Sole Source Request for Heil Refuse Truck body repairs

The City of Fort Myers intends to award a sole source contract to SUNBELT HYDRAULICS & EQUIPMENT for the service and repair of Heil heavy-duty refuse truck bodies, citing Florida State Statute 287.057(3)(c) as the legal authority for this non-competitive procurement. The contract scope encompasses the maintenance, repair, and warranty work on Heil refuse bodies within a defined 14-county territory in Florida, including Lee County where the City is located. SUNBELT HYDRAULICS & EQUIPMENT, as the sole authorized dealer for Heil Environmental products in this region, holds exclusive rights to provide these OEM parts and services, which form the basis for the sole source designation. The procurement is managed as a "NO VALUE Procurement" without competitive bidding or pricing details disclosed, emphasizing adherence to Heil's proprietary distribution model and warranty service standards. The City issued a public notice on September 15, 2025, inviting other capable vendors to submit qualifications by September 29, 2025; however, responses will serve only to assess whether competitive procurement is warranted. This contract lacks specifics on contract type, pricing, period of performance, and formal evaluation factors typical of federal procurements, as it falls under a state statute allowing sole source procurement based on vendor exclusivity. There are no federal clauses or compliance requirements included. Inspection and acceptance responsibilities lie primarily with the contractor under Heil’s OEM standards, with the City overseeing acceptance at its facilities. Contract administration roles are minimally defined, with only the Purchasing Agent and a point of contact listed but no designated Contracting Officer or COR. The contract also references cooperative procurement through a Sourcewell agreement but contains no details on delivery terms or invoicing methods. Overall, the arrangement reflects a legally justified, exclusive OEM service relationship tailored to maintain the operational readiness of the City’s refuse fleet without engaging in typical competitive practices.