Notice of Intent to Sole Source Aqua Solv SC

The City of Plant City in Hillsborough County, Florida, is pursuing a sole source procurement for a specialized water treatment chemical called Aqua Solv SC, developed exclusively by Flo Tec Automation Associates, Inc. The procurement is focused on continuing the city's long-standing corrosion mitigation strategy for municipal metal piping infrastructure, with the primary objective of maintaining water quality and system performance. The chemical is a proprietary polyphosphate compound certified to NSF/ANSI 60 standards, designed to inhibit corrosion, sequester nuisance metals, reduce scale deposits, and control biofilm formation within the city's drinking water system. The Notice of Intent to Sole Source, posted on February 17, 2025, with a response deadline of February 4, 2025, seeks to verify that no alternative vendors can provide the specialized hauling and chemical services currently performed by Flo Tec Automation. The city aims to confirm the unique nature of the product and service, potentially as a precursor to a direct procurement or contract extension with the incumbent provider. Evaluation will focus on the vendor's ability to provide the specific proprietary chemical and demonstrate compliance with water treatment regulations.

The procurement appears to have no specific set-aside designations or restrictions on responding organizations. Flo Tec Automation Associates, Inc. is the incumbent vendor and has been the exclusive provider of Aqua Solv SC to the City of Plant City for over 35 years, with a demonstrated track record of successful water treatment solutions. The technical memorandum suggests potential financial risks of changing the current corrosion inhibitor, estimating engineering study and testing costs between $50,000 to $100,000, with additional analytical sampling expenses up to $9,000 over three years. While no specific award value is explicitly stated, the city's commitment to maintaining its current water treatment approach indicates a sustained financial investment in the Aqua Solv SC solution. The existing infrastructure includes the city's municipal drinking water system, which has consistently maintained compliance with EPA and Florida Department of Environmental Protection regulations, achieving reduced monitoring status due to the effectiveness of the current corrosion control approach. The procurement represents a continuation of a long-standing partnership between the city and Flo Tec Automation, focusing on maintaining water quality and system performance through a specialized, proprietary chemical treatment.