NAICS compare: Facilities/security vs construction/materials vs medical device service (what to bid, what to pass)

Executive takeaway

This opportunity set spans four very different buying motions: (1) short-duration unarmed guard services for multiple Maryland DSS locations, (2) municipal horizontal construction (courts; curb & sidewalk on-call), (3) commodity supply (methanol; rebar), and (4) a programmatic service for AED maintenance. Treat these as separate pipelines—each will map to different NAICS families, past performance, insurance, and delivery/response models.

What the buyer is trying to do

Maryland Department of Human Services: Unarmed Security Guards (3-month term)

The buyer needs unarmed guard services for Harford County DSS across three locations. The posting indicates a short contract period (3 months) with bid forms and exhibits provided as attachments.

Town of Plymouth: Post-tensioned concrete tennis/pickleball courts

The town is seeking bids to build new post-tensioned concrete tennis/pickleball courts at two parks/playgrounds. The IFB is hosted on the town’s bid page.

Town of Needham: Curb & Sidewalk A La Carte

The town is issuing an IFB for curb and sidewalk work (described as “A La Carte”), with documents available in-person or on the town bid page.

Natural Resources: Rebar for MMSF Shelter

The agency is buying rebar as a material input for a shelterhouse project at Morgan Monroe State Forest. The snippet emphasizes submission rules (email/fax/mail), question deadline, and that quoted prices must remain valid for 30 days after the due date.

Massachusetts State Police: Methanol

The buyer is seeking bidders for the purchase and delivery of methanol per attached specifications, with a requirement that the awarded bidder(s) remove empty containers.

Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs: AED Maintenance and Service Program

The buyer is soliciting an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) maintenance and service program (RFR ticket reference provided). Details appear to be in the attachment package.

What work is implied (bullets)

• Unarmed guard services (MD)
  • Staffing and scheduling coverage for three identified DSS addresses (verify staffing model in attachments).
  • Compliance with the buyer’s small procurement solicitation model and exhibits (review and align forms).
  • Pricing for a three-month performance window (confirm exact start/end in attachments).
• Post-tensioned concrete courts (Plymouth, MA)
  • Site construction to deliver new post-tensioned concrete courts at two locations (scope and quantities on the town bid page).
  • Typical construction submittals (schedule, means/methods, materials) depending on IFB documents.
• Curb & sidewalk a la carte (Needham, MA)
  • On-call or unit-price style curb/sidewalk repairs or installations (confirm pricing format and term in IFB).
• Rebar supply (IN DNR)
  • Provide rebar per the downloadable bid documents (sizes/grades/quantities verify in attachments).
  • Submit a complete bid package by the due date/time via email/fax/mail (no electronic portal submission per snippet).
  • Hold pricing valid for 30 calendar days after response due date.
• Methanol supply & delivery (MA State Police)
  • Deliver methanol per RFR specifications (confirm packaging, delivery locations, and frequency in attachments).
  • Remove empty containers as part of performance.
• AED maintenance program (MA EEA)
  • Provide recurring AED maintenance/service (inspections, battery/pad replacement, documentation—verify specifics in attachments).

Who should bid / who should pass (bullets)

• Bid if you are:
  • A licensed/experienced private security firm capable of short-term staffing across multiple sites (MD unarmed guards).
  • A sports court builder with post-tensioned concrete experience and the ability to mobilize on municipal sites (Plymouth courts).
  • A sidewalk/curb contractor set up for unit-price or task-order style municipal work (Needham a la carte).
  • A steel/rebar supplier or fabricator comfortable with non-portal submissions and strict packaging/completeness rules (rebar for shelter project).
  • A chemical supplier/distributor that can manage delivery logistics and container removal (methanol).
  • A medical device service provider (or facilities safety vendor) with a field/service program for AEDs (EEA AED maintenance).
• Pass if you are:
  • Not able to meet the submission channel restrictions (e.g., rebar bid explicitly not eligible for electronic portal submission).
  • Missing the operational backbone for recurring service documentation (likely for AED maintenance—confirm in attachments).
  • A generalist contractor without post-tensioning capability (for the courts project) or without municipal sidewalk/curb production capacity (for a la carte DPW work).
  • Unable to handle hazardous materials handling/logistics requirements that may appear in the methanol specs (verify in attachments).

Response package checklist (bullets)

• Completed solicitation forms (for MD DHS, the snippet references a bid form attachment and multiple exhibits).
• Signed pricing sheet / bid schedule (verify format in attachments and buyer bid pages).
• Acknowledgment of key requirements:
  • MD DHS: three locations; three-month contract (verify in attachments).
  • MA State Police methanol: remove empty containers.
  • IN DNR rebar: no portal submission; pricing valid 30 days after response due date.
• Technical response narrative, if required (e.g., AED maintenance program details—verify in attachments).
• Any required licenses/insurance/bonds (common for security and construction—verify in attachments).
• Submission instructions and deadlines cross-checked:
  • Plymouth and Needham: confirm bid documents on their bid pages.
  • All: confirm exact due time/time zone and delivery method in attachments.

Pricing & strategy notes (how to research pricing; do not invent pricing numbers)

• Start with the pricing format the buyer expects. Security often wants hourly rates and/or shift totals; DPW “a la carte” often implies unit pricing; materials (rebar/methanol) typically require per-unit and freight/delivery terms; AED maintenance may be per-device, per-visit, or program fee—confirm in attachments.
• Benchmark against your own recent awards and close analogs. Use internal history for:
  • Unarmed guard posts with similar site types (government social services locations).
  • Municipal flatwork and curb/sidewalk production costs.
  • Commodity chemical delivery lanes and container management costs.
• Call out cost drivers explicitly in your assumptions (only if allowed): mobilization, after-hours coverage, container retrieval, delivery windows, and documentation burden.
• Risk-price appropriately for short duration. The MD DHS guard contract is described as 3 months; short terms can increase overhead recovery pressure—keep your proposal tight and compliant.

Subcontracting / teaming ideas (bullets)

• Security prime + local staffing partner to ensure coverage across all three DSS locations (confirm any staffing restrictions in exhibits).
• Court builder prime + specialty subs for fencing, surfacing/striping, lighting, and drainage (as required by the Plymouth IFB).
• DPW curb/sidewalk prime + trucking/haul-off partner for spoils/debris if the a la carte scope includes removals (verify in IFB).
• Methanol supplier + logistics partner experienced with container pickup/returns (aligned to the empty-container removal requirement).
• AED maintenance prime + regional service network partner if response times or geographic coverage are required (verify in attachments).

Risks & watch-outs (bullets)

• Don’t assume NAICS/PSC from the snippet. These postings don’t list NAICS; confirm in attachments or buyer systems before final compliance checks.
• Submission channel traps: the rebar event explicitly notes it is not eligible for electronic portal submission; missing this can make you nonresponsive.
• Attachment-driven requirements: multiple notices reference specifications “attached” or hosted on municipal bid pages—missing an addendum/spec can break compliance.
• Short turnaround windows: the MD DHS unarmed guard notice shows a tight proposal window between issue and due date in the snippet; plan rapid pricing, staffing assumptions, and form completion.
• Operational obligations beyond delivery: methanol requires empty container removal; AED maintenance likely requires recordkeeping and scheduled service intervals—verify.

Related opportunities

• Maryland DHS: Unarmed Security Guards
• Town of Plymouth: Post-Tensioned Concrete Tennis/Pickleball Courts
• Town of Needham: Curb & Sidewalk A La Carte
• Natural Resources: Rebar for MMSF Shelter 154817
• Massachusetts State Police: Methanol
• EEA: AED Maintenance and Service Program

How to act on this

1. Pick the lane you’re truly built for (security, construction, commodity supply, or AED service) and ignore the rest.
2. Open the attachments / municipal bid pages and extract: submission method, pricing table, term, and any mandatory forms.
3. Do a fast bid/no-bid against your past performance and your ability to meet the operational “extras” (container removal; non-portal submission; short term).
4. Build a compliance matrix and fill every required document before you write anything lengthy.

If you want a second set of eyes on compliance and packaging, bring in Federal Bid Partners LLC to help you move from “interesting notice” to a clean, on-time submission.