KET Transmissions Tower Inventory

The Commonwealth of Kentucky Finance and Administration Cabinet issued a Request for Proposal on behalf of Kentucky Educational Television (KET) for transmission tower inventory services. KET operates 15 television broadcast transmission towers across Kentucky and Indiana and seeks a contractor to conduct comprehensive inventory surveys documenting all equipment on these towers, including proper identification of antennas and transmission lines with detailed specifications such as manufacturer, model, height, position, and condition. The scope requires a minimum of three towers surveyed annually until all 15 locations are completed, with the first three priority towers identified as WKMA in Nortonville (950 feet), WKPD in Paducah (500 feet), and WKMU in Mayfield (599 feet). The RFP was released September 29, 2022, with proposals due October 26, 2022, at 3:30 PM ET, and vendors were required to request site visits by October 7, 2022, at 10 AM ET. Qualified contractors must demonstrate a minimum of five years' experience working on transmission towers, provide five project references, ensure all tower climbers possess current safety certifications including climbing safety, high angle rescue, first aid/CPR, and RF radiation hazard safety training, and complete work within 14 working days per tower during daylight hours only. Technical proposals are evaluated on a maximum of 1,200 points based on executive summary, company background, employee qualifications, timeline with milestones, and project management plan, while cost proposals are evaluated on a maximum of 800 points, with the Commonwealth reserving the right to conduct oral presentations or demonstrations worth up to 200 additional points for a total evaluation of 2,200 possible points.

The RFP does not identify any specific set-aside designations or restrictions limiting the types of organizations that can respond. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are referenced in the procurement documents. Contractors must maintain Commercial Liability Insurance with a minimum $2,000,000 General Aggregate limit and $1,000,000 per occurrence, automobile liability insurance with $1,000,000 per occurrence combined single limit, and Workers Compensation coverage with Kentucky statutory limits plus $1,000,000 employer's liability per accident, and must ensure full OSHA compliance and RF safety monitoring. The initial contract term is one year from the effective date of award, with options to renew for five additional one-year periods upon mutual agreement, structured as a firm fixed unit price arrangement with individual pricing required for each of the 15 tower inspections. The Commonwealth of Kentucky is tax-exempt, requiring vendors to exclude Federal Excise Tax and Kentucky Sales or Use Tax from proposed costs. While specific award values or budget ranges are not disclosed in the procurement documents, the contract structure allows for pricing flexibility based on the number of towers scheduled for inspection in any given year.