Bid Question

[fireinfo10]

does anyone have a sample spec for a tanker that they sent out as a result of an award. I want to see what a afg compliant spec looks like and how it is worded to include the most bidding possibility. If you have one can you email it to me for review. Our committee has finished our spec and I would like to compare.

Thanks

Bryan
[email protected]

Spec needs to be generic. Exceptions to this must be something logical and that you can justify. All/recent your other trucks have Akron valves so... Have FoamPro 1600 so ....., Class1 Captain ...., Waterous/Hale or not use for similar reason.

If specify a construction method have logical reason. ".....Extruded aluminum with minimum 3/16" to provide rollover protection of commerical cab."

In my opinion requiring mfg be in business x # years, "local" distributor or who has minimum of x mobile service trucks can justify. You need to get truck back in service with dies.

Keep the spec short and sweet.

Obviously some of this can/will exclude some potential bidders. Perhaps this a quirk of fate or planned. Oh well this is real world.

You don't want to just publish your spec in the state/national newspaper and thus end up with 20 low ball bids from fly by night mfg 2000mi away (with no local distributor/service). For one you'll have to wade thru/evaluate all.

Send your spec to the 3-5 mfg you want a bid from and can live with in your station. There are many such in the US. Allow 3-4 weeks, you're likely not the only thing going on. Followup and get bids in. If you have to modify your spec do so (and let everyone know).

If someone in your FD has already decided only brand ______ is going to get the job. Explain to them why they are stupid, dump the entire thing in his lap and walk/run away.

[jam24u]

Shouldn't matter if there is a state contract bid or not. Often times they are not the lowest price available as has been found in many cases recently.

I 'm pretty sure that Jim was directed to go out to bid even though his state has a bid price contract available.

Unless you can only buy a specific radio to operate on a proprietary system that is only sold by one vendor.

You would have to be able to justify "sole source" non competitive bidding to the feds.

Ed is right.

The first thing that happened is that my assigned Homeland security contact for district seven called me to ask how I planned to select a vendor AND when I said I was planning on finding those vendors approved as state contract pricing vendors, the DHS rep then said that he wanted to impress upon us awardees FEMA's and DHS's STRONG preference that we send out bid requests. I repeat STRONG PREFERENCE.

I got the message because they were not fooling around and I had better take the advice. I could imagine hearing the theme from the godfather in the background.

Anyway I am happy. I went with Motorola although I had tried to go with Tait. Everyone was familiar with the big M. Who is a monster at times to work with.

[hoserbt]

tanker bid and spec

does anyone have a sample spec for a tanker that they sent out as a result of an award. I want to see what a afg compliant spec looks like and how it is worded to include the most bidding possibility. If you have one can you email it to me for review. Our committee has finished our spec and I would like to compare.

Thanks

Bryan
[email protected]

[islandfire03]

Shouldn't matter if there is a state contract bid or not. Often times they are not the lowest price available as has been found in many cases recently.

I 'm pretty sure that Jim was directed to go out to bid even though his state has a bid price contract available.

Unless you can only buy a specific radio to operate on a proprietary system that is only sold by one vendor.

You would have to be able to justify "sole source" non competitive bidding to the feds.

[admpaul]

Do you know if there is a state contact with radios, pagers, etc. In wi due to a state contract and vendors in certains areas you may only get one quote.

[islandfire03]

Gee Jim: You were paying attention to all the ramblings Blake & I passed your way last year.
How is your new radio gear working out?
Ed

[jam24u]

We received an AFG award for mobile and portable radios. We sent out Request for Proposals to several vendors. We only received 1 proposal back. Can we award the bid to that vendor? Did we satisfy the "open and competitive bidding process"?

Whatever you do, please listen to the two previous posters. If you will not take my word for it, keep checking their responses for radio, comm or regional comm threads.

You were very fortunate.

[LVFD301]

We received an AFG award for mobile and portable radios. We sent out Request for Proposals to several vendors. We only received 1 proposal back. Can we award the bid to that vendor? Did we satisfy the "open and competitive bidding process"?

Or you can get a neutral third party to look at it and figure out why, and if the one is too high based on sole sourcing, and can help you find other vendors....

[email protected]

[islandfire03]

We received an AFG award for mobile and portable radios. We sent out Request for Proposals to several vendors. We only received 1 proposal back. Can we award the bid to that vendor? Did we satisfy the "open and competitive bidding process"?

There are several questions that come to my mind and would do the same to a grant reviewer.
Why did only one vendor return a bid?
Were the bid specifications so restrictive that only one vendor could bid the RFP?
How far and wide did you advertise the RFP?
Did you only send the RFP to vendors that you knew couldn't meet the requirements of the RFP,in order to steer the bid to your preselected vendor?
Did you specify that you were seeking bids for a specific brand and model of radio?

Think about the questions asked above and you will know the answer you seek.
Remember that you need to be able to justify ALL grant expenditures to an auditor, who may pay you a site visit to see all the paperwork and the equipment purchased with federal dollars.

If you feel comfortable that you can stand up to the scrutiny of an audit that could cost you many problems .

Just so you know the last radio project I worked on came back with Five bids from four different vendors

[EFD3258]

We received an AFG award for mobile and portable radios. We sent out Request for Proposals to several vendors. We only received 1 proposal back. Can we award the bid to that vendor? Did we satisfy the "open and competitive bidding process"?