INVITATION FOR BID
IFB #005-46
For the provision of:
Emergency Back-Up Generator Maintenance Annual Contract
Hall County, Georgia, Board of Commissioners (herein “County”), is seeking qualified vendors on to provide Emergency Back-Up Generator Maintenance (herein “Services”) on an as needed basis at various Hall County locations with a guaranteed price for a 12-month period. The County seeks to award one (1) vendor to perform all the services.
Schedule of Events:
Date IFB Issued: April 23, 2025
Bidders’ Questions Due: May 5, 2025
Bid Due Date: May 15, 2025
Bidding Process: Hall County is now accepting sealed bids for the provision of Services in the County’s Purchasing Division, located on the fourth (4th) floor of the Hall County Government Center, 2875 Browns Bridge Road, Gainesville, GA 30504, until 2:00 p.m., EST on Thursday, May 15, 2025.
Bidders must submit three (3) copies of their bid along with all completed mandatory documents, signed affidavits in hardcopy and also include one (1) USB Flash Drive with all documents.
Public Reading: Bid openings are open to the public and Bidders. Bidders are not required to attend bid openings but may do so. The Issuing Officer named herein will open and publicly read all Bidders’ company names and cost proposals on the date, time, and at the address above.
Addenda: If needed and in the best interest of the County, the Purchasing Division may make an extension of the bidding period by a formal written addendum and publicly posted on the County website. All addenda must be signed by the Bidder and returned with the bid packet.
Proposal Documents: Bidders may download bid submittal documents via the County’s website at
https://www.hallcounty.org/Bids.aspx
then scroll down and choose IFB #005-46, Emergency Back-Up Generator Maintenance. All bid documents are available for download at the bottom of the webpage.
General Qualifications: Bidders must be in the regular business of providing similar services, be licensed, insured, and bonded to perform services in the State of Georgia.
Bid Retention: Bidders may not withdraw their bid after the bid opening. Bids must be valid for one hundred twenty (120) calendar days. The County reserves the right to retain all bids submitted and use any idea(s) in a bid regardless of award. The County shall have the right to waive any informality or irregularity of immaterial deviation in any bid received. All forms and documents entitled “Mandatory” must be completed and returned with the bid. Please sign Exhibit B – Contract for Services.
Award Process: The County reserves the option to reject any or all bids, in whole or part, or to select any Bidder, without liability on part of the County to the Bidder to complete the described work. The County will award the contract to one (1) company to perform all work to the lowest cost, responsible and responsive bidder. Lead times and length of time to complete the services may also be a factor in award. The Bidder expressly understands that the County may reject bids for any reason.
Non-Collusion Clause: Bidders must have no contact of any nature with any other bidders, County staff members, its elected officials, nor Commissioners, during the evaluation process. The County will deem such as collusion and thus render the submission in violation of the Official Code of Hall County and thus the County may render the proposal as non-responsive and not evaluate the proposal for an award.
1.0
SCOPE OF WORK
General: To provide emergency back-up generator maintenance service with a guaranteed bid price for a 12-month period. This contract will begin upon contract execution and be in effect until June 30, 2026. The successful bidder may be allowed four (4) annual one (1) year renewals of this contract all upon the same terms and conditions.
Specifications: The following minimum specifications shall apply to the requested services:
A well-planned program of preventative maintenance and service should be integral to the design of an on-site power system. Failure of a standby generator set to start and run could lead to loss of life, personal injury, property damage, and loss of revenues. Failure to start and run due to low battery charge because of improper maintenance is the most common type of failure. A comprehensive program carried out on a scheduled basis by qualified persons can prevent such failures and their possible consequences.
The maintenance schedule for prime power sets should be the basis of running time, as published by the manufacturer. Since standby sets run infrequently, the maintenance schedule should follow the manufacturer’s instructions and include the following:
QUARTERLY CHECKS:
1. Check engine oil and fuel levels and fuel supply system. Check for oil and fuel leaks.
a.
Change engine oil and fuel filters during semi-annual check. Technician must write date
of filter installation on filters with indelible marker.
b.
Drain sediment from fuel tanks, check flexible fuel hoses for cuts and abrasions and
check the governor linkage semi-annually.
c.
Clean or replace the crankcase breather filter(s) semi-annually.
d.
Change the filter(s) in the coolant conditioner circuit semi-annually
2. Check operation of the engine coolant heater(s). If the block is not warm, the heaters
are not working and the engine might not start.
3.
Check for radiator restrictions, coolant leaks, deteriorated hoses, loose and deteriorated
drive belts, non-functioning motorized louvers, and proper concentration of engine coolant
additives.
4.
Check to see that the switchgear is in the Automatic position and the generator circuit
breaker, if used, is closed.On a semi-annual basis, simulate a utility power outage to test the ability of the set to start and assume the rated load. Check the operation of the automatic transfer switches, related switchgear and controls, and all other components in the standby power system.
5.
Check all meters and gauges for fault indications and perform lamp test.
6.
Check the battery charging system and battery electrolyte levels and terminals. Recharge
the batteries if specific gravity is less than 1.260.
7.
Check for air cleaner restrictions. Check for holes, leaks, and loose connections in the air
cleaner system.
8.
Exercise the generator set by starting and running for at least one hour under not less than
30% rated load. Lower load levels are acceptable if the exhaust gas temperature reaches
a level sufficient to prevent engine damage. Check for unusual vibrations, noises, and
exhaust, coolant, and fuel leaks while the set is running. The operator will record and initial
the data on the following:
a. Voltage
b. Amps
c. Frequency
d. Water temperature
e. Oil pressure
f. Unit hours
g. Date and time
9.
Clean up accumulations of grease, oil, and dirt on the generator set.
ANNUAL CHECKS:
In addition to the activities outlined in the Quarterly Checks, the following maintenance and
service activities should occur annually:
1.
Check the fan hub, pulleys, and water pump.
2. Clean the day tank breather.
3. Check the torque and exhaust manifold and turbocharger fasteners.
4. Tighten the generator set mounting hardware.
5. Clean the generator power output and control boxes. Check for and tighten all loose wiring connectors. Measure and record generator winding insulation resistances. Check the operation of the generator heater strips and grease the bearings.
6. Check the operation of the main generator circuit breaker (if used) by manually operating it. Test the trip unit according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
7. If the set is normally exercised at no-load or carries only light loads, run the generator set for at least three hours, including one hour at near rated load.
8. Conduct generator insulation tests annually throughout the life of the generator set. Initial tests done before final load connections are made will serve as benchmarks for annual tests. These tests are mandatory for generator sets rated above 600 VAC. Review ANSI/IEEE Standard 43, Recommended Practice for Testing Insulation Resistance of Rotating Machinery.
EMERGENCY GENERATOR EQUIPMENT SAFETY GUIDELINES:
Always exercise caution and observe safety rules when working around emergency generator equipment. Equipment may start automatically without warning unless properly disabled. Hazards such as rotating parts, superheated and/or pressurized fluids, high noise levels, and energized parts may cause severe injury or death if proper precautions are not exercised. Read and understand the equipment operator’s manual.
1. Always disable equipment before beginning maintenance.to prevent accidental starting
that could lead to serious injuries.
2.
Always ensure availability and use of basic safety equipment when operating or
maintaining equipment.
a. Goggles or face shield should be used during battery maintenance.
b. Hearing protection (ear plugs or muffs) should be worn around running units.
c. Baking soda or 20% baking soda/water solution to neutralize battery acid.
3. Do not smoke around generator equipment.
2.0 SUBMISSION OF BIDS
2.1
Complete and include all the mandatory exhibit documents shown below in 2.3. Failure to include any of the mandatory documents listed may result in disqualification. All responses must be in writing.
2.2
Bidders must submit their response in a sealed envelope clearly marked with “IFB #005-46, “Emergency Back-Up Power Generator Maintenance Annual Contract” on the outside. The submittal must be signed. Faxed or emailed bids will not be accepted.
2.3
Follow these instructions carefully. Complete and return the following mandatory documents in your bid envelope.
Exhibit A – Mandatory Bid Response Sheet
Exhibit B – Mandatory Contract for Services
Exhibit C – Mandatory Cost Proposal Worksheet
Exhibit D – Mandatory W-9 Form
Exhibit E – Mandatory E-Verify Affidavit
Exhibit F – Mandatory Ethics Affidavit
Copy of Business License
Certificate of Insurance
2.4 Bidders are responsible to review and comply with any Addenda regarding this IFB that will be posted on the County website. Bidders must sign as acknowledged and return all addenda with the bid package response.
2.5 All bids must be sealed.
2.6 If a Bid Bond is required then it must be included in the bid response.
2.7 Any alternate options of additional services or deductions thereof may be included in the response; however, bidders must complete the cost worksheet as provided and enclose in the bid response.
2.8 Bids openings are open to the public. Bidders may attend, but they are not required to do so.
2.9 All bids, supporting materials, and correspondence relating to this IFB become property of the County.
2.10 Bidder bears all responsibility for expenses incurred in responding to this IFB.
2.11 Delivery. Bidders must submit bids to the following address by the deadline date and time. All deliveries must be dated and time stamped. The County is not responsible for late bids due to mailing delays.
Julie Dorough
Issuing Officer
Hall County Government Center
Purchasing Division – 4th Floor
2875 Browns Bridge Road
Gainesville, Georgia 30504
NOTICE: Bidders are responsible for delivering their bids to the Purchasing Division on the 4th floor of the Hall County Government Center before 2:00pm on the due date provided. All bids must be time stamped by the receptionist on the 4th floor.
