00 - RFP Overview.docx

Request for Proposals for Equipment Rental Services – Standard and Emergency Issued by the Commonwealth of Kentucky Solicitation Number RFP-758-2500000303

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

for Equipment Rental Services – Standard and Emergency Issued by the COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY

In collaboration with

SOLICITATION NUMBER RFP-758-2500000303

RFP WEBSITE: https://vss.ky.gov/vssprod-ext/Advantage4

RFP OVERVIEW

I. INTRODUCTION

This Request for Proposals (RFP) is being issued by the Commonwealth of Kentucky (“Lead State”) in collaboration with the NASPO ValuePoint cooperative purchasing program. The purpose of this RFP is to establish one or more Master Agreements for Equipment Rental Services for Standard and Emergency use.

The objective of this RFP is to obtain best value, and in at least most cases, achieve more favorable pricing than are obtainable by an individual state or local government entity because of the collective volume of potential purchases by numerous state and local government entities. The Master Agreement(s) resulting from this solicitation may be used by state governments (including departments, agencies, institutions), institutions of higher education, political subdivisions (i.e., colleges, school districts, counties, cities, etc.), the District of Columbia, territories of the United States, and other eligible entities subject to approval of the individual state procurement director and compliance with local statutory and regulatory provisions (each a “Participating Entity”). The initial term of the Master Agreement shall be two years with two 24-month renewal provisions, for a total contract period of six years.

This RFP is designed to provide interested Offerors with sufficient information to submit proposals meeting minimum requirements but is not intended to limit a proposal's content or exclude any relevant or essential data. Offerors are encouraged to expand upon the specifications to add service and value consistent with RFP requirements.

About NASPO ValuePoint NASPO ValuePoint is a division of the National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO), a non-profit association dedicated to advancing public procurement through leadership, excellence, and integrity. In accordance with NASPO ValuePoint’s Lead State Model™, the Lead State is issuing this RFP, evaluating responses, and establishing Master Agreements with the support and assistance of a Multistate Sourcing Team™ composed of individuals from other member states, representing a broad range of perspectives that ensure the RFP incorporates best practices recognized by public entities across the country.

Participation in NASPO ValuePoint Master Agreements is convenient and cost-effective for eligible entities—including state departments, institutions, agencies, and political subdivisions, federally recognized tribes, and other eligible public and nonprofit entities in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories—and suppliers, with no membership or registration required. In 2024, contractors reported a combined $23 billion in sales through NASPO ValuePoint Master Agreements awarded through cooperative solicitations like this RFP, including a combined $17.2 million in sales through the current Equipment Rental portfolio.

More information about NASPO, NASPO ValuePoint, and the NASPO ValuePoint Lead State Model can be found at www.naspo.org and www.naspovaluepoint.org and in Attachment 5, Participation Information.

II. GENERAL INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS

A. RFP Contact. The following individual is the sole contact for this RFP:

Nathan Durham Finance and Administration Cabinet Office of Procurement Services 200 Mero Street, 5th Floor Frankfort, Ky 40622 Phone: (502) 564-6525 nathan.durham@ky.gov

B. RFP Website. The following website is the sole official source for RFP information and updates:

https://vss.ky.gov/vssprod-ext/Advantage4

C. RFP Documents. This RFP consists of this RFP Overview, the following attachments, and any information or materials posted by the Lead State to the RFP Website, as amended:

1. Attachment 01, RFP Terms and Conditions

2. Attachment 02, Scope of Work

3. Attachment 03, RFP Evaluation Plan

4. Attachment 04, Sample Master Agreement

5. Attachment 04.1, Sample Master Agreement Cover Page

6. Attachment 05, Participation Information

7. Attachment 06, Protest Information

8. Attachment 07, Offeror Information, Acknowledgements, and Certifications

9. Attachment 08, Offeror Response Worksheet

10. Attachment 09, Cost Proposal

11. Attachment 09.1, Cost Proposal Workbook

12. Attachment 10, Proposed Modifications to Sample Master Agreement

13. Attachment 11, Claim of Business Confidentiality

14. Attachment 12, Offeror Question Form

D. Important Dates.

1. RFP Open Date: May 16, 2025

2. RFP Question Deadline: May 29, 2025, 12:00 PM EST

3. RFP Question Response Date: June 6, 2025

4. RFP Close Date: June 25, 2025, 3:30 PM EST Dates and deadlines are subject to change. Offerors should continue checking the RFP Website for the most up-to-date information.

E. How to Ask Questions.

1. Read and review this RFP, including all attachments, exhibits, and amendments. Offerors are encouraged to submit written questions using Attachment 12, Offeror Question Form, via email. No questions shall be accepted after the date(s) listed in Section II, D of this document – Important Dates, unless the question(s) is considered material to the procurement. The Lead State shall respond to salient questions in writing by issuing an addendum to the solicitation. The addendum shall be posted to the eProcurement System. Read and review this RFP, including all attachments, exhibits, and amendments.

F. How to Respond.

1. Read and review this RFP, including all attachments, exhibits, and amendments.

2. Proposals shall be received by electronic submission in the eProcurement system.

a. An electronic proposal shall be authorized by the proper agent of the firm by the act of submitting it electronically through the eProcurement system.

b. Proposal information MUST be completed online. Response must contain all required information for the Solicitation. All Offerors MUST be registered in the Lead State eProcurement System via the Vendor Self Service System at https://vss.ky.gov/vssprod-ext/Advantage4

3. Allow 24 – 48 hours to complete Offeror Registration. Offerors must be logged in to their Vendor Self Service (VSS) account in the eProcurement System in order to submit a response. Registrations completed the day of RFP closing must be completed by the Offeror in the VSS portal. The Customer Resource Center is not able to complete registrations and activate accounts on the same day. Closing dates will not be extended for Offerors not registered by the date/time of the bid closing. VSS Registration Guides are provided at: https://finance.ky.gov/eProcurement/ResourcesSupport/How%20to%20Respond%20to%20Online%20Bid%20through%20Kentucky%20Vendor%20Self%20Service.pdf

4. All Offerors are cautioned to begin their electronic submission in sufficient time to complete before the closing date and time. Delays due to technical difficulties or document upload impediments shall not be justification for acceptance of a late bid or proposal. Offeror attention to this advisory is encouraged. If you need assistance, please contact the Customer Resource Center (CRC) by email at Finance.CRCGroup@ky.gov or phone 502-564-9641 or toll-free 877-973-HELP (4357).

5. All files shall be named according to their Attachment name and Offeror name (e.g. Attachment 08, Offeror Response Worksheet_ABC Company). Attachments may not exceed 65,000 KB, multiple documents to the Technical and/or Proprietary proposal will be accepted.

6. Proposals submitted online must be in an “Accepted” status and shall be assigned a date and time stamp from the eProcurement system at the time of final acceptance and formal submission by the Offeror. The system will not allow submission of an online proposal after the published date and time for closing.

7. A proposal may be modified or withdrawn by electronic or written notice ONLY if received prior to the proposal closing date and time. An electronic offer may be modified by applying the appropriate electronic signature and following the procedure in the state’s eProcurement system.

III. SCOPE OF WORK

A detailed description of the Deliverables being sought through this RFP is attached as Attachment 02, Scope of Work. The scope of this RFP and its resulting Master Agreement(s) is intended to benefit all state departments, institutions, agencies, and political subdivisions and other eligible public and nonprofit entities in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. Therefore, Offerors should not interpret the Scope of Work to be associated with or limited to any specific purchase, implementation, project, need, or program within the Lead State or any other state or eligible entity. Proposals should be generally applicable to all potential Participating Entities and Purchasing Entities, except where specificity is requested.

The initial term of the Master Agreement(s) resulting from this RFP is anticipated to be two years, with the option to exercise renewals totaling up to an additional four years following the initial term, upon mutual agreement by the Lead State and Contractor.

IV. OFFEROR RESPONSE

A. Required Submissions. The following must be submitted with your proposal:

1. Any response required to be submitted directly through the RFP Website;

2. Completed and signed Attachment 07, Offeror Information, Acknowledgements, and Certifications

3. Completed Attachment 08, Offeror Response Worksheet

4. Completed Attachment 09.1, Cost Proposal Workbook, submitted as a separate document and separate file

5. Completed Attachment 10, Proposed Modifications to Sample Master Agreement

6. Redlined copy of Attachment 04, Sample Master Agreement, if proposing modifications

7. Completed and signed Attachment 11, Claim of Business Confidentiality

8. Redacted copy of proposal clearly marked as such, if claiming confidential, proprietary, or protected information B. Other Documents. The following are informational only and do not need to be submitted with your proposal:

1. This RFP Overview

2. Attachment 01, RFP Terms and Conditions

3. Attachment 02, Scope of Work

4. Attachment 03, RFP Evaluation Plan

5. Attachment 04, Sample Master Agreement

6. Attachment 04.1, Sample Master Agreement Cover Page

7. Attachment 05, Participation Information

8. Attachment 06, Protest Information

9. Attachment 09, Cost Proposal

10. Attachment 12, Offeror Question Form

V. EVALUATION AND AWARD PROCESS

A. Proposals will be sealed until the RFP Close Date. After opening, proposals will be evaluated in stages as set forth in this section and further detailed in Attachment 03, RFP Evaluation Plan.

1. Stage 1: Initial Responsiveness Evaluation. Proposals will be reviewed for completeness and initial responsiveness. Proposals omitting required documents or responses may be rejected in accordance with Attachment 01, RFP Terms and Conditions.

2. Stage 2: Mandatory Minimum Requirements Evaluation. Complete and responsive proposals will be reviewed for compliance with mandatory minimum requirements. Proposals failing to meet or exceed all Mandatory Minimum Requirements identified in Attachment 03, RFP Evaluation Plan may be rejected in accordance with Attachment 01, RFP Terms and Conditions.

3. Stage 3: Technical Criteria Evaluation. Proposals meeting or exceeding the Mandatory Minimum Requirements will be evaluated against the Technical Criteria set forth in Attachment 03, RFP Evaluation Plan. Proposals with a technical score of less than 50% (350 out of 700) of the maximum technical points possible will not be considered for award and cost proposals will not be evaluated regarding that proposal.

4. Stage 4: Cost Evaluation. Cost Proposals may also be subject to an independent review for reasonableness and best value by the Lead State. Costs determined not to be reasonable or best-value by the Lead State may result in all or part of the Offeror’s proposal being rejected, notwithstanding the results of the Cost Proposal evaluation.

B. After evaluations are completed, the Lead State and Multistate Sourcing Team will determine which proposals are most advantageous to the Lead State and potential Participating Entities and Purchasing Entities.

C. Prior to announcement of awards and execution of Master Agreements, the Lead State will present an award recommendation to NASPO ValuePoint for approval of the proposed awards.

D. Following approval of NASPO ValuePoint and any other approvals required by the Lead State, the Lead State will notify all Offerors the Lead State’ intends to award a Master Agreement to the selected Offeror(s) subject to successful negotiation of any negotiable provisions. Notification of awards will be made in the Lead State’s eProcurement system https://vss.ky.gov/vssprod-ext/Advantage4.

RFP OVERVIEW

RFP OVERVIEW

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