Michigan AWOS Weather Station Upgrade Project 2023

The Michigan Department of Transportation issued Request for Proposal No. 230000002566 on June 27, 2023, to upgrade the state's Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS) network across forty-one airports statewide. The procurement seeks FAA-certified AWOS IIIPT systems to replace aging Vaisala Model AW-10 units that have reached the end of their useful lives, with deliverables including complete system replacements, FAA-approved training for MDOT AWOS technicians, technical support with four-hour issue resolution timelines and seventy-two-hour on-site service scheduling, and annual utilization reporting. Bidders must be FAA-certified authorized distributors of AWOS IIIPT systems per the List of Certified Non-Federal AWOS Systems and Manufacturers, and all contract activities must be completed within ninety calendar days of order placement as part of a five-year phased upgrade program designed to minimize system outages. The RFP established a proposal submission deadline of July 13, 2023, at 3:00 p.m. Eastern, with bidder questions due by July 6, 2023, and an anticipated contract begin date of August 15, 2023. The State will evaluate proposals on a pass/fail basis, awarding the contract to the responsive and responsible bidder with the lowest price meeting all mandatory requirements, with firm pricing required for the entire contract term and quick payment discount terms encouraged. Liquidated damages of $5,000 plus $1,000 per day apply for late or improper completion, and $500 per individual per day applies for unauthorized removal of key personnel.

The RFP contains no stated set-asides or restrictions limiting bidder eligibility based on organizational designation or disadvantaged enterprise status. Current equipment at the forty-one sites includes primarily Vaisala AWOS systems installed since the 1990s, with certain components potentially available for repurposing including Vaisala WMT702 wind sensors, PTB330 pressure sensors, HMP155 temperature and humidity sensors, CL31 ceilometers, VAL AWOS2000 transmitters, and Texas Electronics TR-525i precipitation accumulation sensors, while legacy FD12P equipment and tilt-over towers at all sites will not be reused. The contract includes an optional line item for the purchase of one complete new AWOS IIIP system with optional thunderstorm sensor for future site deployment, with a minimum quantity of forty-two units required (forty-one site upgrades plus one bench unit). Estimated costs detailed in project documentation indicate total contract costs ranging from approximately $4.8 million to $6.3 million depending on vendor and equipment configurations, though the State reserves the right to consider salvage credits for removed equipment components. Contract awards exceeding $250,000 require approval by the State Administrative Board.