Steel Supplies and Related Welding Materials

Houston Community College (HCC) is seeking proposals for Steel Supplies and Related Welding Materials through Request for Proposal RFP-C 25-44, issued by the Procurement Operations Department for the Materials Science & Smart Manufacturing Department. The solicitation requires qualified firms to provide various steel products including flat bar steel (A36), aluminum flat bar (6061), steel pipes (A53B), carbon steel pipes (A106), angle iron, sheet metal, and tubing. All proposals must be submitted electronically through the Bonfire platform by 2:00 p.m. local time on September 5, 2025, with no pre-proposal meeting scheduled. The deadline for written questions is August 20, 2025, with responses anticipated by August 28, 2025. The anticipated contract term is one year with four optional one-year renewal periods, plus potential month-to-month extensions up to three months. Evaluation criteria will allocate 85 points for price proposals and 15 points for small business practices, with steel products required to meet ASTM standards and be delivered free of defects, rust, paint, and deformations.

The procurement includes a 25% small business subcontracting goal, with HCC reserving the right to award separate contracts to multiple contractors. Vendors must complete multiple compliance documents including the Conflict of Interest Questionnaire, Form 1295, Ownership Disclosure, and certifications related to Executive Order GA-48 regarding potential connections to foreign adversaries. The estimated annual contract value is $232,000, with no guaranteed volumes and pricing based on discounts from Manufacturer Suggested List Price (MSLP) with potential adjustments tied to the Producer Price Index (PPI). Contractors must maintain adequate inventory, provide required insurance coverage ($1,000,000 commercial general liability, automobile liability, and workers' compensation), and coordinate deliveries with the Materials Science and Smart Manufacturing department office manager. Deliveries will be required within five business days to seven HCC campus locations including Southeast, Stafford, Central, Gallery Furniture Premier High School, South, North Forest, and Alief Bissonnet campuses.