Self-Service Firewood Dispensing Systems

The County of San Mateo Parks Department is seeking a qualified vendor to procure, install, and maintain self-service firewood dispensing systems at Memorial County Park in Loma Mar, California. This informal Request for Proposals (RFP) targets an automated vending solution capable of dispensing approximately 11,000 firewood bundles annually, with seasonal demand variations ranging from 600 bundles per week during June-October to 2,000 bundles from November-May. The selected vendor must provide user-friendly, secure dispensing systems with integrated payment capabilities, supporting credit/debit cards, mobile payments, and cash transactions while maintaining PCI-DSS compliance and ADA accessibility. Proposers must demonstrate a minimum of four years of similar service experience within the last seven years and confirm they are not excluded from the System for Award Management. The evaluation criteria will assess project approach (20 points), firm qualifications (18 points), pricing (25 points), with additional preferential points available for local businesses and non-profits. The RFP was released on November 20, 2025, with questions and contract exceptions due by December 4, 2025, at 5:00 p.m., and final proposals required by December 10, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. through the County's eProcurement portal.

The County has implemented a Procurement Preference for Local Businesses Ordinance that provides competitive advantages to local entities, offering a five percent preference for local businesses or non-profits, with potential additional points for small (three percent) or micro (five percent) businesses. The contract term is one year with two optional one-year renewals at the County's discretion. Vendor responsibilities include managing all sales taxes, maintenance, training, and technical support, with a guaranteed 24-hour response for critical issues. Firewood must be sourced within 30 miles of Memorial Park, consisting of hardwood logs 6 to 16 inches in diameter, weighing 20-25 pounds, and meeting specific moisture content standards of no more than 20%. The pricing proposal must include line items for vending unit cost, delivery and installation, monitoring and resupply, and per-bundle pricing. Contract award is contingent upon Board of Supervisors approval for services exceeding $200,000, with the vendor required to maintain 98% system uptime and provide comprehensive operational capabilities.