RFP: CUSTOM-BRANDED ALUMINUM WATER BOTTLES & WATER REFILL STATIONS-2026 CN HOLIDAY

The Cherokee Nation is soliciting proposals to supply custom-branded aluminum water bottles and refrigerated water refill stations for the 2026 Cherokee National Holiday, with a mandatory delivery and setup period from August 25 to September 8, 2026, at the Sequoyah Sports Complex in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. The scope includes 630 cases of 16-ounce aluminum water bottles, each containing 24 bottles and featuring custom branding in five or more colors, along with two refrigerated water refill carts, each equipped with a minimum of four spigots and the same branded design. Contractors must provide a truck or trailer to transport and house the equipment on-site, with keys to the locked storage areas given to the Cherokee National Holiday director to allow event staff routine access for restocking. Proposals are due by 5:00 p.m. on June 16, 2026, and must be submitted via email to janice-vaughan@cherokee.org with a specified subject line. Inclusion of Attachment A, the Mandatory Bid Response Sheet, is required, and failure to meet any mandatory specification will result in disqualification. The evaluation is based on a 100-point composite score, with experience in similar projects, references, staff capabilities, and cost accounting for 25%, 25%, 25%, and 15% respectively, while Indian Preference, verified through current certification from the Cherokee Nation Tribal Employment Relations Office, contributes 10%. Awards are contingent upon the appropriation of funds and may be terminated or scaled back if funding is not secured. The contract will be governed by the laws of the United States and, where applicable, the laws of the Cherokee Nation, and will follow the Nation’s standard contract format. Contractors must maintain comprehensive insurance coverage as dictated by Oklahoma statute, including worker’s compensation with limits of $1,000,000 per accident, $1,000,000 policy limit, and $1,000,000 per employee for bodily injury by disease; non-owned auto liability with a combined limit of $1,000,000 for bodily injury and property damage; and general liability coverage sufficient to protect the Cherokee Nation. All subcontractor policies must name the Cherokee Nation as an additional insured for both general and auto liability. Offerors must indemnify the Nation against any loss, cost, damage, claims, expenses, or