Compaction Testing of Synthetic Turf Fields, Term Agreement

Baltimore County, Maryland - Purchasing and Disbursements has issued request for bid, solicitation B-10000555.

Baltimore County, Maryland, Division of Procurement Services is seeking Bids for Compaction Testing of Synthetic Turf Fields, Term Agreement. Bids are to be submitted through the Procurement Portal at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/baltimorecountymd, no later than 3:00 PM on October 28, 2026. Amendments to solicitations often occur prior to bid opening and sometimes within as little as 48 hours prior to bid opening. It is the potential bidder's responsibility to frequently visit the Procurement Portal at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/baltimorecountymd to obtain amendments and any other solicitation information.

Baltimore County has multi-purpose synthetic turf sports fields at various locations throughout the County. The fields are designed with a pad and/or rubber infill to absorb the shock of someone's fall. The shock absorbency of a field is tested by what is referred to as a GMAX or shock absorbency test. GMAX tests involve using a specialized piece of equipment that includes a 20 lb. hammer that is dropped from a height of two (2) feet. An accelerometer is embedded in the hammer that measures the rate that the hammer decelerates as it hits the surface. The faster this hammer comes to a stop, the harder the field. The deceleration is measured in units called gravities, thus the term GMAX. The test simulates the impact of a head on the field surface. A newer type of test called HIC test stands for Head Injury Criterion. Similarly to the GMAX test, it measures the collision force to the surface. However, this test is designed to mimic the shape of a head in order to better gauge the likelihood of head injury. The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) has set standards for the testing and safety of synthetic fields. According to ASTM F1936-19, the GMAX results on a field should be no more than 200G.

Responses are due October 28, 2026 at 3:00 PM EDT.

Questions must be submitted by October 19, 2026 at 12:00 PM EDT.

A non-mandatory pre-proposal conference is scheduled for October 6, 2026 at 11:00 AM EDT at WebEx.

Commodity categories: Sprinkler Systems and Parts, Lawn and Turf; Turf, Artificial, Indoor and Outdoor; Turf Blankets, Seeded (Including Recycled); Turf Blankets, Non-Seeded (Including Recycled); Athletic Field Compositions (Baseball Infields, etc.); Athletic Field Artificial Turf Groomers and Equipment; Athletic Field Maintenance.

Contact: Diana Stromberg, Account Clerk III (dstromberg@baltimorecountymd.gov, (410) 887-5347).

The full solicitation document, addenda and the question-and-answer thread are on the agency's OpenGov portal at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/baltimorecountymd/projects/288264. Responses are submitted electronically there, and a free vendor account is required before you can upload one.