Large Buckets - Fleet Operations Division

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has issued an Invitation for Bid (IFB) solicitation number 601340000063756 for the procurement of four large aerial ladders and towers with trailer-mounted 35-foot platforms specifically designed for bridge inspection. These specialized buckets must include a 2-man walkthrough option with a door and be compatible with the VST-6000-I model. The procurement is designated as an emergency purchase under Texas Government Code 2155.137 and 34 TAC 20.82, with responses due on December 5, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. Central Time. Bidders must submit electronic responses via email to Chester.Osborne@txdot.gov, with submissions limited to 20 MB and required to be in PDF format (with pricing schedules in Excel). The solicitation requires vendors to provide a firm, fixed-price proposal with F.O.B. destination terms, meaning freight charges are included in the unit price. Respondents must complete all required documentation, including the signed Invitation to Bid, Texas Family Code Schedule, and Data Sheet Schedule.

The contract opportunity appears to have no specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises. Vendors must be official authorized dealers or distributors, with the potential to provide documentation proving their authorization status within two days of award. Respondents are required to provide a list of servicing dealers and repair parts suppliers located in Texas. The equipment must be warranted for a minimum of 12 months or the manufacturer's standard warranty period if it exceeds 12 months, with the warranty commencing upon acceptance into TxDOT's inventory. TxDOT will conduct acceptance inspection and performance testing within five working days of receipt, with non-compliant units subject to rejection. While a specific budget range is not explicitly stated, the solicitation indicates a tentative contract award date of December 8, 2025, with initial delivery to a vendor location and final delivery locations to be confirmed by TxDOT at a later date. The procurement is focused on acquiring specialized bridge inspection equipment for the Fleet Operations Division.