Vehicle Safety Lighting and Warning Devices

The State of Connecticut Department of Administrative Services (DAS) has issued an Invitation to Bid (ITB) for Vehicle Safety Lighting and Warning Devices, solicitation number 21PSX0083, which will replace the existing contract 16PSX0033. The procurement seeks vendors to provide safety lighting, warning devices, and related repair work for state vehicles, with the contract covering Hartford County and potentially extending to other political subdivisions, schools, and not-for-profit organizations. The solicitation will be conducted through a two-phase reverse auction process managed by EASiBuy, LLC, with Phase 1 requiring submission of qualification documents by November 2, 2021, and Phase 2 involving an online reverse auction on November 11, 2021, at 10:00 AM EDT. Evaluation criteria for award will include pricing, conformity to specifications, past performance, financial responsibility, delivery terms, administrative costs, and life-cycle costs. The vendor Q&A period ran from October 16-21, 2021, with responses posted by October 25, 2021, and the final bid submission deadline is November 3, 2021, at 2:00 PM EDT.

The solicitation includes specific preferences and set-aside provisions for micro-businesses and veteran-owned micro-businesses, offering price preferences of up to 10% and 15%, respectively, for qualifying vendors. Additionally, the contract includes preferences for community rehabilitation products and services provided by persons with disabilities. While no specific incumbent vendor is identified, the contract will have payment terms of Net 45 days with FOB destination delivery. The State of Connecticut is tax-exempt and will evaluate bids based on the lowest responsible qualified respondent. Quantities listed in the solicitation are estimated and will be determined by individual purchase orders, with no guaranteed minimum purchase amounts. The contract will have an initial term with potential renewals, though the exact duration is not explicitly specified in the documents. Respondents must comply with various state contracting requirements, including provisions related to consulting agreements, campaign contributions, and nondiscrimination standards.