Accept the Lowest and Best Bid Submitted by Sunbelt Rentals, Inc. - Invitation to Bid #4903-KO Scaffolding-Plant High School (Business Division)

This bid was prepared at the request of the Custodial Operations Department to establish a rental price to scaffold and plank the entire auditorium at Plant High School for an estimated five week period. The scaffolding will be used for the cleaning and painting of the interior of the auditorium. This award is made to the only responsive and responsible bidder meeting specifications. Two (2) vendors submitted letters of “no bid” due to the short lead time to acquire the volume of materials needed for the project. Other vendors were able to supply the materials, but unable to supply the labor to erect the scaffolding. The Purchasing Department also explored utilizing a contract with a national cooperative purchasing program, but the contractor’s insurance coverage would not comply with the requirements associated with this Invitation to Bid. This recommendation has been reviewed by the General Manager of Maintenance. To ensure fair and open competition, the District utilizes an online vendor registration system to notify potential bidders of opportunities. Through this system, one (1) bidder responded. A more detailed review of specifications can be obtained by contacting the Purchasing Department.

As stated in OPPAGA report: "Efficient purchasing and warehousing require that management processes be in place to ensure that supplies, equipment, and services vital to the school’s education mission are purchased from a competitive source, in the right quantity, delivered timely to the correct location, and stored in a secure location. These criteria should be met for each purchase without sacrificing quality."

These items are, or will be, included in the General Fund or Capital Outlay Budget in an amount not to exceed $46,210.

Contract administration or evaluation is performed by the Project Manager (end user) and Purchasing Agent, who function as a team. Reviews are conducted face to face, typically quarterly, or by utilizing an online vendor performance report. Prior to soliciting a new contract, the Contract Administration team must first give consideration to the specifications and supporting data of the expiring contract.