Mulch, (red, gold & non-dyed) purchase & delivery

Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners Purchasing Department issued Invitation for Bid (IFB) #18-075/KP on June 27, 2018, to procure mulch in three varieties: red wood chips, gold wood chips, and non-dyed wood chips for purchase and delivery on an as-needed basis. The contract establishes a twelve-month initial term with four optional twelve-month renewal periods, contingent upon mutual written agreement and appropriation of funds. Red and gold wood chips must be composed of 70% clean pallet wood and 30% hardwood, dyed with iron oxide and acrylic binders, while non-dyed wood chips shall consist of virgin hardwood such as Florida pine or oak. All mulch must be free of metals, nails, staples, plastics, leaves, sand, seed, and debris, with wood chip shavings not exceeding 3 inches in length or 1 inch in diameter, and melaleuca, Brazilian pepper, and recycled yard waste are unacceptable. Delivery must occur within five calendar days of receiving a delivery order, with all materials delivered in bulk loads of minimum 100 cubic yards on an F.O.B. destination basis with the successful bidder assuming all transportation costs, liability, and risk in transit. Bidders must be registered in the County's Vendor Self Service (VSS) system and comply with drug-free workplace requirements, public records obligations, and all applicable federal, state, and local laws. The bid submission deadline was July 19, 2018, at 4:00 p.m.

The bid establishes a minimum 15% Small Business Enterprise (SBE) participation goal, with bidders meeting this goal deemed responsive; if the low bidder is non-responsive to SBE requirements, the contract may be awarded to the low responsive bidder if the bid does not exceed the low bid by 10%. All bidders must maintain Commercial General Liability Insurance of at least $500,000, Business Auto Liability Insurance of at least $500,000, and Workers' Compensation and Employer's Liability Insurance in accordance with Florida Statute Chapter 440. Pricing is submitted on a per-cubic-yard delivered basis, with the County responsible for ordering on an as-needed basis and providing access to delivery locations, while the successful bidder must provide all equipment necessary for off-loading and deliver the exact cubic yardage noted on load tickets. The anticipated contract value is $104,000, though the County reserves the right to increase or decrease this amount based on actual requirements. No incumbent vendors or existing infrastructure integration requirements were identified in the procurement documentation.