Restrained Joint Flanges

The City of Madison, Wisconsin, through its Finance Department and Water Utility, issued a Request for Quotation (RFQ) for restrained joint flanges compatible with Class 52 ductile iron pipe and AWWA C110 fittings. The procurement sought a total of 166 units of flanges across six line items, ranging in size from 3 to 20 inches, with corresponding bolt sizes from 3 to 5 inches. Each flange order must include bolts, nuts, and conductive lead-free gaskets, with the acceptable model being EBAA Iron, Inc. MEGALUG Series 1100 or an approved equivalent. Vendors were required to submit manufacturer specifications and product literature for any proposed substitutes. The solicitation specified strict delivery requirements, including delivery via open truck to the Madison Water Utility with 24-hour advance notice, and materials must be shipped on pallets suitable for overhead crane and sling unloading. Key evaluation criteria included cost, quality, compatibility, warranty, delivery, and past performance. Questions were due by April 2, 2018, with answers provided by April 6, 2018, and final quotation submissions were required by April 11, 2018, at 1:00 PM CST.

The City of Madison offered a local vendor preference, providing scoring advantages to registered local suppliers. In this specific procurement, First Supply was awarded the contract as the successful bidder, qualifying as a local vendor. The contract pricing totaled $11,780.00 before a 1% early payment discount, resulting in a final total of $11,662.20 for the 166 flanges. Unit prices varied significantly, ranging from $34.00 for 3-inch flanges to $336.00 for 20-inch flanges. The contract terms included a firm pricing structure valid for one year from the bid date, with a delivery timeline of 7 to 14 days after receipt of order. The Water Utility reserved the right to purchase materials on the open market and back-charge the vendor if shipments were not made as promised. No specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises were explicitly mentioned in the documentation, and no incumbent vendors beyond the awarded contractor were identified.