Suppliers for Industrial and Research Grade Compressed Gas and Liquid Containers

Iowa State University of Science and Technology (ISU) is soliciting bids on behalf of the Chemistry Stores for suppliers of industrial, high purity, and medical grade compressed gases, specialty gas mixtures, and liquid gas cylinders.

ISU Chemistry Stores is currently located in Gilman Hall on central campus and is the central receiving, distribution, and return point for all gas cannisters used on the ISU campus.

Chemistry Stores currently owns around 2000 of their own industrial grade gas cylinders. In total, these cylinders are turned around and refilled approximately 3000 per year.  A supplier is needed to collect, refill, and return these industrial cylinders back to the central location on a regular basis.

Suppliers are also needed to provide high purity gases, specialty mixture gases, and cryogenic liquids on an as-needed basis in supplier-owned cylinders.  Chemistry Stores coordinates specialty orders with suppliers, distributes to campus users, and brings the empty cans back to the central location for supplier pick up.

Currently, Chemistry Stores uses a barcode-based tagging and tracking system to identify both ISU-owned and supplier-owned cylinders and track cylinder movement dates.  It is desired that contracted suppliers also have some automated cylinder tracking procedures in place to support cylinder management.

Chemistry Stores also desires to place, track, and pay for orders through an e-procurement portal. ISU currently uses an e-procurement supplier marketplace called CyBuy.  Primary suppliers will be expected to either participate in the Cybuy marketplace or provide an alternative method of online ordering and payment.

As a result of the RFP, ISU intends to award a Primary Contract to a supplier who best meets both their industrial and specialty gas needs and Secondary Contracts to additional suppliers to be used on an as-needed basis. Primary and Secondary Contracts length will all be for 5 years with options for two (2) additional 1-year renewals.  The estimated contract spend for the Primary Contract is between $150,000 - $200,000 per year.

Suppliers should read all materials carefully and note the due date.