Sodium Bisulfate

The City of Austin, operating through its Water and Wastewater Services Department, is soliciting competitive bids for the supply and delivery of a 38% sodium bisulfite solution in 330-gallon intermediate bulk containers (totes) on an as-needed basis to two wastewater treatment facilities: South Austin Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant and Walnut Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant. The sodium bisulfite will serve as a redundant backup system to reduce residual chlorine in treated effluent before discharge into the Colorado River. Qualified bidders must be authorized manufacturers, dealers, or resellers with a permanent business address operating for at least five years; maintain minimum on-hand inventory of 12,500 gallons per distribution location dedicated exclusively to the City's requirements; operate a primary distribution terminal within 500 miles of Austin with a designated alternate facility; provide NSF-approved product from NSF-approved manufacturers or trucking companies; and furnish three current municipal wastewater treatment references within Texas. Standard delivery must occur within fifteen calendar days of order placement on weekdays between 7:30 AM and 2:00 PM Central Time, while emergency deliveries must be completed within twenty-four hours, with a Single Point of Contact available twenty-four hours daily. The contract has an initial term of twenty-four months with up to three optional twelve-month renewal periods at the City's sole discretion, with fixed pricing for the first twelve months and potential annual adjustments thereafter not to exceed the percentage change in the Producer Price Index for other basic inorganic chemical manufacturing. The City reserves the right to award contracts to both primary and secondary vendors to ensure adequate supply during emergencies. Offers are due on Thursday, March 12, 2026, at 2:00 PM Central Time with electronic opening at 3:00 PM, and questions must be submitted by Tuesday, February 24, 2026, at 5:00 PM Central Time. The evaluation will be conducted using a best value competition methodology.

There are no mandatory set-asides for disadvantaged enterprises, though the City of Austin encourages participation from small businesses and minority and women-owned business enterprises through optional preference programs; however, the Small and Minority Business Resources Department determined that no M/WBE subcontracting goals apply to this solicitation due to insufficient subcontracting opportunities. Local businesses located within the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos Metropolitan Statistical Area (Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis, and Williamson counties) may submit optional Local Business Preference certifications, and certified small businesses may receive preference discounts of up to five percent depending on bid value ranges. No incumbent contractors or current vendors are identified in the solicitation materials. All contractors must comply with comprehensive requirements including Workers' Compensation Insurance with minimum Employer's Liability limits of $100,000 per accident and $500,000 by disease policy limit; Commercial General Liability with $500,000 per occurrence minimum; Environmental Impairment/Pollution Liability Insurance with a $1,000,000 per claim minimum; and Business Automobile Liability Insurance with $500,000 combined single limits per occurrence. Additional compliance requirements include adherence to federal, state, and local regulations including OSHA safety requirements, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, Texas Health & Safety Code hazardous materials documentation, and the City's Wage Theft Prevention Ordinance. The solicitation documents do not specify a budget range or award value for this as-needed contract; pricing will be evaluated on a unit basis with potential variation based on volume demand and market conditions.