TRAILER-TYPE DITCHERS

The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) has issued an Invitation for Bid (IFB) Solicitation 5400019748 for the procurement of 25 units of extra heavy-duty, PTO-driven trailer-type ditchers designed for roadside maintenance and construction. The solicitation requires equipment capable of cutting trapezoidal ditches with 45-53 degree sides, with a minimum operating weight of 10,000 pounds, a minimum reach of 138 inches from tractor centerline to ditch centerline, and a minimum downreach of 50 inches. Key deliverables include the ditching equipment, factory training (one day at initial delivery and one day in the assigned county for subsequent units), operator training materials in DVD format, warning lights, and complete service literature. The procurement timeline includes a question deadline of May 29, 2020, at 10:00 AM, and an offer submission deadline of June 18, 2020, at 2:30 PM, with award notification originally scheduled for July 2, 2020. The resulting contract will have an initial term of one year beginning July 17, 2020, with four optional one-year renewals, for a total potential contract period of five years. Units must be delivered within 180 days of purchase order receipt to the SCDOT Supply and Equipment Depot in Columbia, South Carolina. The award will be made to the lowest responsible and responsive bidder, with evaluation based on compliance with technical specifications and OSHA and ANSI requirements.

No specific set-aside designations or restrictions on responding organizations were mentioned in the solicitation documents. The procurement does not indicate any preferences for disadvantaged enterprises or specific vendor categories. There are no details provided about incumbent vendors or existing infrastructure requirements. Pricing will be submitted on a unit price basis, with extended prices calculated by multiplying the unit price by the quantity of 25 ditchers. The contractor must provide warranty service through factory-authorized dealerships, with a specific provision allowing SCDOT to recover costs for repairs if no authorized dealership exists within a two-hour driving distance. While no explicit budget range is specified, the procurement involves 25 units of specialized heavy-duty equipment, suggesting a potentially significant investment. The solicitation emphasizes flexibility in equipment performance, such as the ability to discharge material away from the machine or onto the shoulder, to accommodate various roadside maintenance and construction applications.