20241022 Addendum 01.pdf

Addendum Number 01

Date: October 22, 2024

Reference Request For Proposal Number: R24-014 Commodity: Bookstore Management & Operation Services Dated: September 25, 2024 For Delivery To: Radford University

Agency, Commonwealth of Virginia 501 Stockton Street Radford, Virginia 24142

Proposal Due Date/Time:

November 20, 2024 by 3:00 PM EST

The following attachments are included with this addendum:

1. Site visit sign in sheet;

2. Pre-Proposal sign in sheet and Zoom attendees; and

3. Pre-Proposal presentation slide deck.

End of Addendum 01.

Procurement Officer of record:

Kathryn Dicken, CUPO, VCCO Senior Procurement Officer Telephone: (540) 831-5090 Email: KDicken@Radford.edu mailto:KDicken@Radford.edu

Pre-Proposal Conference:

R24-014 Bookstore Management & Operation Services

All questions or concerns should be addressed to:

Procurement Officer:

Kate Dicken, CUPO, VCCO PO Box 6885 Radford, VA 24142-6885 Phone: (540)831-5090 Email: KDicken@Radford.edu

Purpose of RFP:

Radford is seeking to establish a contract through competitive negotiations for Bookstore Management and Operation Services. The University is seeking proposals from vendors to provide bookstore services, including options for a physical bookstore location on campus, e-commerce solutions, or a combination of both. Proposals should detail how vendors will support in-store and online sales of textbooks, course materials, school supplies, apparel, and other related items. Vendors are encouraged to propose innovative e-commerce solutions that complement or enhance the physical location, ensuring accessibility, affordability, and convenience for students, faculty, and staff.

Term of Contract: The initial term will be five (5) years, with five (5) additional one-year renewals available (ten years total).

The effective date of the contract will be June 1, 2025. However, it is the intent of the University to award by February 2025 in order to allow for any transition period, if necessary, which will be determined and agreed upon during negotiations. These deadlines may change based on University need.

Important Dates:

• October 29, 2024 by 3:00 PM: Deadline to submit Requests for Information (RFI). RFIs should be submitted in writing and directed to KDicken@Radford.edu.

• November 8, 2024 by 4:30 PM: Deadline to post Addendum in eVA, in response to all RFI’s received.

• November 20, 2024 by 3:00 PM: SEALED proposals must be received by Procurement & Contracts no later than 3:00 PM. Late proposals will not be accepted.

• Radford University Procurement and Contracts Business Hours are M-F, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM

E-Virginia Electronic Procurement System:

• Radford utilizes eVA for all our business transactions.

• Vendors must be registered with eVA to do business with

Radford University.

• Vendors can register with eVA at:

https://eva.virginia.gov/register-now.html.

• If you have any questions/concerns about registration, you may contact me or reach out to the eVA Customer Care team:

eVACustomerCare@DGS.Virginia.gov.

VASCUPP Cooperative Contract:

(Virginia Association of State College & University Purchasing Professionals)

• Radford is making this contract cooperative.

• Participation with other schools is strictly voluntary.

• Attachment C is the Zone Map and shows all the VASCUPP schools and their Zones. Radford University is in Zone 8.

Statement of Needs:

(See Section 10.A. – 10.H. of the RFP) It is the responsibility of the vendor to fully research and understand the Section 10. Statement of Needs. The needs discussed here are an overview and should not be considered all-inclusive:

University Objectives for These Services:

• To provide the University community with a full range of merchandise, services, and innovation as expected from a state-of-the-art academic bookstore.

• Increase and implement strategies that reduce the cost of textbooks and course materials for students.

• To incorporate innovative technology solutions that keep pace with the higher ed marketplace, platforms, and delivery models.

• To adopt pricing policies for textbooks and merchandise, that are fair & competitive.

• To have sufficient inventory (textbooks, supplies, materials) for academic courses available for purchase when needed by the students.

• To ensure that the specified edition of texts are available by the first day of class, and ensure maximum availability of used, rental, and digital textbooks.

• To coordinate timely textbook adoptions, to keep faculty informed of order status, and notify of any issues for those orders.

• To provide an inclusive course materials access program for delivery to students through the University’s learning management system, Desire 2 Learn (D2L) Brightspace.

Statement of Needs Cont’d :

University Objectives Cont’d:

• To be able to provide a wide selection of trade, academic & technical literature in support of the various academic disciplines of the University.

• To offer soft goods & merchandise such as clothing, office supplies, course supplies (art, lab, medical), and incidental household goods for resident students.

• To provide University apparel, scrubs (health professional programs), memorabilia and other miscellaneous items that have Radford Athletic or current brand colors and emblems.

• To keep apprised of new merchandise of interest to the University community.

• To provide for efficient customer traffic during rush periods.

• To meet the needs of differently-abled students (ADA & accessibility requirements).

• To provide employment opportunities for University students.

• To provide the University with a professional internet web-based presence for students, faculty, staff, and visitors.

• To provide an online Athletic Store that supports the University’s intercollegiate athletic programs.

Special Requirements:

• Operating schedule: The bookstore operates on a 12-month basis.

• Hours of operation are: Mon. – Thurs. 8:00am – 6:00pm; Fri. 8:00am – 5:00pm; Sat. 10:00am – 5:00pm; Sun. 11:00am – 3:00pm. Operating hours should be extended during the first week of each semester.

• Merchandising: The University reserves the right to recommend merchandise to be sold in the bookstore or request the removal of merchandise the University considers offensive, inappropriate, or in violation of policy.

• Local bookstore management is empowered to make the buying decisions for Radford with input from students, athletics, alumni, faculty & staff.

• Use of an ‘open to buy’ concept to ensure the product selection remains fresh and ever-changing.

• Offerors should be prepared to actively manage trends for the latest product(s) available.

• The University will grant the contractor the right to sell University-licensed products, subject to limitations. The rights granted are not exclusive.

• Operating material: The contractor should be prepared to furnish office machines, equipment, and supplies required for efficient business conduct.

• Price Match Guarantee: The contractor should have a price match guarantee program that can be promoted to students and families.

• Pop-Up Events – Roanoke Locations: The contractor should be prepared to host pop-up events identified by the

University to promote the University and service student needs. Operating hours for these events will be discussed in advance.

Specific Services to be Provided by Bookstore Operation

• Provide for charge sales of books, supplies, and other merchandise through major credit card providers (MC, Visa, AmEx, Disc.) and the University’s OneCard debit card.

• Be able to accept personal checks for payment.

• Have the means to accept alternative forms of payment & process payments from varying funding sources (i.e. Student Emergency Funds, Foundation Funds, Athletic Scholarships, etc.)

• Disposition of all damaged or surplus books, supplies, tools, materials & other damaged surplus merchandise.

• Provide special order services and other sale services such as class rings, caps & gowns, commencement announcements and diploma frames as requested.

• Provide an electronic system for faculty adoption of materials with adoptions integrating with our

Banner ERP and with the Faculty Textbook Adoption section of the One Campus portal.

• Contractor’s system should integrate with Banner to populate Radford’s One Campus View Textbooks for the term based on the student’s course schedule.

Specific Services to be Provided by Bookstore Operation Cont’d

• The University will make reasonable efforts to see that bookstore management is given adequate notice of faculty members (or department designees) selection of textbooks, supplies & materials for all courses offered. The following is our current schedule:

• Spring semester (January start): Selection provided by October 15th

• Summer sessions: February 15th

• Fall Semester (August start): March 15th

• Accelerated programs: Two weeks before the start of fall

• Wintermester programs (Mid-December start): September 15th

• Promptly coordinate with faculty members and provide the quoted retail price of textbooks, supplies & materials for selected courses.

• Provide a process for colleges/departments to follow to obtain timely quotes and expected turnaround time for these requests throughout the year (other than course-related).

• Be prepared to provide for sales of textbooks and educational materials required for off-campus courses (i.e. RUC) as requested.

Specific Services to be Provided by Bookstore Operation Cont’d

• Work collaboratively with the Alumni Association in joint marketing of soft goods, when requested.

• Cooperate to set up displays & conduct sales at agreed-upon athletic and/or other events held on or off campus.

• Obtain prior approval for advertising related to the University, which occurs off campus or in media outside University resources.

• Be capable of promoting book signings and other academic or scholarly events.

• Work with Financial Aid to maintain the book voucher programs which allow students to easily use Financial Aid funds to purchase necessary books and materials.

Inclusive Materials Access Program

• Radford currently has courses that use an Inclusive Materials Access Program. The program includes the cost of the textbooks/materials as an additional course fee that is billed to the student through the Bursar’s office. Links to the course materials are then manually added to each D2L Brightspace course. When proposing, please consider the following:

• How will this expand upon the affordability of classroom instructional materials for students?

• Discuss collaborations with the University and publishers regarding the pricing of textbooks and course materials.

• How will the management of purchasing approved textbooks and course materials be handled for the

University?

• Discuss how you will manage third-party publishers.

• What expectations are there regarding exclusivity?

• How would you seek and support faculty engagement in an Inclusive Materials Access Program?

• How would you support students enrolled in this type of program?

• How could you minimize the level of manual effort required by Radford to operate this program?

Facilities & Equipment:

• The Bookstore facilities are currently located on the first floor of Dalton Hall, and occupies approximately 14,650 square feet.

• Upcoming Renovation: Radford University provides a space on the main Radford campus for the Bookstore to operate a physical store. During the contract period for these services, Dalton Hall is slated for a comprehensive renovation.

• It is anticipated that during the renovation period, the Bookstore will be temporarily situated in an alternate facility (approximately 8000 square feet).

• The permanent bookstore location is still being determined, but the footprint of the new space will be approximately 6,500 square feet.

• It is anticipated that the renovation will take two (2) to three (3) years to complete.

• This does not preclude either party from discussions regarding alternative or additional placement or the use of e-commerce to reduce the need for physical space of the bookstore facilities.

Facilities & Equipment Cont’d:

• Equipment & fixtures currently used for the operation of the bookstore that are owned by the University will be available for use by the contractor.

• The contractor should plan to be responsible for providing additional equipment and fixtures necessary for the operation of the bookstore (POS system, computers, services, etc.)

• The contractor will need to submit documentation demonstrating PCI compliance for the systems used (See PCI Compliance in Attachment A).

• The contractor is responsible for cleaning and maintaining all space, fixtures, and equipment used in the operation of the bookstore.

• The University will provide repair services in the existing space, to the extent it has the capability of doing so and will charge the cost of services to the contractor.

• The University will be responsible for major structural repairs to the existing space used by the contractor, provided the repairs are not required as a result of the actions of the contractor.

Facilities & Equipment Cont’d:

• The University will provide all utilities to the University-owned space including lights, heat, A/C, water, and sewage. The contractor will be provided access to voiceover IP telephone service. Costs associated with such service including installation, monthly equipment charges, and local/long-distance charges will be the contractor’s responsibility.

• The University may provide the Contractor with connectivity to the campus network and internet. The contractor will be responsible for the hardwiring and wiring costs of any new network connections.

• The University will provide trash removal and pest control services in Dalton Hall at no cost to the contractor.

• Agents and employees of the contractor, who work in the bookstore, will be provided access to parking lots utilized by University employees. The cost for parking passes will be equivalent to University employees.

• The contractor will provide property and casualty insurance covering the contractor’s equipment and other personal property in the bookstore. The University will provide similar insurance for University-owned property and equipment.

Facilities & Equipment Cont’d:

• The contractor should plan to work with the University’s Chief of Police and other officials regarding the security of the bookstore. The contractor will be responsible for maintaining intrusion alarms and security systems deemed necessary for the space in Dalton Hall. The University PD will be provided access to security, video, and codes to arm/disarm security features for official business.

• The contractor is responsible for the control and distribution of keys to the bookstore space. At least one copy of the key to the bookstore space should be provided to the designated University official.

• The contractor will be required to work with the University on granting, monitoring, and revoking card swipe access. The contractor will notify the University immediately upon an employee’s separation to ensure the card swipe and system access are removed.

Contractor Personnel:

• Any employment policies shall meet the requirements of current state and federal laws and regulations. All employees of the bookstore shall be employed by the Contractor (including University students). All labor costs, fringe benefits and payroll taxes are the responsibility of the contractor.

• Provide sufficient personnel to ensure efficient and courteous service to patrons.

• The University reserves the right to request the replacement of the Bookstore Manager for good cause determined, or for actions considered not to be in the best interest of the University.

• The contractor should describe training programs for employees of the bookstore.

• Employees must adhere to campus regulations regarding personal behavior and all other rules and regulations of the University.

• Employees working in the bookstore will not wear or display logoed material from another institution or agency. Logoed apparel worn should be Radford University gear. The dress code for bookstore employees is business casual.

Proposals must include:

Pay close attention to Section 11.A. – 11.Y.) Specific Requirements of RFP. These items listed, are the highlights of this section and should not be construed as all-inclusive:

• Detailed plan for providing the services as described in the RFP

• Plan and methodology to deliver specific services as outlined.

• Qualifications and experience.

• All requested financials, certifications, reporting documentation, and licensure requested.

• Business practices & Internal systems along with any standards of practice and/or recommended practices.

• Details regarding book purchases, rental programs, buy back programs, etc.

• Management and Technology plans.

• Event attendance and mobile store/kiosk management.

• Policies & procedures for specific areas listed in Section 11.O.

• Plan for increasing the workforce to meet demands.

Proposals Cont’d:

See Section 11.A. – 11.Y.) Specific Requirements

• Proposed Commission & Other Financial Considerations – Complete Attachment H.

• SWaM certification/plan for use of SWaM vendors

Selection Criteria and Award:

Proposals will be evaluated by Radford University using the following weighted evaluation criteria.

Percentage of Points

Evaluation Criteria

25%Qualifications and experience of Offeror in providing the goods/services.1

25%Quality of products/services offered and suitability for the intended purposes.2

20%Specific plans or methodology to be used to provide the products/services.3

20%Financial (Cost) 4

10%Participation of Small, Women-Owned and Minority-Owned (SWaM) Businesses.5

100%TOTAL

Submission of Proposal:

Electronically through eVAMail or CourierIn Person

Electronic Submissions:Mailing Address:Deliver proposal to:

A PDF of your proposal may be submitted through eVA’s Virginia Business Opportunities (VBO) site. See Attachment F for more details.

Radford University ATTN: Kathryn Dicken Procurement and Contracts PO Box 6885 Radford, VA 24142-6885

Radford University David E. Armstrong Complex 501 Stockton Street Radford, VA 24142

Radford University now has three options for submitting a proposal:

In Person or Mail/Courier Proposal Submission Process

IN PERSON or MAIL/COURIER RFP Responses: In order to be considered for selection, Offerors shall submit a complete response to this RFP to include.

• One (1) original paper copy of the entire proposal, INCLUSIVE OF ALL

ATTACHMENTS.

• One (1) electronic copy in WORD format or searchable PDF (USB/Flash Drive) of the entire proposal as one document, INCLUSIVE OF ALL

ATTACHMENTS.

• Should the proposal contain proprietary information, provide one (1) redacted electronic copy in WORD format or searchable PDF (USB/Flash Drive) of the entire document INCLUSIVE OF ALL ATTACHMENTS. All identified proprietary information should be blacked out. This USB/Flash Drive should be marked “Redacted Copy.”

• If you mail your proposal, place your proposal in a sealed envelope inside the delivery envelope. Include this information on the outside of the sealed Proposal (also included in Attachment A, Section II):

From

Name of Offeror Due Date Time Due

Street or Box Number Solicitation Number

City, State, Zip Code Solicitation Title

Name of Procurement Officer: ________________________________________________________________________

Proposal Submission Process Cont’d

• The mailing address for proposal submission is:

RADFORD UNIVERSITY

Attn: Kathryn Dicken Procurement and Contracts Department P.O. Box 6885 501 Stockton Street Radford, Virginia 24142

• Allow plenty of time when mailing. All mail goes to the Post Office on campus, which is then picked up and delivered to the University Warehouse. It can take time to get delivered to Procurement. Late proposals will not be accepted or considered.

Proposal Submission Process Cont’d

Electronic Proposal Submission Process:

ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION via eVA VBO RFP Responses: In order to be considered for selection, Offerors shall submit a complete response to this RFP. Use of electronic submission REQUIRES registration as an eVA vendor. If you wish to submit electronically and are not already a registered vendor with eVA, we encourage you to get registration completed well in advance of the deadline outlined in the solicitation.

*IMPORTANT* On the date and time indicated for proposal submission within the solicitation, eVA will no longer allow submissions from vendors.

The University is not responsible for delays, miscommunications, or transmission errors that may occur during the electronic submission process. This includes but is not limited to issues related to internet connectivity, email servers, or other technical malfunctions.

More information for responding to an electronic submission can be found in the eVA Supplier Training Resources site: https://eva.virginia.gov/supplier-training-materials.html.

Electronic Proposal Submission Process Cont’d:

ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION via eVA VBO RFP Responses: Vendor will upload the following:

• One (1) electronic copy in WORD format or searchable PDF (USB/Flash Drive) of the entire proposal as one document, INCLUSIVE OF ALL ATTACHMENTS.

• Should the proposal contain proprietary information, provide one (1) redacted electronic copy in WORD format or searchable PDF of the entire document INCLUSIVE OF ALL ATTACHMENTS. All identified proprietary information should be blacked out. This file should be clearly labeled or marked “Redacted Copy.”

Please note the size limit per supplier attachment is 80 MB. This may require the submission of separate files during the process.

Submission of Proposal cont’d:

• Return all requested documents with your proposal:

• Complete and sign page 3 of the RFP.

• Complete the Financial Considerations attachment (Attachment H) for the services provided by your company

• Carefully review all documents to be returned and confirm all documents have been completed and signed before submission. Failure to sign documents can result in the proposal being deemed disqualified/non-responsive.

• Ensure you include requested license numbers (DPOR/State Corp. Commission, certifications) where requested. This information will be verified after the proposal deadline has passed.

• Licensing should be in good standing. Radford cannot award a contract to a vendor not properly licensed to do business in Virginia.

Review the Terms and Conditions

• Terms and Conditions (Attachment A)

• General Terms & Conditions - Mandatory and standard in every state issued solicitation.

• Additional Terms & Conditions - Specific to Radford University’s business practices.

• Special Terms & Conditions – Contract specific to Radford solicited services.

Be sure to read and understand the terms and conditions relative with the contract and address any questions you may have before the deadline date for RFI.

Questions pertaining to the RFP or process??

Addendum Number 01