81DMV-S2681 - License Plate Sheeting Materials.docx

STATE OF NEVADA

DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION

Purchasing Division 515 East Musser Street, Suite 300 │ Carson City, NV 89701 Phone: 775-684-0170 │ Fax: 775-684-0188

Solicitation: 81DMV-S2681 For

LICENSE PLATE SHEETING MATERIALS

Release Date: 03/14/2024 Deadline for Submission and Opening Date and Time: 05/02/2024 @ 2:00 pm

Single point of contact for the solicitation:

Heather Moon, Purchasing Officer II Phone: 775-684-0179 Email Address: hmoon@admin.nv.gov

(TTY for Deaf and Hard of Hearing, 800-326-6868 Ask the relay agent to dial, 1-775-684-0179/V.)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

APPLICABLE REGULATIONS GOVERNING PROCUREMENT

All applicable Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) and Nevada Administrative Code (NAC) documentation can be found at: www.leg.state.nv.us/law1.cfm.

SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT. Vendors and/or their representatives shall only contact the single point of contract or use the electronic procurement system regarding this solicitation until after a notice of award (NOA) has been issued. Failure to observe this restriction may result in disqualification of a proposal per NAC 333.155(3).

Prospective vendors are advised to review Nevada’s ethical standards requirements, including but not limited to NRS 281A, NRS 333.800, and NAC 333.155.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

The State of Nevada Purchasing Division, on behalf of the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (NV DMV) is seeking proposals from qualified vendors to provide retro-reflective license plate sheeting and support services necessary to produce finished license plates for both the conventional license plate production method and the digital imaged license plate production methods and supportive materials in both passenger and motorcycle sizes (i.e. dry roll coat foil, thermal ribbon for digital license plate production, protective laminate over-lay, etc).

This RFP is being run concurrently with RFP 81DMV-S2678 – License Plate Equipment. The awarded vendor as a result of RFP 81DMV-S2678 and RFP 81DMV-S2681 agree to work together to ensure a successful project plan for NV DMV.

The State intends to award one (1) contract in conjunction with this Request for Proposals (RFP), as determined in the best interests of the State. The NV DMV shall administer contract(s) resulting from this solicitation. The resulting contract(s) are anticipated to begin May 1, 2025 to April 30, 2029 with two (2) – two (2) year renewal options subject to Board of Examiners approval.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The goal of this RFP is to obtain the best product solution to produce finished license plates for both the conventional license plate production method and the digital imaged license plate production system and supportive materials.

SCOPE OF WORK

CONVENTIONAL LICENSE PLATES

To provide retro-reflective sheeting, consumables (I.e., Dry Roll Coat Foils, Thermal Ribbon, Laminate Overlay, etc.) and supportive services necessary to produce conventional embossed license plates, digital license plates and print to emboss (P2E) license plates with supportive consumables.

The retro-reflective license plate shall consist of retro-reflective sheeting laminated to a specified aluminum substrate which is then blanked and embossed with a dry roll coat process to color the plate message according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

The retro-reflective sheeting, when applied to the license plate substrate and blanked to finished size, shall contain identifying marks for purposes of on-vehicle traceability, warranty enforcement and anti-counterfeiting in accordance with these specifications. The warranty marks shall be embedded in the sheeting in such a way to allow for durability and shall incorporate the manufacturer’s production run number that designates the source of manufacture, year of manufacture and specific lot from which the material was supplied. The warranty marks shall not interfere or detract from the graphic design or reduce sheeting reflectivity.

Pre-printed retro-reflective sheeting shall conform to the design, colors and sheeting type as approved by the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles.

The Department’s current graphic requirements are:

Dry Roll Coat Foil

Non-graphic White: Large passenger vehicle 11 15/16” x 200 yds; with tic marks; Unwind direction to customer: Top First.

Non-graphic White: Motorcycle 6 15/16” x 200 yds; with tic marks; Unwind direction to customer: Top First.

Laminate over-lay:

Large passenger vehicle: 11 13/16” x 200 yds Motorcycle: 6 13/16” x 200 yds

In addition to a linear foot price for pre-printed reflective sheeting, each vendor shall include pricing of unprinted white reflective sheeting and any colored sheeting offered. The price of linear foot of sheeting must also include all dry roll coat materials needed to manufacture a license plate. The specifications contained herein shall apply to all standard size plate classifications and are inclusive of all special category plates issued by the NV DMV wherein reflective material is required.

DIGITALLY IMAGED LICENSE PLATES

The retro-reflective license plate shall consist of retro-reflective sheeting that is digitally printed (with thermal transfer ribbons or other) and then applied to an aluminum substrate according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

The reflective sheeting, when applied to the license plate substrate and blanked to finished size, shall contain identifying marks for purposes of on-vehicle traceability, warranty enforcement and anti-counterfeiting, in accordance with these specifications. The warranty marks shall be buried below the sheeting surface for durability and shall incorporate the manufacturer’s production run number that designates the source of manufacture, year of manufacture, and specific lot from which the material was supplied. The warranty marks shall not interfere or detract from the graphic design or reduce sheeting brightness.

The price of sheeting used in digital license plate manufacturing must also include all ribbons and over laminate sheeting.

White 7” and 12” wide ± .0 x 200 yards; to include all dry roll coat materials necessary for processing this material onto aluminum substrate.

The Department’s current graphic requirements are:

Dry Roll Coat Foil

Non-graphic White: Large passenger vehicle 11 15/16” x 200 yds; with tic marks; Unwind direction to customer: Top First.

Non-graphic White: Motorcycle 6 15/16” x 200 yds; with tic marks; Unwind direction to customer: Top First.

Laminate over-lay:

Large passenger vehicle: 11 13/16” x 200 yds Motorcycle: 6 13/16” x 200 yds

PREQUALIFICATION

For any proposal to be considered, the vendor must meet certain criteria.

Conventional License Plates

Ship sheeting rolls via “bulk-pack” configuration per layer for ease of handling in the license plate factory.

Provide independent lab data demonstrating that the vendor’s products conform to all performance requirements of this specification as specified in Section 3.4.

Provide buried directional warranty mark in the sheeting in accordance with Section 3.4, which facilitates on-vehicle traceability and warranty enforcement.

The vendor shall submit technical data exhibiting characteristics of all materials proposed. Information submitted shall include detailed processing conditions for each phase of license plate manufacture. Such information shall include times required for curing dry roll coat used in the production of completed license plates.

The NV DMV reserves the right to periodically evaluate the performance of materials. Samples for periodic evaluation of performance will be selected at random from materials submitted on State purchase orders. Failure of materials to comply with the requirements of this specification shall be cause for removal.

The vendor may, with agreement of the NV DMV, incorporate technological improvements that better optimize the license plate production process and/or license plate performance.

Personal Experience

Vendor(s) provide a list and qualifications of experience, customer service and technical service.

A corporate officer of the vendor shall certify that all license plate sheeting and dry roll coating supplied to NV DMV are covered by the manufacturer’s warranty.

Vendors failing to conform to any of these prequalification requirements shall be disqualified.

Digitally Imaged License Plates

Show evidence of successful manufacture and application of reflective sheeting, thermal transfer ribbons and protective clear over laminate as part of a totally integrated license plate system.

Ship sheeting rolls via “bulk-pack” configuration per layer for ease of handling in the license plate factory.

Provide independent lab data demonstrating that the vendor’s products conform to all performance requirements of this specification as specified in Section 3.5.

Provide buried directional warranty mark in the sheeting in accordance with Section 3.5., which facilitates on-vehicle traceability and warranty enforcement.

Supply sample rolls of sheeting printed with graphic designs to be designated by the NV DMV to demonstrate the vendor’s production capability to providing general issue and special graphic designs.

A corporate officer of the vendor shall certify that all license plate sheeting thermal transfer ribbons and protective clear laminate purchased by the NV DMV are covered by the manufacturer’s plant ISO 9002 Registration.

The vendor shall submit technical data exhibiting characteristics of all materials proposed. Information submitted shall include detailed processing conditions for each phase of license plate manufacture.

Vendors failing to conform to any of these prequalification requirements shall be disqualified.

The NV DMV reserves the right to periodically evaluate the performance of materials. Samples for periodic evaluation of performance will be selected at random from materials submitted on NV DMV purchase orders. Failure of materials to comply with the requirements of this specification shall be cause for removal.

The vendor may, with agreement of the NV DMV, incorporate technological improvements that better optimize the license plate production process and/or license plate performance.

PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR CONVENTIONAL LICENSE PLATES

Substrate

The sheeting shall be laminated to properly conversion coated aluminum substrate recommended by the sheeting manufacturer.

Diffuse Daytime Color

Through instrumental color testing, the diffuse daytime color of the reflective sheeting shall conform to color requirements as determined spectrophotometrically in accordance with ASTM E-1164 and E-1349, utilizing either 45/0 or 0/45 degree illumination/viewing conditions as described in E-1164 and E-1349 for retro-reflective materials. Chromaticity and the Luminance Factor based on CIE tristimulus values for the 2° observer and illuminant D65 shall be calculated in accordance with ASTM E-308.

The color specification limits for white license plate sheeting are listed on the following chart.

COLOR SPECIFICATION

Chromaticity Coordinates

Corner Points Luminance Factor

Adhesive and Protective Liner

The precoated adhesive shall form a durable bond to flat conversion coated license plate surfaces as recommended by the reflective sheeting manufacturer.

The protective liner attached to the adhesive shall be easily removable by peeling without soaking in water or other solvents and shall be easily removed after accelerated storage for four hours at 150°F (66°C) under weight of 2.5 lbs. per square inch (1.14KG per 6.45 sq. cm.). The liner shall be non-printed to permit reuse.

Dry Roll Coating

The reflective sheeting shall be dry roll coated. The successful vendor shall supply dry roll coat materials that meet State and Federal regulations.

Inventory Control

To assist the license plate factory with inventory control problems, the sheeting manufacturer shall mark the sheeting with an integral, directional image that incorporates the lot number so that the tag shop can employ first in/first out principles.

Finished License Plates

Retro-Reflective Characteristics

The coefficient of retro-reflection for the sheeting shall be measured on flat, clean, finished license plate test panels prepared per Section 3.4.6 (H) and shall have the following minimum values at 0.2° observation angle, expressed as candelas per lux per square meter of material. Measurements shall be conducted in accordance with ASTM E-810, “Standard Test Method for Coefficient of Retro-reflection of Retro-reflection Sheeting”.

Resistance to Accelerated Weathering

The sheeting shall be weather resistant and show no appreciable discoloration, crazing, cracking, blistering, lifting or dimensional change and the surface shall continue to be essentially smooth to provide direct application of validation stickers, determined after the following accelerated weathering tests:

Laboratory testing – 2,000 hours in Xenon arc weatherometer using ASTMG 26-Type BH, Method A. Finished license plate samples shall maintain 70% of retro-reflective table values shown in Section 3.4.6 (A).

Outdoor accelerated testing – Finished license plate samples shall be placed in a 24-month unprotected outdoor exposure, facing the equator and inclined 45 degrees from the vertical. Retro-reflective measurements, taken after cleaning, shall result in 70% or more retention of the table values shown in Section 3.4.6 (A).

Rainfall Performance

The Coefficient of Retro-reflection of the same finished license plate test panels, measured on the same flat area of the test panels, totally wet by rain, shall not be less than 90% or more of the table values shown in Section 3.4.6 (A). Wet performance measurements shall be conducted at 0.2° observation and -4° entrance angles in accordance with ASTME-810 and using the test set-up described in LS-300C, p.18, fig.1.

Daytime/Nighttime Color

To assist in positive daytime/nighttime identification of license plates, the color of the reflective background of the sheeting, including any pre-printed design, shall be similar in daylight and by illumination at night.

Flexibility – Embossing

The sheeting shall, when correctly applied to treated aluminum, conform to the minimum/maximum tolerances for embossing dies as used by the manufacturing facility that supplies finished plates to the NV DMV and as recommended by the sheeting manufacturer.

Finished, embossed license plates shall show no appreciable wrinkling, cracking, or squirming at or around embossed areas.

Cleanability

Finished license plate samples, manufactured in accordance with the recommendations of the reflective sheeting manufacturer, shall be easily cleansed of normal dirt accumulation by washing with water and mild detergent. A test panel shall be sprayed with water-suspended soils collected from the underside of vehicle fenders, mixed with water in the proportion of five pounds (2.27 kg) of soil to one gallon (3.78 liters) of water, and poured through a paint strainer.

The mixture shall then be sprayed onto the panel while particles are in suspension. After the panel is thoroughly dry, it shall be cleaned by washing with a mixture of water and mild detergent, rinsed with clean water, and wiped dry for examination. The panel shall show no appreciable difference when compared to a new clean panel.

Solvent Resistance

The following solvent resistance in section 3.5.7 (G) of this RFP, can be added by the parties later at the price(s) quoted:

License plate panels prepared per section 3.4.6 (H) shall be sufficiently solvent resistant to withstand exposure to mineral spirits, turpentine, toluene, xylene, and methyl alcohol in accordance with Fed. Spec. LS-300C without wrinkling, puckering or edge lifting.

Test panels shall be 1” x 6” strips cut from license plate blanks. Strips of the license plate shall be exposed as follows: mineral spirits and turpentine – submerged in a container with 4” of solvent for 10 minutes. Toluene, xylene, and methyl alcohol – submerged in a container with 4” of solvent for 2 minutes.

Samples shall be allowed to dry and be examined for any wrinkling, puckering, blistering or edge lifting. Failure of samples shall be cause for rejections.

Test Panels

Finished license plate test panels 6” x 12” (15.2cm x 30.5cm) must be provided for testing and evaluation with each response and shall be produced of the same materials on the same equipment, and by the same general processes of substrate preparation, laminating, embossing, and dry roll coating as the production plates, in accordance with the sheeting manufacturer’s recommendations.

Quality Conformance

Failure of the reflective sheeting to meet any requirement specified herein shall be cause for refusal to accept materials until evidence has been provided by the manufacturer that corrective action has been taken to eliminate deficiencies.

Performance Life

Reflective sheeting applied and processed into finished license plates according to the sheeting manufacturer’s instruction shall be considered to perform effectively for the service life specified (excluding those plates showing mechanical damage) if:

The plates show no fading, cracking, blistering, or peeling which will significantly impair the intended visibility or legibility of the plate, and if;

The clean rear plate retains at least 9 candlepower per foot-candle per plate (.84 candelas per lux per plate) for the length of the intended issue being proposed (up to a period of 5 years). (Assumes white sheeting background.)

Measurements shall be conducted at 0.2° observation angle and -4° entrance angle coefficient of luminous intensity shall be measured using the test method outlined in ASTME-810 except that the coefficient of luminous intensity shall be determined in accordance with ASTME-808 Para. 4.2.1 and ASTME-809 Para. 12.1.1.

Warranty Provisions

The sheeting shall be imaged with a buried directional, integral warranty mark, to be traceable to the specific manufacturer’s production run numbers from which the material originated. If at any time during the specified performance life of the reflective material provided, a one half percent sample of clean, rear plates produced from a given production run (identified by the integral warranty mark) reveals that 10 percent or more of that sample are found to be defective in visual or brightness performance requirements as defined herein, the successful vendor shall be responsible for replacement of all plates manufactured from that specific lot of material.

The successful vendor shall be responsible for all costs associated with any license plate recall due to failed materials. This shall include, but is not limited to, any salary costs generated due to a recall and/or plate replacement.

The successful vendor shall be responsible for all replacement costs associated with a specific lot; a maximum liability assessment $7.50 per plate will be invoked for failed plates associated with a specific lot. Reimbursement of the NV DMV shall be in dollars and/or equal to the assessed damage, at the discretion of the NV DMV.

To assure effective identification, the warranty marks shall be approximately 1.125 inches in diameter on standard 6” x 12” plates and shall be a design mutually agreed upon by the NV DMV and the successful vendor. The successful vendor may vary the number, design, and placement of the marks for motorcycle or smaller license plate sizes.

The warranty marks shall be verifiable on a license plate once properly affixed to the vehicle’s designated mounting area, from an approximate head-on distance of six (6) feet; warranty marks shall not be observable at 2 feet or 20 feet or when the viewer steps to one side from the head-on viewing position so as not to compete or conflict with vital plate information.

The warranty marks shall be verifiable under both ambient light and retro-reflected light at night, shall not interfere or conflict with the plate design or aesthetics, and shall not alter sheeting colors or reduce sheeting brightness below specified levels.

The consistency of printing and dry roll coat materials must be maintained throughout the contract period. The successful vendor must provide for and maintain a compatible color match to existing and/or selected designs by the NV DMV. The successful vendor will be required to furnish sheeting based on the current license plate design/format or any approved NV DMV design. Failure to match and maintain colors in accordance with this section will be the cause for contract cancellation.

Technical Service

The successful vendor shall, without additional cost, provide the NV DMV with expert technical service and product information. A list of expert technical service personnel, their qualifications and experience must be provided.

To ensure continued quality license plate manufacture, the successful vendor shall provide the NV DMV with on-site technical service.

On-site technical service shall be available within 48 hours of notification by the Nevada License Plate Factory of production difficulties.

Packaging and Shipping of Conventional License Plate Sheeting

To ensure easy access and proper inventory control, the reflective sheeting shall be shipped in bulk packages. To prevent roll damage, each pallet of bulk packages shall be designed to prevent double stacking by the shipper. Production run sequence numbers shall be affixed to the outside of each shipping package that corresponds to the materials contained therein. Each roll shall be additionally designated by a core identifier stamped or affixed with a permanent label to the inside of each roll core. A shipping or packaging list shall be affixed to one box on a pallet identifying all production runs contained within the shipment.

Delivery Schedule of Conventional License Plate Sheeting

All deliveries shall be provided F.O.B. to the NV DMV’s designated point of delivery. The first expected delivery of reflective sheeting shall not be later than 45 days following official notification of contract award, initial order, and receipt of NV DMV approved artwork. All subsequent orders shall be F.O.B. designation with expected delivery within 30 days after receipt.

All deliveries shall be provided F.O.B to the NV DMV’s designated point of delivery.

Accountability of Conventional License Plate Sheeting

The successful vendor shall be accountable for all sheeting from the place of manufacture to the point of delivery. All over-run materials remaining in the successful vendor’s possession after discontinuation of any design or the contract’s cancellation, shall be destroyed and used for no other purpose.

Processing of Conventional License Plate Sheeting

The reflective sheeting process shall be in accordance with the recommendations of the manufacturer. All processing procedures for reflective material and dry roll coat must be compatible, or made compatible at the successful vendor’s expense, with equipment and procedures currently employed by the NV DMV.

The successful vendor will be required to deliver, free of charge, all retro-reflective sheeting, thermal ribbons, protective laminate overlay and dry roll coat foil on an “as needed” basis. Acknowledge receipt of material request within 15 days. If delivery of the complete order cannot be fulfilled and delivered within 30 days, communication with License Plate Factory will be required.

The contract shall be for projected volumes, which are estimates only. The invoices shall be for actual amounts shipped and received during the selected contract production period.

PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR DIGITALLY IMAGED LICENSE PLATES

Substrate

The sheeting shall be laminated to properly conversion coated aluminum substrate recommended by the sheeting manufacturer.

Diffuse Daytime Color

Through instrumental color testing, the diffuse daytime color of the reflective sheeting shall conform to color requirements as determined spectrophotometrically in accordance with ASTM E-1164 and E-1349, utilizing either 45/0 or 0/45 degree illumination/viewing conditions as described in E-1164 and E-1349 for retro-reflective materials. Chromaticity and the luminance factor based on CIE tristimulus values for the 2° observer and illuminant D65 shall be calculated in accordance with ASTM E-308.

The color specification limits for white license plate sheeting are listed on the following chart:

COLOR SPECIFICATION

Chromaticity Coordinates

Corner Points Luminance Factor

Adhesive and Protective Liner

The precoated adhesive shall form a durable bond to flat conversion coated license plate surfaces as recommended by the reflective sheeting manufacturer.

The protective liner attached to the adhesive shall be removable by peeling without soaking in water or other solvents and shall be easily removed after accelerated storage for four hours at 150°F (66°C) under weight of 2.5 lbs. per square inch (1.14KG per 6.45 sq. cm.). The liner shall be non-printed to permit reuse.

Thermal Transfer Printing

The reflective sheeting shall be printable with thermal transfer ribbons supplied by the successful vendor.

The successful vendor shall provide a complete line of thermal transfer ribbons, in process and spot colors, which allow the NV DMV to print the graphic designs and variable information required by the NV DMV. The cost of ribbons must be included in the cost of sheeting.

Protective Clear Over-Laminate

The successful vendor shall provide a protective clear film that will be laminated to the sheeting in-line with the thermal transfer printing process. Printed sheeting with the protective clear film shall pass all performance tests as delineated in Section 3.5.3 – 3.5.4. The cost of protective clear over-laminate must be included in the cost of sheeting.

Inventory Control

To assist the NV DMV with inventory control problems, the manufacturer shall mark the sheeting with an integral, directional image that incorporates the lot number so that the NV DMV can employ first in/first out principles.

Finished License Plates

Retro-reflective Characteristics The coefficient of retro-reflection for the sheeting shall be measured on flat, clean, finished license plate test panels prepared per Section 3.4.6 and shall have the following minimum values at 0.2° observation angle, expressed as candelas per lux per square meter of material. Measurements shall be conducted in accordance with ASTM E-810, “Standard Test Method for Coefficient of Retro-reflection of Retro-reflective Sheeting”.

Resistance to Accelerated Weathering The sheeting shall be weather resistant and show no appreciable discoloration, crazing, cracking, blistering, lifting or dimensional change and the surface shall continue to be essentially smooth to provide direct application of validation stickers, determined after the following accelerated weathering tests:

Laboratory testing – 2,000 hours in Xenon arc weatherometer using ASTM G 26-Type BH, Method A. Finished license plate samples shall maintain 70% of retro-reflective table values as shown in Section 3.5.7.1 Outdoor accelerated testing – Finished license plate samples shall be placed in a 24-month unprotected outdoor exposure, facing the equator and positioned vertically. Retro-reflective measurements, taken after cleaning, shall result in 70% or more retention of the table values in Section 3.5.7.1.

Rainfall Performance The coefficient of retro-reflection of the same finished license plate test panels, measured on the same flat area of the test panels, totally wet by rain, shall not be less than 90% or more of the table values shown in Section 3.5.7.1. Wet performance measurements shall be conducted at 0.2° observation and -4° entrance angles in accordance with ASTM E-810 and using the test set-up described in LS-300C, p.18, fig.1.

Daytime/Nighttime Color To assist in positive daytime/nighttime identification of license plates, the color of the reflective background of the sheeting’s, including any pre-printed design or digitally printed design, shall be similar in daylight and by illumination at night.

Flexibility – Embossing The sheeting shall, when correctly applied to treated aluminum, conform to the minimum/maximum tolerances for embossing as used by the manufacturing facility that supplies finished plates to the NV DMV and as recommended by the sheeting manufacturer.

Finished license plates shall show no appreciable wrinkling, cracking, or squirming at or around the embossed rim or flange.

Cleanability Finished license plates, manufactured in accordance with the recommendations of the reflective sheeting manufacturer, shall be easily cleansed of normal dirt accumulation by washing with water and mild detergent. A test panel shall be sprayed with water-suspended soils collected from the underside of vehicle fenders, mixed with water in the proportion of five pounds (2.27 kg) of soil to one gallon (3.78 liters) of water, and poured through a paint strainer.

The mixture shall then be sprayed onto the panel while particles are in suspension. After the panel is thoroughly dry, it shall be cleaned by washing with a mixture of water and mild detergent, rinsed with clean water, and wiped dry for examination. The panel shall show no appreciable difference when compared to a new clean panel.

Solvent Resistance License plate panels prepared per Section 3.5.7.8 shall be sufficiently solvent resistant to withstand exposure to mineral spirits, turpentine, toluene, xylene, and methyl alcohol, in accordance with Fed. Spec. LS-300C without wrinkling, puckering or edge lifting.

Test panels shall be 1” x 6” strips cut from license plate blanks. Strips of the license plate shall be exposed as follows: mineral spirits and turpentine – submerged in a container with 4” of solvent for 10 minutes.

Samples shall be allowed to dry and be examined for any wrinkling, puckering, blistering or edge lifting. Failure of samples shall be cause for rejections.

Test Panels Finished license plate test panels 6” x 12” (15.2cm x 30.5cm) must be provided for testing and evaluation with each response, and shall be produced of the same materials, on the same equipment and by the same general process of substrate preparation as the production plates, in accordance with the sheeting manufacturer’s recommendations. Test panels shall be provided with and without thermal transfer printed graphics and variable information as required by the NV DMV. The test panels must have the protective clear over-laminate applied to the surface of the digital license plate sheeting.

Quality Conformance Failure of the reflective sheeting to meet any requirement specified herein shall be cause for refusal to accept materials until evidence has been provided by the manufacturer that corrective action has been taken to eliminate deficiencies.

Performance Life Reflective sheeting applied and processed into finished license plates according to the sheeting manufacturer’s instruction shall be considered to perform effectively for the service life expected (excluding those plates showing mechanical damage) if:

The plates show no fading, cracking, blistering, or peeling which will significantly impair the intended visibility or legibility of the plate, and The clean rear plate retains at least 9 candlepower per foot-candle per plate (.84 candelas per lux per plate) for the length of the intended issue being bid (up to a period of 5 years). Measurements shall be taken in clean, white, unprinted areas of rear plates.

Warranty Provisions The sheeting shall be imaged with a buried directional, integral warranty mark, to be traceable to the specific manufacturer’s production run numbers from which the material originated. If at any time during the specified performance life of the reflective material provided, a one half of one percent sample of clean, rear plates produced from a given production run (identified by the integral warranty mark) reveals that 10 percent or more of that sample are found to be defective in visual or brightness performance requirements as defined herein, the successful vendor shall be responsible for replacement of all plates manufactured from that specific lot material.

The successful vendor shall be responsible for all costs associated with any license plate recall due to failed materials. This shall include, but is not limited to, any salary costs generated because of a recall and plate replacement.

The successful vendor shall be responsible for all replacement costs associated with a specific lot; a maximum liability assessment of $7.50 per plate will be invoked for failed plates associated with a specific lot. Reimbursement of the NV DMV shall be in dollars and/or materials equal to the assessed damage, at the discretion of the NV DMV.

To assure effective identification, the warranty marks shall be approximately 1.125 inches in diameter on standard 6” x 12” plates and shall be of a design agreed upon by the NV DMV. The successful vendor may vary the number, design, and placement of the marks for motorcycle or smaller license plate sizes.

The warranty marks shall be verifiable on a license plate once properly affixed to the vehicle’s designated mounting area, from an approximate head-on distance of six (6) feet; warranty marks shall not be observable at 2 feet or 20 feet or whenever the viewer steps to one side from the head-on viewing position so as not to compete or conflict with vital plate information.

The warranty marks shall be verifiable under both ambient light and retro-reflected light at night, shall not interfere or conflict with the plate design or aesthetics, and shall not alter sheeting colors or reduce sheeting brightness below specified levels.

Packaging and Shipping of Digital License Plates To ensure easy access and proper inventory control, the reflective sheeting shall be shipped in bulk packages. To prevent roll damage, each pallet of bulk packages shall be designed to prevent double stacking by the shipper. Production runs sequence numbers shall be affixed to the outside of each shipping package that corresponds to the materials contained therein. Each roll shall be additionally designated by a core identifier stamped or affixed with a permanent label to the inside of each roll core. A shipping or package list shall be affixed to one box on a pallet identifying all production runs contained within the shipment.

Delivery Schedule of Digital License Plates The successful vendor will be required to deliver, free of charge, all retro-reflective sheeting, thermal ribbons, protective laminate over-lay and dry roll coat foil on an “as needed” basis. Acknowledge receipt of material request within 15 days. If delivery of complete order cannot be fulfilled and delivered within 30 days, communication with License Plate Factory will be required.

Accountability of Digital License Plates

The successful vendor shall be accountable for all sheeting from the place of manufacture to the point to delivery. All over-run materials remaining in the manufacturer’s possession after discontinuation of any design or the contractor’s cancellation, shall be destroyed and used for no other purpose.

Processing of Digital License Plates The reflective sheeting processing shall be in accordance with the recommendations of the manufacturer. All processing procedures for reflective material, thermal transfer ribbons and clear protective laminate must be compatible, or made compatible at the successful vendor’s expense, with equipment and procedures currently employed by the NV DMV.

HOLD BACKS

The State shall pay all invoiced amounts, less a 10% holdback, following receipt of the invoice and a fully completed project deliverable sign-off form.

The distribution of the holdbacks shall be negotiated with the vendor.

Actual payment of holdbacks shall be made with the approval of the project Executive Oversight Committee.

ATTACHMENTS

ATTACHMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE. To be read and not returned.

Terms and Conditions for Services Terms and Conditions for Goods

ATTACHMENTS FOR REVIEW. To be read and not returned (unless redlining).

Contract Form Insurance Schedule

PROPOSAL ATTACHMENTS. To be completed and returned.

Cost Schedule Reference Questionnaire Attachments for Signature

Vendor Information Response Vendor Certifications Certification Regarding Lobbying Confidentiality and Certification of Indemnification

TIMELINE

QUESTIONS. All questions regarding this solicitation shall be submitted using the Bid Q&A feature in NevadaEPro.

TIMELINE. The following represents the proposed timeline for this project.

All times stated are Pacific Time (PT).

These dates represent a tentative schedule of events.

The State reserves the right to modify these dates at any time.

EVALUATION

Evaluation and scoring are conducted in accordance with NRS 333.335 and NAC 333.160-333.165.

Proposals shall be kept confidential until a contract is awarded.

In the event the solicitation is withdrawn prior to award, proposals remain confidential.

The evaluation committee is an independent committee established to evaluate and score proposals submitted in response to the solicitation.

Financial stability shall be scored on a pass/fail basis.

Proposals shall be consistently evaluated and scored based upon the following factors and relative weights.

Cost proposals will be evaluated based on the following formula.

Cost Factor Weight x (Lowest Cost Submitted by a Vendor / Proposer Total Cost) = Cost Score

Presentations

Following the evaluation and scoring process specified above, the State may require vendors to make a presentation of their proposal to the evaluation committee or other State staff, as applicable.

The State, at its option, may limit participation in vendor presentations to vendors above a natural break in the relative scores from technical and cost scores.

Following the presentations, the combined technical, cost, and presentation scores will become the final score for a proposal.

The State reserves the right to add additional criteria or presentations.

The State reserves the right to forego vendor presentations and select vendor(s) based on the written proposals submitted.

NEVADA-BASED BUSINESS PREFERENCE

The State awards a five percent (5%) preference to Nevada-based businesses pursuant to NRS 333.3351 to 333.3356, inclusive.

Nevada-based business is defined in NRS 333.3352(1).

The term ‘principal place of business’ has the meaning outlined by the United States Supreme Court in Hertz Corp v. Friend, 559 U.S. 77 (2010), typically meaning a business’s corporate headquarters.

To claim this preference a vendor must indicate it on their vendor account and submit a Quote in NevadaEPro.

This preference cannot be combined with any other preference, granted for the award of a contract using federal funds, or granted for the award of a contract procured on a multi-state basis.

INVERSE PREFERENCE

The State applies an inverse preference to vendors that have a principal place of business in a state other than Nevada and that state applies an in-state preference not afforded to Nevada based vendors, pursuant to AB28 passed in the 81st session of the Nevada Legislature.

The amount of the inverse preference is correlated to the amount of preference applied in the other state.

Vendors who meet this criterion must indicate it on their submitted Quote in NevadaEPro.

This preference cannot be combined with any other preference, granted for the award of a contract using federal funds, or granted for the award of a contract procured on a multi-state basis.

MANDATORY MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Pursuant to NRS 333.311 a contract cannot be awarded to a proposal that does not comply with the requirements listed in this section. Proposal shall include confirmation of compliance with all mandatory minimum requirements.

NEVADA LAW AND STATE INDEMNITY. Pursuant to NRS 333.339, any contract that is entered into may not: (1) Require the filing of any action or the arbitration of any dispute that arises from the contract to be instituted or heard in another state or nation; or (2) Require the State to indemnify another party against liability for damages.

NO BOYCOTT OF ISRAEL. Pursuant to NRS 333.338, the State of Nevada cannot enter a contract with a company unless that company agrees for the duration of the contract not to engage in a boycott of Israel. By submitting a proposal or bid, vendor agrees that if it is awarded a contract, it will not engage in a boycott of Israel as defined in NRS 333.338(3)(a).

INDEMNIFICATION. Required contract terms on Indemnification: "To the fullest extent permitted by law, Contractor shall indemnify, hold harmless and defend, not excluding the State’s right to participate, the State from and against all liability, claims, actions, damages, losses, and expenses, including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs, arising out of any breach of the obligations of Contractor under this contract, or any alleged negligent or willful acts or omissions of Contractor, its officers, employees and agents. Contractor’s obligation to indemnify the State shall apply in all cases except for claims arising solely from the State’s own negligence or willful misconduct. Contractor waives any rights of subrogation against the State. Contractor’s duty to defend begins when the State requests defense of any claim arising from this Contract."

LIMITED LIABILITY. Required contract terms on Limited Liability: "The State will not waive and intends to assert available NRS Chapter 41 liability limitations in all cases. Contract liability of both parties shall not be subject to punitive damages. Damages for any State breach shall never exceed the amount of funds appropriated for payment under this Contract, but not yet paid to Contractor, for the Fiscal Year budget in existence at the time of the breach. Contractor’s tort liability shall not be limited."

CONTRACT RESPONSIBILITY. Awarded vendor shall be the sole point of contract responsibility. The State shall look solely to the awarded vendor for the performance of all contractual obligations which may result from an award based on this solicitation, and the awarded vendor shall not be relieved for the non-performance of any or all subcontractors.

DATA ENCRYPTION. State IT requires that data be encrypted in transit and in rest.

STATESIDE DATA. State IT requires that State data assets must be maintained in the United States and data will not be held offshore.

NEVADA BUSINESS LICENSE. Pursuant to NRS 353.007, prior to contract execution awarded vendor must hold a state business license pursuant to NRS chapter 76 unless exempted by NRS 76.100(7)(b).

DISCLOSURE. Each vendor shall include in its proposal a complete disclosure of any alleged significant prior or ongoing contract failures, contract breaches, any civil or criminal litigation or investigations pending which involves the vendor or in which the vendor has been judged guilty or liable.

CRITICAL ITEMS

In addition to the Scope of Work and Attachments, the items listed in this section are critical to the success of the project. These items will be used in evaluating and scoring the proposal. Vendor proposal should address items in this section in enough detail to provide evaluators an accurate understanding of vendor capabilities. Proposals that fail to sufficiently respond to these items may be considered non-responsive.

CONTRACT FORM. The State strongly prefers vendors agree to the terms of the attached Contract Form as is. Ability to agree to contract terms is a high priority to the State. Vendors who cannot agree to the contract as is must include a redlined Word version of the attached Contract Form with their proposal response. To the extent a vendor has prior contractual dealings with the State, no assumption should be made that terms outside those provided herein have any influence on this project.

INSURANCE SCHEDULE

The State strongly prefers vendors agree to the terms of the attached Insurance Schedule as is. Vendors who cannot agree must explain which areas are causing non-compliance and attach a red line if necessary.

Awarded vendor shall maintain, for the duration of the contract, insurance coverages as set forth in the fully executed contract.

Work on the contract shall not begin until after the awarded vendor has submitted acceptable evidence of the required insurance coverages.

Failure to maintain any required insurance coverage or acceptable alternative method of insurance shall be deemed a breach of contract.

VENDOR BACKGROUND

Company background/history and why vendor is qualified to provide the services described in this solicitation.

Provide a brief description of the length of time vendor has been providing services described in this solicitation to the public and/or private sector.

SUBCONTRACTORS

Subcontractors are defined as a third party, not directly employed by the contractor, who shall provide services identified in this solicitation. This does not include third parties who provide support or incidental services to the contractor.

Proposal should include a completed Vendor Information Response form for each subcontractor.

Vendor shall not allow any subcontractor to commence work until all insurance required of the subcontractor is provided to the vendor.

Vendor proposal shall identify specific requirements of the project for which each subcontractor shall perform services.

How the work of any subcontractor(s) shall be supervised How channels of communication shall be maintained How compliance with contracts terms and conditions will be assured Previous experience with subcontractor(s)

VENDOR FINANCIAL INFORMATION

The information requested in this section is designated as confidential business information by the Administrator pursuant to NRS 333.020(5)(b) and is not public information pursuant to NRS 333.333.

This information should be submitted as a separate attachment, flagged as confidential in NevadaEPro.

Proposing vendor shall provide the following financial information and documentation:

Dun and Bradstreet Number Federal Tax Identification Number The last two (2) full years and current year interim:

1. Profit and Loss Statements

2. Balance Statements

BUSINESS REFERENCES

The information requested in this section is designated as confidential business information by the Administrator pursuant to NRS 333.020(5)(b) and is not public information pursuant to NRS 333.333.

Vendors shall provide a minimum of three (3) business references from similar projects performed for private and/or public sector clients within the last three (3) to five (5) years, see Reference Questionnaire.

In what capacity have you worked with this vendor in the past?

How would you rate this firms’ knowledge and expertise?

How would you rate this the vendor’s flexibility relative to changes in project scope and timelines?

What is your level of satisfaction with materials produced by the vendor?

How would you rate the dynamics/interaction between the vendor and your staff?

How would you rate ‘bad material’ resolution (if applicable).

How satisfied are you with the materials supplied by the vendor?

With which aspect(s) of this vendor’s services are you most satisfied?

With which aspect(s) of this vendor’s services are you least satisfied?

Would you recommend this vendor’s services to your organization again?

The purpose of these references is to document relevant experience and aid in the evaluation process.

Business references should return Reference Questionnaire directly to Single Point of Contact via email.

Business references will not be accepted directly from proposing vendor.

Business references shall not be requested from the soliciting agency.

The State will not disclose submitted references but will confirm if a reference has been received.

The State reserves the right to contact references during evaluation.

SUBMISSION CHECKLIST

This…