Vendor contract for aluminum sign blanks

The City of Milwaukee, in conjunction with Milwaukee County and Mattoon Village, is soliciting bids for a vendor contract to supply aluminum sign blanks for a three-year period commencing January 11, 2027, with two optional one-year renewal extensions available upon mutual consent. The procurement seeks a contractor to provide 5052-H38 flat sheet anodized aluminum sign blanks manufactured in strict accordance with City of Milwaukee Drawing F-94-528T dated August 11, 1994. The contract encompasses 28 distinct line items featuring various aluminum sign blank configurations, including rectangles, squares, octagons, pentagons, triangles, and round discs in sizes ranging from 6 inches by 12 inches to 48 inches by 48 inches, with material thickness specifications between 0.080 and 0.100 inches, corner radii of 1 or 2 inches, and mounting holes varying from none to six per unit. Estimated annual usage quantities exceed 6,500 units across all line items, with the highest volume items being the 18 inch by 24 inch rectangle at 1,000 units annually and the 12 inch by 18 inch rectangle at 500 units annually. All sign blanks must feature smooth finishes suitable for reflective sheeting application, panel flatness meeting specified tolerances, and edges and holes free from burrs. Delivery is required within thirty calendar days of order receipt to the Department of Public Works, Traffic & Electrical Services at 1540 W. Canal Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53233, using standard-sized pallets on forklift-compatible trucks between 7:30 AM and 2:30 PM. Bids must be submitted electronically through the Bonfire portal by 4:30 PM Central Time on Thursday, April 23, 2026, with written questions required to be submitted through the portal at least five business days before the bid closing date. The City will award the contract to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder complying with all specifications and delivery requirements.

The City of Milwaukee offers multiple bid preference programs available to responsive bidders, including designations for Local Business Enterprises (LBE) with up to 5 percent preference or 10 percent for certified Small Business Enterprises, Milwaukee-Made, Milwaukee County-Made, and American-Made goods with up to 12 percent preference or $28,171 in price adjustment, and Socially Responsible Contractors with up to 5 percent preference or $25,000 in price adjustment. Bidders seeking to qualify for the Buy American incentive must submit an Affidavit of Compliance certifying that supplied goods meet one of three criteria under Milwaukee Code of Ordinances 310-18.9: City of Milwaukee-made goods with Milwaukee-sourced components exceeding 50 percent of total component costs, Milwaukee County-made goods with county-sourced components exceeding 50 percent of total component costs, or American-made goods with domestic components exceeding 50 percent of total component costs. All bidders are required to submit an Ethical Purchasing Affidavit demonstrating compliance with Milwaukee Code of Ordinances 310-17 and established Non-Poverty Wage requirements, along with a Slavery Disclosure Affidavit and applicable preference affidavits. Vendor insurance requirements mandate commercial general liability coverage with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence, $2,000,000 general aggregate, $2,000,000 products-completed operations, and $1,000,000 personal and advertising injury, with the City named as an additional insured and a 30-day advance written notice of cancellation or material changes required. No specific incumbent vendor information or existing technology integration requirements are documented in the solicitation materials. While no explicit budget range is provided in the procurement documents, the estimated annual usage of over 6,500 units across 28 line items suggests a substantial contract value supporting the City's ongoing traffic sign blank needs.