Retrofit Snow & Ice Truck D8 - Rockcastle Co

The Commonwealth of Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Purchases, issued a Request for Bid (RFB) on behalf of the Division of Maintenance to retrofit snow and ice removal trucks in Highway District 8, located in Rockcastle County. The solicitation sought bids for the retrofit of two truck units with comprehensive snow and ice removal equipment, including snowplows, hopper spreaders, two-way radio systems, automatic vehicle location (AVL) equipment, and liquid chloride dispensing units, along with associated salting and plowing services. Bidders were required to submit unit pricing for retrofit services, provide equipment specifications including model year, DOT numbers, and VIN numbers, and specify hourly rates for salting and plowing operations. The bid submission deadline was September 2, 2022, at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time, with a tentative award date of September 15, 2022, and responses were required to be submitted exclusively through the Kentucky eProcurement system. The evaluation methodology applied a best value approach, allocating 70 points for the lowest retrofit fee price, 15 points for the lowest hourly salting and plowing rate, and 15 points for truck age. Maximum pricing thresholds were established at $25,000 annually for trucks model year 2012 and older, and $40,000 annually for trucks model year 2013 and newer, with hourly rates for salting and plowing operations capped at $200 per hour; bids exceeding these thresholds were subject to rejection as excessive.

The contract included preference for Kentucky resident bidders and qualified bidders as defined under Kentucky Revised Statutes, with vendor performance history within the past 12 months considered in determining contractor responsibility. The contract term varied based on truck model year, with trucks model year 2013 and newer receiving contracts effective upon award through April 15, 2029, while trucks model year 2012 and older received contracts effective upon award through April 15, 2025, with no optional renewal periods available. Pricing consisted of two components: an annual retrofit fee paid in seven equal monthly installments from November through April, and an hourly rate for salting and plowing operations. The Commonwealth reserved the right to award fewer trucks than requested to remain within budget levels established by the State Highway Engineer and might distribute awards among multiple vendors based on evaluated scores. A reference list of nine truck retrofitting companies across Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio was provided to assist prospective bidders in locating retrofit service providers, though this list was non-inclusive and bidders were not restricted to the listed suppliers. The solicitation documentation included technical drawings for hopper lights specifications and a district map to provide geographic context for service delivery requirements.