Two Pianos and a Lab Controller

Texas Southern University's Procurement Services has issued Invitation to Bid #717-26-702 for the purchase of two pianos and one lab controller system. The procurement seeks one Yamaha U1PE upright piano and one Yamaha C6XPE grand piano, both in Polished Ebony finish, along with an MLC200 lab controller designed to accommodate 15 students and one instructor. All bids must include delivery to on-campus destinations, matching benches, warranty coverage, and on-site tuning post-delivery as part of the total bid price, with the contractor responsible for discarding shipping materials. The University will evaluate proposals using a best value standard, considering proposed costs, contractor stability and success, quality and reliability, delivery terms, and probable contractor performance indicators. Bidders must submit pricing firm for ninety days from the bid deadline and certify a fixed maximum percentage of escalation for initial and subsequent contract terms. The bid submission deadline is 11:00 a.m. Central Time on Monday, March 9, 2026, with inquiries due by Monday, March 2, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. noon Central Time directed to Thomas Britt at thomas.britt@tsu.edu. Bids must be submitted in triplicate (one original, one copy, and a flash drive) to the TSU Purchasing Department, Hannah Hall Room 333, 3100 Cleburne Street, Houston, Texas 77004, via U.S. Postal Service overnight, FedEx Express Mail, or hand delivery.

The solicitation documents indicate that if the total bid exceeds $100,000, respondents must submit a State of Texas House Bill 1295 Certificate for Interested Parties and a HUB Subcontracting Plan, suggesting potential set-aside or preference considerations for disadvantaged or minority-owned enterprises. Vendors responding to this bid must be prepared to submit at least three references upon request and comply with all terms and conditions outlined in Texas Southern University's standard procurement framework, including certifications regarding antitrust law violations, conflict of interest, debarment status, child support compliance, and terrorism financing restrictions. The University reserves the right to award based on the lowest line item bid, lowest total of line items, or any combination serving TSU's best interests, and explicitly reserves the right to reject any or all bids. Contract performance may be extended up to three months at TSU's sole discretion, subject to availability of appropriated state funds, and the University reserves the right to terminate the contract upon thirty days written notice for non-cause termination or ten days written notice for failure to meet specified delivery requirements. The specific award value and budget range for this procurement are not disclosed in the available documentation, though the best value evaluation criteria and reference requirements suggest a significant procurement likely in the range exceeding $100,000 based on the HB 1295 filing requirement.