Water Materials Alliance

The Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) is seeking a strategic alliance supplier for a comprehensive Water Materials Alliance contract covering water infrastructure and maintenance materials. The procurement targets a long-term, five-year agreement with two optional one-year renewals, focusing on water utility materials inventory and supply chain services. The selected supplier must be experienced in working with municipal water utilities and capable of providing an extensive range of water system components including pipes, valves, fittings, meters, hydrants, and associated accessories. Key deliverables include managing vendor managed inventory (VMI), consignment inventory, technical support, transportation, labeling, electronic commerce, and emergency support services. The proposal requires suppliers to maintain competitive market-level pricing, with the ability to potentially extend pricing and terms to other public utilities in Florida. Proposals are due on May 16, 2025, by 2:00 PM EST, with suppliers required to submit detailed qualifications, project history, references, and key personnel resumes. The contract mandates a 90% on-time delivery requirement to multiple warehouse facilities in Orlando and St. Cloud, Florida.

The solicitation includes a Minority/Women Business Enterprise (M/WBE) goal of 8%, encouraging participation from diverse business entities. No bid bond or payment and performance bond is required for this solicitation, which may broaden the pool of potential respondents. Suppliers must provide an annual audited financial statement and demonstrate capabilities in areas such as HDPE Pipe Fusing services and summary billing. While specific budget ranges are not explicitly stated, the comprehensive price schedule with over 300 line items suggests a substantial procurement opportunity with significant annual material usage. The contract emphasizes developing an alliance-based relationship that focuses on total supply chain savings, with OUC reserving the right to award contracts to a single or multiple vendors based on proposal evaluations. Suppliers must be prepared to transparently discuss potential pricing adjustments resulting from factors like manufacturer increases or international tariff negotiations. The procurement strictly prohibits vendors from discussing the RFP with anyone other than the designated buyer of record, maintaining a controlled communication protocol throughout the selection process.