Request for pre-qualification of vendors for drones, parts

Palm Beach County, Florida is issuing Request for Pre-Qualification (RPQ) #23-051/SS to establish a vendor pre-qualification list for the supply of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs/drones), parts, supplies, and accessories. The County seeks to identify multiple qualified vendors capable of providing drones from approved manufacturers including Altavian, Parrot, Skydio, Teal Drones, and Vantage Robotics, as well as approved accessories from suppliers such as Lume Cube, FoxFury Lighting Solutions, Colorado Drone Chargers, Go Professional Case, and FLIR. All vendors must comply with Florida Statute 934.50 and submit pre-qualification responses on the provided form that include minimum three references for similar goods or services provided within the past three years, evidence of authorized reseller status if not the manufacturer, and applicable business licenses and certifications. The pre-qualification process was initially opened with a submission deadline of May 25, 2023 at 4:00 p.m., though new vendors may submit responses at any time thereafter for evaluation and addition to the pre-qualified vendor list. Once pre-qualified, vendors will be authorized to submit project-specific quotes on an as-needed basis through formal requests from County user departments, with individual projects not to exceed $99,999 and pricing responses required within five business days of request. Evaluation criteria include vendor capability, financial stability, experience in drone supply, inventory maintenance capabilities, current certifications, quality assurance documentation, and manufacturer authorization evidence. The contract term is sixty months or until the estimated funding is expended, with an anticipated contract value of $500,000 over the five-year period.

Palm Beach County has implemented specific set-aside designations and restrictions to support disadvantaged enterprises through its Equal Business Opportunity (EBO) Program. All respondents must comply with Small Business Enterprise (SBE) price preference provisions, which allow certified small businesses bidding within ten percent of the lowest non-SBE bid to receive the award at their submitted price. Vendors must also comply with local preference ordinances and project-by-project S/M/WBE participation goals, and are required to submit properly completed Subcontractor/Subconsultant Schedules 1 and 2 when applicable, documenting all subcontractors' certification status and dollar amounts or work percentages. All pre-qualified vendors must register in the County's Vendor Self Service (VSS) system prior to contract finalization and comply with all federal, state, and local laws including criminal history records checks, E-Verify employment eligibility verification, and commercial non-discrimination policies. The solicitation allows for awards to be made to the lowest responsive, responsible vendor subject to applicable price preferences, and Palm Beach County reserves the right to accept or reject any pre-qualification responses, add qualified vendors at any time, and acquire goods through state contracts if lower pricing is available. The anticipated total contract value of $500,000 over the five-year period will be distributed among pre-qualified vendors based on competitive responses to individual project requests not exceeding $99,999 per project.