PASSHE-RFP-OCT-2025

RFP # WCU0202261013

Request for Proposals for

Student Housing Furniture

Issued by:

West Chester University of Pennsylvania

Publication Date:

03/17/2026

Submission Date:

04/14/2026; 2:00 P.M. EASTERN PREVAILING TIME (EPT)

RFP #WCU0202261013

Student Housing Furniture

PASSHE-RFP-OCT-2025

Table of Contents

Page

RFP Sections

Section I General Information

Section II Post Award

Section III Work Statement

Section IV Information Required from Offerors

Section V Criteria for Selection

Appendices

Appendix A Technical Submittal Response

Appendix B Cost Submittal Response

Appendix C Trade Secret / Confidential Information Notice

Appendix D Exceptions to Contract Terms and Conditions

Section I General Information

I.1 Purpose This Request for Proposals (RFP) provides interested offerors with sufficient information to prepare and submit proposals for consideration by West Chester University of Pennsylvania (hereinafter “WCU” or “University”) to provide Student Housing Furniture on behalf of the university.

I.2 Issuing Office This RFP is being issued by the Issuing Office listed below. The Issuing Office is the sole point of contact for this RFP. Please refer all inquiries to:

Kate McCoy Bill Smith Purchasing Agent Assistant Purchasing Manager West Chester University of PA West Chester University of PA 610-436-1013 610-436-2604 kmccoy2@wcupa.edu wsmith2@wcupa.edu

From the Publication Date of this RFP until a determination is made regarding the selection of a proposal, all contacts concerning this RFP must be made through the Issuing Office.

Only information supplied by the Issuing Office, including responses to questions regarding the RFP, should be used in preparing proposals. All other contacts or information received regarding the subject prior to the release of this RFP should be disregarded in preparing responses. Any violation of this condition is cause for the State System to reject an offeror’s proposal. If it is later discovered that any violations have occurred, the State System may reject the proposal and terminate the awarded contract.

I.3 Calendar of Events

Description Date Publication Date 03/17/2026

Deadline for Questions 03/31/2026; 2:00 PM

EPT

Amendment Issued (Questions/Answers) 04/06/2026

Submission Date/Time 04/14/2026; 2:00 PM

EPT

Award TBD

Services Start Upon execution of contract

I.4 Description of the Organization

A. The State System of Higher Education (State System) was established by statute on July 1, 1983.

B. WCU students are taught in-class on Main Campus, at the Graduate Center (as a separate West Chester-based location), at the Philadelphia Campus, and virtually as needed.

mailto:kmccoy2@wcupa.edu mailto:wsmith2@wcupa.edu https://www.passhe.edu/index.html

C. In accordance with Title 62, Commonwealth Procurement Code, the State System facilitates a competitive bidding and contracting process and is responsible for identifying strategic contracting opportunities and establishing best value contracts in partnership with its suppliers.

I.5 Instructions for Proposal Preparation

A. Economy of Preparation Proposals should be prepared simply and economically, providing a straightforward, concise description of the offeror’s ability to meet the requirements of this RFP.

B. Proposals Proposals must consist of a complete response to this RFP.

1. Proposals must be submitted electronically via PennBid at https://pennbid.bonfirehub.com.

2. Proposals must consist of a complete response to the requirements outlined herein and shall be submitted no later than the required proposal Submission Date/Time listed above. Late proposal submissions may not be accepted.

3. Proposal contents may become contractual obligations if and when a contract is executed.

4. The proposal, as submitted, must remain valid during the entire solicitation, award, and contract finalization process.

5. All cost data must be submitted as a separate document using the Cost Submittal Response (Appendix B) apart from the Technical Submittal Response (Appendix A).

Absolutely no pricing can appear anywhere in the Technical Proposal. Failure to meet this requirement may result in automatic disqualification of the proposal.

C. Questions

If it becomes necessary to revise any part of the RFP, addenda will be posted at PennBid. Information contained at this website is current and accurate. It is the offeror’s responsibility to check this website periodically to obtain any changes to the solicitation.

Offerors must acknowledge all addenda in their proposal response. Offerors who fail to submit a current copy of the solicitation may be deemed nonresponsive.

D. Addenda If it becomes necessary to revise any part of the RFP, addenda will be posted at PennBid. Information contained at this website is current and accurate. It is the offeror’s responsibility to check this website periodically to obtain any changes to the solicitation.

Offerors must acknowledge all addenda in their proposal response. Offerors who fail to submit a current copy of the solicitation may be deemed nonresponsive.

E. Best and Final Offers.

1. While not required, the Issuing Office reserves the right to conduct discussions with offerors for the purpose of obtaining Best and Final Offers (BAFOs). Negotiations may be pursued with a subset of responsible offerors whose proposals best meet financial, contractual, technical, and support requirements for the State System.

Negotiations will be opened with offerors of lower preference (one at a time, in order of preference) only if a fair and reasonable set of fees/billable rates and/or agreement of final contract terms and conditions cannot be established with the offeror of higher ranking.

https://pennbid.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=openOpportunities https://pennbid.bonfirehub.com/ https://pennbid.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=openOpportunities

2. To obtain BAFOs from offerors, the Issuing Office may do one or more of the following, in any order: (a) schedule oral presentations, (b) request revised proposals, or (c) enter into preselection negotiations.

3. The following offerors will not be invited by the Issuing Office to submit a BAFO:

(a) those offerors whom the Issuing Office has determined to be nonresponsive; (b) those offerors whose technical proposal score is less than 75 percent of the total amount of technical points allocated to the technical criterion.

F. Response Date. To be considered for selection, proposals must be submitted at

PennBid by the proposal Submission Date/Time listed above.

G. Rejection of Proposals. The State System reserves the right to reject any and all responses received from offerors as a result of this RFP and to cancel this solicitation at any time prior to the execution of any contract.

H. RFP Protest Procedure. The notice concerning Protest of Solicitation or Award is published at the State System’s website.

I. Incurring Costs. The State System is not liable for and will not reimburse any costs or expenses incurred by offerors in the preparation or submission of their proposals or for attendance at any conferences or meetings related to this RFP.

J. News Releases. News releases or public statements or promotions of any kind pertaining to this RFP, or any resulting contract may not be made without the State System’s prior written approval, and then only in coordination with the Issuing Office.

K. Contractor integrity Provisions. As part of any resulting contract, the successful offeror will agree to abide by the Commonwealth’s Contractor Integrity Provisions (Section II.2 Contract Terms). It is essential that those who seek to contract with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (Commonwealth) observe high standards of honesty and integrity. They must conduct themselves in a manner that fosters public confidence in the integrity of the Commonwealth contracting and procurement process.

L. Contractor Responsibility Program. Offerors must certify that they are not currently under suspension or debarment by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, any other state, or the federal government to the best of their knowledge. Additionally, offerors must certify, to the best of their knowledge, that they are not tax delinquent with either the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue or the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. Offerors must acknowledge that if they are currently under suspension or debarment, or if they owe delinquent taxes, their proposal may not be accepted or considered.

M. For more guidance on working with Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education, please visit the Procurement Shared Services website. This site includes:

• Doing Business with the State System – An overview of procurement policies, procedures, and expectations

• Supplier Bid Guide – Step-by-step instructions with screenshots to help suppliers access, search, and respond to bid opportunities

These resources are designed to support suppliers in navigating the procurement process and maximizing their engagement with the State System.

https://www.passhe.edu/shared-services/procurement/documents/Protest%20of%20Solicitation%20of%20Award.pdf https://www.passhe.edu/shared-services/procurement/ https://www.passhe.edu/shared-services/procurement/documents/Doing%20Business%20with%20PASSHE%20Overview%20Presentation.pdf https://www.passhe.edu/shared-services/procurement/documents/PASSHE%20Bid%20Response%20Guide%20FINAL%208.29.25.pdf

Section II

Post Award

II.1 Contract Award

The State System reserves the right to (1) award a single contract for all services, (2) award multiple contracts, or (3) not award a contract. Negotiations will be pursued with a subset of responsible offerors whose proposals best meet the financial, contractual, technical, and support requirements for the State System.

Negotiations will be opened with offerors of lower preference (one at a time, in order of preference) only if a fair and reasonable set of fees/billable rates and/or agreement of final contract terms and conditions cannot be established with the offeror of higher ranking.

The goods or services described within this solicitation provided by the Contractor to the State System may also be procured by any other State University that is part of the State System, including the System Office, subject to all other applicable procurement requirements. The Contractor agrees to supply the goods or services described within this Contract or competitively solicited as part of the award of this Contract on the same or more favorable terms and conditions. To the extent that other universities may procure goods or services, those individual universities will enter into a separate contract with the Contractor and assume all liability for payment to the Contractor.

II.2 Contract Terms

A. It is proposed that, if a contract is entered into as a result of successful negotiations, the selected offeror will be required to sign a Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Standard Contract which includes the following terms:

• PASSHE-SC-1.2 Standard Contract Terms and Conditions

1. Any exceptions to the terms of the Standard Contract listed above must be submitted using Appendix D, Exceptions to Contract Terms and Conditions. Offerors should also submit a redlined version of the Standard Contract terms in Microsoft Word format.

2. Any proposed contract terms, including but not limited to a Master Service Agreement, Terms of Service, etc. (collectively, Proposed Offeror Terms) must be included as part of the proposal. Such terms will be reviewed by the State System only in the event the offeror is selected for award. An award decision shall not constitute acceptance of any Proposed Offeror Terms, and such terms shall have no force or effect unless expressly incorporated into a fully executed final contract.

3. The State System will not accept as a part of a final contract any

Proposed Offeror Terms that supersede the State System’s standard contractual terms. If accepted by the State System, the Proposed Offeror Terms, as negotiated, may be incorporated as an attachment to the State System’s contract. The relative order of precedence in any final contract will be the State System’s standard contractual terms, followed by this RFP and its addenda, then any accepted Proposed Offeror Terms.

https://www.passhe.edu/shared-services/procurement/documents/PASSHE-SC-1.2.pdf

B. The offeror will be deemed to have accepted the standard terms and conditions, except as expressly called out in its proposal. The offeror’s willingness to accept the State System’s contract terms and conditions, with minor clarifications, shall be an affirmative factor in evaluating the offeror’s proposal.

C. Although the State System will consider alternate language by an offeror, the State System will not be bound by contract language received as part of a prospective provider’s response. If the offeror requires that the State System be bound by any of the offeror’s proposed contract language, the proposal may be considered nonresponsive and may be rejected.

D. A State System may issue a purchase order against any executed contract to authorize delivery of the solution to the State System. Each purchase order will incorporate the terms and conditions of the contract.

E. The term of the contract resulting from this solicitation will be for a period of seven (7) years.

F. Contract terms and conditions are negotiated upon issuance of an intent to award a contract. Certain contract terms are prohibited based on the State System’s status as an agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Prohibited contract clauses include those related to arbitration, assignment, attorney’s fees, court costs, entry of judgment, indemnity or hold-harmless provisions, law of the contract in a jurisdiction other than Pennsylvania, payment in advance, and payment of or requirement to carry insurance.

G. The following contract elements are required, and the State System reserves the right to refuse all requested changes to the following: Limitation of State System Liability, Hold Harmless, Nondiscrimination, Sexual Harassment, Background Checks for Minors, Mandatory Reporting Requirements, Contractor Responsibility, Contractor Integrity, Right to Offset, Right-to-Know Law, and Applicable Law.

II.3 Proposer’s Exceptions to Terms and Conditions

A. Any exceptions, deviations, or contingencies an offeror may have to the State System’s contract terms and conditions must be documented.

B. The offeror must submit a “redlined” version of the term or condition showing all proposed modifications, including an explanation as to why the modification is required.

C. Exceptions, deviations, or contingencies stipulated in an offeror’s proposal, while possibly necessary in the view of the offeror, may result in disqualification of a proposal.

D. Should an offeror indicate exceptions to the Commonwealth’s standard contract terms and conditions or should an offeror request that additional terms and conditions be included in an awarded contract, the award will be conditioned upon negotiation of a contract that is acceptable to the State System.

E. Any exceptions to the Commonwealth’s standard terms and conditions proposed by an offer should be submitted by the offeror using the RFP Appendix D, Contract Exceptions to Contract Terms and Conditions. Any exceptions, additions or amendments not so included with the proposal will not be accepted for inclusion in a final contract unless approved by the Contracting Officer. Any additional terms and conditions proposed by an offeror should be included as a separate attachment with the proposal. Any additional terms and conditions that conflict with the Commonwealth’s standard contract terms and conditions, or that would require protracted consideration or negotiation by the State System may be considered by the scoring committee and could negatively impact an offeror’s likelihood for award. A proposal that makes exceptions to material requirements of the solicitation where the parties cannot reach mutually satisfactory agreement in negotiations may be rejected.

F. Pursuant to Pennsylvania law, any awarded contract may require the approval of outside agencies prior to becoming effective. This review may include, but not be limited to, review for form and legality by the Office of General Counsel and the Office of Attorney General. This can take a significant amount of time after the contract has been signed by the State System and the awardee.

G. Any proposal for which any part of the offering, including the cost proposal, is time limited or expires if not accepted within a certain time frame, may be deemed non-responsive by the State System and rejected.

II.4 Prime Offeror/Subcontracting Eligible offerors will be considered prime suppliers with respect to any work they are awarded. Any use of subcontractors must be approved in writing by the State System. Prime suppliers (offerors) are encouraged to solicit quotes from small diverse businesses when requiring subcontractors.

II.5 Disclosure of Proposal Contents and Open Records

A. All materials submitted with the proposal shall be considered the property of the State System and may be returned only at the State System’s option. The State System has the right to use any or all ideas not protected by intellectual property rights that are presented in any proposal regardless of whether the proposal becomes part of a contract. Notwithstanding any offeror’s copyright designations contained in a proposal, the State System shall have the right to make copies and distribute proposals internally and to comply with public record or other disclosure requirements under the provisions of any Commonwealth or United States statute or regulation, or rule or order of any court of competent jurisdiction.

B. The proposals of successful offerors may become part of the contract award resulting from this RFP.

C. The State System does not request, and does not require, confidential proprietary information or trade secrets to be included as part of any offerors’ submissions to evaluate proposals submitted in response to this RFP. Accordingly, except as provided herein, offerors should not label proposal submissions as confidential or proprietary or trade secret protected. An offeror who determines that it must divulge such information as part of its proposal must complete and submit Appendix C, Trade Secret / Confidential Information Notice. Note: Pricing is not considered confidential information.

D. All responses to procurement opportunities and resulting contracts are subject to

Pennsylvania’s Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. §67.101 et seq. (Act 3 of 2008). The Right-to-Know Law permits requestors to inspect and/or copy any record prepared, received, or retained in connection with a transaction, business, or activity of a public office or agency that is not subject to the enumerated exemptions under the law. Should the offeror’s response become the subject of a Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law request, the Issuing Office will notify the offeror to identify or confirm all trade secrets or confidential and proprietary information that is included in the offeror’s proposal. The State System will then determine whether the claimed trade secret or confidential and proprietary information is subject to disclosure under applicable law and grant or deny the request accordingly. Should the request be denied and the requestor appeal that denial, the State System will notify the offeror of the appeal and the offeror’s opportunity to request to participate in the appeal as a party of interest. The State System will not represent the interests of the offeror in any appeal, nor will the State System compensate or reimburse any expenses of the offeror in connection with a request of information under the Right-to-Know Law.

II.6 SAP Business Network (Ariba)

The State System transacts with suppliers through the SAP Ariba Business Network (SBN) to electronically exchange purchase orders, order confirmations, advanced shipping notices, invoices, and payment status for all purchases – direct goods, indirect goods, and services.

The State System encourages suppliers to submit electronic invoices to the State System through the SBN. Unless otherwise provided in this RFP, or by the State System in writing, the offeror agrees to conduct business transactions with the State System using the SBN.

Offerors are required to understand how to use the SBN and are responsible for any additional costs that the offeror chooses to incur. There is no cost to transact using a SBN Standard Account. Additional fees may be incurred using a SBN Enterprise Account.

II.7 Debriefing Conference

Offerors whose proposals are not selected will be notified of the name of the selected offeror(s) and will be given the opportunity to be debriefed. The purpose of a debrief conference is not to compare proposals, but to provide information that may assist individual offerors in preparing future proposals. The Issuing Office will schedule the date, time, and location of the debrief conference.

Section III Work Statement

III.1 Objective and Scope The University is seeking a qualified vendor to provide student housing furniture manufacturing, delivery, and installation services for its Residence Halls and Apartments over the next ten (10) years. The University currently operates four (4) Residence Hall buildings (Tyson, Goshen, Schmidt and Killinger Halls) and two (2) apartment communities (South Campus Apartments and College Arms). The University is currently designing and constructing the first phase of the South Campus Apartments Renovation and Expansion Project, which is scheduled to occur in four (4) phases over the next five (5) years. In addition to this major project, the university replaces a variety of furniture pieces each year within various Residence Halls’ dorm rooms.

The University seeks a vendor capable of providing timely deliveries without placing any storage obligations on the University. If furniture must be stored by the vendor prior to installation, it is required that all items be kept in a temperature-controlled facility.

The selected vendor(s) must demonstrate the ability to manufacture, deliver, and install furniture in accordance with project timelines and University furniture standards.

This section provides an overview of the engagement envisioned as a result of this RFP.

Interested offerors should use this part of the RFP in its technical proposal and in conjunction with Appendix A, Technical Submittal Response.

III.2 Current Environment The State System is a state agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that oversees 10 state-owned universities. Collectively, it is the largest provider of higher education in the commonwealth.

• Cheyney University of Pennsylvania

• Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania (Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, Mansfield)

• East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania

• Indiana University of Pennsylvania

• Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

• Millersville University of Pennsylvania

• Pennsylvania Western University (California, Clarion, Edinboro)

• Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania

• Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

• West Chester University of Pennsylvania

III.3 Organization and Resources

To be considered for an award, the following requirements must be met.

A. The offeror must demonstrate long-term viability as a company and a long-term commitment to customers through regular product enhancements, compliance updates, and ongoing support.

B. The offeror must have a minimum of five years’ experience in providing the services requested in this RFP to higher education institutions.

https://www.passhe.edu/index.html

C. The offeror must provide a solution that delivers capabilities consistent with industry practices at a fixed firm price. Firm, fixed pricing years one (1) and two (2) will be provided on the Cost Proposal. Beginning year three (3) through year seven (7) the university will not accept price increases that exceed three (3%) percent per year.

III.4 Technical Requirements Deliverables

To be considered for an award, offerors must clearly demonstrate their capability to meet all requirements listed herein. Responses are to be straightforward, clear, concise, and specific to the information provided in this section and in Appendix A, Technical Submittal Response.

A. General Requirements

a. Warranty. A written warranty of ten (10) years against failure of both materials and workmanship is required.

b. Shipping. FOB Destination with transportation charges prepaid by the vendor and title passing upon delivery at the destination. This includes all charges for transportation, packaging, crates, containers, insurance, duty and brokerage charges, etc. necessary to complete delivery.

c. Delivery.

i. A detailed delivery schedule will be provided following the award of the contract and after a project schedule has been established. The successful vendor is expected to adhere strictly to this schedule.

ii. Proposals must specify how long furniture will be stored at no charge to the University in the event of construction delays, as well as all associated costs and conditions for extended storage.

iii. The vendor shall not ship any furniture without prior authorization from the University’s Contract Administrator.

iv. All items must be delivered, installed, and set up in designated areas by the vendor’s installation team.

v. Installation personnel must be uniformed and supervised by the vendor.

vi. All packaging materials must be removed and legally disposed of off-site upon completion.

vii. During installation, the vendor and any subcontractors shall take appropriate steps to ensure cleanliness is maintained throughout the installation process.

viii. Please note: No elevators are available at the South Campus Apartments and College Arms Apartments. Elevators are available at Tyson Hall, Goshen Hall, Schmidt Hall, and Killinger Hall.

d. Selection Criteria. The selection of the successful vendor will be determined solely by West Chester University. Evaluation will be based on, but not limited to, the following factors:

i. Product pricing and overall value.

ii. Product quality and durability.

iii. Vendor service record and responsiveness.

iv. Ability to offer matching furniture and replacement parts for the length of the contract.

v. Ability to meet project delivery schedules.

vi. Capacity to warehouse and stage furniture until construction completion, when necessary.

e. Vendor Qualifications. Vendors must have a minimum of five (5) years of experience providing Residence Hall or Student Housing furniture, delivery, and installation services for large-scale and complex projects and have been in business for at least 10 years. Each proposal must include:

i. A company profile describing the firm’s size, age, business locations, number of employees, annual sales volume, areas of specialization, and experience working with higher education clients.

ii. Three (3) customer references for large projects, including contact information (organization name, contact person, phone number, and contract period).

iii. A list of recent projects verifying the contractor's record of quality, service, delivery, and installation performance.

iv. Verification that the vendor is in accordance with the ASTM F2057-23 STURDY Act.

f. University Expectations. The successful Vendor shall be expected to:

i. Deliver and install all furniture in coordination with scheduled Residence

Halls and Apartments renovations.

ii. Maintain furniture specifications (including finishes and hardware) for at least ten (10) years to ensure product consistency.

iii. The University may select more than one vendor.

g. Provider Employees, Staffing, and Management. The vendor shall provide adequate and trained personnel to meet delivery and installation deadlines. The vendor must ensure that all staff conduct themselves professionally while on university property.

h. Basic Furniture Specifications

i. Basic Specifications Residence Hall Furniture

1. XL Twin Bed (38.5” x 84.75”), adjustable metal frame head and foot rails. Self-adjustment is preferred. Minimum underbed clearance of 31”. Lofting option preferred.

2. XL Twin Mattress (38” x 80”) with minimum thickness of 8”, with a combination of memory foam and springs, sealed seams, bed bug proof with a heavy duty, fire-retardant, wipeable surface.

3. Single door wardrobe (36” and 42” W x 24” D x 72” H) in standard laminate finish with metal trim on edges

4. 2 or 3 drawer under-bed dressers (30” W x 24” D x 30”H) in standard laminate finish with metal trim on edges

5. Table desk (30”, 36”, and 42” W x 24” D x 30” H) in standard laminate finish top with metal base and metal trim on edges.

Optional single pencil drawer.

6. Student desk chair, armless, all poly, metal sled base.

i. Basic Specifications Apartment Furniture

i. Bedroom Furniture

1. XL Twin Bed (38.5” x 84.75”), adjustable metal frame head and foot rails. Self-adjustment is preferred. Minimum underbed clearance of 31”.

2. XL Mattress (38” x 80”) with minimum thickness of 8”, with a combination of memory foam and springs, bed bug proof with a heavy-duty wipeable surface.

3. Twin Bed (38.5” x 79”) adjustable metal frame head and foot rails.

Self-adjustment is preferred. Minimum underbed clearance of 31”.

4. Twin Mattress (38” x 75”) with minimum thickness of 8”, with a combination of memory foam and springs, bed bug proof and a heavy-duty, wipeable surface.

5. Single door wardrobe (36”-42” W x 24” D x 72” H) in standard laminate finish with metal trim on edges

6. 2 or 3 drawer under-bed dressers (30” w x 24” d x 30”h) in standard laminate finish with metal trim on edges

7. Table desk (28”- 42” W x 24” D x 30” H) in standard laminate finish top with metal base and metal trim on edges

8. Student desk chair, armless, all poly, metal legs, sled base

ii. Living Room Furniture

1. Counter stool suitable for use at a 36” high kitchen island.

Armless, wood seat and back, metal legs with foot rail. 350 lb weight capacity.

2. Single Lounge chair, suitable for apartments. The seat shall be a standard cushion. Modular components are preferred for replacement of parts of the chair. Option in standard vinyl and woven fabric.

3. 3-seat sofa with arms, suitable for apartments. The seat shall be a standard cushion. Modular components are preferred for replacement of parts of the sofa. Option in standard vinyl and woven fabric.

4. Coffee table (48”W x 24”D x 17”H) in standard laminate finish and metal legs.

5. TV stand with open shelving (48” W x 20” D x 20” H) in standard laminate finish and metal legs.

6. Woven Fabric to be graded into manufacture’s standard fabric offering at Grade 3. Minimum 100,000 double rubs, crypton or similar finish, bleach cleanable.

7. Vinyl Material to be graded into manufacturer’s standard fabric offering at Grade 3 Minimum 100,000 double rubs, bleach cleanable.

8. Once a successful bidder is awarded, the University reserves the right to select a different fabric/vinyl from the manufacturers’ standard offering. The University understands that this may result in a price increase or decrease depending on the fabric/vinyl selected

j. Proposal Requirement. All proposals shall be complete, organized, and responsive to the requirements outlined in this RFP. Proposers may submit proposals for any or all items listed in the Scope of Work. However, for any item or component bid upon, the proposal must include all associated requirements, including but not limited to service, installation, storage, warranty, and any other obligations specified in the Scope of Work. Vendors are encouraged to present information clearly and concisely, following the sequence of sections listed below. Absolutely no pricing can appear anywhere in the Technical Proposal.

i. Proposals shall include the following information:

1. Cover Letter (1 page)

a. A brief introduction summarizing the vendor’s interest and commitment to the project.

b. The name, title, phone number, and email address of the primary contact person.

2. Company Profile and Qualifications (max 2 pages)

a. General background information about the company, including history, ownership, size, location(s), and number of employees.

b. Description of relevant experience providing residence hall or student housing furniture, including manufacturing, delivery, and installation services.

c. Overview of management structure and project team roles.

3. Project Approach and Implementation Plan (max 2 pages)

a. Description of how the vendor will manage manufacturing, delivery, installation, and coordination with construction or renovation timelines.

b. Proposed logistics for timely deliveries and on-site installation.

c. Identification of sub-contractors (if any) and their roles.

4. Warranty and Service Information (max 2 pages)

a. Description of warranty coverage, claim process, and repair/replacement procedures.

b. Outline of after-sale support and maintenance services.

5. References and Past Performance (max 5 pages)

a. Three (3) references from higher education institutions or comparable projects completed within the past five years.

b. Project summaries highlight quality, timeliness, and customer satisfaction.

6. Product Information (1 page per product – 20 pages maximum) Upload to “Supporting Documents” on PennBid and title as “Product Information”.

a. Detailed product descriptions, specifications, and finishes for each item proposed.

b. Photographs, renderings, or brochures for all product lines.

c. Available options for finishes, materials, and fabrics, if applicable.

III.5 Cost

All cost information must be kept separate and apart from the technical portion of the proposal. Provide your Cost Proposal as per the instructions found in Appendix B, Cost Submittal Response.

Section IV Information Required from Suppliers

IV.1 Technical Submittal Response Format

A. Complete and submit Appendix A, Technical Submittal Response.

B. Proposals are to be straightforward, clear, concise, and specific to the information requested.

C. While offerors are encouraged to submit the most creative, cost-effective proposal possible, the inclusion of extraneous commercial and/or sales literature as a substitute for responses to questions included in the RFP is strongly discouraged. Attach any supplemental information as an appendix to the Technical Submittal Response.

D. It is the responsibility of all offerors to examine the entire RFP package, to seek clarification of any item or requirement that may not be clear, and to check all responses for accuracy prior to submitting a proposal.

E. Offerors are responsible for acknowledging all addenda to this RFP in the Technical

Proposal.

F. Proposals may include URLs that provide information related to the proposal or the proposing organization, however, that information must also be included in document format as an appendix to the proposal. URLs must not require a registration process to view the content.

G. All proposals must be properly marked and submitted electronically via PennBid by the

Submission Date/Time listed above.

H. All cost information must be kept separate and apart from the technical portion of the proposal. Absolutely no pricing can appear anywhere in the technical proposal, including technical proposal appendices, Service Level Agreements, sample documents, etc. Failure to follow this requirement may result in the submission being deemed nonresponsive.

IV.2 Cost Submittal Response Format

A. Offerors must complete and submit Appendix B, Cost Submittal Response. Use the Excel document to submit pricing for the base solution and any additional costs.

B. All cost information must be kept separate and apart from the technical portion of the proposal. Absolutely no pricing can appear anywhere in the technical proposal, including technical proposal appendices, Service Level Agreements, sample documents, etc. Failure to follow this requirement may result in the submission being deemed nonresponsive.

C. Prices proposed in the offeror’s response will be valid for a minimum of one (1) year effective from the start date of the contract.

D. Offerors’ proposals must describe how future price increases will be minimized and capped and how both increases and decreases will be passed on to the State System.

E. Pricing Proposal

a. Complete pricing for all furniture items, including unit and bulk pricing.

b. Installation and storage costs (if applicable).

c. Any volume discounts or long-term pricing commitments for the seven (7) year contract period.

d. All quantities listed in the Pricing Bid Table are estimates only. They are provided solely for the purpose of assisting bidders to determine volume discounts. The University does not guarantee, either expressly or implicitly, that it will purchase any specific quantity of goods or services over the seven (7) year contract term.

Actual quantities purchased may be higher, lower, or nonexistent, depending on the University’s needs. The University will authorize payment only for goods or services ordered through an issued and approved Purchase Order.

IV.3 Instructions for Proposal Submissions via at PennBid.

A. Checklist

1. Review the Sourcing Event Details. Provides an overview and timing rules.

2. Review and Accept Prerequisites. Accepting the prerequisites permits you to participate in this procurement event.

3. Submit Response. Provides event (RFP) content.

B. Sourcing Event Content

1. Technical Proposal. Submit a completed Technical Submittal Response Form

(Appendix A) and any relevant information as appendices to the Technical Response Form. Click *Upload File to upload the file. Identify all documents by including the company name and document name. Ex: Wilson Roofing – Technical Proposal.

2. Cost Proposal. Submit the Pricing Section BidTable within PennBid

3. Other Documents. If applicable, submit:

• Proposed Offeror Contract Terms.

• Trade Secret / Confidential Information Notice (Appendix C)

• Any exceptions to the Commonwealth’s Contract Standard Terms and Conditions

(Appendix D).

• Click *Upload File to upload the file. Identify all documents by including the company name and document name. Ex: Wilson Roofing – Other Documents (Appendix).

Product Information (1 page per product – 20 pages maximum) – Upload to additional supporting documents on PennBid.

Instructions for the PennBid system can be found at https://pennbid.net/vendor-training-documents.

Important: All documents should not be less than 10-point font and must be renderable (able to browse, search, print, and edit). File size is limited to 100MB, however multiple files may be zipped.

https://pennbid.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=openOpportunities

Section V Criteria for Selection

V.1 Evaluation of Proposals All proposals will be reviewed and evaluated by a committee of qualified State System personnel (Proposal Evaluation Committee). The Proposal Evaluation Committee will recommend for selection the proposal(s) that most closely meets the requirements of this RFP and satisfies the needs of the State System.

A. Responses will be evaluated first for responsiveness and thereafter for content. The Issuing Office will make an award to the selected offeror(s) based on the recommendation of the Proposal Evaluation Committee.

B. If a response does not reasonably and substantially conform to all the terms and conditions in this solicitation, or if it requests unreasonable exceptions, it may be considered nonresponsive.

C. Recommendation of award will be based on the proposal(s) that most closely meets the requirements of the RFP and satisfies the stated objectives. A responsive Technical Proposal must achieve a minimum of 75 percent of the available technical points to be considered for an award.

V.2 Evaluation Criteria

The following areas of consideration will be used in determining award:

A. Demonstrated Understanding of the State System’s Requirements

Refers to the offeror’s understanding of the State System’s needs that generated the RFP, of the State System’s objectives in asking for the services, and of the nature and scope of the work involved.

B. Company Qualifications/Experience Includes competence and experience of the offeror and its proposed resources. This includes the experience, expertise, and resources of the company and its personnel to meet the State System’s objectives. This also includes references where similar services have been provided, especially to other higher education institutions.

C. Technical Requirements

Responses are to be straightforward, clear, concise and specific to the information provided in Section III and the information required in Appendix A, Technical Submittal Response Form. Of equal importance is whether the approach is completely responsive to all written specifications and requirements contained in the RFP.

D. Value-Added Services Attributes

Includes but is not limited to competitive advantages, efficiencies, and optional services distinct from the main technical requirements.

E. Cost

The State System desires the best pricing offered for the services being requested.

While this area will be weighed, it will not necessarily be the deciding factor in the selection process.

V.3 Scoring Criteria

A. Technical. The Issuing Office has established the weight for the technical criterion for this RFP as 75 percent. Evaluation will be based on selection criteria as per Part V.2, Evaluation Criteria.

B. Cost. The Issuing Office has established the weight for the cost criterion for this RFP as 25 percent of the total points. The cost criterion is rated by giving the proposal with the lowest total cost the maximum number of cost points available. The remaining proposals are rated as a percentage against this maximum. Note: Cost submittals will not be opened if an offeror’s technical score does not meet or exceed 75 percent of the total available technical points.