Water Softeners for Food Services

The School Board of Marion County, Florida is requesting proposals for water softener equipment, materials, installation, and repair services for twelve campus cafeterias and additional locations under RFP #4123AM, with proposals due June 10, 2026 at 2:00 PM through VendorLink.

The awarded vendor must provide all necessary equipment, materials, and labor to install water softening systems in close proximity to campus kitchens, integrate units into existing plumbing, and ensure compliance with applicable codes. Following installation and commissioning, the vendor must sample and analyze water monthly at each site for twelve months to monitor system effectiveness, with additional testing available on an as-needed basis. Electrical, carpentry, and additional plumbing services required for installation will be performed by the District's Maintenance Department in coordination with Food and Nutrition Services. Water must meet specified parameters: total dissolved solids of 70–125 ppm, hardness of 70–125 ppm, pH of 6.5–8.5, and maximum chloride of 60 ppm. Proposers must demonstrate three years of business history, provide manufacturer authorization for specified equipment, submit estimated timelines for ordering and installation, and provide estimated emergency repair response times.

Evaluation criteria are addressing scope of services requirements (25 points), successful experience and qualifications with similar projects (20 points), cost of services (35 points), timeline for installation and repair responsiveness (15 points), firm references (5 points), and potential interviews (15 points). All prices must be firm for the contract term. The contract term runs from August 12, 2026 through August 11, 2027, with provisions for up to three additional one-year renewal periods by mutual agreement.

The District requires comprehensive insurance including workers' compensation, commercial general liability of $1 million per occurrence, business automobile liability of $1 million per occurrence, and professional liability of $500,000 with deductibles not exceeding $25,000. All vendors must comply with E-Verify employment verification and Level 2 background screening for personnel accessing school grounds. Questions are due June 2, 2026 at 2:00 PM through VendorLink. The evaluation committee convenes June 16, with proposer interviews scheduled for June 29 and School Board approval anticipated for August 11, 2026.