Seedling Bed Former

The Commonwealth of Kentucky, Department of Forestry, through Lincoln County, issued Request for Bids (RFB) 758 2200000528 on March 11, 2022, for the procurement of one Seedling Bed Former unit. The equipment specified is a NorthWest Tiller Vineyard Model 5 or approved equal, designed to perform both rotary cultivation and bed forming in a single pass on a tractor, with a four-foot working width, 12-inch furrows on each side, compatibility with 45 HP or greater tractors, 3-point hitch and PTO power, dual extended rear bars with formers and apron sections, press pan, and 23-inch gauge wheels. The equipment must be delivered to the John P Rhody Nursery in Gilbertsville, Kentucky, on or before June 30, 2022, with delivery and on-site assembly included in the bid offer. Bidders proposing alternate brands must submit descriptive literature for equivalency verification. Written questions were due by March 18, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. ET, and sealed bids were due by March 25, 2022, at 1:30 p.m. ET through the Kentucky eProcurement system. Award determination uses a best value ranking approach with evaluation criteria as follows: price (90 points), delivery (10 points), and warranty (10 points), for a total of 110 points, with the lowest-priced bidder receiving maximum points and other bids scored proportionally, and delivery points awarded only for early delivery with a one percent per day deduction for late deliveries.

The procurement is open to all qualified vendors registered in the Commonwealth eProcurement system, with eligibility for reciprocal and preference points available to Kentucky resident bidders and qualified bidders including Kentucky Correctional Industries, Kentucky Industries for the Blind, and qualified nonprofit agencies for individuals with severe disabilities. All bidders must submit a completed Annual Affidavit for Bidders, Offerors and Contractors affirming compliance with Kentucky campaign finance laws, sales and use tax registration requirements, state tax payment obligations, and trade boycott restrictions. Prior to award, bidders must also submit a Revenue Form 10A100 Kentucky Tax Registration Application and, for foreign entities, a Certificate of Authority, along with required EEO forms if applicable. Pricing must be quoted F.O.B. Destination Freight Prepaid and Allowed, excluding federal excise tax and Kentucky sales or use tax, with all proposed pricing remaining valid for a minimum of sixty calendar days after the bid due date. The solicitation does not identify an incumbent vendor or current contractor, nor does it provide an estimated contract award value or budget range for this procurement.