Square Sign Posts

The Commonwealth of Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Division of Purchases, on behalf of the Division of Traffic Operations, is conducting a competitive sealed bid procurement for square sign posts through a two-phase reverse auction process. The solicitation (RFB 605 2100000751) seeks tubular steel telescoping sign supports in both 14-gauge and 12-gauge specifications, manufactured from hot-dipped galvanized steel conforming to ASTM A653, G90 standards with chromate conversion coating and clear organic polymer topcoat. The bid sheet specifies 51 distinct line items encompassing various square sign posts ranging from 1 foot to 16 feet in height with quantities varying from 10 units to 282,000 units, along with associated hardware components including anchor sleeves, rivets, bolts, nuts, washers, mounting bases, brackets, slip base assemblies, and sign facing materials in multiple colors. Phase 1 required submission of unpriced technical offers by July 9, 2021 at 1:30 PM Eastern Time, with Phase 2 initial pricing submissions due July 15, 2021 at 4:00 PM, followed by an online reverse auction event on July 16, 2021 at 11:00 AM conducted through eBridge's web-based platform. Award determination is based on best-value criteria allocating 95 points to price (lowest bidder receives maximum points) and 5 points to delivery time (fastest delivery receives maximum points), with the tentative award date of July 20, 2021. All products must be new and in first-class condition, delivered F.O.B. Destination Freight Prepaid to KYTC facilities throughout Kentucky with a required 24-hour advance notification to district traffic barns. The master agreement has an initial contract period from award through June 30, 2022, with four optional one-year renewal periods available, and vendors must guarantee specific delivery timeframes in calendar days following receipt of delivery orders.

Kentucky resident bidders are eligible for reciprocal preference as defined in KRS 45A.494, and qualified bidders receive additional scoring preferences, including Kentucky Correctional Industries (20 percent preference), Kentucky Industries for the Blind (15 percent preference), and nonprofit organizations serving individuals with severe disabilities (15 percent preference). All bidders must submit an Annual Affidavit attesting to compliance with Kentucky campaign finance laws, tax obligations, and ethics prohibitions, and the document must be notarized and signed by a duly authorized representative. All responses must be submitted exclusively through the Kentucky Vendor Self Service e-Procurement system; paper and email submissions will not be accepted. Pricing shall be firm for the first six months of the contract period, with only one price increase permitted thereafter if justified by industry-wide price changes and approved by the Commonwealth, while price decreases must be reflected immediately upon vendor notification. Late delivery penalties are assessed at one percent per day for each day delivery exceeds the guaranteed timeframe unless delays result from Commonwealth actions or events beyond vendor control. Payment will be made within 30 working days of invoice receipt and goods acceptance, with an additional 1 percent monthly penalty applied for payments exceeding 30 working days. The awarded supplier must pay a transaction fee to eBridge equal to three percent of the final awarded contract price, which must be included in all bid pricing submitted.