Notice of Intent to Award for RFP 180000001649.

This Notice of Intent to Award for RFP 180000001649 represents a one-time purchase procurement issued by the State of Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Procurement Office for backpack electrofishing units and related equipment. The solicitation was posted on the SIGMA VSS platform on March 12, 2018, for a 15-day period with a proposal submission deadline of March 27, 2018. The procurement requested eight specific line items: electrofishing backpack units, lithium ion batteries, battery charging units, electrofishing wands with switches, wand rings, cathodes, low conductivity wands, and travel cases. The evaluation methodology employed was a low-bid approach that assessed vendor compliance with mandatory requirements outlined in Schedule A of the Solicitation Instructions. Three vendors submitted responsive and responsible proposals by the deadline: Halltech Aquatic Research Inc. (Guelph, Ontario, Canada), Midwest Management, Inc. (Polo, Missouri), and Smith-Root Inc. (Vancouver, Washington). The Solicitation Manager, Clayton Nurenberg, conducted the evaluation and recommended award to the lowest-priced bidder. Bidders not recommended for award may request a debriefing session by contacting nurenbergc@michigan.gov or calling 517-284-5009.

The recommended award to Halltech Aquatic Research Inc. totals $18,605.00 and is pending State Administrative Board approval. Halltech's bid was significantly lower than competing proposals, with Midwest Management, Inc. submitting $48,715.00 and Smith-Root Inc. proposing $32,504.00. No Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Business (SDVOB) certification was held by the recommended awardee, and no other set-aside designations or restrictions on eligible respondents were specified in the procurement documents. The contract represents a one-time equipment purchase with no indication of incumbent vendors or ongoing service requirements. The substantial price differential between the low bid and competing proposals suggests the procurement prioritized cost efficiency in the evaluation process. Final award authorization from the State Administrative Board was required to complete the contract execution process.