Physical Education and Varsity Athletic Supplies - Stock

The School Board of Polk County, Florida issued an Invitation to Bid (ITB) for Physical Education and Varsity Athletic Supplies - Stock, seeking to procure a comprehensive range of athletic equipment and consumables. The procurement covers specific sports equipment including butyl bladder basketballs (official, girls, and junior sizes), footballs (official, intermediate, and junior sizes), soccer balls (sizes #3, #4, and #5), practice tennis balls, ball carriers, powdered energy drinks, megaphones, basketball nets, tennis rackets, athletic tape, fiberglass measuring tapes, stopwatches, and pealess whistles. The bid was released on May 7, 2019, with sealed bids due on May 28, 2019 at 3:00 PM, and an anticipated contract period from June 8, 2019 to May 31, 2020. Vendors were required to provide specific approved brands and models, with no substitutions permitted except in cases of product discontinuation. The School Board reserved the right to purchase additional quantities during the contract period, with initial purchase orders expected to represent approximately 1/5 to 1/4 of the total estimated quantities. Evaluation criteria included pricing, product specifications, and compliance with bid requirements.

The procurement did not explicitly outline specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises, though it did include a Florida Preference clause requiring out-of-state bidders to potentially adjust pricing. Multiple vendors were ultimately recommended for the contract, including BSN Sports, Passon's Sports, US Games, Henry Schein Medical, Mercury Management Group LLC, Palos Sports, Performance Health Supply, Pyramid School Products, and School Specialty, Inc. Each vendor was recommended for specific line items within the bid. While exact budget ranges were not disclosed, the bid covered an estimated one-year supply of athletic equipment across multiple categories. The School Board maintained flexibility in the procurement, allowing for composite awards across item groups and preserving the option to utilize other district, state, or governmental contracts if deemed in the best interest of the organization. The final bid award was approved by the Superintendent on June 24, 2019, with a posting period from June 12, 2019 to June 18, 2019.