Water Meter Boxes with Lids

Dorchester County Water & Sewer Department in South Carolina is conducting an Invitation for Bids (IFB) No. 2026-43 for the furnishing and delivery of water meter boxes with lids, complete with meter kits installed, on an as-needed basis for a one-year period. The primary deliverables include residential water meter boxes suitable for potable water service and buried installation, with each unit required to include an expansion connection, dual check valve, and Grip Joint assembly where applicable. All materials must be new, unused, and fully compatible with potable water systems, meeting specifications comparable to Ford Meter Box Company or A.Y. McDonald Manufacturing Company products or approved equivalents. Historical procurement data indicates approximately 1,200 units per year, though no minimum purchase quantities are guaranteed and actual orders may vary significantly. The contract is scheduled to run from March 2, 2026 through March 1, 2027, with four optional one-year renewals available at the County's discretion. Critical deadlines include February 5, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. for written questions and February 19, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. for bid opening via the County's OpenGov Procurement Portal or virtual Microsoft Teams attendance. Pricing must be submitted on a per-unit basis with FOB Destination terms, including all freight, delivery, surcharges, and associated fees, with payment due within thirty days of approved invoices. Bidders proposing alternate or approved equal products must submit comprehensive supporting documentation including manufacturer product sheets, technical drawings, warranty information, and evidence of field use in public utility systems, and bids must remain valid for at least sixty days from opening.

No set-asides or restrictions targeting disadvantaged enterprises or specific organization types are specified in this solicitation. The procurement documents reference Ford Meter Box Company and A.Y. McDonald Manufacturing Company as approved manufacturers, with product specifications provided for the AY McDonald model 711-3NA 44 and the Ford Long Yokebox model LYLVP141-233-T-NL as reference standards for bidding purposes. Award will be made to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder whose bid is most advantageous to the County, with the County reserving the right to make multiple awards based on bidder capacity. No specific budget range or award value is disclosed in the solicitation documents; however, historical annual volumes of approximately 1,200 units provide guidance for potential vendors regarding procurement scale and market opportunity. The solicitation allows for flexibility in product selection through approved equal alternatives, enabling qualified manufacturers beyond the named vendors to compete competitively while maintaining established performance and safety standards for the municipal potable water system.