30-270100-DPH - Rabies Tags - IFB.pdf

Ver. 09/2026

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

Department of Health and Human Services

Division of Public Health

Invitation for Bids #: 30-270100-DPH

Rabies Tags

Date Issued: September 28, 2026

Bid Opening Date: October 12, 2026

At 2:00 PM ET

Direct all inquiries concerning this IFB to:

Amanda Kerstetter

Procurement Specialist II

Email: Amanda.Kerstetter@dhhs.nc.gov

Ver. 09/2026

Invitation for Bids #

30-270100-DPH

For internal State agency processing, including tabulation of bids, 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 bid.

Failure to do so shall be sufficient cause to reject your bid.

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://evp.nc.gov/SignIn

Electronic responses ONLY will be accepted for this solicitation.

https://evp.nc.gov/SignIn

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EXECUTION

In compliance with this Invitation for Bids (IFB), 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 bid, the undersigned Vendor understands that false certification is a Class I felony and certifies that:

▪ this bid is submitted competitively and without collusion (G.S. 143-54),

▪ that 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 bid, 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 IFB, 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 Contract; 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 bid response to the IFB, the undersigned certifies, for Vendor’s entire organization and its employees or agents, that Vendor are not aware that any such gift has been offered, accepted, or promised by any employees or agents of Vendor’s organization.

By executing this bid, 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 bid prior to submittal may render bid invalid and it MAY BE REJECTED. Late bids cannot 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:

VENDOR’S AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE: DATE: E-MAIL:

Department of Health and Human Services

Refer ALL Inquiries regarding this IFB to:

Amanda Kerstetter

Amanda.Kerstetter@dhhs.nc.gov

Invitation for Bids # 30-270100-DPH

Bids will be publicly opened: October 12, 2026, at 2:00 PM ET

Using Agency: Public Health Commodity No. and Description: 551215-Tags

Requisition No.: RQ267855

Bid Number: 30-270100-DPH Vendor: ____________________________________

Ver: 09/2026 2

FOR STATE USE ONLY: Offer accepted and Contract awarded this ____ day of _______________, 20____, as indicated on the attached certification, by ______________________________________________________

VALIDITY PERIOD

Offer shall be valid for at least ninety (90) days from date of bid opening, unless otherwise stated here: ______ days, or if extended by mutual agreement of the parties. Any withdrawal of this offer shall be made in writing, effective upon receipt by the agency issuing this

IFB.

BID ACCEPTANCE

If your bid is accepted, all provisions of this IFB, 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.

(Authorized Representative of DHHS)

Ver: 09/2026 3

1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

1.1 CONTRACT TERM

2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

2.1 INVITATION FOR BIDS DOCUMENT

2.2 ePROCUREMENT FEE

2.3 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING IFB TERMS AND CONDITIONS

2.4 IFB SCHEDULE

2.5 BID QUESTIONS

2.6 BID SUBMITTAL

2.7 BID CONTENTS

2.8 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS

3.0 METHOD OF AWARD AND BID EVALUATION PROCESS

3.1 METHOD OF AWARD

3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION

3.3 BID EVALUATION PROCESS

3.4 PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

3.5 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES

4.0 REQUIREMENTS

4.1 PRICING

4.1.1 IMPORT TARIFF TEMPORARY SURCHARGE

4.2 ESTIMATED QUANTITIES

4.3 PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION

4.4 TRANSPORTATION AND IDENTIFICATION

4.5 DELIVERY

4.6 AUTHORIZED RESELLER

4.7 WARRANTY

4.8 RABIES TAG SAMPLES

4.9 REFERENCES

4.10 VENDOR’S REPRESENTATIONS

4.11 FINANCIAL STABILITY

4.12 AGENCY INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS MODIFICATION

4.13 SUBCONTRACTORS

4.14 SECRETARY OF STATE REGISTRATION

4.15 SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS

5.0 PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

5.2 DEVIATIONS

6.0 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

6.1 CONTRACT MANAGER AND CUSTOMER SERVICE

6.2 POST AWARD BUSINESS REVIEW MEETINGS

6.3 CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

6.4 RABIES TAGS ORDER SHIPMENT CONFIRMATION STATUS REPORT

Ver: 09/2026 4

6.5 ACCEPTANCE OF WORK

6.6 INVOICES

6.7 DISPUTE RESOLUTION

6.8 PRODUCT RECALL

6.9 PRICE ADJUSTMENTS

6.10 CONTRACT CHANGES

6.11 ATTACHMENTS

ATTACHMENT: PRICING FORM

ATTACHMENT: INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS

ATTACHMENT: NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

ATTACHMENT: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM

ATTACHMENT: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR

ATTACHMENT: SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS

ATTACHMENT: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

ATTACHMENT: VENDOR REQUEST FOR EO50 PRICE MATCHING

Ver: 09/2026 5

1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

PURPOSE: The State of North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (hereinafter referred to as the DEPARTMENT) has issued this Invitation for Bids (IFB) to obtain fair, reasonable, and acceptable pricing for the acquisition and delivery of Rabies Tags for the Division of Public Health (DPH), Veterinary Public Health (VPH) Program.

BACKGROUND: The North Carolina Veterinary Public Health program focuses on the control and prevention of communicable diseases that can be passed from animals to humans. These diseases are known as zoonotic (animal-borne) diseases. Rabies is by far the most prevalent reportable zoonotic disease in animals in NC. Rabies vaccination tags, links, and rivets may be obtained from the Veterinary Public Health (VPH) program per N.C.G.S. §130A-190.

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

To comply with Executive Order 80 (2018), North Carolina’s Commitment to Address Climate Change and Transition to a Clean Energy Economy, the contract resulting from this solicitation intends to provide sustainability features in accordance with industry standards.

1.1 CONTRACT TERM

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

Date”). In addition, the State reserves the right to extend a contract term after the last active term.

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

2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

2.1 INVITATION FOR BIDS DOCUMENT

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

2.2 ePROCUREMENT FEE

ATTENTION: The eProcurement fee may apply to this solicitation. See paragraph entitled ELECTRONIC PROCUREMENT of the

North Carolina General Terms and Conditions.

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

2.3 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING IFB 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 IFB and comply with all requirements and specifications herein. Vendors also are responsible for obtaining and complying with all Addenda and other changes that may be issued in connection with this IFB.

If Vendors have questions, issues, or exceptions regarding any component within this IFB, those must be submitted as questions in accordance with the instructions in the BID 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 IFB 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 contact award.

Other than through this process or 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 bid. This applies to any language appearing in or attached to the document as part of the Vendor’s bid that purports to vary any terms and conditions or Vendors’ instructions herein or to render the bid non-binding or subject to further negotiation. Vendor’s bid 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 IFB response, the Vendor agrees that any additional or modified terms and conditions, whether submitted purposely or http://eprocurement.nc.gov/

Ver: 09/2026 6 inadvertently, shall have no force or effect, and will be disregarded unless expressly agreed upon through negotiations 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 bid as nonresponsive.

2.4 IFB SCHEDULE

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

Event Responsibility Date and Time

Issue IFB State September 28, 2026

Submit Written

Questions

Vendor October 01, 2026, at 2:00 PM ET

Provide Responses to

Questions

State EST October 02, 2026

Submit Bids Vendor October 12, 2026, at 2:00 PM ET

Microsoft Teams meeting

Join:

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Meeting ID: 222 201 309 322 693

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Contract Award State EST October 2026

2.5 BID QUESTIONS

Upon review of the IFB documents, Vendors may have questions to clarify or interpret the IFB in order to submit the best bid possible. To accommodate the Bid Questions process, Vendors shall submit any such questions by the “Submit Written

Questions” date and time provided in the IFB SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum.

Written questions shall be e-mailed to Amanda Kerstetter by the date and time specified above. Vendors will enter “IFB # 30-

270100-DPH: Questions” as the subject for the email. Question submittals will include a reference to the applicable IFB section and be submitted in the format shown below:

Reference Vendor Question

IFB Section, Page Number Vendor question …?

https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/222201309322693?p=GhLnL2OsIjS53Tf3Bm https://aka.ms/JoinTeamsMeeting?omkt=en-US https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_ODEzYjlhY2ItYTUxNy00Y2I5LTk2ZGEtNTAwMTJkZWIxMzdl%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%227a7681dc-b9d0-449a-85c3-ecc26cd7ed19%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%223881eaa9-63a6-4b3b-a2b8-e42290f15e88%22%7d tel:+19842041487,,377845864 https://dialin.teams.cloud.microsoft/c102d528-0544-4660-b869-294e85047e28?id=377845864 https://www.webex.com/msteams?confid=1144570664&tenantkey=ncgov&domain=m.webex.com

Ver: 09/2026 7

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 IFB. 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 IFB, shall be considered authoritative or binding.

Vendors shall rely only on written material contained in an Addendum to this IFB.

2.6 BID SUBMITTAL

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is an absolute requirement. Vendor shall bear the risk of late submission due to unintended or unanticipated delay. It is the Vendor’s sole responsibility to ensure its bid has been received as described in this IFB by the specified time and date of opening. The date and time of receipt will be marked on each bid when received. Any bid or portion thereof received after the bid submission 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.

Failure to submit a bid in strict accordance with these instructions shall constitute sufficient cause to reject a Vendor’s b id(s).

Vendors are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to upload bids.

Critical updated information may be included in Addenda to this IFB. It is important that all Vendors responding on this IFB 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 IFB and all Addenda thereto.

2.7 BID CONTENTS

Vendors shall populate all attachments of this IFB 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 bid, in the State’s sole discretion.

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

a) Completed and signed version of EXECUTION PAGES, along with the body of the IFB.

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

c) Vendor Response [4.5, 4.6, 4.14, 5.1 I. C, 6.1]

d) Completed version of ATTACHMENT: PRICING FORM

e) Completed version of ATTACHMENT: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM

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

g) Completed version of ATTACHMENT: SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS

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

i) Completed and signed version of ATTACHMENT: VENDOR REQUEST FOR EO50 PRICE-MATCHING

2.8 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS

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

https://evp.nc.gov/

Ver: 09/2026 8

3.0 METHOD OF AWARD AND BID 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 responsive bids will be reviewed, and award(s) will be based on the responsive bid(s) offering the lowest price that meets the specifications to include any required verifications set out herein, such as but not limited to past performance, references, and financial documents.

While the intent of this IFB is to award a Contract(s) to a single Vendor for all line items, 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 IFB 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 bids 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 bid, 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 bid(s) are identified, the State will then determine whether any such bid 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 bids received.

3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION

While this IFB 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 Paragraph 29 of the Instructions To

Vendors entitled COMMUNICATIONS BY VENDORS.

Each Vendor submitting a bid to this IFB, 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 procurement lead 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 bid 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 procurement). Only those discussions, communications or transmittals of information authorized or initiated by the issuing agency for this IFB, or inquiries directed to the procurement lead named in this IFB regarding requirements of the IFB (prior to proposal submission) or the status of the award (after submission) are excepted from this provision.

3.3 BID EVALUATION PROCESS

Only responsive submissions will be evaluated.

The State will conduct an evaluation of responsive Bids, as follows:

Bids will be received according to the method stated in the Bid Submittal section above.

Ver: 09/2026 9

All bids must be received by the issuing agency not later than the date and time specified in the IFB 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 IFB SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum, the bids 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 are 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 bid. Vendors are cautioned, however, that the evaluators are not required to request presentations or other clarification—and often do not. Therefore, all bids should be complete and reflect the most favorable terms available from the Vendor. Prices bid cannot be altered or modified as part of a clarification.

Bids will generally be evaluated, based on completeness, content, cost and responsibility of the Vendor to supply the requested Goods and Services. Specific evaluation criteria are listed in Section 3.1 METHOD OF AWARD.

Upon completion of the evaluation process, the State will make Award(s) based on the evaluation and post the award(s) to the State’s eVP website under the IFB number for this solicitation. Award of a Contract to one Vendor does not mean that the other bids lacked merit, but that, all factors considered, the selected bid was deemed most advantageous and represented the best value to the State.

The State reserves the right to negotiate with one or more Vendors, or to reject all original offers and negotiate with one or more sources of supply that may be capable of satisfying the requirement, and in either case to require Vendor to submit a

Best and Final Offer (BAFO) based on discussions and negotiations with the State.

3.4 PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

Vendor shall complete ATTACHMENT : LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR. In addition to any other evaluation criteria identified in this IFB, 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

3.5 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES

This IFB 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 bids should be evaluated or rejected, the State will take into consideration the degree to which Vendors have proposed

Ver: 09/2026 10 or failed to propose solutions that will satisfy the State’s needs as described in the IFB. Except as specifically stated in the IFB, 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 bid in its entirety.

4.0 REQUIREMENTS

This Section lists the requirements related to this IFB. By submitting a bid, 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 IFB. If a Vendor is unclear about a requirement or specification, or believes a change in a requirement would allow for the State to receive a better bid, the Vendor is encouraged to submit these items in the form of a question during the question and answer period in accordance with the Bid Questions Section above.

4.1 PRICING

Bid price shall constitute the total cost to the State for delivery fully assembled and ready for use, including all applicable charges for shipping, delivery, handling, administrative and other similar fees. Complete ATTACHMENT: PRICING FORM and include in Vendor’s response.

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

4.1.1 IMPORT TARIFF TEMPORARY SURCHARGE

Pricing shall be exclusive of any pending tariffs or temporary tariff surcharge. Vendor may request a temporary tariff surcharge in ATTACHMENT: PRICING FORM as a charge separate from the contract price. Any temporary tariff surcharge(s) associated with purchases shall be provided by way of a percentage tariff surcharge. All tariff surcharges proposed are intended to be temporary and based on current tariff implications specific to related commodities with evidence of submitted documentation of affected MSRP products. Vendor understands that the agency may request additional justification. Any temporary tariff surcharge percentage will be negotiated and mutually agreed upon. The state is not obligated to accept any proposed import tariff surcharge. Proposed tariff surcharges may be used as a factor for evaluation and award.

4.2 ESTIMATED QUANTITIES

The quantities indicated herein are annual estimates only and are provided for informational purposes based on the anticipated usage. No maximum or minimum quantities are guaranteed. It shall be understood and agreed that the State may purchase more or less than the estimated quantities during the contract period. The State reserves the right to increase or decrease the quantities as needed. The State shall not be obligated to purchase more than its normal requirements. The State will be responsible only for items requested and received.

4.3 PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION

SUITABILITY FOR INTENDED USE

Vendors are requested to offer only items directly complying with the specifications herein or comparable items which will provide the equivalent capabilities, features and diversity called for herein. The State reserves the right to evaluate all bids for suitability for the required use and to award the one best meeting requirements and considered to be in the State’s best interest.

4.4 TRANSPORTATION AND IDENTIFICATION

The Vendor shall deliver Free-On-Board (FOB) Destination to any requested location within the State of North Carolina with all transportation costs and fees included in the total bid price.

When an order is placed using a purchase order, the purchase order number shall be shown on all packages and shipping manifests to ensure proper identification and payment of invoices. If an order is placed without using a purchase order, such as via phone, the Program’s name “Veterinary Public Health” must be shown on all packages. A complete packing list shall accompany each shipment. Vendors shall not ship any products until they have received an order.

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4.5 DELIVERY

The DHHS, Division of Public Health, Veterinary Public Health Program Coordinator will provide the awarded Vendor the initial order quantities and ship to locations in a mutually agreeable electronic format (i.e., Microsoft Excel spreadsheet) no later than

October 15, 2026. There are approximately 1,521 shipping locations across the state. To ensure proper billing, each individual shipment must include the VPH account number in the Purchase Order (PO) field of the shipping label.

Delivery Timeline:

1. Initial Drop-Ship Orders: All drop-shipped orders to the ~1,521 statewide locations must be shipped and delivered on or before December 15, 2026.

2. Remaining Quantities: Any remaining inventory from the initial order must be shipped and delivered to the main VPH office on or before December 1, 202.

• Main VPH Delivery Address: DHHS Division of Public Health, Veterinary Public Health Program, 65 Moore

Drive, Durham, NC 27713.

Will vendor deliver Initial order to all locations by dates listed above? Yes ☐ No ☐

For completion by Vendor: Delivery will be made from __________________________________________ (city, state) within

_____ consecutive calendar days after receipt of purchase order. Promptness of delivery may be used as a factor in the award criteria.

4.6 AUTHORIZED RESELLER

The Vendor shall be authorized by the manufacturer to distribute or resell the products and/or maintenance offered in this IFB.

The Vendor shall provide a signed statement from the manufacturer confirming authorization with its bid response. Failure to provide this statement shall constitute sufficient grounds for rejection of Vendor’s offer, at the discretion of the State.

Vendor is the: Manufacturer Dealer Reseller Distributor

Authorized: Yes No Attached Manufacturer’s Authority: Yes No

4.7 WARRANTY

Manufacturer’s standard warranty shall apply. Vendors shall include a copy of the manufacturer’s standard warranty with the bid response.

4.8 RABIES TAG SAMPLES

SAMPLE REQUIREMENT – A sample of each proposed product (plain finish; no imprint required) must be delivered to the address below NO LATER THAN the exact date of the bid opening. Samples arriving after the bid opening deadline will be deemed non-responsive, and the corresponding electronic bid will be automatically rejected. Samples must match the exact physical dimensions and sizing specified in this solicitation. Samples that fail to meet these dimensional requirements will be rejected.

SAMPLE EXEMPTION FOR PRIOR BIDDERS: Vendors who submitted compliant product samples under the immediate prior solicitation for this commodity (IFB# 30-270067-DPH) are exempt from the sample submission requirement for this solicitation.

*DELIVERY METHOD:

Send samples via FedEx or UPS only.

All samples shall be supplied at no cost to the State. All sample packaging must be clearly labeled with the Bid Number, Item

Number, Manufacturer’s Stock Number, and the Bidder’s Legal Name. Bids that fail to comply with these sample requirements may be rejected.

*SHIPPING INSTRUCTIONS:

Prior to or upon shipment, the vendor must email the expected arrival date or submission status and include the carrier tracking number to: vetpublichealth@dhhs.nc.gov mailto:vetpublichealth@dhhs.nc.gov

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Forward samples to:

BID NUMBER: 30-270100-DPH

Attention: Carl Williams

CDB/Veterinary Public Health

65 Moore Drive

Durham, NC 27713

Upon request, samples may be returned at the Vendor’s expense. A written request from the Vendor for return shall be made no later than thirty (30) days after the bid award, and Vendor shall provide a prepaid, pre-addressed shipping label suitable for return of the sample(s). Otherwise, the samples shall become the State’s property to be used or disposed of at the State’s discretion. Each individual sample shall be labeled with the Vendor’s name, bid number, and item number. A sample on which an award is made will be retained until the contract is completed, and then returned, if requested as specified above.

4.9 REFERENCES

Vendors shall provide at least three (3) references, using ATTACHMENT: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM, for which your company has supplied the exact model of equipment offered. References shall not be from the same company or from the soliciting State entity. In addition, Vendor shall provide references for and identify other government contracts it has received, for which your company has supplied the same or similar model of equipment offered. The State may contact these users to determine quality level of the offered equipment; as well as but not limited to user satisfaction with Vendor performance.

Information obtained may be considered in the evaluation of the bid.

4.10 VENDOR’S REPRESENTATIONS

If the bid 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.

4.11 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 the ATTACHMENT: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION.

The State is requiring this certification to minimize potential performance issues from contracting with a Vendor that is financially unstable. This Certification shall be deemed continuing, and 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.

4.12 AGENCY INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS MODIFICATION

A. Default Insurance Coverage from the General Terms and Conditions applicable to this Solicitation:

☐ Small Purchases

☒ Contract value in excess of the Small Purchase threshold, but up to $1,000,000.00

☐ Contract value in excess of $1,000,000.00

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4.13 SUBCONTRACTORS

No portion of the work shall be subcontracted without prior written consent of the State. In the event that the Vendor desires to subcontract some part of the work specified herein, the Vendor shall furnish with their bid the names, qualifications, and experience of their proposed subcontractors. The Vendor shall, however, remain solely and fully liable and responsible for the work done by its subcontractor(s) and shall assure compliance with all the requirements and specifications of the contract.

4.14 SECRETARY OF STATE REGISTRATION

Prior to entering into a contract with the State, the awarded Vendor(s) must complete registration with the NC Secretary of

State. Upon notification of award, the selected Vendor(s) must furnish evidence of filing within 10 business days. Failure to provide this documentation may result in the disqualification of the Vendor(s) bid from further consideration for the award.

No purchase orders shall be issued prior to confirmation of completed registration with the Secretary of State.

A contract award under the above-referenced solicitation, and the resulting purchase orders, will produce repeated orders and transactions in North Carolina and will constitute “transacting business” in the State, which requires a certificate of authority from the North Carolina Secretary of State as provided in G.S. §55-15-01 (corporations) or §57D-7-01 (LLCs). Please go to: https://www.sosnc.gov/ to register.

Vendor has registered with the North Carolina Secretary of State: Yes ☐ No ☐

4.15 SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS

According to G.S. 143-58.2, it is the policy of this State to encourage and promote the purchase of products with recycled content and to purchase items that are reusable, refillable, repairable, more durable, and less toxic to the extent that the purchase or use is practicable and cost effective. The bid must describe how environmental requirements relate to clear labeling of the environmental/sustainability attributes (e.g. environmental certifications, total and post-consumer recycled content, etc.) of products in the proposed product catalogs, demonstrating the ability to run usage reports that include information about each product’s environmental/sustainability attributes, packaging and recycling of spent products.

Complete ATTACHMENT: SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS and include in Vendor’s response.

5.0 PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

I. REQUIRED DELIVERY AND REPORTING SPECIFICATIONS

A. Serialization Requirements

1. Data Delivery (Serial Numbers): The awarded Vendor shall provide the Veterinary Public Health (VPH) program with the exact 1-year, and 3-year rabies tag serial number ranges shipped to each ordering veterinary location within North Carolina.

2. Format: Serial number logs must be delivered electronically in a Microsoft Excel format approved by the VPH

Program Coordinator. This template will be provided to the vendor by October 15, 2026.

3. Packaging Marks: All cartons must contain consecutive serial numbers in distinct sets of 100 tags, keeping 1-year and 3-year tags strictly separated. Internal boxes must be marked externally with the serial numbers enclosed. Multi-box shipments must denote sequence numbers on the shipping label.

4. Bulk Shipments: All cartons shipped directly to VPH central office must be marked externally with enclosed serial number ranges using clear, 1-inch block lettering on the side of each carton. A printed copy of the shipping label must be attached to any order shipped on the Annual Order.

B. Ground Shipping & Fulfillment Deadlines https://www.sosnc.gov/

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1. Drop Shipping: The vendor must drop-ship orders directly from the manufacturing site to the individual veterinary business ordering locations. Orders must include all matching accessories (hooks, rivets, and split rings) as specified in the distribution log.

2. Delivery Type: All shipments require strict inside delivery, an adult signature, and secure proof of delivery.

3. Data Provision: The VPH Program Coordinator will issue initial order quantities and shipping addresses for approximately 1,521 locations in an electronic format by October 15, 2026.

4. VPH Central Delivery: Remaining bulk quantities from the initial order allocation must be delivered on or before December 1, 2026, to: DHHS, Division of Public Health, Veterinary Health Program, 65 Moore Drive, Durham, NC 27713.

C. Order Tracking & Itemized Shipping Cost

1. Security Tracking: In compliance with N.C.G.S. § 130A-190, rabies tags require secure tracking. The vendor must utilize standard ground transit with comprehensive security tracking. The VPH account number must be printed clearly in the “PO” field of the shipping label.

2. Transportation Billing: Pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 130A-190(b)(2), shipping and freight charges must be explicitly itemized for each unique delivery for billing verification. While these itemized shipping costs must be identified in the delivery log for tracking and public verification data, they are completely inclusive to the contract unit prices and shall not be charged or billed separately to the State. Serial number ranges per location must accompany shipping data to facilitate public tracking verification on the VPH website.

The Vendor is required to provide the shipping carrier to be utilized to ship and deliver rabies tags as indicated herein:

Company Name: ______________________________________________________

Includes Ground Security Tracking Shipping: Yes ____________ No _______________

D. Delivery Exceptions & Backorders

1. Dispute Resolution: Extra shipping charges stemming from transit address errors, lost packages, or route redirections will be investigated and resolved mutually between VPH and the vendor.

2. Proactive Alerts: The vendor must notify VPH immediately upon discovery of any production backorders, shipping errors, or transit delays to ensure rapid issue remediation.

II. PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

A. TAG REQUIREMENTS & DETAILS

ITEM # 1: 3-Year Rabies Vaccination Tags (2027)

1. Material: Special 5005 H 34 Tempered Aluminum.

2. Thickness: 0.050 inches thick

3. Dimensions: 5/8” wide x 1 ¾” long.

4. Shape: Oblong.

5. Holes: 1/8” attaching hole at each end.

6. Hole Placement: Set well back from the edge.

7. Finish: Orange finish on both sides.

8. Appearance: Uniform fine-grained etch, satin appearance.

9. Coating Thickness: Minimum 0.00035 inches thick.

10. Testing Standard: Tested per A.S.T.M. Specification No. B137.45.

11. Defect Restrictions: Free from dirt, oil, and stains.

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12. Base Color: Orange dye on aluminum base.

13. 2027 Tag Color: Orange. (Color of 3-year tag changes each year. Reference Attachment A for color assignment for each year of contract term).

14. Serial Range: 000001 to 300000.

15. Missing Numbers: Awarded vendor must report missing numbers.

16. Stamping Setup: Straight-lined lettering on one side.

17. Line 1 Text: N.C. Div. Of Public Health

18. Line 1 Size: Approximately 1/16” lettering.

19. Line 2 Text: 000001 to 300000

20. Line 2 Size: Approximately 3/16” lettering.

21. Line 3 Text: Rabies Vaccine

22. Line 3 Size: Approximately 1/16” lettering.

23. Line 4 Text: 2027 3-year

24. Line 4 Size: Approx. 1/8” or 3/32” lettering.

25. Wire Packaging: Packaged in units of 100 per straight wire.

26. Box Packaging: Packaged 500 tags per box.

Special 5005 H 34 Tempered Aluminum .050" thick x 5/8" wide x 1 ¾" long, oblong shape, ORANGE finish on both sides, with 1/8" attaching hole at each end set well back from edge to prevent wearing through.

Tags to be sequentially numbered from 000001 to 300000 and to have the following stamped straight-lined lettering on one side.

N.C. Div. Of Public Health - letters approx. 1/16" 000001 to 300000 - letters approx. 3/16" Rabies Vaccine - letters approx. 1/16" 2027 3-year- letters approx. 1/8" or 3/32"

ITEM # 2: 1-Year Rabies Vaccination Tags (2027)

1. Material: Special 5005 H 34 Tempered Aluminum.

2. Thickness: 0.050 inches thick.

3. Dimensions: 5/8” wide x 1 ¾” long.

4. Shape: Oblong.

5. Holes: 1/8” attaching hole at each end.

6. Hole Placement: Set well back from the edge.

7. Finish: Plain bright aluminum (silver) on both sides.

8. Appearance: Uniform plain bright aluminum.

9. Defect Restrictions: Free from dirt, oil, and stains.

10. Serial Range: G-000001 to G-350000.

11. Missing Numbers: Awarded vendor must report missing numbers.

12. Stamping Setup: Straight-lined lettering on one side.

13. Line 1 Text: N.C. Div. Of Public Health

14. Line 1 Size: Approximately 1/16” lettering.

15. Line 2 Text: G-000001 to G-350000

16. Line 2 Size: Approximately 3/16” lettering.

17. Line 3 Text: Rabies Vaccine

18. Line 3 Size: Approximately 1/16” lettering.

19. Line 4 Text: 2027 1 year

20. Line 4 Size: Approx. 1/8” or 3/32” lettering.

21. Wire Packaging: Packaged in units of 100 per straight wire.

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22. Box Packaging: Packaged 500 tags per box.

Special 5005 H 34 Tempered Aluminum .050 thick x 5/8" wide x 1 ¾" long, oblong shape, plain bright aluminum (SILVER) finish on both sides, with 1/8" attaching hole at each end set well back from edge to prevent wearing through. Tags to be serially numbered from G-000001 to G-350000 and to have the following stamped straight-lined lettering on one side:

N.C. Div. Of Public Health - letters approx. 1/16" G-000001 to G-350000 - letters approx. 3/16" Rabies Vaccine - letter approx. 1/16" 2027 1 year- letters approx. 1/8" or 3/32"

B. Fastener Specifications

1. ITEM #3: Single Plane “S” Hooks:

a. Material: Galvanized Steel.

b. Reference Item: National Band & Tag Item 1502.

c. Equivalency: or functionally equivalent product.

2. ITEM #4: Split Steel Rivets

a. Material: Nickel-plated steel.

b. Reference Item: National Band & Tag Item R1508NI.

c. Equivalency: functionally equivalent product.

3. ITEM #5: 11/16" Split Ring

a. Material: Galvanized steel.

b. Size: 11/16 inches.

c. Reference Item: National Band & Tag Item 1506.

d. Equivalency: or functionally equivalent product.

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5.2 DEVIATIONS

The nature of all deviations from the Specifications listed herein shall be clearly described by the Vendor. Otherwise, it will be considered that items offered by the Vendor are in strict compliance with the Specifications provided herein, and the successful

Vendor shall be required to supply conforming goods. Deviations shall be explained in detail on an attached sheet. However, no implication is made or intended by the State that any deviation will be acceptable. Do not list objections to the North

Carolina General Terms and Conditions in this section.

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

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.

Contract Manager Point of Contact

Name:

Office Phone #:

Mobile Phone #:

Email:

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.

Customer Service Point of Contact

Name:

Office Phone #:

Mobile Phone #:

Email:

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6.2 POST AWARD BUSINESS REVIEW MEETINGS

The Vendor, at the request of the State, shall be required to meet periodically as needed with the State for Business 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 consisting of various ideas to enhance business efficiencies as performance progresses.

6.4 RABIES TAGS ORDER SHIPMENT CONFIRMATION STATUS REPORT

The Division of Public Health, Veterinary Public Health Program Coordinator will provide the Rabies Tags Order Shipment

Confirmation Status Report to the awarded Vendor in an electronic format (i.e., Microsoft Excel spreadsheet) that is an agreeable format to both parties no later than October 15, 2026. The Vendor shall be required to complete and submit the

Rabies Tags Order Shipment Confirmation Status Report to the VPH Program Coordinator within fifteen (15) days of initial order shipment.

This report shall include, at a minimum, the following:

1. Tag Year

2. Account Number

3. Ship to Address

4. Phone Number

5. Initial Quantity (1 Year Tag) and Serial Number Sequence (Start and End)

6. Initial Quantity (3 Year Tag) and Serial Number Sequence (Start and End)

7. Initial Quantity Accessories

8. Order Tracking Number for each shipment location

9. Total Shipping Cost for each shipment location

This report shall be well organized and easy to read. The Vendor shall submit these reports electronically in the format required by the Purchasing Agency.

6.5 ACCEPTANCE OF WORK

Performance of the work and 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.