Phosphoric Acid, Bulk Delivery to Water Treatment Plants

The Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) is seeking vendors to provide bulk delivery of seventy-five percent (75%) phosphoric acid for drinking water treatment across five water treatment plants. This procurement aims to support corrosion control treatment, which has historically reduced lead levels by 81% in Detroit and neighboring suburban communities. The solicitation requires Technical Grade Phosphoric Acid that meets United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S.E.P.A.) and National Sanitation Foundation (N.S.F.) standards, with deliveries limited to 3,600 gallons per shipment and a five-day delivery lead time. Vendors must have a minimum of five years' experience providing bulk chemicals and must submit comprehensive documentation with each delivery, including tank wagon certificates, scale tickets, and certificates of analysis. The evaluation criteria are heavily weighted towards cost, with 97% of the evaluation based on the lowest responsive and responsible bid, and 3% allocated to economic equity considerations. The solicitation was advertised on August 27, 2025, with a virtual solicitation meeting scheduled for September 3, 2025, at 9:00 AM EST. Questions are due by September 8, 2025, at 12:00 PM EST, and vendor responses are due on September 17, 2025, at 12:00 PM EST.

The procurement includes a robust Business Inclusion and Diversity (B.I.D.) Program that offers economic equity credits to vendors. Vendors can earn up to 3% additional points for specific diversity criteria: 1% for business presence in Michigan, 1% for presence in an economically disadvantaged service territory, and 1% for location within GLWA's eight-county service territory. The solicitation requires vendors to submit a Diversity Plan and diversity certifications from federal, state, or local agencies, demonstrating their commitment to inclusion and engagement with small, minority-owned, and economically disadvantaged business enterprises. A 5% Bid Bond is required, and vendors must provide comprehensive insurance coverage, including Workers' Compensation, Commercial General Liability, Automobile Liability, and Umbrella/Excess Liability with specific minimum coverage amounts. GLWA reserves the right to award to multiple vendors and emphasizes that vendors supplied by the same manufacturer will not be considered. While specific award values are not explicitly stated, the solicitation indicates an estimated delivery volume of 3,000-3,600 gallons per delivery, suggesting a potentially significant contract value for the selected vendor(s).