Statewide Elevator Maintenance and Repair Services

005-RFB-3085-2026 - Statewide Elevator Services
005-RFB-3085-2026 - Statewide Elevator Services
SECTION 1 - INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background Information
This RFB provides the information needed for Bidders to prepare competitive submissions. The
RFB process benefits the Lead and Participating Agencies and is intended to provide competitive
information for use in the selection process. This document does not cover all circumstances;
Bidders are responsible for determining all factors necessary to prepare complete bids.
The State of Iowa is seeking qualified Bidders to provide comprehensive elevator repair,
maintenance, inspection, and emergency response services across State-owned and leased
facilities. Due to the Statewide scope of service and geographic coverage requirements, the
State intends to award based on work zones. The State may award contracts up to the 3 lowest
Bidders for Zone 1-4 services and the 3 lowest Bidders for Zone 5 services.
Bidders may submit bids on more than one zone. Bidders must maintain a physical,
non-residential facility within the zone(s) for which they are bidding. The State may apply special
considerations in situations where a Bidder facility is split between two zones or a bordering city
in another State (i.e. Omaha, NE. and Council Bluffs, IA. or Davenport, IA. and Moline, IL.).
Note that out-of-state corporate registrations do not automatically authorize technicians under
Iowa Code 89A. Out-of-state technicians crossing into Iowa boundaries must hold valid Iowa
Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL) elevator mechanic licenses.
Work Zones
Service Location Options: Zone 1, Zone 2, Zone 3, Zone 4, or Zone 5
Zone 1: NE - Independence, Marshalltown, Eldora, Anamosa
Counties: Allamakee, Benton, Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Butler, Cerro Gordo, Chickasaw,
Clayton, Delaware, Dubuque, Fayette, Floyd, Franklin, Grundy, Hardin, Howard, Jackson, Jones,
Linn, Marshall, Mitchell, Tama, Winneshiek, Worth
Zone 2: NW - Fort Dodge, Rockwell City, Cherokee
Counties: Buena Vista, Calhoun, Carroll, Cherokee, Clay, Crawford, Dickinson, Emmet, Greene,
Hamilton, Hancock, Humboldt, Ida, Kossuth, Lyon, Monona, O'Brien, Osceola, Palo Alto,
Plymouth, Pocahontas, Sac, Sioux, Webster, Winnebago, Woodbury, Wright
Zone 3: SW - Clarinda, Glenwood
Counties: Adair, Adams, Audubon, Cass, Clarke, Decatur, Fremont, Guthrie, Harrison, Mills,
Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie, Ringgold, Shelby, Taylor, Union
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005-RFB-3085-2026 - Statewide Elevator Services
Zone 4: SE - Mount Pleasant, Oakdale, Fort Madison
Counties: Appanoose, Cedar, Clinton, Davis, Des Moines, Henry, Iowa, Jefferson, Johnson, Keokuk,
Lee, Louisa, Lucas, Mahaska, Monroe, Muscatine, Poweshiek, Scott, Van Buren, Wapello,
Washington, Wayne
Zone 5: DSM Metro - Newton, Mitchellville, Woodward, Johnston, DSM Metro.
Counties: Boone, Dallas, Jasper, Madison, Marion, Polk, Story, Warren
* Large facilities are listed within each zone as an example. All zones include other State facilities
and political subdivision locations.
The parties understand and agree that for any portion of the goods or services constituting a
"public improvement" as defined in Iowa Code section 26.2, the Purchasing Entity may only
engage Bidder under this Contract for purchases at or below the competitive bid threshold
established in Iowa Code section 314.1B. All purchases under this Contract related to a "public
improvement" must comply with Iowa Code chapters 26 and 573, as applicable. Any project
exceeding this threshold, including all new system installations or full replacements, must be
awarded through a separate competitive selection process.
All design work will be done by the Owner or a third party; engineering plans and specifications
may be provided. The State does not accept design-build approach.
1.2 Contract Term
The term of the contract will begin 12/01/2026 and end on 11/30/2027.
The Contract may be renewed by mutual agreement of both parties for up to five (5) years.
1.3 Transition period
Awarded Bidders and facility representatives shall conduct a joint physical inspection of all
elevator assets and related equipment covered under the awarded zone(s) within thirty (30) days
following the formal award of the contract. The purpose of this inspection is to document the
baseline operational status, safety compliance, and physical condition of each unit.
Any deficiencies identified during the joint inspection that fall outside of the preventative
maintenance scope must be documented in a comprehensive, itemized report provided to the
Facility Administrator within five (5) business days of the inspection completion. To protect the
State against non-competitive pricing and inflated onboarding costs, the following protocols shall
apply:
* Written Estimates Required: For any validated pre-existing deficiency, the Bidder must
provide a written, itemized estimate based strictly on the non-covered labor hours and
material markups established in the Bidder's bid response (Exhibit B).
* State Right of Refusal & Alternative Remediation: The State reserves the absolute right to
reject the Bidder's repair estimate. The Purchasing Entity may, at its sole discretion:
1) Utilize a separate competitive process or a qualified third-party contractor to
remediate the issue.
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005-RFB-3085-2026 - Statewide Elevator Services
2) Accept the asset into the contract "as-is" with a mutually agreed-upon operational
waiver, provided it does not violate life-safety codes.
1.4 Site Visit
There will be no site visit associated with this solicitation.
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005-RFB-3085-2026 - Statewide Elevator Services
SECTION 2 - SPECIFICATIONS
All items listed in this Section are Bid Specifications. A successful Bidder must be able to satisfy all these
specifications to be deemed a Responsible Bidder.
2.1. Licensing and qualifications
Bidders must be registered with and maintain an active Iowa Bidder Registration through the
Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL). Bidders must have the necessary
organizational structure, resources, and facilities to effectively perform all services required under
this RFB.
Bidder must comply with all applicable codes, including but not limited to:
* ASME A17.1 Elevator Code
* ASME A18.1 Platform Code
* NFPA 70
* ADA Accessibility Standards
* Iowa Code 89A and related regulations requiring Bidders to obtain permits, coordinate
inspections, and file reports.
Bidder must assign only personnel who possess required qualifications, training, certifications,
licensing, and who are authorized to perform the specific work under this solicitation.
2.2. Scope of Work
The scope of work includes furnishing all labor, materials, supervision, tools, equipment, supplies,
and any other resources necessary to perform full-service maintenance and repair of covered
equipment. This includes, but is not limited to, routine and preventative maintenance, inspections,
testing, adjustments, troubleshooting, and the repair or replacement of parts as required to ensure
safe and reliable operation.
This solicitation is intended to provide coverage for Statewide government facilities. This solicitation
excludes services for the Capitol Complex located in Des Moines, IA.
Reference Exhibit A for a list of permitted elevators Statewide that would fall into the scope of the
solicitation. Note that Exhibit A is representative and may not be inclusive of all State facilities
requiring the services being solicited.
Bidders will be bidding on the following (reference Exhibit B):
* Preventative Maintenance (per month) based on Preventative Maintenance services as outlined
in section 2.2.1 of this RFB and the elevator's number of landings as shown on Exhibit B:
The flat monthly maintenance fee shall be completely inclusive of all routine PM labor, wear-
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and-tear repair labor, and the cost of all replacement parts and consumables listed in Section
2.2.1.
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005-RFB-3085-2026 - Statewide Elevator Services
The flat monthly maintenance fee shall be completely inclusive of all periodic testing labor,
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including annual CAT 1 and five-year CAT 5 load testing requirements.
* Hourly Rates for Maintenance and Repair services outside of the Preventative Maintenance
services as listed in section 2.2.1:
Regular hourly labor rate - Hours that fall between the regular operational hours of
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the Bidder (7a-5p, Monday through Friday).
Overtime hourly labor rate - Hours that fall outside of the regular hours of operation,
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excluding Sundays and holidays.
Double overtime hourly labor rate - Reserved for hours worked during Sundays and
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holidays.
* Percentage Markup on Contractor's Invoice Cost
"Bidder's Invoice Cost" is the actual wholesale cost paid by the contractor, net of any trade
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discounts.
Bidders paid original invoices or receipts may be requested in the invoice bundle for auditing
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purposes.
* Additional Elevator Consulting Services (Hourly rate)
The State's objectives for this RFB include the following:
2.2.1. Preventative Maintenance: Proactive and scheduled monthly maintenance to minimize
downtime and extend equipment life.
* Bearing, brake magnet coils, relays, brakes, buffers, counterweights, bar safety devices
* Controllers and controller parts, commutators, coils, contacts, cams
* Car and hoist way door hangers, control panels, corridor position indicators, car door
operators, car operating panels, car door safety edges, door operating devices
* Car lights (except bulbs and fluorescent tubes), door operating devices, tracks and
guides
* Electric wiring, fuses, gears, generators, guide shoes, gate hangers, governors, hall
lanterns
* Heaters for oil reservoirs, hoist machines, interlocks, indicators, leveling devices
* Lamp bulb replacements in all fixtures (except general car lighting), including
emergency lighting systems, exhaust fans
* Magnet frames, motors, motor-generator sets, coiling devices, rotating elements
* Pumps and valves for hydraulic elevators, packing for pistons
* Push buttons, resistors for motors and controllers, relays, sheaves, selectors, switches
on car and in hoist way, starters
The successful Bidder must possess or acquire all necessary diagnostic tools,
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software, chips, and keys required to fully service, troubleshoot, and reset the
equipment listed in Exhibit A without additional cost to the State
* Signal bells, signal systems, thrusts, tension frames, telephone cables, terminal and
slow-down devices, traveling cables, under-car safety worm gears
* Windings, wire ropes, cables
* Smoke detectors in hoist ways and lobbies (not part of the building fire alarm system)
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005-RFB-3085-2026 - Statewide Elevator Services
This work encompasses all preventative maintenance, corrective repairs, and replacement
activities necessary to maintain safe, reliable, and code-compliant operation of all elevators,
and service lifts covered under this RFB.
* The Bidder shall clean and lubricate all sheave bearings and hoist way ropes in
accordance with industry standards.
* The Bidder shall also repack machine stuffing boxes and refill gear cases as required.
* Bidder shall only use lubricants recommended by the manufacturer or equivalent
approved by the manufacturer for all equipment being serviced.
* Bidders must maintain clean and properly lubricated guide rails, except when roller-
type guides and dry gibs are involved, no rail lubrication will be used.
* Bidder shall supply, as needed, the following parts and supplies: oil, grease, rope
preservative, hydraulic fluid, cleaning compound, wiping cloths, paints, and other
maintenance consumables. All lubricants must be of the grade recommended by the
equipment manufacturer and be stored in a Bidder provided metal cabinet in each
machine room.
* The motor windings shall be periodically treated with proper insulation compound.
* Bidders must renew all wire ropes as necessary to maintain safety; to equalize the
tensions on all hoisting ropes, repair or replace conductor cables and hoist way and
machine room elevator wiring. Any frayed/damaged cables must be replaced
immediately.
* Bidder shall maintain existing two-way visual communication systems and any future
retrofits of such systems.
* Bidder shall immediately notify, in writing, the Facility Administrator or designee of the
existence or the development of any defects in, or repairs required to, the elevators
which the Bidder considers outside the responsibilities of the terms of the Agreement
(ex: vandalism or improper use/operation) and shall furnish photos and a written
estimate of the cost to make necessary repairs.
* The Agency reserves the right to make final determination regarding responsibility for
repairs and associated costs.
2.2.2. Exclusions
* Structural hoist way enclosures
* Cab interior aesthetics (walls/flooring)
* Major force majeure damage (e.g. building flooding)
2.2.3. Compliance with Codes and Safety Regulations: Bidder shall ensure that all maintenance
repairs, adjustments, installation of equipment and procedures are performed in
compliance with all applicable federal, State, and local codes and the State of Iowa Elevator
Code as enforced by the Bureau of Labor.
* The Bidder shall ensure compliance with all applicable codes, including ASME A17.1,
ASME A18.1 (platform lifts), ADA standards, NFPA 70, and all State and local elevator
regulations.
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005-RFB-3085-2026 - Statewide Elevator Services
* Bidder shall be responsible for obtaining all required permits, coordinating and
completing necessary inspections, and providing timely notifications to authorities
having jurisdiction.
* The State or Agency will pay the permit/inspection invoice. The Bidder must coordinate
the labor.
2.2.4. PM Frequency
At a minimum, PMs are to be completed at these intervals:
* Monthly for passenger elevators
* Semi-annually for freight elevators
2.2.5. Testing, Inspections, and Acceptance
Bidder shall perform and document the following:
* Category 1 (CAT 1) and Category 5 (CAT 5) load tests (document pass/fail, weights used)
* Perform door restart and slack-rope tests
* Full safety test after major repairs or modernization
* Emergency communications code compliance
After testing, Bidder shall provide:
* Service log with date/time/technician
* Digital copies of inspection and safety test reports
* Parts replaced with part numbers
* Work order close-out with photos if practical
2.2.6. Annual Safety Test
Per Iowa Code Chapter 89A.6, Bidder shall perform full annual safety tests to include
buffers, governors, brakes, and load tests per ASME A17.1. Signed test reports and
inspection findings shall be provided to the facilities maintenance contact.
2.2.7. Regularly Scheduled Examinations
Bidder shall perform examinations in compliance with Iowa Code Chapter 89A and ASME.
Examinations shall include, but is not limited to, preventative maintenance procedures,
callback service when requested, maintenance of complete records, cleaning and
lubricating, testing, adjusting, repairing, furnishing and replacement of parts including
spares, furnishing all equipment for testing as required by applicable codes.
2.2.8. Non-Emergency Response
Bidder must respond to all non-emergency service requests within four (4) business hours
of notification
* Urgent repair shall include any situation where an elevator is out of service in a manner
that affects building operations.
* Bidder must respond to an urgent repair request with a technician on-site within four
(4) business hours.
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* Bidder must respond to a routine repair request within two (2) business days.
Resolution of routine requests should be targeted within ten (10) business days.
2.2.9. Emergency Response
Bidder shall complete all emergency service work as deemed necessary by the facility
administrator or designee.
* Bidder must respond to emergency service requests within one (1) hour.
* Bidder to provide dedicated 24/7 dispatch phone and escalation list.
Emergencies shall include:
* Elevator entrapment with occupant(s)
* Situations posing major safety hazards
* Fire and/or smoke condition.
2.2.10. Inspections for Elevator Operating Permits
* Bidder shall, pursuant to Iowa Code Chapter 89A Elevators, coordinate all required
annual (and other periodic) inspections and conduct all required tests for all elevators.
* Bidder shall correct all safety order items that are part of this contract, within five (5)
days upon receiving a copy of the safety order unless parts need to be ordered.
* If parts need to be ordered, Bidder shall provide written documentation from the
manufacturer advising the Agency when parts can be expected. Bidder shall promptly
schedule and complete re-inspection once parts are received.
* Bidder shall bear the cost of re-inspection if an elevator fails its initial inspection.
2.2.11. Parts, Materials & Subcontracting
* Bidder shall provide Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) or OEM-equivalent
replacement parts. Non-OEM parts require prior written approval from the State
* Bidder shall maintain common spare parts inventory and an emergency spare parts loan
program for critical components.
* All subcontractors must meet same licensing, insurance, and qualification
requirements.
2.2.12. Part Obsolescence
An elevator component, part, or software package shall be deemed "Obsolete" if, and only
if, the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) has ceased production of the item, there are
no rebuilt or certified aftermarket alternatives available on the open market, and the part
cannot be sourced or safely refurbished through standard industry supply chains.
Components shall not be deemed obsolete simply due to a Bidder's lack of access to
proprietary OEM distribution channels.
* The Bidder bears the sole responsibility to prove a component is obsolete. If a
component fails and the Bidder claims obsolescence, they must submit written
documentation to the agency to include
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Written documentation from the OEM confirming the part is no longer
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manufactured or supported
Proof of documented inquiries to at least (3) independent elevator part suppliers
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or refurbishment houses demonstrating the part is unavailable.
Upon mutual agreement by the State and the Bidder that a component is genuinely
obsolete, one of the following paths will be taken, subject to the State's final approval:
1) Alternative Component Engineering: If a substitute, modern component can be safely
retrofitted or adapted to maintain the elevator's certification and safe operation, the
Bidder shall provide the labor under the standard contract rates. The State will pay only
for the direct material costs of the new alternative component (subject to percentage
discounted from MSRP).
2) Exclusion / Deletion from Contract: If an entire system or major sub-assembly is
obsolete and requires full modernization (e.g., replacing an obsolete controller or valve
card), the specific elevator unit may be deleted from the maintenance contract by the
Agency. The monthly maintenance fee will be reduced proportionately based on the
per-unit pricing in the bid schedule.
3) Formal Modernization: The State, at its sole discretion, may elect to issue a separate
competitive bid solicitation in the event a full modernization is required.
The obsolescence of a single component does not relieve the Bidder of their obligation to
perform routine preventative maintenance on all other non-affected parts of the elevator
asset. The Bidder shall continue to receive the prorated monthly maintenance fee for the
asset until a formal contract deletion or modernization occurs.
2.2.13. Documentation
In accordance with DIAL requirements, the Bidder shall maintain a complete, orderly and
chronological file including drawings, parts lists, and wiring diagrams for each elevator in
each machine room. These files are the property of the State of Iowa and shall not be
removed from premises by Bidder.
Bidder shall provide monthly service reports and annual summary to include the following
details:
* PM completed, repairs made, downtime by unit, parts used, recommendations
* KPIs such as uptime %, # of calls, avg response time, avg time-to-repair
The Bidder shall maintain on-site and cloud-accessible logbooks for each unit.
2.2.14. Liquidated Damages and Performance Remedies
The Bidder acknowledges that failure to meet response times may result in operational
disruptions, increased administrative burdens, safety hazards, and financial harm
to the State of Iowa and its facility occupants. Because the precise financial damage
resulting from such failures is difficult or impossible to calculate with certainty, the parties
agree that the financial deductions detailed below represent a fair and reasonable
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estimation of damages, are not intended as a penalty, and shall be assessed as Liquidated
Damages.
2.2.14.1 Assessments of Remedies: The Lead Agency or participating Facility
Administrator reserves the right to deduct documented Liquidated Damages
directly from the Bidder's monthly invoice for the affected zone. The assessment
of damages shall be applied as follows:
* Failure to Meet Emergency Entrapment Response Time (Section 2.2.9): If a
certified elevator technician fails to arrive physically on-site within one (1)
hour after the Bidder receives the initial dispatch notification of an active
passenger entrapment, the State shall assess liquidated damages of $500.00
for the initial hour of delay. An additional $150.00 may be assessed for each
subsequent thirty (30) minute period when the technician remains absent
from the site until arrival.
* Failure to Meet Urgent Out-of-Service Response Time (Section 2.2.8): If a
technician fails to arrive physically on-site within four (4) business hours of
notification for a unit that is out of service and affecting operations, the State
may assess liquidated damages of $250.00 for each business day that the unit
remains out of service until the technician arrives on site.
* Failure to Correct Code Safety Orders (Section 2.2.10): If the Bidder fails to
correct code safety violations within five (5) business days of receiving a copy
of a State Safety Order (unless delayed due to documented parts availability
rules under Section 2.2.10), the State may assess $100.00 per unit, per
calendar day until the unit is re-inspected and cleared.
* Chronic Equipment Downtime Remedy: If any single elevator asset falls below
an uptime rate of ninety-five percent (95%) in a single calendar month
(calculated against standard operating hours, excluding pre-approved
planned modernizations or force majeure events), the State may deduct
twenty-five percent (25%) of that specific unit's monthly flat maintenance fee
for that month.
2.2.14.2 Waiver of damages: The State, at its sole discretion, may waive the collection of
Liquidated Damages if the Bidder provides contemporaneous, verifiable proof
that the delay or performance failure was caused strictly by a Force Majeure
event, severe weather patterns making travel impossible, or an active facility-side
security lockdown.
2.2.14.3 Assessment of liquidated damages does not relieve the Bidder of its obligation to
meet the applicable response-time requirements or otherwise perform in
accordance with the Contract. Liquidated damages are intended to establish the
State's predetermined damage for the specified failure and are not a substitute
for the Bidder's obligation to perform.
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