Used Railroad Rails District 9

The Commonwealth of Kentucky, Transportation Cabinet, Division of Purchases, on behalf of the Department of Highways District 9, issued a Request for Bid (RFB 2100000447) for the procurement of used railroad rails. The procurement sought 6,000 linear feet of 40-foot railroad rails, totaling approximately 150 pieces, with minimum specifications of 136 pounds or greater per linear yard, manufactured from steel, straight, and structurally sound. The rails required legible original manufacturer classification markings on the web and holes cut near the end for lifting mechanisms. Delivery was divided among three Kentucky locations: 50 pieces (2,000 linear feet) to KYTC Boyd County Maintenance lot in Ashland; 50 pieces to KYTC Carter County Maintenance in Grayson; and 50 pieces to KYTC Fleming County Maintenance in Flemingsburg. The procurement utilized a two-phase bidding process, with Phase 1 requiring unpriced technical offers by February 23, 2021, at 1:30 p.m., and Phase 2 consisting of an online reverse auction scheduled for March 9, 2021, at 11:00 a.m. EST through eBridge Business Solutions' electronic bidding platform. Award was tentatively scheduled for March 16, 2021, based on best value scoring using two criteria: price (95 points) and delivery time (5 points), with delivery timeframes required to be specified in concrete calendar days. All bids required submission through the Kentucky e-Procurement System, and bids remained valid for 90 calendar days following the closing date. All shipping terms were F.O.B. Destination Freight Prepaid and Allowed, with payment due within 30 working days of receipt of goods and invoice, plus a one percent daily penalty for late deliveries and one percent monthly penalty for payments exceeding the 30-working-day threshold.

Kentucky resident bidders receive reciprocal preference under KRS 45A.494, and qualified bidders as defined by statute receive additional preferences. All bidders were required to complete and submit the Annual Affidavit for Bidders, Offerors and Contractors, a notarized mandatory compliance document with a maximum one-year effective period that established baseline requirements including compliance with Kentucky campaign finance laws, proper disclosure of subcontractor information, valid registration with the Kentucky Department of Revenue, and current good standing regarding state taxes and fees. Bidders were also required to register in the Commonwealth's eProcurement System, with a recommended 24-48 hours for registration completion. The procurement was structured as a one-time purchase with no renewal options, and the Commonwealth reserved the right to reject any or all bids, waive informalities and technicalities, or negotiate directly with bidders as deemed in its best interest. Suppliers awarded the contract were responsible for paying a three percent transaction fee to eBridge calculated on the final awarded price. No specific budget range or award value was disclosed in the solicitation documents, as pricing was determined through the competitive online reverse auction process rather than fixed pricing submitted with technical offers.