Supply and Delivery of Emulsified Polymer

Tohopekaliga Water Authority (Toho), an independent special district serving portions of Osceola, Orange, and Polk counties in Florida, is issuing Invitation for Bids (IFB-26-011) for the supply and delivery of emulsified polymer to support sludge dewatering operations across five water reclamation facilities. The polymer will be used to process approximately 50,020 wet tons of sludge annually through centrifuges, belt filter presses, and screw presses at the South Bermuda, Sandhill, Cypress West, Parkway, and Southside facilities. Qualified vendors must provide pricing on a per-unit basis for both 275-gallon tote deliveries and 2,500-gallon tanker deliveries, with all quotes submitted as FOB Destination with freight prepaid and no fuel surcharges permitted. Bidders are required to complete mandatory preliminary bench testing at South Bermuda Water Reclamation Facility on March 10-12, 2026, during designated time slots (7:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. or 11:30 a.m.–2:00 p.m.), and the polymer must achieve minimum performance criteria of 18 percent cake solids and 84 percent solids capture efficiency. The question deadline is March 17, 2026, with sealed bids due electronically through the Bonfire portal by March 26, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Award will be made to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder meeting all specifications, and the initial contract term extends from execution through March 31, 2029, with two optional one-year renewals and a possible unilateral extension of up to 90 days at the same terms and conditions.

Bidders must submit comprehensive documentation including Material Safety Data Sheets, NSF certification, regulatory action documentation with OSHA Form 300A summaries for the past three years, and a minimum of three references from similar contracts completed within the past five years. The solicitation does not indicate any set-aside designations or restrictions limiting responses to specific business classifications or disadvantaged enterprises. Vendors must maintain adequate inventory with standard delivery within ten working days and fulfill urgent requests within 48 hours, and they must carry insurance coverage of $1,000,000 for commercial general liability, $1,000,000 for comprehensive automobile liability, and $1,000,000 for umbrella liability. Price escalations or de-escalations are permitted once per calendar year with 30 days' notice and substantiating documentation. Estimated monthly deliveries include five totes to Sandhill, four totes to Cypress West, two totes every 2-3 months to Parkway, four totes to Southside, two totes every 2-3 months to South Bermuda, and tanker deliveries to South Bermuda every 14-16 days. The solicitation does not identify incumbent vendors or provide a specific budget range, as it notes that the estimated polymer requirements are provided for informational purposes only and do not represent a guarantee of future expenditures by Toho Water Authority.