26-001-BioWork Print Services.pdf

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

Gaston College

Request for Proposal #: 26-001

BioWork Manuals Printing

Date of Issue: September 16th, 2025

Proposal Opening Date: October 1st, 2025

At 2:00 PM ET

Direct all inquiries concerning this RFP to:

Mike Whiteman

Chief Financial Officer

Email: whiteman.mike@gaston.edu

Ver: 11/2023

Request for Proposal #

26-001 – BioWork Manuals Printing

For internal State agency processing, including tabulation of proposals, provide your company’s eVP (Electronic Vendor Portal) Number. Pursuant to G.S. 132-1.10(b) this identification number shall not be released to the public.

This page will be removed and shredded, or otherwise kept confidential, before the procurement file is made available for public inspection.

This page shall be filled out and returned with your proposal.

Failure to do so may subject your proposal to rejection.

Vendor Name

Vendor eVP#

Note: For a contract to be awarded to you, your company (you) must be a North Carolina registered vendor in good standing. You must enter the vendor number assigned through eVP (Electronic Vendor

Portal). If you do not have a vendor number, register at https://vendor.ncgov.com/vendor/login

Electronic responses ONLY will be accepted for this solicitation.

https://vendor.ncgov.com/vendor/login

Proposal Number:26-001 Vendor: __________________________________________

Ver: 11/2023

Gaston College

Refer ALL Inquiries regarding this RFP to:

Mike Whiteman, Chief Financial Officer Gaston College Whiteman.mike@gaston.edu

Request for Proposal #: 26-001 BioWork Manual Printing Proposals will be publicly opened: October 1st, 2:00 PM Please see section 2.4 for the Bid Opening Link

Using Agency: Gaston College Commodity No. and Description: 821215 Print Services Requisition No.: 26-001

EXECUTION

In compliance with this Request for Proposals (RFP), and subject to all the conditions herein, the undersigned Vendor offers and agrees to furnish and deliver any or all items upon which prices are bid, at the prices set opposite each item within the time specified herein.

By executing this proposal, the undersigned Vendor understands that false certification is a Class I felony and certifies that:

this proposal is submitted competitively and without collusion (G.S. 143-54), none of its officers, directors, or owners of an unincorporated business entity has been convicted of any violations of Chapter 78A of the General Statutes, the Securities Act of 1933, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (G.S. 143-59.2), and it is not an ineligible Vendor as set forth in G.S. 143-59.1.

Furthermore, by executing this proposal, the undersigned certifies to the best of Vendor’s knowledge and belief, that:

it and its principals are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible or voluntarily excluded from covered transactions by any Federal or State department or agency.

As required by G.S. 143-48.5, the undersigned Vendor certifies that it, and each of its sub-Contractors for any Contract awarded as a result of this RFP, complies with the requirements of Article 2 of Chapter 64 of the NC General Statutes, including the requirement for each employer with more than 25 employees in North Carolina to verify the work authorization of its employees through the federal E-Verify system.

As required by Executive Order 24 (2017), the undersigned vendor certifies will comply with all Federal and State requirements concerning fair employment and that it does not and will not discriminate, harass, or retaliate against any employee in connection with performance of any Contract arising from this solicitation.

G.S. 133-32 and Executive Order 24 (2009) prohibit the offer to, or acceptance by, any State Employee associated with the preparing plans, specifications, estimates for public contracts; or awarding or administering public contracts; or inspecting or supervising delivery of the public contract of any gift from anyone with a contract with the State, or from any person seeking to do business with the State. By execution of this response to the RFP, the undersigned certifies, for Vendor’s entire organization and its employees or agents, that Vendor is not aware that any such gift has been offered, accepted, or promised by any employees of your organization.

By executing this proposal, Vendor certifies that it has read and agreed to the INSTRUCTION TO VENDORS and the NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS incorporated herein. These documents can be accessed from the ATTACHMENTS page within this document.

Failure to execute/sign proposal prior to submittal may render proposal invalid and it MAY BE REJECTED. Late proposals shall not be accepted.

COMPLETE/FORMAL NAME OF VENDOR:

STREET ADDRESS: P.O. BOX: ZIP:

CITY & STATE & ZIP: TELEPHONE NUMBER: TOLL FREE TEL. NO:

PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS ADDRESS IF DIFFERENT FROM ABOVE (SEE INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS ITEM #21):

PRINT NAME & TITLE OF PERSON SIGNING ON BEHALF OF VENDOR: FAX NUMBER:

VENDOR’S AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE*: DATE: EMAIL:

Proposal Number: 26-001 Vendor: __________________________________________

Ver: 11/2023 2

VALIDITY PERIOD

Offer shall be valid for at least one hundred and twenty (120) days from date of bid opening, unless otherwise stated here: ______ days, or if extended by mutual agreement of the parties in writing. Any withdrawal of this offer shall be made in writing, effective upon receipt by the agency issuing this RFP.

ACCEPTANCE OF PROPOSAL

If your proposal is accepted, all provisions of this RFP, along with the written results of any negotiations, shall constitute the written agreement between the parties (“Contract”). The NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS are incorporated herein and shall apply. Depending upon the Goods or Services being offered, other terms and conditions may apply, as mutually agreed.

FOR STATE USE ONLY: Offer accepted and Contract awarded this________ day of __________, 20____, as indicated on

The attached certification, by ____________________________________________________________________.

(Authorized Representative of Gaston College )

Ver: 11/2023 3

Contents

1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

1.1 CONTRACT TERM

2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

2.1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENT

2.2 E-PROCUREMENT FEE

2.3 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING RFP TERMS AND CONDITIONS

2.4 RFP SCHEDULE

2.5 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS

2.6 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL

2.7 PROPOSAL CONTENTS

2.8 ALTERNATE PROPOSALS

2.9 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS

3.0 METHOD OF AWARD AND PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

3.1 METHOD OF AWARD

3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION

3.3 PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

3.4 EVALUATION CRITERIA

3.5 PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

3.6 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES

4.0 REQUIREMENTS

4.1 PRICING

4.2 INVOICES

4.3 FINANCIAL STABILITY

4.4 HUB PARTICIPATION

4.5 VENDOR EXPERIENCE

4.6 REFERENCES

4.7 PERSONNEL

4.8 VENDOR’S REPRESENTATIONS

5.0 SPECIFICATIONS AND SCOPE OF WORK

5.1 GENERAL

5.2 SPECIFICATIONS

5.3 TASKS/DELIVERABLES

5.4 TECHNICAL APPROACH

5.5 PROJECT ORGANIZATION

6.0 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

6.1 CONTRACT MANAGER AND CUSTOMER SERVICE

6.2 POST AWARD PROJECT REVIEW MEETINGS

6.3 CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

6.4 ACCEPTANCE OF WORK

6.5 TRANSITION ASSISTANCE

6.6 DISPUTE RESOLUTION

6.7 CONTRACT CHANGES

7.0 ATTACHMENTS

ATTACHMENT A: PRICING

ATTACHMENT B: INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS

ATTACHMENT C: NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS & CONDITIONS

ATTACHMENT D: HUB SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION

ATTACHMENT E: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM

ATTACHMENT F: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR

ATTACHMENT G: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

Ver: 11/2023 4

1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

Gaston College is seeking a vendor for comprehensive printing, assembly, fulfillment, and distribution services for BioWork Training Manuals, including both Student and Instructor manuals. BioNetwork is a state-wide bioscience training initiative under the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS). Through education, training, and laboratory resources it provides industry-driven economic and workforce development for the biotechnology and life science industries across all 58 community colleges. Gaston College is one of the host colleges, housing the BioNetwork Learning Solutions Center. Their mission is to connect and support Colleges, Companies, and Students through professional growth and career pathways. These manuals are used across the North Carolina Community College system as educational resources supporting the BioWork certification program. BioNetwork currently supplies 14 host community colleges with printed materials. Student participation in the BioWork program during the last fiscal year exceeded previous years' numbers, and we anticipate continued growth in the coming year. FY 2024-2025, 1,129 participants completed the BioWork program. We saw an increase of 204 participants last fiscal year.

Gaston College has a rich and vibrant history dating back to 1963. From its humble beginnings, the College has grown into one of the largest community colleges in North Carolina, boasting three campuses—Dallas, Lincoln, and Kimbrell—that serve Gaston and Lincoln Counties.

Beginning with just two buildings in 1964, by the end of the 1970s a total of 10 buildings graced the Dallas, or main, Campus.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, 11 more buildings were added. It was during the mid-1990s that the College’s Lincoln Campus was established. Located in Lincolnton, North Carolina, today the Lincoln Campus features two major buildings, one constructed as recently as 2008. Since 2000, five buildings were added on or near the Dallas Campus and the College expanded by adding a third campus, the Kimbrell Campus, which is located in Belmont, North Carolina. The Kimbrell Campus currently comprises a modern classroom building and the North Carolina Textile Technology Center. This Center is the only one of its kind in North Carolina and provides specialized testing and training for the textile industry. Throughout its history, the College has remained dedicated to its mission of promoting student success and lifelong learning through high caliber, affordable, and comprehensive educational programs and services responding to economic and workforce development needs.

This intent of this solicitation is to award an Agency Specific Contract.

1.1 CONTRACT TERM

The Contract shall have an initial term of three (3) years, beginning on the date of final Contract execution ( “Effective Date”).

At the end of the Contract’s initial term, the State shall have the option, and with the Vendor’s concurrence, to extend the Contract after the last active term.

Proposals shall be submitted in accordance with the terms and conditions of this RFP and any addenda issued hereto.

2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

2.1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENT

This RFP is comprised of the base RFP document, any attachments, and any addenda released before Contract award, which are incorporated herein by reference.

2.2 E-PROCUREMENT FEE

ATTENTION: The E-Procurement fee may apply to this solicitation. See the paragraph entitled ELECTRONIC PROCUREMENT of the North Carolina General Terms and Conditions.

General information on the E-Procurement Services can be found at: http://eprocurement.nc.gov/.

2.3 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING RFP TERMS AND CONDITIONS

It shall be the Vendor’s responsibility to read the Instructions to Vendors, the North Carolina General Terms and Conditions, all relevant exhibits and attachments, and any other components made a part of this RFP and comply with all requirements http://eprocurement.nc.gov/

Ver: 11/2023 5 and specifications herein. Vendors are also responsible for obtaining and complying with all Addenda and other changes that may be issued in connection with this RFP.

If Vendors have questions or issues regarding any component of this RFP, those must be submitted as questions in accordance with the instructions in the PROPOSAL QUESTIONS Section. If the State determines that any changes will be made as a result of the questions asked, then such decisions will be communicated in the form of an RFP addendum. The State may also elect to leave open the possibility for later negotiation of specific provisions of the Contract that have been addressed during the question-and-answer period, prior to contract award.

Other than through the process of negotiation under 01 NCAC 05B.0503, the State rejects and will not be required to evaluate or consider any additional or modified terms and conditions submitted with Vendor’s proposal or otherwise. This applies to any language appearing in or attached to the document as part of the Vendor’s proposal that purports to vary any terms and conditions or Vendors’ instructions herein or to render the proposal non-binding or subject to further negotiation. Vendor’s proposal shall constitute a firm offer that shall be held open for the period required herein (“Validity Period” above).

The State may exercise its discretion to consider Vendor proposed modifications. By execution and delivery of this RFP Response, the Vendor agrees that any additional or modified terms and conditions, whether submitted purposely or inadvertently, shall have no force or effect, and will be disregarded unless expressly agreed upon through negotiation and incorporated by way of a Best and Final Offer (BAFO). Noncompliance with, or any attempt to alter or delete, this paragraph shall constitute sufficient grounds to reject Vendor’s proposal as nonresponsive.

2.4 RFP SCHEDULE

The table below shows the intended schedule for this RFP. The State will make every effort to adhere to this schedule.

Event Responsibility Date and Time Issue RFP State September 16th, 2025 Submit Written Questions Vendor September 23rd 2025, by 5:00 PM Provide Response to Questions State September 25th, 2025 by 5:00 PM Submit Proposals Vendor October 1st, 2025, by 1:59 PM Public Bid Opening State October 1st, 2025, 2:00 PM Public opening. The meeting is at this link.

Contract Award State October 7th, 2025 (estimated)

2.5 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS

Upon review of the RFP documents, Vendors may have questions to clarify or interpret the RFP in order to submit the best proposal possible. To accommodate the Proposal Questions process, Vendors shall submit any such questions by the “Submit Written Questions” date and time provided in the RFP SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum.

Written questions shall be emailed to whiteman.mike@gaston.edu by the date and time specified above. Vendors should enter “RFP # 26-001 Questions” as the subject for the email. Question submittals should include a reference to the applicable RFP section and be submitted in the format shown below:

Reference Vendor Question

RFP Section, Page Number Vendor question …?

Questions received prior to the submission deadline date, the State’s response, and any additional terms deemed necessary by the State will be posted in the form of an addendum to the electronic Vendor Portal (eVP), https://evp.nc.gov, and shall become an Addendum to this RFP. No information, instruction or advice provided orally or informally by any State personnel, whether made in response to a question or otherwise in connection with this RFP, shall be considered authoritative or binding.

Vendors shall rely only on written material contained in the RFP and an addendum to this RFP.

https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_MDExMjIyZjktYjMyZS00Nzg1LTlkODctMWQ4ODczMTkzMGFj%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%2295e25911-16d0-49ca-9f95-114e82264bd7%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22b9f62f11-d395-42c0-8a0f-e735a0318aa9%22%7d https://evp.nc.gov/

Ver: 11/2023 6

2.6 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is an absolute requirement. Late bids, regardless of cause, will not be opened or considered, and will be automatically disqualified from further consideration. Vendor shall bear the sole risk of late submission due to unintended or unanticipated delay. It is the Vendor’s sole responsibility to ensure its proposal has been received as described in this RFP by the specified time and date of opening. The time and date of receipt will be marked on each proposal when received. Any proposal or portion thereof received after the proposal deadline will be rejected.

All proposal responses shall be submitted electronically via the electronic Vendor Portal (eVP). Additional information can be found at the eVP updates for Vendors link: https://eprocurement.nc.gov/news-events/evp-updates-vendors.

If confidential and proprietary information is included in the proposal, also submit one (1) signed, REDACTED copy of the proposal. Such information may include trade secrets defined by N.C. Gen. Stat. § 66-152 and other information exempted from the Public Records Act pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. §132- 1.2. Vendor may designate information, Products, Services or appropriate portions of its response as confidential, consistent with and to the extent permitted under the statutes and rules set forth above. By so redacting any page, or portion of a page, the Vendor warrants that it has formed a good faith opinion, having received such necessary or proper review by counsel and other knowledgeable advisors, that the portions determined to be confidential and proprietary and redacted as such, meet the requirements of the Rules and Statutes set forth above.

However, under no circumstances shall price information be designated as confidential.

If the Vendor does not provide a redacted version of the proposal with its proposal submission, the Department may release an unredacted version if a record request is received.

Failure to submit a proposal in strict accordance with these instructions shall constitute sufficient cause to reject a Vendor’s proposal(s). Vendors are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to upload proposals.

Critical updated information may be included in Addenda to this RFP. It is important that all Vendors responding to this RFP periodically check the State’s eVP website for any Addenda that may be issued prior to the bid opening date. All Vendors shall be deemed to have read and understood all information in this RFP and all Addenda thereto.

2.7 PROPOSAL CONTENTS

Vendors shall populate all attachments of this RFP that require the Vendor to provide information and include an authorized signature where requested. Failure to provide all required items, or Vendor’s submission of incomplete items, may result in the State rejecting Vendor’s proposal, in the State’s sole discretion.

Vendor RFP responses shall include the following items and attachments, which shall be arranged in the following order:

a) Cover Letter, which must contain the following: (i) a statement that confirms that the proposer has read the RFP in its entirety, including all links, and all Addenda released in conjunction with the RFP, (ii) a statement that the Vendor agrees to perform in accordance with the scope of work, requirements, and specifications contained herein; and (iii) Vendor’s agreement to comply with all instructions, terms and conditions, and attachments.

b) Title Page: Include the company name, address, phone number and authorized representative along with the Proposal Number.

c) Completed and signed version of all EXECUTION PAGES, along with the body of the RFP.

d) Signed receipt pages of any addenda released in conjunction with this RFP, if required to be returned.

e) Vendor’s Proposal addressing all Specifications of this RFP. (Sections 4.1, 4.5, 5.3, and 5.4)

f) Completed version of ATTACHMENT A: PRICING

g) Completed version of ATTACHMENT D: HUB SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION

h) Completed version of ATTACHMENT E: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM

i) Completed version of ATTACHMENT F: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR

j) Completed and signed version of ATTACHMENT G: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

Ver: 11/2023 7

2.8 ALTERNATE PROPOSALS

Unless provided otherwise in this RFP, Vendor may submit alternate proposals for comparable Goods, various methods or levels of Service(s), or that propose different options. Alternate proposals must specifically identify the RFP requirements and advantage(s) addressed by the alternate proposal. Any alternate proposal, in addition to the marking described above, must be clearly marked with the legend: “Alternate Proposal #___ [for ‘name of Vendor’]”. Each proposal must be for a specific set of Goods and Services and must include specific pricing. If a Vendor chooses to respond with various offerings, each must be offered with a separate price and be contained in a separate proposal document. Each proposal must be complete and independent of other proposals offered.

2.9 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS

Relevant definitions for this RFP are provided in 01 NCAC 05A .0112 and in the Instructions to Vendors found below which are incorporated herein by this reference.

3.0 METHOD OF AWARD AND PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

3.1 METHOD OF AWARD

North Carolina G.S. 143-52 provides a general list of criteria the State shall use to award contracts, as supplemented by the additional criteria herein. The Goods or Services being procured shall dictate the application and order of criteria; however, all award decisions shall be in the State’s best interest. All qualified proposals will be evaluated, and awards will be made to the Vendor(s) meeting the specific RFP Specifications and achieving the highest and best final evaluation, based on the criteria described below.

While the intent of this RFP is to award a Contract(s) to a single Vendor the State reserves the right to make separate awards to different Vendors for one or more line items, to not award one or more line items or to cancel this RFP in its entirety without awarding a Contract, if it is considered to be most advantageous to the State to do so.

If a Vendor selected for award is determined by the State to be a non-resident of North Carolina, all responsive proposals will be reviewed to determine if any of them were submitted by a North Carolina resident Vendor who requested an opportunity to match the price of the winning proposal, pursuant to Executive Order #50 and G.S. 143-59 (for more information, please refer to ATTACHMENT H: VENDOR REQUEST FOR EXECUTIVE ORDER #50 PRICE MATCHING. If such proposals(s) are identified, the State will then determine whether any such proposal falls within the price-match range, and, if so, make a Contract award in accordance with the process that implements G.S. 143-59 and Executive Order #50.

The State reserves the right to waive any minor informality or technicality in proposals received.

3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION

While this RFP is under evaluation, the responding Vendor, including any subcontractors and suppliers, is prohibited from engaging in conversations intended to influence the outcome of the evaluation. See the Paragraph 29 of the Instructions to Vendors entitled COMMUNICTIONS BY VENDORS.

Each Vendor submitting a proposal to this RFP, including its employees, agents, subcontractors, suppliers, subsidiaries and affiliates, is prohibited from having any communications with any person inside or outside the using agency; issuing agency;

other government agency office or body (including the purchaser named above, any department secretary, agency head, members of the General Assembly and Governor’s office); or private entity, if the communication refers to the content of Vendor’s proposal or qualifications, the content of another Vendor’s proposal, another Vendor’s qualifications or ability to perform a resulting contract, and/or the transmittal of any other communication of information that could be reasonably considered to have the effect of directly or indirectly influencing the evaluation of proposals, the award of a contract, or both.

Any Vendor not in compliance with this provision shall be disqualified from evaluation and award. A Vendor’s proposal may be disqualified if its subcontractor and/or supplier engage in any of the foregoing communications during the time that the procurement is active (i.e., the issuance date of the procurement until the date of contract award or cancellation of the

Ver: 11/2023 8 procurement). Only those discussions, communications or transmittals of information authorized or initiated by the issuing agency for this RFP or inquiries directed to the purchaser named in this RFP regarding requirements of the RFP (prior to proposal submission) or the status of the award (after submission) are excepted from this provision.

3.3 PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

Only responsive submissions will be evaluated.

The State will conduct a One-Step evaluation of Proposals:

Proposals will be received according to the method stated in the Proposal Submittal Section above.

All proposals must be received by the issuing agency not later than the date and time specified in the RFP SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum. Vendors are cautioned that this is a request for offers, not an offer or request to contract, and the State reserves the unqualified right to reject any and all offers at any time if such rejection is deemed to be in the best interest of the State.

At the date and time provided in the RFP SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum, the proposal from each responding Vendor will be opened publicly and all offers (except those that have been previously withdrawn, or voided bids) will be tabulated. The tabulation shall be made public at the time it is created. When negotiations after receipt of bids is authorized pursuant to G.S. 143-49 and 01 NCAC 05B.0503, only the names of offerors and the Goods and Services offered shall be tabulated at the time of opening. If negotiation is anticipated, cost and price shall become available for public inspection at the time of the award. Interested parties are cautioned that these costs and their components are subject to further evaluation for completeness and correctness and therefore may not be an exact indicator of a Vendor’s pricing position.

At their option, the evaluators may request oral presentations or discussions with any or all Vendors for clarification or to amplify the materials presented in any part of the proposal. Vendors are cautioned, however, that the evaluators are not required to request presentations or other clarification—and often do not. Therefore, all proposals should be complete and reflect the most favorable terms available from the Vendor.

3.4 EVALUATION CRITERIA

BEST VALUE: "Best Value" procurement methods are authorized by N.C.G.S. §§143-135.9 and 143B-1350(h). The award decision is made based on multiple factors, including: total cost of ownership, meaning the cost of acquiring, operating, maintaining, and supporting a product or service over its projected lifetime; the evaluated technical merit of the Vendor's offer; the Vendor's past performance; and the evaluated probability of performing the specifications stated in the solicitation on time, with high quality, and in a manner that accomplishes the stated business objectives and maintains industry standards compliance. The intent of "Best Value" procurement is to enable Vendors to offer and the Agency to select the most appropriate solution to meet the business objectives defined in the solicitation and to keep all parties focused on the desired outcome of a procurement.

A ranking method of source selection will be utilized in this procurement using evaluation criteria listed in order of importance in the Evaluation Criteria section below to allow the State to award this RFP to the Vendor(s) providing the Best Value and recognizing that Best Value may result in award other than the lowest price or highest technically qualified offer. By using this method, the overall ranking may be adjusted up or down when considered with, or traded-off against, other non-price factors.

EVALUATION METHOD: Narrative and by consensus of the evaluation committee, explaining the strengths and weaknesses of each proposal and why the recommended awardee(s) provide the best value to the State.

All qualified proposals will be evaluated, and award made based on considering the following criteria listed in descending order of importance, to result in an award most advantageous to the State:

1. Technical Approach (Section 5.4)

2. Experience (Section 4.5)

Ver: 11/2023 9

3. Project Organization (Section 5.5)

4. Cost –(Section 4.1 and ATTACHMENT A: COST PROPOSAL)

3.5 PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

Vendor shall complete ATTACHMENT F: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR. In addition to any other evaluation criteria identified in this RFP, the State may also consider, for purposes of evaluating proposed or actual contract performance outside of the United States, how that performance may affect the following factors to ensure that any award will be in the best interest of the State:

a) Total cost to the State

b) Level of quality provided by the Vendor

c) Process and performance capability across multiple jurisdictions

d) Protection of the State’s information and intellectual property

e) Availability of pertinent skills

f) Ability to understand the State’s business requirements and internal operational culture

g) Particular risk factors such as the security of the State’s information technology

h) Relations with citizens and employees

i) Contract enforcement jurisdictional issues

3.6 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES

This RFP serves two functions: (1) to advise potential Vendors of the parameters of the solution being sought by the State; and

(2) to provide (together with other specified documents) the terms of the Contract resulting from this procurement. The use of phrases such as “shall,” “must,” and “requirements” are intended to create enforceable contract conditions. In determining whether proposals should be evaluated or rejected, the State will take into consideration the degree to which Vendors have proposed or failed to propose solutions that will satisfy the State’s needs as described in the RFP. Except as specifically stated in the RFP, no one requirement shall automatically disqualify a Vendor from consideration. However, failure to comply with any single requirement may result in the State exercising its discretion to reject a proposal in its entirety.

4.0 REQUIREMENTS

This Section lists the requirements related to this RFP. By submitting a proposal, the Vendor agrees to meet all stated requirements in this Section as well as any other specifications, requirements, and terms and conditions stated in this RFP. If a Vendor is unclear about a requirement or specification, or believes a change to a requirement would allow for the State to receive a better proposal, the Vendor is urged to submit these items in the form of a question during the question and answer period in accordance with the Proposal Questions Section above.

4.1 PRICING

Proposal price shall constitute the total cost to the State for complete performance in accordance with the requirements and specifications herein, including all applicable charges for handling, transportation, administrative and other similar fees.

Complete ATTACHMENT A: PRICING FORM and include in Vendor’s proposal. The pricing provided in ATTACHMENT A, or resulting from any negotiations, is incorporated herein and shall become part of any resulting Contract.

• Pricing must be competitive and comparable to industry standards

4.2 INVOICES

Vendor shall invoice Gaston College’s Learning Solutions Center (LSC) Department directly. The standard format for invoicing shall be single invoices, meaning that the vendor shall provide the Department with an invoice for each order. Invoices shall include detailed information to allow the department staff to verify pricing at point of receipt matches the correct price from the original date of order. The following fields shall be included on all invoices, as relevant:

Ver: 11/2023 10

Bill To Address. Ship To Address, Invoice Number, Customer Code, PO Number, Ship Date, Invoice Date, Job Description, Buyer, Quantity Ordered, Quantity Shipped, Description: BN-Student-Manual or BN-Instructor-Manual, Unit Price, Unit of Measure, Amount, Sub-Total, Sales Tax, Total Due

INVOICES MAY NOT BE PAID UNTIL AN INSPECTION HAS OCCURRED AND THE GOODS OR SERVICES ACCEPTED.

4.3 FINANCIAL STABILITY

As a condition of contract award, the Vendor must certify that it has the financial capacity to perform and to continue to perform its obligations under the Contract; that Vendor has no constructive or actual knowledge of an actual or potential legal proceeding being brought against Vendor that could materially adversely affect performance of this Contract; and that entering into this Contract is not prohibited by any contract, or order by any court of competent jurisdiction.

Each Vendor shall certify it is financially stable by completing ATTACHMENT G: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION. The State is requiring this certification to minimize potential issues from contracting with a Vendor that is financially unstable. From the date of the Certification to the expiration of the Contract, the Vendor shall notify the State within thirty (30) days of any occurrence or condition that materially alters the truth of any statement made in this Certification. The Contract Manager may require annual recertification of the Vendor’s financial stability.

4.4 HUB PARTICIPATION

Pursuant to North Carolina General Statute G.S. 143-48, it is State policy to encourage and promote the use of small, minority, physically handicapped, and women contractors in purchasing Goods and Services. As such, this RFP will serve to identify those Vendors that are minority owned or have a strategic plan to support the State’s Historically Underutilized Business program by meeting or exceeding the goal of 10% utilization of diverse firms as 1st or 2nd tier subcontractors. Vendor shall complete

ATTACHMENT D: HUB SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION.

4.5 VENDOR EXPERIENCE

In its Proposal, the Vendor shall demonstrate a minimum of four (4) years of experience providing commercial print services of similar scope and complexity to those requested in this RFP.

Vendors shall describe their ability to provide high-volume, high-quality printing services, including:

1. Full-color, double-sided printing on various paper stocks

2. Reinforced edge and tabbed divider production

3. Binder assembly and custom packaging

4. Online ordering capabilities and order tracking systems

5. Flexibility to revise or update manuals as needed by Gaston College

Vendors are encouraged to include a summary of previous or ongoing contracts with public or private sector clients that demonstrate technical expertise, capacity to meet deadlines under pressure, and strong customer service.

4.6 REFERENCES

Vendor shall provide at least three (3) references, using ATTACHMENT E: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM, for which it has provided Services of similar size and scope to those proposed herein. The State may contact these users to determine whether the Services provided are substantially similar in scope to those proposed herein and whether Vendor’s performance has been satisfactory. The information obtained may be considered in the evaluation of the Proposal.

4.7 PERSONNEL

Vendor warrants that qualified personnel shall provide Services under this Contract in a professional manner. “Professional manner” means that the personnel performing the Services will possess the skill and competence consistent with the prevailing business standards in the industry. Vendor will serve as the prime contractor under this Contract and shall be responsible for the performance and payment of all subcontractor(s) that may be approved by the State. Names of any third-party Vendors or subcontractors of Vendor may appear for purposes of convenience in Contract documents; and shall not limit Vendor’s

Ver: 11/2023 11 obligations hereunder. Vendor will retain executive representation for functional and technical expertise as needed in order to incorporate any work by third party subcontractor(s).

Should the Vendor’s proposal result in an award, the Vendor shall be required to agree that it will not substitute key personnel assigned to the performance of the Contract without prior written approval by the Contract Lead. Vendor shall further agree that it will notify the Contract Lead of any desired substitution, including the name(s) and references of Vendor’s recommended substitute personnel. The State will approve or disapprove the requested substitution in a timely manner. The State may, in its sole discretion, terminate the Services of any person providing Services under this Contract. Upon such termination, the State may request acceptable substitute personnel or terminate the contract Services provided by such personnel.

4.8 VENDOR’S REPRESENTATIONS

If Vendor’s Proposal results in an award, Vendor agrees that it will not enter any agreement with a third party that may abridge any rights of the State under the Contract. If any Services, deliverables, functions, or responsibilities not specifically described in this solicitation are required for Vendor’s proper performance, provision and delivery of the Service and deliverables under a resulting Contract, or are an inherent part of or necessary sub-task included within such Service, they will be deemed to be implied by and included within the scope of the Contract to the same extent and in the same manner as if specifically described in the Contract. Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, Vendor will furnish all of its own necessary management, supervision, labor, facilities, furniture, computer and telecommunications equipment, software, supplies and materials necessary for the Vendor to provide and deliver the Services and/or other Deliverables.

5.0 SPECIFICATIONS AND SCOPE OF WORK

GENERAL

Gaston College, on behalf of the BioNetwork Learning Solutions Center, seeks a qualified vendor to provide comprehensive printing, assembly, fulfillment, and distribution services for BioWork Training Manuals, including both Student and Instructor versions. These materials support BioWork Certificate Programs offered throughout the state of North Carolina.

5.2 SPECIFICATIONS

The specific items and any specifications that the Purchasing Agency is seeking are listed below. Items offered by the Vendor must meet or exceed the listed Specifications to be considered for award.

Description Pages Paper Type Printing Product/Service Offered Meets All Specifications

Student Manual Approximately 522 pages

Weight: 70lb Color: White Paper Size: 8.5x11 Other: Reinforced Edges for Holes

Full Color Double Sided No Bleed Smooth Offset Text

☐ YES ☐ NO

Binder Spine Label 1 Weight: 80lb Color: White Other: Uncoated

Full Color Single Sided Bleed Okay

Binder Cover (Student) 1

Color: White Other: Uncoated

Full Color

Dividers (3 banks of 3 tabs) Set of 9 per binder

Weight: 90lb Color: White Other: Non-Reinforced tabs

B&W Double Sided

Ver: 11/2023 12

Description Pages Paper Type Printing Product/Service Offered Meets All Specifications

Binders

Binder: 3” 3 D-Ring with Pockets 10x11.5” Ring Type: Back Cover Mounted Binder Type: Slant Color: White Other: Binder has clear sleeves on the front and spine, 8 pt. Poly Vinyl Coating Quantity: One binder per student manual Total Quantity required: 600-800

Final Assembly Ready-to-assemble individual packages in shrink wrap, inserted inside a binder, and packaged 4 to a box.

Pricing Priced as a box (4 Manuals per box)

Instructor Manual Approximately 522 pages

Weight: 70lb Color: White Paper Size: 8.5x11 Other: Reinforced Edges for Holes

Full Color Double Sided No Bleed Smooth Offset Text

Binder Spine Label 1

Color: White Other: Uncoated

Full Color

Binder Cover (Instructor) 1

Color: White Other: Uncoated

Full Color Single Sided

Dividers (3 banks of 3 tabs) Set of 9 per binder

Weight: 90lb Color: White Other: Non-Reinforced tabs

B&W Double Sided

Binders

Binder: 3” 3 D-Ring with Pockets 10x11.5” Ring Type: Back Cover Mounted Binder Type: Slant Color: Black Other: Binder has clear sleeves on the front and spine, 8 pt. Poly Vinyl Coating Quantity: One binder per instructor manual Total Quantity Required: 100 each

Final Assembly Ready-to-assemble individual packages in shrink wrap, inserted inside a binder, and packaged as one each (individually).

Pricing Priced as each. ☐ YES ☐ NO

Ver: 11/2023 13

5.3 TASKS/DELIVERABLES

The awarded vendor shall:

a) Print, assemble, and deliver fully assembled Student and Instructor Training Manuals in accordance with the technical and functional specifications detailed above.

b) Services shall include printing, binding, shrink-wrapping, packaging, inventory management, online ordering capabilities, shipping, and ongoing support.

c) Vendor shall store and maintain a secure inventory of unused stock.

d) Provide timely inventory visibility through an online portal or on-demand reporting.

e) Maintain a web-based portal for Gaston College staff to place, track, and confirm orders.

f) Provide electronic confirmations of order receipt and shipment.

g) Orders of 15 boxes or more must be shipped using a qualified freight carrier.

h) Small orders (less than 14 boxes) must be delivered within three (3) business days.

i) Vendor must accept Gaston College’s freight/shipping account information to minimize shipping charges.

j) Local pickup or delivery to Gaston College or designated locations is required.

k) All packaging must ensure protection during transit.

l) Shrink wrap must be durable and secure.

m) All binders, paper, tabs, and printing must be of high-quality commercial-grade materials.

n) Vendor shall correct, at no cost to Gaston College, any printing or production errors.

o) Itemized invoices per job (see Section 4.2 of the solicitation for invoice standards).

p) Gaston College will provide the awarded Vendor with the print-ready file. Within five (5) consecutive business days of receipt of the print-ready Adobe Acrobat pdf file, the awarded Vendor shall provide a minimum of one (1) high quality digital proof to the Gaston College Contract Administrator

q) Student Manuals: Price per box (4 manuals per box)

r) Instructor Manuals: Price per manual (individually packaged)

5.4 TECHNICAL APPROACH

Vendor’s proposal shall include, in narrative, outline, and/or graph form the Vendor's approach to providing the deliverables outlined in the Scope of Work section of this RFP. A description of each task and deliverable and the schedule for accomplishing each shall be included.

5.5 PROJECT ORGANIZATION

Vendor shall describe the organizational and operational structure it proposes to utilize for the work described in this RFP and identify the responsibilities to be assigned to each person Vendor proposes to staff the work.

6.0 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

All Contract Administration requirements are conditioned on an award resulting from this solicitation. This information is provided for the Vendor’s planning purposes.

GCC Contract Administrator: Cindy Revis, Program Coordinator 704-608-0589

GCC Contract Manager: Mike Whiteman, Chief Financial Officer 704-922-9655

Ver: 11/2023 14

6.1 CONTRACT MANAGER AND CUSTOMER SERVICE

The Vendor shall be required to designate and make available to the State a contract manager. The contract manager shall be the State’s point of contact for Contract related issues and issues concerning performance, progress review, scheduling, and service.

The Vendor shall be required to designate and make available to the State for customer service. The customer service point of contact shall be the State’s point of contact for customer service-related issues (define roles and responsibilities.

6.2 POST AWARD PROJECT REVIEW MEETINGS

The Vendor, at the request of the State, may be required to meet periodically with the State for Project Review meetings. The purpose of these meetings will be to review project progress reports, discuss Vendor and State performance, address outstanding issues, review problem resolution, provide direction, evaluate continuous improvement and cost saving ideas, and discuss any other pertinent topics.

6.3 CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

The State encourages the Vendor to identify opportunities to reduce the total cost the State. A continuous improvement effort consists of various ways to enhance business efficiency as performance progresses.

6.4 ACCEPTANCE OF WORK

Performance of the work and/or delivery of Goods shall be conducted and completed at least in accordance with the Contract requirements and recognized and customarily accepted industry practices. Performance shall be considered complete when the Services or Goods are approved as acceptable by the Contract Manager.

The State shall have the obligation to notify Vendor, in writing, ten (10) calendar days following completion of such work or delivery of a deliverable described in the Contract that it is not acceptable. The notice shall specify in reasonable detail the reason(s) it is unacceptable. Acceptance by the State shall not be unreasonably withheld; but may be conditioned or delayed as required for reasonable review, evaluation, installation, or testing, as applicable to the work or deliverable. Final acceptance is expressly conditioned upon completion of all applicable assessment procedures. Should the work or deliverables fail to meet any specifications, acceptance criteria or otherwise fail to conform to the Contract, the State may exercise any and all rights hereunder, including, for Goods deliverables, such rights provided by the Uniform Commercial Code, as adopted in North Carolina.

6.5 TRANSITION ASSISTANCE

If a Contract results from this solicitation, and the Contract is not renewed at the end of the last active term, or is canceled prior to its expiration, for any reason, Vendor shall provide transition assistance to the State, at the option of the State, for up to six (6) months to allow for the expired or canceled portion of the Services to continue without interruption or adverse effect, and to facilitate the orderly transfer of such Services to the State or its designees. If the State exercises this option, the Parties agree that such transition assistance shall be governed by the terms and conditions of the Contract (notwithstanding this expiration or cancellation), except for those Contract terms or conditions that do not reasonably apply to such transition assistance. The vendor agrees to release all goods and/or materials paid by the State into the hands of the State or its Designees before the conclusion of the transfer. The State shall agree to pay Vendor for any resources utilized in performing such transition assistance at the most current rates provided by the Contract for performance of the Services or other resources utilized.

6.6 DISPUTE RESOLUTION

During the performance of the Contract, the parties agree that it is in their mutual interest to resolve disputes informally. Any claims by the Vendor shall be submitted in writing to the State’s Contract Manager for resolution. Any claims by the State shall be submitted in writing to the Vendor’s Project Manager for resolution. The Parties shall agree to negotiate in good faith and use all reasonable efforts to resolve such dispute(s).

Ver: 11/2023 15

During the time the Parties are attempting to resolve any dispute, each shall proceed diligently to perform their respective duties and responsibilities under this Contract. The Parties will agree on a reasonable amount of time to resolve a dispute. If a dispute cannot be resolved between the Parties within the agreed upon period, either Party may elect to exercise any other remedies available under the Contract, or at law. This provision, when agreed in the Contract, shall not constitute an agreement by either party to mediate or arbitrate any dispute.

6.7 CONTRACT CHANGES

Contract changes, if any, over the life of the Contract shall be implemented by contract amendments agreed to in writing by the State and Vendor. Amendments to the contract can only be made through the contract administrator.

Ver: 11/2023 16

7.0 ATTACHMENTS

**IMPORTANT NOTICE**

RETURN THE REQUIRED ATTACHMENTS WITH YOUR RESPONSE

FOLLOW THE LINKS TO ACCESS EACH ATTACHMENT

ATTACHMENT A: PRICING

Complete and return the Pricing associated with this RFP in the table below:

Price requested for the following:

Student Manual

(estimated annual need = 1,400 assembled manuals)

Approximately 522 pages per manual

Weight: 70lb Color: White Paper Size: 8.5x11 Other: Reinforced Edges for Holes

Full Color Double Sided No Bleed Smooth Offset Text

Binder Spine Label 1

Weight: 80lb Color: White Other: Uncoated

Full Color Single Sided Bleed Okay

Binder Cover (Student) 1

Weight: 80lb Color: White Other: Uncoated

Full Color Single Sided Bleed Okay

Dividers (3 banks of 3 tabs) Set of 9 per binder

Weight: 90lb Color: White Other: Non-Reinforced tabs

B&W Double Sided Bleed Okay

Additional Cost

Binders

Binder: 3-inch, 3 D-Ring with Pockets 10x11.5” Ring Type: Back Cover Mounted Binder Type: Slant Color: White Other: Binder has clear sleeves on the front and spine, 8 pt. Poly Vinyl Coating Quantity: One binder per student manual Total Quantity required: 600-800

Final Assembly Ready-to-assemble individual packages in shrink wrap, inserted inside a binder, and packaged 4 each to a box.

Material Packing Medium to Heavyweight box for shipping.

Student Manual Pricing (4 each/box): ________________________ Note: Your cost must include each item listed above.

Ver: 11/2023 17

Instructor Manual (estimated annual need - 20 assembled manuals)

Approximately 522 pages per manual

Weight: 70lb Color: White Paper Size: 8.5x11 Other: Reinforced Edges for Holes

Full Color Double Sided No Bleed Smooth Offset Text

Binder Spine Label 1

Weight: 80lb Color: White Other: Uncoated

Full Color Single Sided Bleed Okay

Binder Cover (Instructor) 1

Weight: 80lb Color: White Other: Uncoated

Full Color Single Sided Bleed Okay

Dividers (3 banks of 3 tabs) Set of 9 per binder

Weight: 90lb Color: White Other: Non-Reinforced tabs

B&W Double Sided Bleed Okay

Additional Cost

Binders

Binder: 3-inch, 3 D-Ring with Pockets 10x11.5” Ring Type: Back Cover Mounted Binder Type: Slant Color: Black Other: Binder has clear sleeves on the front and spine, 8 pt.