Snow Blower, Heavy Duty, Wheel Loader Attachment

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) Office of Fleet Division is seeking to procure one Heavy Duty Snow Blower Wheel Loader Attachment for the Houghton County Garage in Calumet, MI, through Request for Quote #180000000771. The solicitation requires a two-stage snow blower compatible with a 2012 John Deere 624K loader, with specific technical specifications including a 300 HP Cummins diesel engine, three-section loading chute, and the ability to process 1,800-2,000 tons of snow per hour with a casting distance up to 150 feet. Mandatory deliverables include the fully assembled equipment, four hours of operator and mechanics training for 6-8 MDOT employees, two sets of operating and maintenance manuals, and a three-year warranty. The evaluation criteria are weighted technically, with 100 points distributed across meeting specifications (30 points), training (25 points), general experience (25 points), statement of work compliance (15 points), and state experience (5 points). Key dates include questions due by July 17, 2018, at 3:00 p.m. EST, proposal answers posted by July 19, 2018, at 5:00 p.m. EST, and proposals due on July 26, 2018, at 3:00 p.m. EST, with an anticipated contract start date of August 17, 2018.

The solicitation includes provisions for qualified disabled veteran (QDV) preference in the evaluation process and requires bidders to be certified authorized distributors or manufacturers. To be considered, proposals must score at least 80 technical points for pricing evaluation. Contractors must provide security background checks for delivery personnel and may be required to participate in a pre-award meeting with equipment demonstration. Insurance requirements are substantial, including $1 million in commercial general liability coverage, $5 million in umbrella coverage, and $1 million in automobile liability. The contract includes liquidated damages of 2/10th of 1% per day up to 30 days for late delivery, and all payments will be made through Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). While no specific incumbent vendor is mentioned, the contract is structured as a one-time purchase with no renewal options. Though no explicit budget range is provided in the documents, vendors must include all costs in their proposal, including setup charges, fees, training, shipping, and handling, with the expectation of delivering a high-performance snow blower meeting MDOT's stringent technical specifications.