Soap Detergent (Coach Wash)

The City of Detroit Office of Contracting and Procurement, on behalf of the Department of Transportation, is issuing a Request for Quote (RFQ) for the supply of biodegradable liquid soap detergent (coach wash) for use in automated bus wash systems. The procurement seeks qualified vendors with a minimum of four years of experience in manufacturing or supplying bio-based or transit-grade degreasers, along with three customer references from transit agencies or comparable fleet operations demonstrating successful product use. The detergent must be biodegradable, free-rinsing, and compatible with DDOT's automated bus wash systems at specified dilution ratios of 1:25 for exterior washing and 1:100 for interior hand-washing, and must comply with all Federal, State, and local environmental, occupational safety, and health regulations including EPA, MIOSHA, and OSHA standards. Respondents must quote on soap detergent provided in 30-gallon tote containers and submit product literature, complete technical data sheets, and six Material Safety Data Sheets with their proposals. The contract period is two years with one optional one-year renewal, contingent upon Detroit City Council approval and Chief Procurement Officer signature. The RFQ advertisement date is February 2, 2026, with written questions due by February 10, 2026 at 4:00 PM EST and quotes due February 20, 2026 at 4:00 PM EST through the Bonfire procurement portal; no pre-bid conference is scheduled. Upon selection, apparent successful bidders must provide product samples within five business days of request, and the City reserves the right to deduct equipment damage or repair costs from vendor invoices if rejected materials are not removed at the vendor's expense.

The City of Detroit offers equalization credits for certified Detroit-based businesses, with credits ranging from 1 to 5 percent depending on certification status, including designations for Detroit-Based, Detroit Resident Business, Detroit Headquartered, Detroit-Based Small Business, Detroit-Based Micro Business, Construction Workforce Investment Business, and Joint Venture entities; certified businesses must submit valid Business Certificates at the time of bid submission to receive these credits, with the lowest equalized bidder receiving the contract provided the equalized bid does not exceed the lowest responsible bid by more than 12 percent or $100,000, whichever is less. All successful respondents must complete mandatory pre-award requirements including notarized City of Detroit Consolidated Affidavits, submission of a sample employment application, Certificate of Authority, Affidavit of Disclosure of Interests, Non-Collusion Affidavit, and Amendment Acknowledgement Form, along with certificate of insurance meeting model agreement coverage requirements from a Michigan DIFS-registered provider and City of Detroit Treasury Clearance approval. Respondents must also maintain comprehensive insurance coverage including Workers' Compensation at Michigan statutory minimum, Employers' Liability ($500,000 minimum), Commercial General Liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence/$2,000,000 aggregate), Automobile Liability ($1,000,000 combined single limit), and Errors and Omission/Cyber Liability ($1,000,000 per claim/$5,000,000 aggregate). The RFQ documentation does not specify pricing structure, set-asides for specific business categories beyond equalization credits, incumbent vendor information, or funding amounts; all pricing shall be submitted on a per-unit basis for 30-gallon tote containers with the City calculating estimated annual amounts based on quoted unit prices and projected quantities.