Liquid Cationic Polymer

The City of Tampa's Wastewater Department is seeking a vendor to supply liquid cationic polymer for the Howard F. Curren Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant (HFCAWTP), with delivery required at the Port of Tampa, located at 2700 Maritime Boulevard. The Invitation to Bid (ITB) No. 24-P-01431 requires bidders to be a major polymer manufacturer or an exclusive representative of a major manufacturer. The procurement involves an estimated 550,000 wet tons of sludge to be treated annually, with bidders required to perform pre-qualification testing within 45 days of bid advertisement, including screening and in-plant performance trials. Bids are due by 2:00 pm on February 4, 2025, with a proposed contract period of three years and an option to renew for an additional two years. The successful vendor must provide on-site employee training, technical assistance for optimizing polymer dosage, and be responsible for cleaning existing polymer storage tanks and equipment prior to first delivery. Evaluation will be based on the lowest responsive, responsible bidder meeting technical specifications and performance requirements, with pricing assessed on a cost per pound of polymer delivered.

The solicitation includes robust minority and small business participation guidelines, with specific focus on Women/Minority Business Enterprise and Small Local Business Enterprise (WMBE/SLBE) participation. The City of Tampa's Equal Business Opportunity Program requires bidders to demonstrate good faith efforts in soliciting and including WMBE/SLBE subcontractors, including completing Diversity Management Information (DMI) Forms and following ten specific action steps for subcontractor inclusion. The estimated contract value is $2,000,000, with an open market procurement that does not preclude Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) participation. Bidders must provide detailed documentation including Letters of Intent, payment tracking forms, and compliance with minority business development guidelines. The procurement encourages the use of local economic development resources to recruit and place WMBE/SLBE firms, and requires comprehensive reporting on subcontractor demographics and payment information. Potential bidders must be prepared to provide extensive documentation demonstrating their commitment to diverse business participation and compliance with the City of Tampa's procurement guidelines.