Sale of Surplus Scrap Metals

The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) has issued a Request for Quotation (RFQ23001745) seeking qualified vendors to provide professional scrap metal removal services for surplus ferrous and non-ferrous metals generated by the department. The procurement targets various metal types including light and heavy iron, extruded aluminum poles, retired highway signage/lighting, and mixed insulated copper wires. Vendors must submit pricing as a percentage (+/-) of the American Metals Market (AMM) index posting for the date of service, rather than fixed prices, with all payments directed to the General Treasurer of Rhode Island. The solicitation covers an initial three-year contract period beginning approximately October 1, 2022, with options to renew for two additional 12-month periods based on vendor performance and funding availability. The vendor Q&A period ran from August 11 to September 1, 2022, with proposal submissions due by September 8, 2022, at 11:30 AM EDT through the Ocean State Procures electronic system. Key vendor qualifications include maintaining specific insurance coverages, including $1,000,000 in liability, workers compensation, and automobile liability insurance.

The procurement includes a mandatory 10% Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and Women Business Enterprise (WBE) participation requirement, effectively setting aside a portion of the contract value for certified diverse businesses. Vendors must register in the Ocean State Procures system to be eligible for award and must comply with Rhode Island's affirmative action policies and vendor disclosure requirements. While specific incumbent vendors are not listed, the solicitation indicates that scrap metals will be available for pickup at the DOT Maintenance Business Office located at 360 Lincoln Avenue in Warwick, Rhode Island. The contract appears designed to establish an ongoing relationship for continuous scrap metal removal, with pricing dynamically tied to market metal indexes, suggesting potential significant financial value depending on the volume of scrap metals generated. Though a precise contract value is not specified, the comprehensive nature of the solicitation and the ongoing metal generation by RIDOT suggests this could be a substantial multi-year procurement opportunity for qualified metal recycling and removal vendors.