Blast Abrasive

The Brazos River Authority (BRA), a Texas state entity, has issued Request for Bids (RFB) No. 26-1388 for the procurement of abrasive sandblasting media, specifically copper slag, to be used in blasting gate leafs at its spillway facilities. The procurement involves the supply of blast abrasive materials for nine spillway gates constructed of ASTM 572 Grade 50 carbon steel, with each gate containing two leafs approximately 73 feet wide and 20 feet long, totaling approximately 10,000 square feet of blasting surface per gate leaf. The copper slag will be delivered in approximately 24-ton bulk loads blown into storage hoppers. The material specifications require a bulk density of 75-125 lbs per cubic foot, hardness of 6-7 on the Mohs scale, specific gravity of 3.70 gm/cc, and free crystalline silica content between 0.27% and 1.0% maximum, with the product meeting the standards for Black Diamond copper slag (iron silicate) containing silicon dioxide (32-33%), aluminum oxide (10-12%), and iron oxide (49-51%). Sealed bids must be received no later than 10:00 AM on Thursday, May 21, 2026, with public bid opening and reading scheduled for 11:00 AM that same day via virtual livestream. Written questions regarding the RFB must be submitted by 4:00 PM on Friday, May 1, 2026, with responses posted as addenda by 4:00 PM on Friday, May 8, 2026. Award will be based solely on the lowest responsible bidder meeting specification requirements, with the BRA retaining the right to award to multiple vendors or select the combination deemed most advantageous.

The RFB allows respondents to bid on all or any portion of the solicitation, with small, minority, women-owned, and historically underutilized businesses explicitly encouraged to respond. No incumbent vendors or existing contractors are identified in the solicitation materials. The BRA is exempt from Texas sales tax and use tax, which respondents shall not include in their bids. Payment for services and products will be processed within thirty days of invoice date and acceptance, with respondents requested to submit invoices electronically. The contract term is not specified in the RFB, though the BRA reserves the right to terminate the contract at any time without penalty or liability. No specific budget range or award value is listed in the solicitation documents.