Mobile incident command unit, purchase of

Palm Beach County Purchasing Department issued Invitation for Bid (IFB) #17-016-LC on December 14, 2016, for the procurement of one complete Mobile Incident Command Unit for Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. The unit consists of a 47-foot drop steel frame tandem axle trailer with a minimum loaded body curb weight of 50,000 pounds, mounted on a Cummins ISX 15 DPF 500HP diesel tractor chassis with Allison 4,000 EVS transmission. The Mobile Incident Command Unit must include comprehensive technical specifications including a modular aluminum body with retractable roof systems, four slide-out rooms, multiple compartments with locking mechanisms, workstations, galley, lavatory, conference areas with multimedia capabilities, fuel tank capacity of 200 gallons minimum for the trailer and 75 gallons for the tractor, and all components must comply with current National Fire Protection Association Pamphlet #1901 standards for Motor Fire Apparatus. Bidders were required to submit sealed bids by December 22, 2016, at 4:00 p.m. local time to 50 South Military Trail, Suite 110, West Palm Beach, FL 33415-3199, and submit a $5,000 bid bond with their response. Upon award, the successful bidder must provide a performance and payment bond equal to 100% of the total bid amount and is required to attend a post-award meeting within five days, conduct two factory inspection trips (at 75% and 100% completion), attend a three-day engineering pre-construction review meeting, provide pre-delivery detailing in Florida, and conduct five days of vehicle orientation training. Bidders must provide evidence of manufacturer certification with a minimum of ten years in business producing similar apparatus and current membership in the Fire Apparatus Manufacturer's Association, comprehensive insurance coverage including Commercial General Liability ($500,000), Business Auto Liability ($500,000), and Workers' Compensation, three project references, and non-discrimination and drug-free workplace certifications.

Palm Beach County established a minimum 15% Small Business Enterprise (SBE) participation goal for this solicitation, whereby bidders meeting the SBE goal will be deemed responsive; if the low bidder is non-responsive to the SBE requirement, the contract may be awarded to the lowest responsive bidder provided the bid does not exceed the low bid by 10%. No incumbent vendors or technology integration requirements were identified in the solicitation documents. Delivery shall be F.O.B. destination to 2601 Vista Parkway, West Palm Beach, FL 33411, with the successful bidder responsible for all transportation charges, liability, and risk in transit. The contract shall be awarded to a responsive and responsible bidder based on competitive evaluation of submitted bids; however, the specific award value or budget range for this procurement was not disclosed in the available solicitation materials.