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RFP #082025
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
for
Firefighting Apparatus and Fire Service Vehicles
Proposal Due Date: August 20, 2025, 4:30 p.m., Central Time Sourcewell, a State of Minnesota local government unit and service cooperative, is requesting proposals for Firefighting Apparatus and Fire Service Vehicles to result in a procurement solution for use by its Participating Entities. Sourcewell Participating Entities include thousands of governmental, higher education, KͲ12 education, nonprofit, tribal government, and other public agencies located in the United States and Canada. A full copy of the Request for Proposals can be found on the Sourcewell Procurement Portal [https://proportal.sourcewellͲmn.gov]. Only proposals submitted through the Sourcewell Procurement Portal will be considered. Proposals are due no later than August 20, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. Central Time, and late proposals will not be considered.
SOLICITATION SCHEDULE
Public Notice of RFP Published: July 2, 2025
PreͲproposal Conference: July 23, 2025, 10:00 a.m., Central Time Question Submission Deadline: August 12, 2025, 4:30 p.m., Central Time Proposal Due Date: August 20, 2025, 4:30 p.m., Central Time Late responses will not be considered.
Opening: August 20, 2025, 4:30 p.m., Central Time
See RFP Section V.G. “Opening”
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I. ABOUT SOURCEWELL
A. SOURCEWELL
Sourcewell is a State of Minnesota local government unit and service cooperative created under the laws of the State of Minnesota (Minnesota Statutes Section 123A.21) that facilitates a competitive public solicitation and master agreement award process for the benefit of its 50,000+ participating entities across the United States and Canada. Sourcewell’s solicitation process complies with State of Minnesota law and policies, conforms to Canadian trade agreements (including Canadian Free Trade Agreement, OntarioͲQuebec Trade and Cooperation Agreement, and CanadaͲEuropean Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, as applicable), and results in cooperative purchasing solutions from which Sourcewell’s Participating Entities procure equipment, products, and services. Cooperative purchasing provides participating entities and suppliers increased administrative efficiencies and the power of combined purchasing volume that result in overall cost savings. At times, Sourcewell also partners with other purchasing cooperatives to combine the purchasing volume of their membership into a single solicitation and master agreement expanding the reach of awarded suppliers’ potential pool of end users. Sourcewell uses a websiteͲbased platform, the Sourcewell Procurement Portal, through which all proposals to this RFP must be submitted.
B. USE OF RESULTING MASTER AGREEMENTS
In the United States, Sourcewell’s master agreements are available for use by: x Federal and state government entities1;
x Cities, towns, and counties/parishes;
x Education service cooperatives;
x KͲ12 and higher education entities;
x Tribal government entities;
x Some nonprofit entities; and
x Other public entities.
The following entities are listed in this solicitation to satisfy the procurement requirements of Oregon, Utah, and Virginia [Political Subdivision ListͲOregon, Utah, and Virginia].
In Canada, Sourcewell’s master agreements are available for use by current and future members including:
1 Pursuant to HAR §3Ͳ128Ͳ2, the State of Hawaii, Department of Accounting and General Services, State Procurement Office, on behalf of the State of Hawaii and participating jurisdictions, has provided notice of its Intent to Participate in the solicitation as a participating entity.
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x Federal, provincial, and territorial government departments, ministries, agencies, boards, councils, committees, commissions, and similar agencies; x Indigenous selfͲgoverning bodies;
x Regional, local, district, and other forms of municipal government, municipal organizations, school boards, and publicly funded academic, health, and social service entities referred to as MASH sector (this should be construed to include but not be limited to the cities of Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Ottawa, and Winnipeg), as well as any corporation or entity owned or controlled by one or more of the preceding entities; x Crown corporations, government enterprises, and other entities that are owned or controlled by these entities through ownership interest; and x Canoe procurement group of Canada’s current and future members.Canoe members include:
o Federal, provincial and territorial government departments, ministries, agencies, boards, councils, committees, commissions, and similar agencies; o Crown corporations, government enterprises, and other entities that are owned or controlled by these entities through ownership interest; o Indigenous selfͲgoverning bodies;
o Airport authorities;
o Regional, local, district, and other forms of municipal government, municipal organizations, school boards, and publicly funded academic, health, and social service entities referred to as MASH sector (this should be construed to include but not be limited to the cities of Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Ottawa, and Winnipeg), as well as any corporation or entity owned or controlled by one or more of the preceding entities; and
o Canoe procurement group of Canada’s current and future partner associations, including Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, Association of Manitoba Municipalities, Local Authorities Services/Association of Municipalities Ontario, Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities, Federation of Prince Edward Island Municipalities, Municipalities Newfoundland Labrador, Union of New Brunswick Municipalities, Northwest Territories Association of Communities, Association of Yukon Communities, CivicInfo BC, Association and their current and future members.
For a listing of current United States and Canadian Participating Entities visit Sourcewell’s website (note: there is a tab for each country): https://www.sourcewellͲmn.gov/sourcewellͲforͲ vendors/agencyͲlocator.
Participating Entities typically access master agreements for equipment, products, or services through a purchase order issued directly to the awarded supplier. A Participating Entity may request additional terms or conditions related to a purchase. Use of Sourcewell master agreements is voluntary and Participating Entities retain the right to obtain similar equipment, products, or services from other sources.
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To meet Participating Entities’ needs, Sourcewell broadly publishes public notice of all solicitation opportunities, including this RFP. In addition, where applicable, other purchasing cooperatives and procurement officials receive notice and are encouraged to reͲpost the solicitation opportunity.
Proof of publication will be available at the conclusion of the solicitation process.
C. INTERGOVERNMENTAL SUPPORT AGREEMENTS
Pursuant to 10 U.S.C. § 2679, United States Department of Defense authorized installations may access Sourcewell's awarded cooperative purchasing master agreements through an Intergovernmental Support Agreement with Sourcewell. All transactions completed through this Intergovernmental Support program are directly facilitated by Sourcewell and may be subject to additional terms and conditions.
II. SOLICITATION DETAILS
A. SOLUTIONSͲBASED SOLICITATION
This RFP and contract award process is a solutionsͲbased solicitation; meaning that Sourcewell is seeking equipment, products, or services that meet the general requirements of the scope of this RFP and are commonly desired or are required by law or industry standards. B. REQUESTED EQUIPMENT, PRODUCTS, OR SERVICES
It is expected that proposers will offer a wide array of equipment, products, or services at lower prices and with better value than what they would ordinarily offer to a single government entity, school district, or regional cooperative.
1. Sourcewell is seeking proposals for new, remount, or refurbished Firefighting Apparatus and Fire Service Vehicles.ථThis solicitation is seeking solutions that may include complete vehicles, chassis, firefighting specific vehicle components, accessories, and related services. Awards under this solicitation for Firefighting Apparatus and Fire Service Vehicles will be in three (3) categories. Proposers submitting a proposal in Category 1 as defined herein will be submitting in the category that includes Structural Apparatus and Comprehensive Solutions, per 1. a. i – iii. below. Proposers seeking an award in Category 2, offer Specialty Apparatus and Equipment, per 1. b. i – iii. below.
Proposers seeking an award in Category 3, offer Brush and Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Apparatus, per 1. c. i – iii. below. Proposers must choose Category 1 OR Category 2 OR Category 3, NOT multiple Categories.
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a. Category 1: Structural Apparatus and Comprehensive Solutions, including, but not limited to:
i. Pumper trucks, aerial trucks, tanker/tender or water supply trucks, and quints; ii. Equipment, options, accessories, components, and supplies complementary to the offering of the unit types described in i. above; iii. Related services including installation, customization, remounting, refurbishment, inspection, maintenance, repair, training, and support, directly related to the offering in i. – ii. above; and,
iv. Category 1 responders MAY include complementary Specialty Apparatus and Equipment and Brush and Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Apparatus solutions in their response.
b. Category 2: Specialty Apparatus and Equipment, including, but not limited to:
i. Specialty apparatus including but not limited to: aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF), command and communication units, mobile foam units, and custom rescue trailers;
ii. Equipment, options, accessories, components, and supplies complementary to the offering of the unit types described in i. above; iii. Related services including installation, customization, remounting, refurbishment, inspection, maintenance, repair, training, and support, directly related to the offering in i. – ii. above; and,
iv. Category 2 responders MAY include complementary Brush and Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Apparatus solutions in their response. c. Category 3: Brush and Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Apparatus, such as: i. Wildland firefighting apparatus, such as brush trucks and wildland urban interface (WUI) units;
ii. Equipment, options, accessories, components, and supplies complementary to the offering of the unit types described in i. above; iii. Related services including installation, customization, remounting, refurbishment, inspection, maintenance, repair, training, and support, directly related to the offering in i. – ii.; and,
iv. Category 3 responders MAY include complementary Specialty Apparatus and Equipment solutions in their response.
2. The primary focus of this solicitation is Firefighting Apparatus and Fire Service Vehicles with Related Services. This solicitation should NOT be construed to include services/installationͲonly solutions.
3. This solicitation does not include equipment, products, or services covered under categories included in pending or planned Sourcewell solicitations, or in master agreements currently maintained by Sourcewell, identified below: Rev. 6/2024 Sourcewell RFP #082025
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a. Electrical Energy Power Generation with Related Parts, Supplies, and Services (RFP#092222);
b. Trailers with Related Equipment, Accessories, and Services (RFP #092922), with the limited exception of the purposeͲbuilt firefighting or rescue trailers identified in Section 1. above;
c. Ambulance and Emergency Medical Service Vehicles (RFP #122123); d. Firefighting Personal Protective Equipment, Apparel, and Accessories, with Related Cleaning and Maintenance Equipment (RFP #010424);
e. Firefighting Equipment and Rescue Tools with Related Supplies and Accessories (RFP #020124), with the limited exception of the equipment, options, accessories, and supplies Section 1. above;
f. Class 4Ͳ8 Chassis with Related Equipment, Accessories, and Services (RFP #032824), with the limited exception of the purposeͲbuilt chassis identified in 1. above; g. Public Safety Communications Technology and Hardware Solutions (RFP #020625); and,
h. Automobiles, SUVs, Vans, and Light Trucks with Related Equipment and Accessories (RFP #081325).
Generally, the solutions for Participating Entities are turnͲkey solutions, providing a combination of equipment, products and services, delivery, and installation to a properly operating status. However, equipmentͲonly or productsͲonly solutions may be appropriate for situations where Participating Entities possess the ability, either inͲhouse or through local thirdͲ party contractors, to properly install and bring to operation the equipment or products being proposed.
Sourcewell prefers suppliers that provide a sole source of responsibility for the equipment, products, and services provided under a resulting master agreement. If proposer is including the equipment, products, and services of its subsidiary entities, the proposer must also identify all included subsidiaries in its proposal. If proposer requires the use of distributors, dealers, resellers, or subcontractors to provide the equipment, products, or services, the proposal must address how the equipment, products or services will be provided to Participating Entities, and describe the network of distributors, dealers, resellers, and/or subcontractors that will be available to serve Participating Entities under a resulting master agreement. Sourcewell encourages suppliers to offer the broadest possible selection of equipment, products, and services being proposed over the largest possible geographic area and to the largest possible crossͲsection of Sourcewell current and future Participating Entities.
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C. REQUIREMENTS
It is expected that proposers have knowledge of all applicable industry standards, laws, and regulations and possess an ability to market and distribute the equipment, products, or services to Participating Entities.
1. Safety Requirements. All items proposed must comply with current applicable safety or regulatory standards or codes.
2. Deviation from Industry Standard. Deviations from industry standards must be identified with an explanation of how the equipment, products, and services will provide equivalent function, coverage, performance, and/or related services.
3. Delivered and operational. Unless clearly noted in the proposal, equipment and products must be delivered to the Participating Entity as operational.
4. Warranty. All equipment, products, supplies, and services must be covered by a warranty that is the industry standard or better.
D. PROSPECTIVE MASTER AGREEMENT TERM
The term of any resulting master agreement(s) awarded by Sourcewell under this solicitation will be four years. Sourcewell and supplier may agree to up to three additional oneͲyear extensions based on the best interests of Sourcewell and its Participating Entities. Sourcewell retains the right to consider additional extensions beyond seven years as required under exceptional circumstances.
E. ESTIMATED MASTER AGREEMENT VALUE AND USAGE
Based on past volume of similar master agreements, the estimated annual value of all transactions from master agreements resulting from this RFP are anticipated to be USD 250M; therefore, proposers are expected to propose volume pricing. Sourcewell anticipates considerable activity under the master agreement(s) awarded from this RFP; however, sales and sales volume from any resulting master agreement are not guaranteed.
F. MARKETING PLAN
Proposer’s sales force will be the primary source of communication with Participating Entities.
The proposer’s Marketing Plan should demonstrate proposer’s ability to deploy a sales force or dealer network to Participating Entities, as well as proposer’s sales and service capabilities. It is expected that proposer will promote and market any master agreement award.
G. ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
1. Master agreements will be awarded to proposers able to best meet the need of Participating Entities. Proposers should submit their complete line of equipment, products, or services that are applicable to the scope of this RFP. Rev. 6/2024 Sourcewell RFP #082025
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2. A proposer may submit only one proposal. If related, affiliated, or subsidiary entities elect to submit separate proposals, rather than a single parentͲentity proposal, each such proposal must be prepared independently and without cooperation, collaboration, or collusion.
3. If a proposer works with a consultant on its proposal, the consultant (an individual or company) may not assist any other entity with a proposal for this solicitation.
4. Proposers should include all relevant information in its proposal, since Sourcewell cannot consider information that is not included in the proposal. Sourcewell reserves the right to verify proposer’s information and may request clarification from a proposer, including samples of the proposed equipment or products.
5. Depending upon the responses received in a given category, Sourcewell may need to organize responses into subcategories in order to provide the broadest coverage of the requested equipment, products, or services to Participating Entities. Awards may be based on a subcategory.
6. A proposer’s documented negative past performance with Sourcewell or its Participating Entities occurring under a previously awarded Sourcewell master agreement may be considered in the evaluation of a proposal. III. PRICING
A. REQUIREMENTS
All proposed pricing must be:
1. Either LineͲItem Pricing or Percentage Discount from Catalog Pricing, or a combination of these:
a. LineͲitem Pricing is pricing based on each individual product or service. Each line must indicate the proposer’s published “List Price,” as well as the “Master Agreement Price.”
b. Percentage Discountfrom Catalog or Category is based on a percentage discount from a catalog or list price, defined as a published Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for the products or services. Individualized percentage discounts can be applied to any number of defined product groupings. Proposers will be responsible for providing and maintaining current published MSRP with Sourcewell, and this pricing must be included in its proposal and provided throughout the term of any master agreement resulting from this RFP.
2. The proposer’s not to exceed price. A not to exceed price is the highest price for which equipment, products, or services may be billed to a Participating Entity. However, it is permissible for suppliers to sell at a price that is lower than the agreed upon price.
3. Stated in U.S. and Canadian dollars (as applicable).
4. Clearly understandable, complete, and fully describe the total cost of acquisition (e.g., the cost of the proposed equipment, products, and services delivered and operational for its intended purpose in the Participating Entity’s location).
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Proposers should clearly identify any costs that are NOT included in the proposed product or service pricing. This may include items such as installation, set up, mandatory training, or initial inspection. Include identification of any parties that impose such costs and their relationship to the proposer. Additionally, proposers should clearly describe any unique distribution and/or delivery methods or options offered in the proposal.
B. ADMINISTRATIVE FEES
Proposers awarded a master agreement are expected to pay to Sourcewell an administrative fee in exchange for Sourcewell facilitating the resulting master agreements. The administrative fee is normally calculated as a percentage of the totalsalesto Participating Entitiesfor all equipment, products, or services made during a calendar quarter, and is typically one percent (1%) to two percent (2%). In some categories, a flat fee may be an acceptable alternative.
IV. MASTER AGREEMENT
Proposers awarded a master agreement will be required to execute a master agreement with Sourcewell (see attached template). Only those modifications the proposer indicates in its proposal will be available for discussion. Much of the language in the Master Agreement reflects Minnesota legal requirements and cannot be altered. Numerous and/or onerous exceptions that contradict Minnesota law may result in the proposal being disqualified from further review and evaluation.
To identify any exception, or to request any modification, to Sourcewell’s standard master agreement terms, conditions, or specifications, a proposer must submit the proposed exception(s) or requested modification(s) via redline in the Master Agreement Template provided in the “Documents” section of the “Bid Details” page on the Sourcewell Procurement Portal and uploaded as part of its response. Only those exceptions noted at the time of the proposal submission will be considered.
Exceptions must:
1. Clearly identify the affected article and section.
2. Clearly note the requested modification; and as applicable, provide requested alternative language.
Unclear requests will be automatically denied.
Only those exceptions that have been accepted by Sourcewell will be included in the master agreement document provided to the awarded supplier for signature.
If a proposer receives a master agreement award resulting from this solicitation it will have up to 30 days to sign and return the master agreement. After that time, at Sourcewell’s sole discretion, the master agreement award may be revoked.
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V. RFP PROCESS
A. PREͲPROPOSAL CONFERENCE
Sourcewell will hold an optional, nonͲmandatory preͲproposal conference via webcast on the date and time noted in the Solicitation Schedule for this RFP and on the Sourcewell Procurement Portal. The purpose of this conference is to allow potential proposers to ask questions regarding this RFP and Sourcewell’s competitive procurement process. Information about the webcast will be sent to all entities that have registered for this solicitation opportunity through their Sourcewell Procurement Portal Vendor Account. PreͲproposal conference attendance is optional.
B. QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS RFP AND ORAL COMMUNICATION All questions regarding this RFP must be submitted through the Sourcewell Procurement Portal.
The deadline for submission of questions is found in the Solicitation Schedule and on the Sourcewell Procurement Portal. Answers to questions will be issued through an addendum to this RFP. Repetitive questions will be summarized into a single answer and identifying information will be removed from the submitted questions. All questions, whether specific to a proposer or generally related to the RFP, must be submitted using this process. Do not contact individual Sourcewell staff to ask questions or request information as this may disqualify the proposer from responding to this RFP. Sourcewell will not respond to questions submitted after the deadline.
C. ADDENDA
Sourcewell may modify this RFP at any time prior to the proposal due date by issuing an addendum. Addenda issued by Sourcewell become a part of the RFP and will be delivered to potential proposers through the Sourcewell Procurement Portal. Sourcewell accepts no liability in connection with the delivery of any addenda.
Before a proposal will be accepted through the Sourcewell Procurement Portal, all addenda, if any, must be acknowledged by the proposer by checking the box for each addendum. It is the responsibility of the proposer to check for any addenda that may have been issued up to the solicitation due date and time.
If an addendum is issued after a proposer submitted its proposal, the Sourcewell Procurement Portal will WITHDRAW the submission and change the proposer’s proposal status to INCOMPLETE. The proposer can view this status change in the “MY BIDS” section of the Sourcewell Procurement Portal Vendor Account. The proposer is solely responsible to check the “MY BIDS” section of the Sourcewell Procurement Portal Vendor Account periodically after submitting its proposal (and up to the Proposal Due Date). If the proposer’s proposal status has changed to INCOMPLETE, the proposer is solely responsible to:
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1. Make any required adjustments to its proposal;
2. Acknowledge the addenda; and
3. Ensure the reͲsubmitted proposal is received through the Sourcewell Procurement Portal no later than the Proposal Due Date and time shown in the Solicitation Schedule above.
D. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION
Proposer’s complete proposal must be submitted through the Sourcewell Procurement Portal no later than the date and time specified in the Solicitation Schedule. Any other form of proposal submission, whether electronic, paper, or otherwise, will not be considered by Sourcewell. Late proposals will not be considered. It is the proposer’s sole responsibility to ensure that the proposal is received on time.
It is recommended that proposers allow sufficient time to upload the proposal and to resolve any issues that may arise. The time and date that a proposal is received by Sourcewell is solely determined by the Sourcewell Procurement Portal web clock.
In the event of problems with the Sourcewell Procurement Portal, follow the instructions for technical support posted in the portal. It may take up to 24 hours to respond to certain issues. Upon successful submission of a proposal, the Sourcewell Procurement Portal will automatically generate a confirmation email to the proposer. If the proposer does not receive a confirmation email, contact Sourcewell’s support provider at [email protected].
To ensure receipt of the latest information and updates via email regarding this solicitation, or if the proposer has obtained this solicitation document from a third party, the onus is on the proposer to create a Sourcewell Procurement Portal Vendor Account and register for this solicitation opportunity.
Within the Sourcewell Procurement Portal, all proposals must be digitally acknowledged by an authorized representative of the proposer attesting that the information contained in the proposal is true and accurate. By submitting a proposal, proposer warrants that the information provided is true, correct, and reliable for purposes of evaluation for potential master agreement award. The submission of inaccurate, misleading, or false information is grounds for disqualification from a master agreement award and may subject the proposer to remedies available by law.
E. GENERAL PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS
Proposals must be:
1. In substantial compliance with the requirements of this RFP or it will be considered nonresponsive and be rejected.
2. Complete. A proposal will be rejected if it is conditional or incomplete.
3. Submitted in English.
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4. Valid and irrevocable for 150 days following the Proposal Due Date.
Any and all costs incurred in responding to this RFP will be borne by the proposer. F. PROPOSAL WITHDRAWAL
Prior to the proposal deadline, a proposer may withdraw its proposal. G. OPENING
The Opening of proposals will be conducted in the Sourcewell Procurement Portal immediately following the proposal due date and time. To view the list of proposers resulting from the opening, verify that the Sourcewell Procurement Portal opportunities list search is set to “All” or “Closed.”
Members of the public may attend the Opening at Sourcewell’s office located at 202 12th Street NE, Staples, MN to hear the results.
VI. EVALUATION AND AWARD
A. EVALUATION
It is the intent of Sourcewell to award one or more master agreements to responsive and responsible proposers offering the best overall quality, selection of equipment, products, and services, and price that meet the commonly requested specifications of Sourcewell and its Participating Entities. The award(s) will be limited to the number of proposers that Sourcewell determines is necessary to meet the needs of its Participating Entities.
Factors to be considered in determining the number of master agreements to be awarded in any category may include the following:
1. Total evaluation scores(giving consideration to natural breaksin the scoring of responsive proposals);
2. The number and geographic location of highestͲscoring proposers that offer:
a. A comprehensive selection of the requested equipment, products, or services; b. A sales and service network ensuring availability and coverage for Participating Entities’ use; and
c. Other attributes of the proposer or contents of its proposal that assist Participating Entities in achieving environmental and social requirements, and goals.
Information submitted as part of a proposal should be as specific as possible when responding to the RFP. Do not assume Sourcewell has any knowledge about a specific supplier or product.
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B. AWARD(S)
Award(s) will be made to the highestͲscoring proposer(s) whose proposal conforms to all conditions and requirements of the RFP, and consistent with the award criteria defined in this RFP.
Sourcewell may request written clarification of a proposal at any time during the evaluation process.
Proposal evaluation will be based on the following scoring criteria and the Sourcewell Evaluator Scoring Guide (a copy is available in the Sourcewell Procurement Portal):
Conformance to RFP Requirements Pass/Fail
Financial Viability and Marketplace Success 50
Ability to Sell and Deliver Solutions 150
Marketing Plan 100
Value Added Attributes 100
Depth and Breadth of Offered Solutions 200
Pricing 400
TOTAL POINTS 1000
C. PROTESTS OF AWARDS
Any protest made under this RFP by a proposer must be in writing, addressed to Sourcewell’s Executive Director, and delivered to the Sourcewell office located at 202 12th Street NE, P.O.
Box 219, Staples, MN 56479. All documents that comprise the complete protest package must be received, and time stamped at the Sourcewell office by 4:30 p.m., Central Time, no later than 10 calendar days following Sourcewell’s notice of master agreement award(s) or nonͲ award. A protest must allege a procedural, technical, or legal defect, with supporting documentation. A protest that merely requests a reͲevaluation of a proposal’s content will not be entertained.
A protest must include the following items:
x The name, address, and telephone number of the protester; x Identification of the solicitation by RFP number;
x A precise statement of the relevant facts;
x Identification of the alleged procedural, technical, or legal defect; x Analysis of the basis for the protest;
x Any additional supporting documentation;
x The original signature of the protester or its representative; and x Protest bond in the amount of $20,000 (except where prohibited by law or treaty). Protests that do not address these elements will not be reviewed.
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D. RIGHTS RESERVED
This RFP does not commit Sourcewell to award any master agreement, and a proposal may be rejected if it is nonresponsive, conditional, incomplete, conflicting, or misleading. Proposals that contain false statements or do not support an attribute or condition stated by the proposer may be rejected.
Sourcewell reserves the right to:
x Modify or cancel this RFP at any time;
x Reject any and all proposals received;
x Reject proposals that do not comply with the provisions of this RFP; x Select, for master agreements or for discussion, a proposal other than that with the lowest cost;
x Independently verify any information provided in a proposal; x Disqualify any proposer that does not meet the requirements of this RFP, is debarred or suspended by the United States or Canada, State of Minnesota, Participating Entity’s state or province; has an officer, or other key personnel, who have been charged with a serious crime; or is bankrupt, insolvent, or where bankruptcy or insolvency are a reasonable prospect;
x Waive or modify any informalities, irregularities, or inconsistencies in the proposals received;
x Clarify any part of a proposal and discuss any aspect of the proposal with any proposer; and negotiate with more than one proposer;
x Award a master agreement if only one responsive proposal is received if it is in the best interest of Participating Entities; and
x Award a master agreement to one or more proposers if it is in the best interest of Participating Entities.
E. DISPOSITION OF PROPOSALS
All materials submitted in response to this RFP will become property of Sourcewell and will become public record in accordance with Minnesota Statutes Chapter 13, after negotiations are complete, including pricing and financial data. Sourcewell considers negotiations complete upon execution of a resulting master agreement. Proposers are explicitly cautioned not to submit any data that they consider to be confidential, proprietary, or trade secret, as such data will not be treated as confidential and will be subject to public disclosure in accordance with Minnesota law.
7/02/2025
Addendum No. 1
Solicitation Number: RFP 082025
Solicitation Name: Firefighting Apparatus and Fire Service Vehicles Consider the following Question(s) and Answer(s) to be part of the above‐titled solicitation documents. The remainder of the documents remain unchanged.
Question 1:
Do we have to start submission in order to see the documents that need to be completed or is there a different way?
Answer 1:
On the Sourcewell Procurement Portal login page, under the heading “Resource Materials”, follow the link “Submit Response Guide”.
End of Addendum
Acknowledgement of this Addendum to RFP 082025 posted to the Sourcewell Procurement Portal on 7/02/2025, is required at the time of proposal submittal.
7/03/2025
Addendum No. 2
Solicitation Number: RFP 082025
Solicitation Name: Firefighting Apparatus and Fire Service Vehicles Consider the following Question(s) and Answer(s) to be part of the above‐titled solicitation documents. The remainder of the documents remain unchanged.
Question 1:
Is this RFP a continuation or renewal of RFP 113021, which is set to expire in February 2026? If so, are there any significant differences between the two RFPs? Answer 1:
Each solicitation is unique and stands alone. The published RFP articulates the requested equipment, products and services. The previous RFP is available at Search Sourcewell Awarded Contracts & Vendors | Sourcewell.
End of Addendum
Acknowledgement of this Addendum to RFP 082025 posted to the Sourcewell Procurement Portal on 7/03/2025, is required at the time of proposal submittal. 7/23/2025
Addendum No. 3
Solicitation Number: RFP 082025
Solicitation Name: Firefighting Apparatus and Fire Service Vehicles Consider the following Question(s) and Answer(s) to be part of the above-titled solicitation documents. The remainder of the documents remain unchanged.
Question 1:
Can you confirm that any financial documents and disclosures provided are 100% confidential and the data will be adequately protected? Answer 1:
Refer to the RFP document Section I. E. DISPOSITION OF PROPOSALS for additional instruction. All materials submitted in response to this RFP will become property of Sourcewell and will become public record in accordance with Minnesota Statutes Chapter 13, after negotiations are complete, including pricing and financial data.
Question 2:
Our company offers helicopter firefighting with extensive night flight, tanking and bucketing experience. We are interested in offering our services to this RFP. We would like to confirm that these services would fit into Category #2 - Specialty Apparatus and Equipment, as our solutions would include pilots, aircraft mechanics and fuelers with the 'apparatus'.
Answer 2:
The Sourcewell RFP is an open and competitive solicitation process, and each RFP is an opportunity independent of any other prior, current, or future RFP. Each proposer, in its discretion, will propose the equipment, products, and services that it deems to fall within Sourcewell’s requested equipment, products, and services as described in the RFP. Only those products within the scope of the RFP will be included in any contract awarded by Sourcewell as a result of the solicitation and each Proposal will be evaluated based on the criteria stated in the RFP.
Question 3:
Could you please provide any available estimates or historical data on the expected quantity or volume for each of the three categories?
Answer 3:
The estimated value of all resultant contracts provided in Section II. E. of the RFP is based on past volumes of similar Sourcewell contracts. It is an estimate only, and no sales or sales volume are guaranteed. There is no separate estimate of Canadian volume or estimates by vertical or category.
Question 4:
Are you considering the FRI conference the week of August 12th, with the deadline for submission?
Answer 4:
The Sourcewell Procurement Portal is available 24/7 and allows multiple personnel to work on the same proposal, at the same time, just not the same table.
Question 5:
When does the 150 day irrevocable period start?
Answer 5:
The 150-day irrevocable period begins at the close of the open solicitation.
Question 6:
Prices in this current climate are heavily affected by government trade policies and geopolitics and are generally reviewed and adjusted quarterly. We will be submitting current list base prices on August 20th. Should we be awarded a Contract after 120 days of evaluation, effective Feb 1st of 2026, will we be able to submit the appropriate paperwork to bring our prices up to current list base price at that time? Answer 6:
Yes. Refer to the Master Agreement, Article 2, 2) Product and Price Changes Requirements.
Question 7:
Under the Addenda, Terms and Conditions section, there is a Yes / No radio button line.
Is the yes / no related to the sentence above saying yes or no that there is a conflict of interest OR is it for the section below asking if the Bidder agrees to the listed addendums?
Answer 7:
The yes / no radio buttons refer to the statement “The Proposer declares that there is an actual or potential Conflict of Interest relating to the preparation of its submission, and/or the Proposer foresees an actual or potential Conflict of Interest in performing the obligations contemplated in the solicitation proposal.” End of Addendum
Acknowledgement of this Addendum to RFP 082025 posted to the Sourcewell Procurement Portal on 7/23/2025, is required at the time of proposal submittal.
7/25/2025
Addendum No. 4
Solicitation Number: RFP 082025
Solicitation Name: Firefighting Apparatus and Fire Service Vehicles Consider the following Question(s) and Answer(s) to be part of the above-titled solicitation documents. The remainder of the documents remain unchanged.
Question 1:
Table 1, Line item 3 -- please clarify when asking for all subsidiaries, authorized affiliates responsible for offering and delivering solutions in this proposal. The question asks for entities that offer the Solutions but then later states will execute a master agreement. If there are divisions within the company and authorized dealers that offer and deliver Solutions in proposal, we can list, however, there will not be a separate master agreement with those divisions. Please clarify no separate master agreement is needed.
Answer 1:
Refer to “Master Agreement, Article 2: Sourcewell and Supplier Obligations” for clarification. No separate master agreements are needed.
Question 2:
Table 1, Line Item 6 - question on proposer's physical addresses. What are these addresses used for? Do we need to note addresses for company divisions? Are these noted on Sourcewell landing page for customer reference? Answer 2:
These addresses are not noted on the Sourcewell awarded vendor landing page. It is for Sourcewell internal information during the contracting phase. Table 1 information is not scored.
Question 3:
Table 1, Line Item 10 - Proposer's other contacts. Are these to be used for contacts on the Sourcewell landing page, for potential customer quote requests? If so, will we need to list contacts for company divisions (example for other Categories like ARFF trucks)? Answer 3:
Other contacts are generally used on the Sourcewell awarded vendor landing page or for questions during the signing of the contract with Sourcewell. One or two additional names are all that are necessary.
End of Addendum
Acknowledgement of this Addendum to RFP 082025 posted to the Sourcewell Procurement Portal on 7/25/2025, is required at the time of proposal submittal.
7/31/2025
Addendum No. 5
Solicitation Number: RFP 082025
Solicitation Name: Firefighting Apparatus and Fire Service Vehicles Consider the following Question(s) and Answer(s) to be part of the above-titled solicitation documents. The remainder of the documents remain unchanged.
Question 1:
What is the renewal cycle for this RFP?
Answer 1:
Refer to the Master Agreement Article 1: General Terms, 5) Term for the answer.
Question 2:
Can you give us clarity on the marketing Plan Section? What documents should we provide?
Answer 2:
In the competitive process, Sourcewell will not advise a proposer on the content of the proposal. So, it is left to the discretion of each proposer to determine the information necessary to best demonstrate their ability to serve Sourcewell clients and that they are willing to include. The solicitation is a competitive process, and proposals are evaluated on the content submitted.
End of Addendum
Acknowledgement of this Addendum to RFP 082025 posted to the Sourcewell Procurement Portal on 7/31/2025, is required at the time of proposal submittal. 8/04/2025
Addendum No. 6
Solicitation Number: RFP 082025
Solicitation Name: Firefighting Apparatus and Fire Service Vehicles Consider the following Question(s) and Answer(s) to be part of the above-titled solicitation documents. The remainder of the documents remain unchanged.
Question 1:
What is the preferred format for the specification submission? Is it a standard bid layout (proposal) in a word document type format? Spreadsheet with line items? I want to make sure that the submission is in the proper format. Thank you, Answer 1:
All proposals must be submitted through the Sourcewell Procurement Portal. Guidance on preparing a response in the Portal can be found in the:
1. “Submit Response Guide” on the “Bids Homepage” in the Resource Materials section.
2. RFP document section D. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION and section E. GENERAL
PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS
3. Pre-Proposal Conference pdf of the PowerPoint or link to the video recording.
End of Addendum
Acknowledgement of this Addendum to RFP 082025 posted to the Sourcewell Procurement Portal on 8/04/2025, is required at the time of proposal submittal.
8/06/2025
Addendum No. 7
Solicitation Number: RFP 082025
Solicitation Name: Firefighting Apparatus and Fire Service Vehicles Consider the following Question(s) and Answer(s) to be part of the above-titled solicitation documents. The remainder of the documents remain unchanged.
Question 1:
Line Item 73 - The Pricing Offered in this Proposal drop down questions are cut off, and hard to read. Can you please provide the drop down list of options to provide more clarity in what the responses are to choose from?
Answer 1:
The Line Item 73 drop down list choices are:
The pricing offered is as good as or better than pricing typically offered through existing cooperative contracts, state contracts, or agencies.
The pricing offered is consistent with standard market pricing typically offered to individual municipalities, universities, or school districts.
The pricing offered does not fit the categories above. Please specify the basis for the pricing offered, including any unique circumstances or justifications that apply.
Question 2:
Clarification required for Section 7B - Line item 81. Line 81 references the offering of unit type in line 77 above, however line 77 references detail warranties. Should it reference line 74 where you provide a detailed description of all the solutions offered? Answer 2:
In the Portal, Table 7B:
Line item 81, should read “Equipment, options, accessories, components, and supplies complementary to the offering of the unit types described in 80 above” Line Item 82 should read “Related services including installation, customization, remounting, refurbishment, inspection, maintenance, repair, training, and support, directly related to the offering in 80 – 81 above”
In the Portal, Table 7C:
Line item 85, should read “Equipment, options, accessories, components, and supplies complementary to the offering of the unit types described in 84 above” Line Item 86 should read “Related services including installation, customization, remounting, refurbishment, inspection, maintenance, repair, training, and support, directly related to the offering in 84 - 85 above”
In the Portal, Table 7D:
Line item 89, should read “Equipment, options, accessories, components, and supplies complementary to the offering of the unit types described in 88 above” Line Item 90 should read “Related services including installation, customization, remounting, refurbishment, inspection, maintenance, repair, training, and support, directly related to the offering in 88 - 89 above”
End of Addendum
Acknowledgement of this Addendum to RFP 082025 posted to the Sourcewell Procurement Portal on 8/06/2025, is required at the time of proposal submittal.