Water Softener Grade Solar Salt

Seminole County's Water Operations Division is seeking a contractor to provide and deliver bulk water softener grade solar salt through Invitation for Bid (IFB-5137-26/LTT). The procurement involves furnishing NSF 60 Certified solar salt for the county's ion-exchange water treatment filtration system, with an estimated annual requirement of 150-300 tons. Deliveries will occur approximately 25 tons per month to the Markham Regional Water Treatment Plant in Sanford, Florida, with strict specifications including a minimum 96.3% NaCl on a dry basis and maximum 3.0% moisture content. The solicitation requires bidders to provide all necessary labor, materials, transportation, handling, and incidental services for reliable salt delivery. Key submission deadlines include a question submission cutoff of December 30, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. and a proposal submission deadline of January 14, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. through the county's electronic procurement portal. Award will be made to the lowest responsible bidder meeting all specified requirements, with bids remaining firm for 120 days following the bid opening.

No specific set-aside designations are mentioned in the solicitation documents. Bidders must provide evidence of Florida business authority, demonstrate three years of satisfactory past performance, and maintain current insurance certifications. The contract includes provisions for a three-year initial term with options for two additional one-year renewals at the county's discretion. While no specific budget range is explicitly stated, the documents indicate that pricing will be established through unit costs submitted on the county's standard Bid Response Form, with delivery costs included in quoted prices. Contractors must comply with comprehensive requirements, including E-Verify employment verification, insurance specifications (Workers' Compensation at $1,000,000, Commercial General Liability at $1,000,000 per occurrence), and federal compliance standards, particularly if the contract involves FEMA-related disaster funding. The county reserves the right to contract with multiple vendors and makes no guarantees about the volume of purchase orders that will be issued during the contract term.