City of Ellsworth
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WINTER SALT BID
2025-2026
The City of Ellsworth, Maine is requesting bids for the supply and delivery of approximately 3000 tons of sodium chloride (rock salt) for the 2025/2026 winter plowing season. Interested bidders shall submit bids to the City of Ellsworth in a sealed envelope clearly marked “FY2026 Salt Bid” by 11:00 AM Eastern Time on Friday, August 8, 2025. Mail or deliver to: City of Ellsworth, Attn: City Clerk’s Office, One City Hall Plaza, Ellsworth Maine, 04605. The City reserves the sole right to reject any and all, in part or in whole, any quotes, bids or proposals, with or without reason.
GENERAL CONDITIONS
All bids shall represent a total, all-inclusive, price per ton of sodium chloride delivered to the Ellsworth Public Works Department at 526 Main St, Ellsworth Maine. This contract shall end, without notice, on June 30, 2026.
Due to the unpredictability of the winter season the quantity of sodium chloride requested shall be considered estimated, based on historical usage, and shall only be used for the purpose of bid comparisons, therefore, the selected vendor shall in no way impose a penalty; refuse or delay delivery; or increase the unit price should the City fail to purchase the estimated quantity requested or exceed the estimated quantity requested.
The sodium chloride must meet the specification contained herein and the vendor must be able to meet the requirements for product delivery.
SPECIFICATION FOR SODIUM CHLORIDE (Rock Salt)
Quantity : 3000 TONS
Chemical Requirements:
The rock salt shall conform to a chemical composition of a minimum of 95.0 percent Sodium Chloride with no variations.
Moisture Content:
The moisture content of the sodium chloride at the time of delivery shall be 0.5% or less. Sodium chloride delivered with a moisture content higher than 2.5% will be rejected.
Physical Requirements:
The gradation when tested by means of laboratory sieves shall conform to the following requirements for particle size without any variations:
| Sieve Size | Percentage Passing By Weight |
| 1/2 inch | 100 |
| No. 4 | 20-90 |
| No. 30 | 0-15 |
Treatment:
In order to prevent caking while in storage following a delivery, all sodium chloride shall be uniformly treated with an anti-caking conditioner (YPS or equal). The conditioner shall be applied to the sodium chloride at the rate which when sampled shall have a minimum of 10 parts per million (PPM) and a maximum of (50 PPM), the use of a colored conditioner is preferred.
Hours of Delivery:
Unless otherwise approved, the Ellsworth Public Works Department will receive deliveries between the hours of 6:00 am and 3:15 pm Monday thru Friday, excluding holidays.
Responsiveness:
Requests for deliveries of sodium chloride shall be delivered within 48 hours of the initial request unless otherwise approved by the Director of Public Works or Public Works Foreman.
SPECIFICATIONS FOR DELIVERY OF SODIUM CHLORIDE
Delivery Slips:
Upon the delivery of sodium chloride a delivery slip must be presented and signed for by a member of the Public Works Department. The delivery slip shall consist of a minimum of two sections, one original and one carbon copy or equivalent, one of which will be turned over at the time of delivery. The delivery slip shall clearly show date of delivery; time of delivery; net weight, tare weight and gross weight of that delivery.
Rejected Delivery:
Any delivery of sodium chloride may be rejected for any of the following reasons. The removal of rejected loads will be entirely at the expense of the supplier. Reasons include, but are not limited to:
- Moisture content above 2.5%
- Product contaminated
- Solid clumps in the product, not free flowing
- Not part of a requested delivery
BID SUBMISSION FORM
Unit Price Per Ton Delivered (US Dollars): $____________________
Authorized Signature: _________________________________________ Date: _________________________
Print Name: _________________________________________________ Title: _________________________
Company Name & Address: ____________________________________________________________________
Telephone: _________________________ Email: _________________________________________________
Best Regards,
Mike Harris
