INVITATION TO BID
Sealed bids will be received by the City of Auburn, Alabama, until 2:00 p.m., local time, on October 11, 2005, in the Office of the City Manager, 144 Tichenor Avenue, Auburn, Alabama, and then publicly opened and read for furnishing the following:
WHEELED REFUSE CONTAINERS (96-GALLON CAPACITY)
Quantities and bid specifications are attached. The City is requiring bid prices on new wheeled refuse containers (96-gallon capacity). Please direct any questions to Timothy L. Woody, Director of Environmental Services, 334.501.3080.
The City reserves the right to select the lowest responsible bidder as the best interest of the City may require, to award the purchase contract from any of the bids, to reject any and all bids or parts thereof and to waive any informalities in bids received. Bid prices will be good for twelve (12) months after being opened by the City of Auburn, Alabama. Please note that an alternate bid is also requested which may be extended on a yearly basis for up to (3) three years. The City reserves the right to revert to the State of Alabama Contract if the bid price is higher than the contracted amount through the State.
Bids must be submitted on the attached form within a sealed envelope addressed:
City Manager, City of Auburn
144 Tichenor Avenue
Envelope must be plainly marked on the outside as follows:
BID: Wheeled Refuse Containers
OPENING: 2:00 p.m., local time
DATE: October 11, 2005
The City of Auburn believes fully in equal opportunity in the provision of supplies, equipment, construction and services. Positive steps should be taken to assure that small businesses, minority businesses and women's businesses are given ample opportunity to provide the above-mentioned services when economically feasible.
The successful bidder must possess or obtain appropriate license to conduct business in the City of Auburn if the nature of the transaction requires such license.
The successful bidder will note that the City pays by invoice on each Friday of the month. Invoices must be received by accounts payable at least seven (7) days before the scheduled check date. If you have any questions concerning billing, contact our accounts payable office at 334.501.7237 or 334.501.7238.
CITY OF AUBURN
Karen S. Broome
Purchasing Officer
INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS
It is the purpose of this document to solicit bids for the City of Auburn, Alabama (herein referred to as the City) from vendors interested in providing the wheeled refuse containers which can be dumped by both semi-automated and fully automated truck systems. The City intends to purchase approximately 500 wheeled refuse containers at this time but also have the option to order more carts at the same price as the need arises for up to one year on option 1. If option 2 is selected then the contract may be renewable for up to 3 years.
All bids must be submitted on the form provided. The bid must also include the specifications, as written by the City, with a check mark in either the "Yes" or "No" space following each section.
By checking the "Yes" space, the bidder states that the product being bid conforms exactly to that specification as written. By checking any of the "No" spaces, the bidder states that the product being bid does not conform exactly to that specification as written, and that the bidder is offering an alternative to that specification.
If any of the "No" spaces are checked, it must be accompanied by a detailed explaination of the exception. This must be typewritten on a separate sheet in a numbered, orderly, fashion (with reference to the corresponding numbered specifications) so that it can be easily interpreted by the City.
Wheeled refuse containers are to be delivered to the following address: 365-A North Donahue Drive, Auburn, Alabama, 36830. Bid price will F.O.B. The City must be sent a copy of the confirmation order within 24 hours after receipt of order.
The City reserves the right to request, at no charge to the City, a sample of the container bid, from any or all bidders. This sample will be kept by the City and will be used in tests conducted by the City or its designated testing agent.
Failure to comply with any of the instructions may be cause for the City to reject that bid.
WHEELED REFUSE CONTAINERS
YES NO
GENERAL
The wheeled refuse container shall be designed to contain solid waste materials ____ ____
including garbage, refuse, rubbish, and yard clippings.
The container shall be provided with adequate wheels and handle so that it can be ____ ____
pushed or pulled with little effort.
The container shall be designed to be dumped by both semi-automated ____ ____
and fully-automated truck systems.
It will be the responsibility of the bidder to acquaint themselves with ____ ____
the dumping systems used by the City.
MATERIALS
The body of the container shall be Injection Molded using first quality HDPE. ____ ____
The lid of the container shall be Injection Molded using first quality HDPE. ____ ____
Polyethylene resin shall be one hundred percent (100%) virgin material ____ ____
and cannot include any recycled, regenerated, off-specification or
wide-specification materials. Non-recyclable material such as
cross-linked polyethylene will not be acceptable.
YES NO
VOLUME/LOAD RATING
The actual volume (capacity) of the container (body only) shall be a minimum ____ ____
96 Gallons level full. The container shall be designed to accommodate a load
of at least three hundred thirty five (335) pounds, excluding the weight of the
container. This load rating shall be molded into the container lid.
Minimum wall thickness of the body must not be less than 0.175 inch. ____ ____
The thickness of the container’s critical wear points must be no less than 0.185 inches.
There shall be a “wear ridge” molded around the perimiter of the ____ ____
container bottom to prevent abrasion wear-through. This “wear-ridge”
shall consist of a molded-on deposit of solid resin material (approximately
3/8” (width) and 1/2” (height) which adds thickness to the container’s bottom
surface. Add-on “pads” which require attention and replacement shall not be
deemed acceptable.
An integrally molded upper “pouch” and rotating steel front “catch” bar shall ____ ____
be the only acceptable method of attachment to the refuse vehicle’s cart dumper
system. Bolted metal frames will not be considered to meet specificatons.
The cart will be fitted with a freely rotating steel lower “catch” bar. This steel ____ ____
bar must me (minimum) 1.00” o.d. and must be (minimum) 15 gauge wall
thickness. To avoid potential damage by cart lifting devices, any fasteners
required to secure the lower “catch” bar in place must be positioned outside the
actual body of the cart. Metal Bars that require City assembly upon arrival will
be considered too time consuming and will not be accepted.
Container body shall be free of pockets, recesses or intrusions which ____ ____
could trap debris or interfere with the discharge of refuse.
The top of the container body shall be molded with a reinforced rim to ____ ____
add structural strength and stability to the container and to provide a
flat surface for lid closure. This reinforced rim shall have a raised inner
perimeter to serve as a barrier to escaping odors, intrusion of pests, and
to prevent moisture from entering the cart from under the edge of the lid.
The rim of the cart must in no way be radiused inward so as to obstruct
free-flow emptying of the container.
YES NO
DIMENSIONS - APPROXIMATE (+/- 5% FULLY ASSEMBLED)
Height (cart body)... 46.0 inches ____ ____
Depth .....................32.0 inches
Width ................... 28.0 inches
Resin Weight .........37.0 pounds (excluding wheels, axle, & hardware)
COLOR
All plastic parts are specifically prepared to be colorfast so that the ____ ____
plastic material does not alter appreciably in normal use. Containers
will have not less than one half of one percent (.5%) pigments by
weight. Carts must be Dark or Forest Green in color.
The container is protected against ultraviolet light rays with an ultra- ____ ____
violet stabilizer additive with not less than one percent (1.0%) and
two percent (2.0%) by weight. Additives shall be hot-compounded
into the resin.
WHEELS AND AXLES
The wheel shall be made of a one-piece blow-molded plastic construction ____ ____
and at least 12 inches in diameter and at least 1.75 inches wide and must
be of “snap-on design” with metal pins. Plastic pins will not be acceptable.
Wheel assembly using speed nuts (“palnuts”) and/or cotter pins will be
Considered to be too time-consuming, and too easily removed.
The axle must be approximately 3/4” diameter, solid steel, plated to ____ ____
protect against corrosion, and must be mounted to the cart body through
yokes molded onto the bottom of the cart body. The molded yokes that
accommodate the axle will have secondary gussetts for added stability.
The container will be designed with a foot-operated tilt feature designed ____ ____
into the axle area to facilitate ease of container tipping. Tipping that
requires placing foot on the axle will be considered to not have enough
“foot traction” and will not be acceptable.
YES NO
LID
The lid must be domed to facilitate water run-off. There shall be a ____ ____
molded-in barrier on top of the container rim which prevents entry of
rain, insects, etc.
The lid must be of one piece construction, injection molded of high ____ ____
density polyethylene resin, domed to facilitate water run-off. This lid
must not “cave-in” when pressed with reasonable force by hand. Any
lid that collapses when pressed will be deemed to be flimsy and will
not be considered.
Minimum thickness of lid material must be .130 inch. ____ ____
No lid latches will be accepted. Lid will be held closed by its weight only. ____ ____
The lid must incorporate an integrelly molded handle so that the lid may be ____ ____
opened by one hand without coming into contact with the bottom edge of
the lid. This handle must wrap around both corners to provide
maximum convenience for the user. This lid must have two handles.
Lid shall have a minimum of three hinge supports extending from the ____ ____
lid to attach to the handle.
HANDLE
Push-pull handles shall be molded as an integral part of the container body. ____ ____
MARKING
The City of Auburn “Logo” will be hot stamped on the right and ____ ____
left sides of the body of the container. Sequential serial numbers shall
be hot stamped on the cart body using a numbering system of the City's
choosing. All hot-stamping will be done in 1 1/2" white block letters, and
must be stamped on the front of the cart, thus allowing city employees
to track serial numbers easily.
YES NO
The container shall have the following indications and contraindications ____ ____
molded into the lids in English, Spanish, and French:
DO: Close Lid before moving
Place at curb or designated area for collection
Remove from curb or designated area after collection
Handle with care on inclines, slopes, or steps
Wash out periodically with water
DO NOT: Do not overload container
Do not use for hot ashes, solvents, paints, flammable liquids,
Or other hazardous materials.
Do not drag cart
CAUTION: Do not allow children to playin, on, or around cart.
Container load rating shall be molded into the lid in both pounds ____ ____
and kilograms.
31. Container capacity shall be molded into the lid in both gallons and liters. ____ ____
STABILITY
The containers when empty, must not overturn when the lid is thrown ____ ____
fully open.
The containers must be designed to prevent being turned over by winds ____ ____
of up to 35 mph in any direction.
In order for the container to be more stable, the wheels shall not come ____ ____
into contact with the ground when cart is standing on a flat surface in the
upright position.
ASSEMBLY & DELIVERY
Bidders are to provide the total count of individual parts that combine ____ ____
to make up the cart being offered in this proposal (including every
individual molded part, wheel, spacer, bolt washer, etc.)?
Total number of individual parts in each cart____________
Bidders are to attach a list identifying each of the parts used in the cart.
Show total quantities of each of the individual parts, and provide a list
confirming replacement parts pricing for each part. Bidders must also
Guarantee parts will be available for shipping to city within one week.
To minimize cost of assembly and distribution, the carts are to be supplied ____ ____
from the factory with handles and lids and lower “catch bars” completely
assembled. Container must ship with “latch-bar” installed.
37. Unit prices quoted shall include delivery. ____ ____
WARRANTY
38. The container lid, wheels, axle and all necessary hardware must be ____ ____
covered by a ten (10) year warranty. Any component parts which fail
in materials or workmanship to perform as originally designed, shall
be replaced at no charge to the City.
39. During the first 10 years after delivery, any component of the ____ ____
container, including lid, hardware and all related parts, that are found
to be defective in materials and/or workmanship, shall be replaced at
no cost to the City.
40. Warranty includes but is not limited to one or more factors listed below.
A. Failure of the lid to prevent rain water from entering the container ____ ____
when closed on the container body.
B. Damage to the container body, the lid or any component parts ____ ____
through opening or closing the lid.
C. Failure of the lid hinge to remain fully functional and continually ____ ____
hold the originally designed and intended positions when either
opened or closed.
D. Failure of any metal components to remain free of excessive red rust ____ ____
and corrosion, to be determined by the City.
E. Failure of any plastic component to be resistant to damage in the ____ ____
event of contact with any common household or residential
product/chemicals other than those listed by the Contractor.
F. Failure of any portion of the bottom of the container body to remain ____ ____
impervious to wear-through despite repeated contact with rough and
abrasive surfaces.
G. If at any time during the 10-year warranty period any container bottom
becomes worn through or fractures due to normal wear and tear, or
develops holes so that it leaks when filled with water, such container
body shall be replaced in its entirety and without charge under the warranty.
H. Failure of the container body, lid, hardware or any component parts ____ ____
to maintain their original shape.
I. Failure of the wheels to provide continuous, easy mobility, as ____ ____
originally designed or intended.
J. Failure of any container, container body, lid, wheels or other ____ ____
component part to conform to the minimum standards specified
herein (i.e. failure to use only first quality, high density, virgin resin).
If bidder responds "No", the bidder must detail any warranty items excepted on a separate sheet.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
41. Bidder shall supply, with the bid, complete technical data on the ____ ____
particular container being bid by their company. The information shall
include construction specifications. Bidder must provide a detailed
user's list of exactly the same make and model which the City may use
for references regarding the quality of products and service records of
the manufacturer. The product being bid must have been in regular
production and use for a minimum of one (1) year.
42.To insure the highest level of quality systems, all manufacturers shall be ____ ____
ISO 9000 certified. Copy of the current certification shall be submitted
With the bid.