amount of state contracts to Business Enterprise Program (BEP) certified vendors. Bidders are required to submit a Utilization Plan detailing their plan to utilize BEP certified vendors to meet a contract-specific participation goal, or to provide documentation of their good faith efforts to do so. The contract was originally awarded to Bianchi Milling Enterprises, Inc., but that award was canceled due to a protest determination, and the contract was subsequently awarded to Midwest Salt LLC as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder for a total value of $421,380.00.