Nuclear Density Meters Maintenance and Repairs

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) Division of Purchases issued Request for Bid (RFB) 605 2200000302 for nuclear density meters maintenance and repair services to be performed at thirteen KYTC Transportation District and Central Office locations throughout Kentucky. The procurement encompasses three primary line items: calibration and maintenance services for five existing nuclear density meters (Humboldt 5001E & EZ, Instrotek 3500, and Troxler 3411, 3411B, 3430, & 3440 models) performed in accordance with ISO/IEC 17025 Block Calibration standards, including routine maintenance, mechanical inspection, cleaning, lubrication, leak testing, and component replacement; procurement and delivery of one replacement nuclear density meter meeting ASTM D6938, D2950, C1040 and AASHTO T310 and T355 standards with required features including digital backlit keypad, dual-mode measurement capabilities, multiple count time options, 12-to-2-inch depth measurement capability, onboard data storage for at least 50 tests, and a minimum 12-month warranty; and hourly labor services for repairs requiring written Cabinet approval and estimates prior to work commencement. The vendor must submit all bids through the Kentucky eProcurement System by December 10, 2021 at 1:30 PM Eastern Time, with a tentative award date of December 22, 2021. The initial contract period is one year with four optional one-year renewal periods. Evaluation is conducted on a best-value basis allocating 95 points to price and 5 points to response time, with pricing submitted as unit prices for each line item with extended totals calculated by the vendor. The successful bidder must carry $1,000,000 in general liability insurance and Kentucky workers' compensation insurance, with certificates provided within ten days of notice of intent to award.

The solicitation applies a reciprocal preference for Kentucky resident bidders and extends additional preferences to qualified entities, specifically Kentucky Correctional Industries (20 percent preference) and Kentucky Industries for the Blind and qualified nonprofit agencies (15 percent preference). The replacement meter bid price is inclusive of disposal costs for unrepairable units, reference standards, source and case certification, rod guide scraper plates, drill pins, hammers, extraction tools, transit cases meeting DOT Type A requirements, and operators manuals, with the vendor responsible for all return shipping and replacement costs for repaired or new density meters. Labor services are charged hourly with written Cabinet approval required before performance, and additional parts are billed at actual costs separate from labor charges based on vendor-supplied invoices. The Commonwealth will reimburse actual shipping costs from KYTC locations to the vendor's site, though the vendor must pay all return shipping and other associated shipping costs. The vendor must provide necessary paperwork for radioactive materials license changes and Special Form Certificates, with the current radioactive materials license (201-086-51) expiring June 30, 2022. No specific budget range or award value is disclosed in the solicitation documents.