Seedling Lifter

The Commonwealth of Kentucky's Division of Forestry, specifically serving Metcalfe County, is soliciting bids for a Seedling Lifter through Request for Bid (RFB 758 2500000516). The procurement is for a specialized agricultural equipment piece, specifically a seedling lifter with precise technical specifications including three shaker bars, 3-point mount, crop guide plates, Hardox blade with combs and movable grates, hydraulically adjustable rear wheels, manual adjustable front running wheels, PTO drive, and rear lighting. The equipment must be delivered to the Division of Forestry - Morgan County Nursery in West Liberty, Kentucky before June 30, 2025. Bidders are required to submit their best price with delivery included in the unit cost, and those proposing alternate brands must provide descriptive literature to verify equipment equality. The evaluation criteria will use a Best Value approach, allocating 90 points for price and 10 points for delivery time, with the specific model referenced being SMZ PL ECO 3 High Clearance Lifter or an approved equivalent. Written questions are due by March 5, 2025, at 10:00am ET, and final bids must be electronically submitted through the Commonwealth's eProcurement system by March 12, 2025, at 1:30pm ET.

The procurement includes specific bidder qualifications and requirements, with an emphasis on compliance and documentation. Bidders must complete the attached Annual Affidavit for Bidders, Offerors, and Contractors, which includes attestations regarding campaign finance laws and potential qualified bidder status for nonprofit organizations. Nonprofit organizations seeking qualified bidder status must employ individuals with severe disabilities for at least 75% of direct labor hours and maintain good standing. Resident bidder status requires entities to be authorized to conduct business in Kentucky and have filed state corporate income taxes, made unemployment insurance fund payments, and maintained workers' compensation coverage for at least one year. Vendors must provide Commercial General Liability Insurance with limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate, along with Automobile Liability Insurance if delivering the equipment. All proposed pricing must remain valid for 60 calendar days after the bid due date. The Commonwealth reserves the right to request supporting documentation, with failure to provide such documentation potentially resulting in disqualification or contract termination. While no specific budget range is explicitly stated, the procurement appears to be for a single unit of specialized agricultural equipment.