RFB-168-20 Fluid Cooler Replac. DOCJT Schwendeman Richmond

The Commonwealth of Kentucky, Department of Criminal Justice Training (DOCJT), issued Request for Bid (RFB) RFB-168-20 for construction services involving the replacement of a fluid cooler at the Schwendeman/Thompson Building located on the DOCJT Campus in Richmond, Kentucky, Marion County. This solicitation, numbered RFB 785 2000000533, was issued on March 11, 2020, and classified as general construction and maintenance/repair work. The primary deliverable is the complete replacement of a fluid cooler system at the specified facility, with bidders required to submit sealed bids identifying their firm's position as either prime bidder, miscellaneous subcontractor, material supplier, or other entity. Interested contractors were required to attend a mandatory pre-bid meeting and site tour originally scheduled for March 25, 2020, at 10:00 AM Eastern Time at the Funderburk Building in Richmond; however, due to COVID-19 concerns, this requirement was modified to allow site visits by appointment only on May 4 or 7, 2020, with one person per appointment and 24-hour advance notice required. The final bid submission deadline was May 19, 2020, at 10:30 AM Eastern Time, with bids submitted through the Owner's Document Collaboration System (eCommunications), a mandatory web-based document management platform. Bid opening and public reading occurred via conference call on May 19, 2020, at 10:45 AM using dial-in number 502-782-2663 or 844-603-5060 with participant code 45182#. All bid documents, specifications, and drawings were available for download through the State of Kentucky Plan Room at no charge, with hard copies available for purchase. Technical inquiries could be directed to Chris Renaud at Staggs and Fisher Consulting Engineers, Inc. (859-271-3246), Scott Baker at the Division of Engineering (502-564-5850), Kerry Dehorty at DOCJT (859-622-8120), or Kristi Sharp at the Division of Contract Administration (502-564-3636).

The solicitation documents do not identify any specific set-aside designations, disadvantaged enterprise restrictions, or preferences for particular types of organizations responding to this procurement. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are listed in the available documentation. Similarly, the solicitation materials provided contain no information regarding award values, budget ranges, contract pricing, or funding sources for this fluid cooler replacement project. All project communications, document submissions, and bid processing were required to be conducted through the Owner's Document Collaboration System (eCommunications), which serves as the existing technological infrastructure for managing project documentation. Due to COVID-19 social distancing requirements, the Commonwealth permitted un-notarized affidavits in official bid documents and did not require the successful bidder to mail original bid documents, representing modifications to standard procurement procedures implemented during the pandemic.