Traffic Flares

The City of Austin seeks to establish a contract for the distribution and sale of traffic safety flares to be used by the Austin Police Department through Invitation for Bid (IFB) 8700 DCG1034. The procurement specifically requires red cardboard tube, 30-minute spikeless waxed flares, with the Orion Safety Products Item #0730 identified as the preferred model, though equivalent products meeting or exceeding manufacturer specifications are acceptable. Key deliverables include written manufacturer certifications, test results demonstrating burn time performance with no more than a 10 percent failure rate per case of 36 flares, detailed product specifications, and Safety Data Sheets. The contractor must secure approval as a current authorized distributor from the manufacturer and must submit one case sample within five business days of City request at no cost to the City. The initial contract term is 24 months with options for up to three additional 12-month renewal periods exercisable solely at the City's discretion, with delivery required within 14 calendar days of order placement to the Austin Police Department/APD Forensics facility at 812 Springdale Road, Austin, TX 78702. Questions must be submitted by Friday, May 8, 2026, at 5:01 PM, with sealed bids due Thursday, May 28, 2026, at 2:00 PM Central Time, with bids to be opened at 3:00 PM the same day. Pricing is fixed-unit price with potential annual adjustments after the first 12 months based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index, and the estimated annual quantity is 500 cases, though the City does not guarantee purchase of estimated quantities.

No set-asides for minority or women-owned businesses apply to this solicitation, though the Small and Minority Business Resources Department determined that insufficient subcontracting opportunities exist to warrant M/WBE subcontracting goals. However, any offerors using subcontractors must comply with the City's M/WBE Procurement Program procedures and may use either City-certified M/WBE subcontractors or non-certified subcontractors after performing documented good faith efforts to secure certified firms. Optional local and small business preference programs are available to qualifying offerors, with the Local Area defined as the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos Metropolitan Statistical Area encompassing Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis, and Williamson counties, and small business status recognized through U.S. Small Business Administration certification. All contractors must provide a Certificate of Insurance prior to contract execution, including Workers' Compensation with statutory limits, Commercial General Liability with minimum limits of $500,000 per occurrence, and Business Automobile Liability Insurance with a minimum combined single limit of $500,000 per occurrence, with all policies written by companies authorized to conduct business in Texas with an A.M. Best rating of B+VII or better. Additionally, contractors must certify compliance with the City's Wage Theft Ordinance and complete related training within 30 days of contract award, and must comply with various state and local statutory requirements including non-debarment status, non-boycott of Israel, restrictions on business with specified countries, and prohibition on LGBTQ+ conversion therapy practices. The contract documents do not specify an overall award value or budget range, though pricing will be evaluated on a unit basis with the City reserving the right to award a single contract to the lowest responsive bidder or make multiple awards by line item or other advantageous criteria.