Sole Source Retrofit Tinius Olsen Universal Test Machines

The State of Illinois, through the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), is issuing a sole source procurement notice to award a contract to Tinius Olsen for the retrofitting of three existing Tinius Olsen hydraulically powered Universal Testing Machines. The machines are used to test various materials, such as rebar, anchor bolts, and welded wire reinforcement, for highway construction projects in St. Clair County. The retrofit will upgrade the machines' obsolete servo controllers to new Virtual Machine Controllers (VMCs) to maintain functionality and avoid extended testing delays. Tinius Olsen, the original manufacturer, is the sole authorized provider for this upgrade, as only their factory-trained technicians are permitted to service and upgrade their proprietary equipment. The estimated value of this sole source contract is $115,000, which is significantly less than the $600,000 estimated cost of purchasing three new machines. The procurement process includes a public hearing scheduled for August 28, 2024, which will be cancelled unless an interested party submits written comments or requests a hearing by August 23, 2024.

This sole source procurement is specific to the State of Illinois and St. Clair County, and there are no set-aside designations or restrictions on the types of organizations that can respond. Tinius Olsen is the incumbent vendor, as IDOT has a history of small purchases with the company for maintenance, calibration, and replacement parts on these and other Tinius Olsen testing machines. The contract will be funded through state appropriated funds, and the award is expected to be a one-time purchase to retrofit the current machines, which have an estimated 10-20 years of remaining useful life.