SAP

State of South Carolina

Fixed Price Bid Amendment #2 Solicitation:

Date Issued:

Procurement Officer:

Phone:

E-Mail Address:

Mailing Address:

5400029741 07/08/2026

MICHAEL SPEAKMON, CPPO

803-737-9816 mspeakmon@mmo.sc.gov SFAA, Div. of Procurement Services PO Box 101103 Columbia SC 29201-3734

DESCRIPTION: STC Furniture

USING GOVERNMENTAL UNIT: Statewide Term Contract

SUBMIT YOUR OFFER ON-LINE AT THE FOLLOWING URL: http://www.procurement.sc.gov

SUBMIT OFFER BY (Opening Date/Time): 07/16/2026 11:00 AM (See "Deadline For Submission Of Offer" provision)

QUESTIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY: N/A

NUMBER OF COPIES TO BE SUBMITTED: 1 Electronic preferred

CONFERENCE TYPE: N/A

DATE & TIME: N/A

(As appropriate, see "Conferences - Pre-Bid/Proposal" & "Site Visit" provisions)

LOCATION: N/A

You must submit a signed copy of this form with Your Offer. By signing, You agree to be bound by the terms of the Solicitation. You agree to hold Your Offer open for a minimum of thirty (30) calendar days after the Opening Date. (See "Signing Your Offer" provision.)

NAME OF OFFEROR

(full legal name of business submitting the offer) Any award issued will be issued to, and the contract will be formed with, the entity identified as the Offeror. The entity named as the offeror must be a single and distinct legal entity. Do not use the name of a branch office or a division of a larger entity if the branch or division is not a separate legal entity, i.e., a separate corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, etc.

AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE

(Person must be authorized to submit binding offer to contract on behalf of Offeror.)

DATE SIGNED

TITLE

(business title of person signing above)

STATE VENDOR NO.

(Register to Obtain S.C. Vendor No. at www.procurement.sc.gov)

PRINTED NAME

(printed name of person signing above)

STATE OF INCORPORATION

(If you are a corporation, identify the state of incorporation.)

OFFEROR'S TYPE OF ENTITY: (Check one) (See "Signing Your Offer" provision.)

___ Sole Proprietorship ___ Partnership ___ Other_____________________________

___ Corporate entity (not tax-exempt) ___ Corporation (tax-exempt) ___ Government entity (federal, state, or local)

COVER PAGE - ON-LINE ONLY (MAR. 2015)

SAP

PAGE TWO

(Return Page Two with Your Offer) HOME OFFICE ADDRESS (Address for offeror's home office / principal place of business)

DUNS Number __________________________________ (If you do not have one, enter N/A) NOTICE ADDRESS (Address to which all procurement and contract related notices should be sent.) (See "Notice" clause)

Area Code - Number - Extension Facsimile

E-mail Address ______________________________________

PAYMENT ADDRESS (Address to which payments will be sent.) (See "Payment" clause)

____Payment Address same as Home Office Address ____Payment Address same as Notice Address (check only one) ORDER ADDRESS (Address to which purchase orders will be sent) (See "Purchase Orders and "Contract Documents" clauses)

____Order Address same as Home Office Address ____Order Address same as Notice Address (check only one)

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF AMENDMENTS

Offerors acknowledges receipt of amendments by indicating amendment number and its date of issue. (See "Amendments to Solicitation" Provision)

DISCOUNT FOR PROMPT PAYMENT

(See "Discount for Prompt Payment" clause)

PREFERENCES - A NOTICE TO VENDORS (SEP. 2009):

Preferences do not apply per 11-35-1524(E)(3)

PREFERENCES - ADDRESS AND PHONE OF IN-STATE OFFICE:

Preferences do not apply per 11-35-1524(E)(3)

____In-State Office Address same as Home Office Address ____In-State Office Address same as Notice Address (check only one)

PAGE TWO (SEP 2009)

End of PAGE TWO

PURPOSE OF THE AMENDMENT

The purpose of this amendment is to clarify the tendering text for Lot 24, Office Pods and Individual Workspaces. This is not a material change to the solicitation, so no extension of the response time is required.

AMENDMENTS TO SOLICITATION (JAN 2004)

(a) The Solicitation may be amended at any time prior to opening. All actual and prospective Offerors should monitor the following web site for the issuance of Amendments: www.procurement.sc.gov(b) Offerors shall acknowledge receipt of any amendment to this solicitation (1) by signing and returning the amendment, (2) by identifying the amendment number and date in the space provided for this purpose on Page Two, (3) by letter, or (4) by submitting a bid that indicates in some way that the bidder received the amendment. (c) If this solicitation is amended, then all terms and conditions which are not modified remain unchanged. [02-2A005-1]

Product Catg.: 99846 - Furniture

Item Description: LOT 23 – OFFICE PODS AND INDIVIDUAL WORKSPACES

Tendering Text: LIBRARY/MEDIA CENTER FURNITURE – for example, library shelving, carts, display pieces, study carrels OFFICE PODS AND PRIVACY PHONE BOOTHS – for example, office meeting booths, ADA compliant privacy POD, sound proof office PODS and privacy phone booths.

Internal Item Number: 24

______Yes

______No

IX. ATTACHMENTS TO SOLICITATION

SAP

ATTACHMENTS LIST [09-9002-1]

The following documents are attached to this solicitation:

ATTACH A POINT OF CONTACT

ATTACH B REPORTING TEMPLATE

ATTACH C QUESTIONS TEMPLATE

IMPORTANT TAX NOTICE - NONRESIDENTS ONLY

Withholding Requirements for Payments to Nonresidents: Section 12-8-550 of the South Carolina Code of Laws requires persons hiring or contracting with a nonresident conducting a business or performing personal services of a temporary nature within South Carolina to withhold 2% of each payment made to the nonresident. The withholding requirement does not apply to (1) payments on purchase orders for tangible personal property when the payments are not accompanied by services to be performed in South Carolina, (2) nonresidents who are not conducting business in South Carolina, (3) nonresidents for contracts that do not exceed $10,000 in a calendar year, or (4) payments to a nonresident who (a) registers with either the S.C. Department of Revenue or the S.C. Secretary of State and (b) submits a Nonresident Taxpayer Registration Affidavit - Income Tax Withholding, Form I-312 to the person letting the contract.

The withholding requirement applies to every governmental entity that uses a contract ("Using Entity"). Nonresidents should submit a separate copy of the Nonresident Taxpayer Registration Affidavit - Income Tax Withholding, Form I-312 to every Using Entity that makes payment to the nonresident pursuant to this solicitation. Once submitted, an affidavit is valid for all contracts between the nonresident and the Using Entity, unless the Using Entity receives notice from the Department of Revenue that the exemption from withholding has been revoked.

Section 12-8-540 requires persons making payment to a nonresident taxpayer of rentals or royalties at a rate of $1,200.00 or more a year for the use of or for the privilege of using property in South Carolina to withhold 7% of the total of each payment made to a nonresident taxpayer who is not a corporation and 5% if the payment is made to a corporation. Contact the Department of Revenue for any applicable exceptions.

For information about other withholding requirements (e.g., employee withholding), contact the South Carolina Department of Revenue at 1-844-898-8542 or visit the Department's website at: dor.sc.gov

This notice is for informational purposes only. This agency does not administer and has no authority over tax issues. All registration and withholding tax questions should be directed to the South Carolina Department of Revenue at 1-844-898-8542. Additional contact information can be found by visiting the Department's website at dor.sc.gov

PLEASE SEE THE "NONRESIDENT TAXPAYER REGISTRATION AFFIDAVIT INCOME TAX WITHHOLDING" FORM (FORM NUMBER I-312) LOCATED AT: dor.sc.gov

[09-9005-5]

OFFEROR'S CHECKLIST -- AVOID COMMON BID/PROPOSAL MISTAKES

Review this checklist prior to submitting your bid/proposal.

If you fail to follow this checklist, you risk having your bid/proposal rejected.

- Do not include any of your standard contract forms!

- Unless expressly required, do not include any additional boilerplate contract clauses.

- Reread your entire bid/proposal to make sure your bid/proposal does not take exception to any of the state's mandatory requirements.

- Make sure you have properly marked all protected, confidential, or trade secret information in accordance with the instructions entitled: SUBMITTING CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION. DO NOT mark your entire bid/proposal as confidential, trade secret, or protected! Do not include a legend on the cover stating that your entire response is not to be released!

- Have you properly acknowledged all amendments? Instructions regarding how to acknowledge an amendment should appear in all amendments issued.

- Make sure your bid/proposal includes a copy of the solicitation cover page. Make sure the cover page is signed by a person that is authorized to contractually bind your business.

- Make sure your Bid/proposal includes the number of copies requested.

- Check to ensure your Bid/proposal includes everything requested!

- If you have concerns about the solicitation, do not raise those concerns in your response! After opening, it is too late! If this solicitation includes a pre-bid/proposal conference or a question & answer period, raise your questions as a part of that process! Please see instructions under the heading "submission of questions" and any provisions regarding pre-bid/proposal conferences.

[09-9010-1]

Purchase Order Attachment Acceptance of Offers 10% Below Statewide Term Contract Price

Instructions: If an agency purchases any item available on the Term Contract identified below from a business (an Alternate Vendor) other than the Term Contract Contractor and the total price of the purchase order exceeds $500, then the procurement officer making the purchase must attach this form to the purchase order issued to the Alternate Vendor. The agency procurement officer must complete the following four blanks: the number and description of the applicable Term Contract, the number of the agency's Purchase Order, and the name of Term Contract Contractor that you offered an opportunity to match.

Term Contract Solicitation No.

Term Contract Description

Term Contract Contractor

Purchase Order No.

Agreement By signing this document, Alternate Vendor is entering into a contract with the agency named above regarding the items referenced on Purchase Order identified above. Regarding the items acquired with the Purchase Order, Alternate Vendor agrees to be bound by all the terms and conditions of the Term Contract Solicitation identified above. Alternate Vendor has received and read a copy of the Term Contract Solicitation identified above. The Purchase Order may be used to elect only those options expressly allowed in the Term Contract Solicitation. Possible options might include quantity, item, delivery date, and payment method. Any contract resulting from this Purchase Order is limited to the documents identified in the clause entitled Contract Documents & Order of Precedence.

NAME OF ALTERNATE VENDOR

(full legal name of business entering this contract)

STATE VENDOR NO.

(Register to Obtain S.C. Vendor No. at www.procurement.sc.gov)

AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE

(person authorized to enter binding contract on behalf of Alternate Vendor)

TITLE

(business title of person signing)

PRINTED NAME

(printed name of person signing above)

DATE SIGNED

Certification of Compliance I certify as follows: (1) every item acquired with the Purchase Order is priced at least ten percent less than the Term Contract price for the same item; (2) the Term Contract Contractor identified above declined to meet the prices stated on the Purchase Order after being offered a reasonable opportunity to meet the price stated on the Purchase Order; and, (3) this purchase complies with Section 11-35-310(35), which is reprinted below.

AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE

(procurement officer authorized to issue purchase order and sign certification)

TITLE

(business title of person signing)

PRINTED NAME

(printed name of person signing above)

DATE SIGNED

Section 11-35-310(35) of the South Carolina Code of Laws reads as follows: ""Term contract" means contracts established by the chief procurement officer for specific supplies, services, or information technology for a specified time and for which it is mandatory that all governmental bodies procure their requirements during its term. As provided in the solicitation, if a public procurement unit is offered the same supplies, services, or information technology at a price that is at least ten percent less than the term contract price, it may purchase from the vendor offering the lower price after first offering the vendor holding the term contract the option to meet the lower price. The solicitation used to establish the term contract must specify contract terms applicable to a purchase from the vendor offering the lower price. If the vendor holding the term contract meets the lower price, then the governmental body shall purchase from the contract vendor. All decisions to purchase from the vendor offering the lower price must be documented by the procurement officer in sufficient detail to satisfy the requirements of an external audit. A term contract may be a multi term contract as provided in Section 11-35-2030."

---------- PURCHASE ORDER ATTACHMENT (APR 2015) ----------

[09-9020-2]

Questions & Answers 5400029741Amendment #1

NOTE: There is an assumption that with this contract that vendors must submit their price lists with their offers, and that during the contract term the procurement officer must approve any changes to the price list before they can be effective. Neither of these are reflected in the contract. The State is contracting for the percent discount which is considered the price for this contract. See the “Price as a Discount” clause.

Q1: SCEIS Packet The initial link provided under Step 1 of the SCEIS packet takes user to a "page access error".

State’s Response: No change. The question does not clearly indicate which link in the solicitation is being referred to. All links in the Word document are correct.

Q2: Discount for Prompt Payment (Page TWO). If we are not offering a discount for Prompt Payment, do we mark “N/A” on page two of the cover page for each pay term option? Where would we input “Net 30 days” for our standard pay terms?

State’s Response: No change. You may enter N/A or leave it blank. The solicitations payment terms will supersede the Contractors payment terms.

Q3: Scope of Solicitation (Page 2) Acquire Services and Supplies (last sentence in Paragraph 2) “Complex services, if needed, will be limited to a maximum amount of 20% of the total purchase order”. This conflicts with the outlined statement below: Page 17 Under Installation Paragraph C)… “Except as in rare/extreme occasions, installation services, if needed, will be limited to a maximum amount of 20% of the total purchase order”.

State’s Response: No change. There is no conflict with the language limiting installation services to a maximum of 20% of the total purchase order.

Q4: Scope of Solicitation, Acquire Services and Supplies / Equipment, III Scope of Work/Specifications, Standard Delivery to State User. The solicitation references “Manufacturer’s Current List Price.” Please confirm that Contractors may utilize their then-current commercial price lists throughout the duration of the contract, with the awarded discount percentage remaining fixed unless otherwise approved by the State.

Q5: Acquired Services and Supplies/ Equipment (Jan2006) Will the applied % off list price be off the manufacturer’s current national price list at the time of order placement?

State’s Response (Q4 & Q5): No change. The contracted rate is the percent discount awarded, not the specific price list of the manufacturer. The UGUs will pay the prices in effect at the time the order is placed, minus the contracted discount.

Q6: Page 2: Acquire Services and Supplies/Equipment. During prior vendor discussions, several manufacturers expressed concern regarding the requirement that awarded pricing include all freight and delivery costs, except in cases involving custom or complex installation. Given the continued volatility of freight costs, this requirement can create significant challenges for manufacturers — particularly smaller manufacturers — attempting to provide accurate long-term pricing under a fixed discount structure.

Would the State consider either:

The intent of this question is to better understand whether the State is open to procurement structures that preserve competitive participation while recognizing ongoing transportation cost volatility.

State’s Response: In order to account for the volatility in the shipping industry, and to permit more flexibility for the Contractors, the State has lowered the minimum discount to 45% and the maximum allowable charge for complex installation to 25%.

Q7: Scope of Solicitation. Please clarify what the intention of “quoted, ordered and billed separately” as stated in this section is. If an end-user is purchasing seating, filing, and system (panel-based) products that would require installation and the installation charge has already been negotiated and approved, can all items be included on the same Purchase Order for the same customer?

Q8: Installation (Page 17). This section states that installation shall be quoted, ordered and billed separately. Most of our conferencing, casegoods, and caseworks products require installation where panels must be assembled, etc. If SC agencies are required to cut a separate PO for installation won’t this complicate the process for them? This seems unreasonable for something that is so standard in our industry.

State’s Response(Q7 & Q8): No change. The State cannot anticipate all avenues of funding that a UGU could use and what that funding may require. If a UGU requests a single invoice, then the Contractor may do so.

Q8: Scope of Solicitation. Please clarify that panel and filing systems should be considered “complex” installations based on the nature of the products themselves. Historically, the use of the term “complex” has made it challenging to align on installation scope, as it’s often interpreted to apply only to extenuating circumstances (e.g., lack of freight elevator, stair carry, etc.), making it difficult to appropriately account for associated costs. Additionally, this interpretation appears to conflict with P.16, Standard Delivery to State User (c), which states: “All Standard Delivery items shall be delivered and installed at no cost to the ordering entity,” leaving little room for distinction based on the complexity referenced in the Scope of Solicitation.

State’s Response: No change. The State agrees that some types of products will require complex installation based on the nature of the product but will not commit to attempting to identify every type of product. Products that do not require complex installation will be delivered and installed at no additional charge.

Q9: Under the Drug-Free Workplace provision, is the contractor/manufacturer responsible for an authorized dealer’s failure to comply with or report as required, or is the authorized dealer solely responsible for its own compliance and reporting obligations?

Q10: With the new authorized dealer online system, will authorized dealers be individually bound and responsible under the contract’s terms and conditions, or will they be covered under the contractor’s agreement, with the contractor retaining responsibility for their compliance?

State’s Response (Q9 & Q10): No change. The primary Contractor is responsible for ensuring all of their sub-contractors that will perform under the contract meet all the requirements of the contract.

Q11: Multiple Brands: If we manufacture two brands, must we submit a separate offer for each brand, or can both brands be included in a single submission? If separate offers are required, does each brand need its own electronic response?

State’s Response: No change. A separate offer will need to be made for each brand. However, the SCEIS system will only permit one brand submission electronically. For the second brand, upload a scanned copy of the printed solicitation document and attach that to the first brand offer. Name the file in such a way as it identifies a second brand being offered.

Q12: Fixed Pricing Required This section states, "Contractor's price shall be fixed for duration of this contract, including option terms." We understand that our discounting is fixed for the life of the contract, but are actual price increase requests allowed and, if so, how often?

Q13: Can we update our current contract list prices more than once a year?

State’s Response (Q12 & Q13): No change. Price lists may be updated when there is a change to the manufacturers pricing.

Q14: Unit Prices Required (JAN 2006) During the pre-bid meeting it was stated no price lists are to be submitted at this time, or potentially ever to the State but rather should be available to the end user. Please eliminate this clause if that is the case.

State’s Response: No change. The Unit Prices Required clause is necessary because it works with the Price As A Discount clause and one other clause in the document.

Q15: BIFMA Certification: If manufactured products clearly identified as BIFMA certified qualify us for a given lot category, can non-certified products also be included in the same lot? Some products are supplied rather than manufactured by us and are therefore outside of our control with respect to certification. If this is permitted, what method does the State require for distinguishing between certified and non-certified items in the submission and resulting contract?

Q16: ANSI-BIFMA Could you please confirm whether proof of ANSI-BIFMA certifications for all our products is required to be submitted with our offer?

State’s Response (Q15 & Q16): No change. Proof of ANSI/BIFMA certification is not required for offer submission. The Contractor is responsible for ensuring that applicable products are certified. Contractor’s must work with the UGU’s concerning certified/non-certified products prior to accepting a purchase order.

Q17: Section III.A.1 indicates “Products offered shall be standard and continuing items in the Manufacturer’s product lines and shall be identified by catalog numbers from its published online catalog.” Are items with minimal modification (including but not limited to typical extensions of product offerings such as routine, minimally engineered product modifications like standard finish or color changes, minor dimensional adjustments, and configuration updates) approved to be on contract?

State’s Response: No change. All configurations of the manufacturer’s products are considered under contract.

Q18: Is there a standard fee that can be charged for Design Services? Are there parameters around what cannot be charged for Design Services?

State’s Response: No change. The State will not attempt to provide a rigid description for design services. The Contractor will work with the UGU to define each project and price it accordingly.

Q19: “The Contractor shall indicate on the bid schedule (yes or no) whether additional discounts for volume purchases (by quote) will be offered.” Because the language uses “will” rather than “may,” is this commitment expected to apply on a case by case basis, or across all lot categories? If volume discounts can be offered for some lot categories but not others, where should that distinction be documented in the submission?

State’s Response: No change. Each line item has four questions that must be answered when submitting an offer for that line item, one of which is question about volume discounts. If a volume discount is not available just answer the question as “no.”

Q20: Does the dealer/reseller get the same discounted price as what is offered as a direct sale to the school?

State’s Response: No change. Dealers representing a manufacturer musty give the contracted manufacturer’s discount.

Q21: Contractor’s Representative and Authorized Dealer/Reseller Network. We understand that we may submit requests to update our dealer list twice per year. It states that these requests must be made by May 30th and November 30th of each term. Do we have the entire months of May and November to submit requests? May we submit requests prior to May 1st and November 1st for those windows?

Q22: III. Scope of Work/Specifications, I.7 Section III.I.7 states that Contractors may request Authorized Dealer/Reseller additions or deletions two times per year, by May 30 and November 30, and also requires Contractors to provide 30 days’ written notice of any addition or deletion. Can the State please clarify how these requirements work together? For example, if a Contractor submits a request on May 30, would that request still be considered timely for the applicable review period, or must requests be submitted at least 30 days in advance of May 30 and November 30 in order to be reviewed and approved during that cycle?

State’s Response (Q21 & Q22): No change. Contractors should not submit dealer requests to the State prior to May 1 or November 1 of each year. We receive a lot of requests and trying to keep up with those throughout the year is very difficult.

Q23: III.L p. 15. “Contractor is requested to make the State aware of any special discount(s) offered for products whose end use is restricted (educational discounts, etc.) throughout the life of the contract.” Does this requirement include temporary promotional discounts? Additionally, does this requirement apply to discounts where delivery and installation services are excluded?

State’s Response: No change. All applicable discounts will be made available to the State’s customers.

Q24: Contractor’s On-Line Catalog/Product Line and List Price. Please confirm if the intention of the Contractor Website is to be a State of South Carolina specific site/landing page, or if our main website may be used based on the generalities of the requirements.

State’s Response: No change. A dedicated website is not necessary as long as contract users can easily identify the South Carolina contracts on the manufacturer’s website.

Q25: Reference Page 15 If the dealer quote shows list price, discount, and sell price, may the invoice show only sell price? That way, it will match the purchase order and may avoid challenges with the various operating system templates.

State’s Response: No change. There are many entities who will use the contracts resulting from this solicitation and this office is not familiar with how those entities may or may not want to receive invoices. Contractors should have that conversation with the UGU when they engage in the contract.

Q26: III.B.4 Exclusions from Contract. You mentioned that other contracts could be used. Does that mean other cooperative contracts like OMNIA and Sourcewell can be used? Does this apply to anything outside the $500 listed under exclusions?

State’s Response: No change. UGUs may use any South Carolina contract for authorized purchases.

Q27: P. 15, III. Scope of Work/Specifications, III. J. Order Cancellations. Our products are custom-made-to-order and as such we do not stock items and fall under III.J.4 of this section. Please advise which section of the response we should include our standard cancellation and restocking policies for reference.

Q28: Order Cancellation. If production of an Order has already started within the 5 days of issuance of the order, cost would need to be recouped. Please consider re-wording to allow recoup in the 5-day window listed in the article.

State’s Response (Q27 & Q28): The reference has been updated.

Q29: Scope of Work/Specifications, III. M. Surcharges. Please confirm surcharges referenced in this section do not include trade tariffs.

State’s Response: The reference has been updated.

Q30: Scope of Work/Specifications, III. N. Contractor’s On-Line Catalog/Product Line and Price List. This section outlines that Contractor is required to provide an active link to Contractor’s website in Section VIII – Bid Schedule. Can you please confirm where this should be included on the Bid Schedule forms?

State’s Response: A website question has been added to each line item. The website address will be listed there.

Q31: Page 15 Contractor’s On-Line Catalog/Product Line and List Price During the pre-bid meeting, there was discussion regarding the required price list. Please confirm whether a link to the manufacturer’s/dealer’s price list will be required at the time of bid submission.

State’s Response: There is no requirement to submit a price list with the offer. The reference has been changed to indicate that the price at the time of the contract start date shall be available and accessible.

Q32: Page 15/16 III.N. Contractor’s On-Line Catalog/Product Line and List Price. Does the contract allow manufacturers to update their published list pricing during the term (with the awarded discount applied), or must the original submitted price list remain fixed for the full contract period? Or possibly just for the initial Term?

State’s Response: No change. Manufacturers can update their price lists at any time during the term of the contract without approval from the State.

Q33: Page 15/16 III.N. Contractor’s On-Line Catalog/Product Line and List Price. How does the state suggest manufacturers, who normally do not include freight in their list pricing, account for this in the pricing strategy, given that the state has a minimum requirement of 50% off? Some manufacturers don’t account for freight in their list pricing, so that it is lower than others, who would then be able to apply 50% off.

Q34: Page 15/16 III.N. Contractor’s On-Line Catalog/Product Line and List Price. Is it acceptable for manufacturers who normally do not include freight in list pricing, to add a note to each price list, stating an upcharge for freight of XX% applies to all SC quotes?

Q35: III.K or Delivery page 16. We have a Minimum Weight Freight Charge of $175.00 net per order when order is less than 750lbs (excluding items shipped via small package ground service). For example, Judge’s Chair (85lbs) to ship directly to the State User instead of the Dealer receiving and delivering. If this example was requested by the State User, would the Minimum Weight Freight Charge of $175.00 be acceptable?

Q36: While we understand that many manufacturers offering products covered by this solicitation already include freight in their pricing, manufacturers of other products (particularly storage products) do NOT include freight in their pricing because freight prices can vary so widely across our product offerings. Please advise if the state is willing to consider exceptions to the requirement that pricing includes freight charges, including possibly allowing freight charges for orders under a certain dollar amount. Our distribution network often loses money on orders under $50,000 on this contract when freight is included.

State’s Response(Q33 - Q36): No change. The State cannot account for the different business models by all the furniture manufacturers and cannot negotiate separate terms and conditions for each contract. Offerors, by submitting their offer, are agreeing to the terms and conditions that exist at the time the offer is submitted.

Q37: III.N.4 (page 16). The bid references throughout that discounting shall apply to the Manufacturer’s Current List Price. III.N.5 defines that price list as being “regularly maintained” and “states prices at which sales are currently or were last made to a significant number of buyers constituting the general buying public for the supplies…”. However, this is contradicted in the paragraph that immediately follows stating that the pricing must remain in effect for the initial term of the contract (one year). By the time the initial term of the contract comes to partition, our company (and many others) will have experienced at least one commercial price list increase (possibly two). This means that our pricing will not continually be based on our current list prices. Would the state consider language such as… quotes shall be based on current, commercial list prices?

Q38: Page 16 Contractor’s On-Line Catalog/Product Line and List Price. If a price list is required at the time of bid submission, when will awarded vendors next be permitted to update pricing? This is particularly relevant because many manufacturers release annual price updates effective January 1. If the solicitation says “This pricing will remain in effect for the initial term of the contract” does that mean we will provide list pricing in July 2026 that will need to be held through December 2027?

Q39: The pricing in this catalog is the established catalog price as defined in §11-35-1410(4). Your bid must be based on the established catalog price in effect at the time of bid submission. This pricing will remain in effect for the initial term of the contract, except that the State shall receive the benefit of any price reductions. Is the pricing in effect for the initial term of the contract or the discount?

Q40: Is a link to a vendor’s retail pricing on their website required rather than submitting a copy of their current retail pricing for bid review?

State’s ResponseQ37-Q40): There is no requirement to submit a price list with the offer. The reference has been updated.

Q41: Paragraph after III.N.4 (page 16). “No specialized catalog price is acceptable”. Isn’t preserving a price list specifically for intents and purposes of this bid considered a specialized catalog price?

State’s Response: No change. Offering a percent discount off a published catalog does not create a specialized catalog.

Q42: Pg 16 – Standard Delivery to State User. The term under “Standard Delivery to State User” reflects: "Authorized Dealer/Reseller must anticipate and make necessary arrangements for access to the delivery location considering presence and availability of elevators, steps, parking and hours of operation." However, under "installation" that may be charged up to 20% of the order for complex installations also calls out stair carry, restrictions, etc. Please confirm that extenuating services for nonstandard deliveries such as stair carry may be quoted and charged to the customer as an extenuating circumstance.

State’s Response: No change. From Section III, “Determination of any installation costs (complex/custom installation) shall be made with the Using Governmental Unit prior to issuance of purchase order.“ The State cannot make such a broad claim for individual circumstances.

Q43: My question pertains to a request to add new products within awarded lots. For example, if we are awarded Lot 1- Seating in December of 2026 and then in May of 2027 we introduce a new line of seating that would fall under Lot 1 Seating category, how and when would we submit this new product to the State for consideration? Or would it automatically be approved as it falls within an awarded category Lot 1 Seating?

State’s Response: No change. Manufacturers do not need the State’s permission for changes that occur in a product line in any given category. However, adding additional categories will require approval from the State.

Q44: Please confirm if an awarded manufacturer adds a new product series under an awarded Lot during the term of the contract, this can be added without any additional approval from the State. For example, manufacturer ABC was awarded the Seating Lot and then this same manufacturer adds a new seating line during the contract term.

State’s Response: No change. Yes, this is permissible. What is also permissible is if one manufacturer purchases or absorbs another manufacturer, the new line may be incorporated into the manufacturer’s awarded lots. For example, Company A buys Company B and absorbs their product line. Company A may now sell those new product lines under their existing awarded lots.

Q45: Requesting clarification if the 20% cap applies to extreme installation or normal installation.

State’s Response: Only to extreme installation, there are no charges for normal installation. See Section III for additional modifications.

Q46: Deinstallation (Page 17) Deinstallation is negotiable without a cap and on contract, yet installation is capped at 20% and off contract (solicitation states installation must be quoted, ordered, and billed separately). When an agency orders new furniture and requests the old be removed and the new put in, installation is part of that deinstallation process. The conflicting language here creates unnecessary complexity when two very commonly needed and requested services for furniture are treated differently. Would the state consider language such as… installation services needed for furniture that is not pre-assembled (furniture that is kitted down) may be quoted on a case-by-case basis and may include deinstallation services, moving services, reconfiguration, etc. (agency to approve charges)? Then there is no need for the extreme installation clause which is required for the healthcare lot for cabinets and storage (this is all panels and caseworks requiring complex assembly).

State’s Response: No change. It is necessary for the deinstallation and moving portions of the contract to be independent of the purchase of new furniture.

Q47: Deinstallation and Moving. Does that include reconfiguration and design services not necessarily connected to furniture sales? Can this be added as a separate line item?

State’s Response: No change. The description of these services is intentionally broad so as to not create a situation where the contract is unintentionally restrictive. Reconfiguration and design services may be included if requested by the UGU.

Q48: Installation page 17. Would installation of a U-Shape Desk Unit (Desk, Bridge, Credenza, Overhead, Tackboard & Task Light) qualify as a custom or complex fitting and could be quoted, ordered, and billed separately?

Q49: The State defines complex installation as “requiring custom or complex fitting due to the nature of the product (such as panel or filing systems or delivery location up multiple flights of stairs) for which the cost is not included in the List Price, shall be quoted, ordered and billed separately.”

Q50: Within the furniture industry, additional product categories—such as modular furniture and integrated lounge or technology-enabled solutions—may also require extended installation time due to multiple components, configuration requirements, or field assembly, even though they are not explicitly referenced in the State's definition. To ensure consistent interpretation for both suppliers and the State's end customers, please confirm:

Q51: Can you please confirm that panel, desking, and filing systems are eligible for a negotiated installation charge in all cases, regardless of delivery conditions? We also request consideration of a revision to P.16 to clarify that these systems may be negotiated on a project-by-project basis.

Q52: Installation of products requiring custom or complex fitting due to the nature of the product (such as panel or filing systems, fixed seating, etc) shall be quoted, ordered and billed separately. Could you please define custom or complex fitting? Some governmental end users are of the impression that authorized dealer/resellers are not allowed to charge installation for any item in the catalog.

Q53: Please clarify either what constitutes “complex” installations or “extreme installation conditions”, and where Contractor can find said definitions in the future in order to base their analysis, because in our Dealer’s experience the term “complex” or “extreme” has hindered them from aligning with Customer on installation scope and costs, as it’s often interpreted to apply only to extenuating circumstances, thus shutting down negotiations, which seems to be the purpose of these sections.

Q54: Can you please clarify which types of products are always eligible for a negotiated installation charge?

State’s Response (Q48 – Q54): No change. The State will not attempt to establish a list of custom or complex scenarios. The situation and nature of the furniture will dictate, and all parties will act in accordance with the terms of the contract.

Q55: Page 17 DELIVERY SITE – PURCHASE ORDER (MODIFIED). In reference to the delivery requirement stating, “Maximum delivery time is 90 days After Receipt of Order (ARO) by the Authorized Dealer/Reseller,” some items are built to order and may have lead times beyond 90 days. Is it acceptable to include products with lead times greater than 90 days, provided the lead time is clearly communicated to and accepted by the customer at the time of order?

State’s Response: No change. Anticipated extended delivery times must be communicated to the UGU prior to issuance of the purchase order.

Q56: Page 17 Section III.K. Metal Shelving, Lockers and High-Density Shelving are packaged individually to protect all the pieces and parts, creating many pallets of significant weight, as well as taking up large amounts of trailer floor space, as stacking of pallets/crates/cartons is not done in order to prevent freight damage. Therefore freight is a large cost for these products. Freight is charged to the dealer per project based on the actual freight cost. Including freight in the discount is a hardship for small projects, as frequently the freight costs exceed the dealer’s profit margin when selling at 50% discount. Projects under $40,000 are typically sold at a loss. Could a minimum order be implemented for metal storage shelving, metal lockers, and high-density systems?

Q57: Page 17 Section III.K. If a minimum order threshold is not permitted, would the State allow vendors to charge actual freight costs for projects below a specified dollar value, such as $40,000, where freight costs represent a disproportionately large percentage of the project value?

Q58: Page 17 Section III.M. Given fluctuations in fuel, freight, and supply chain costs, what mechanisms, if any, are available to vendors during the contract term to address substantial increases in transportation expenses?

Q59: Installation Section A. High-Density Storage, Filing, Shelving Units/Systems require Installation Services which almost exclusive exceed 20% of the total purchase order. This is due to the extensive nature of the product, which requires specialized personnel, a high degree of materials handling, extensive man-hours for labor which includes precision layout, concrete floor anchoring of rails and floor systems, grouting of rail systems, assembly of a large quantity of components, mechanical and electrical assembly. As such, we ask that section A be amended to clearly define High-Density Storage to be clearly and specifically called out as a product requiring customer or complex fitting due to the nature of the product.

State’s Response (Q56 – Q59): In order to account for the volatility in the shipping industry, and to permit more flexibility for the Contractors, the State has lowered the minimum discount to 45% and the maximum allowable charge for complex installation to 25%. See the Installation (Modified) clause and the Installation Modified clause.

Q60: Section III.B 111.1.1-7 Is the “Contractor Representative” the dealer or is it meant to be the Point of Contact for the contract at the manufacturer?

State’s Response: No change. Point of contact for the manufacturer.

Q61: Page 17. III. Scope of Work/Specifications, III. J. Order Cancellations. Considering our products are made to order, and we do not carry a stock of products, can the State please confirm we are consequently classified under section III.J.4?

Q62: We request an exception by which every cancelled order can incur a cost if production has begun (including the ordering of parts and materials), and said charge may be up to the full invoice amount of the Order, regardless of whether it is stated on the quote or not. Please advise how or where we can include this in our bid response.

State’s Response (Q61 & Q62): No exception will be granted. The State cannot negotiate individual terms and conditions under this solicitation and if the request is included in the offer, the offer will be deemed non-responsive and not considered for award. Reference edits to III.J.

Q63: Page 18 - III.N.3 expansion of offerings. During the pre-bid conference it was stated that Contractors bidding on a Lot need not provide a list of specific products or product lines offered within said Lot, however, the referenced section mentions expanding contract offering outside of originally awarded categories. Please confirm this refers to expansions into new and different Lots, rather than new product lines within an already awarded Lot.

Q64: Please confirm that during the contract term no additional paperwork or approvals are needed from the State for Contractor to add new product lines in an already awarded Lot.

State’s Response (Q63 & Q64): No change. Yes, this only applies if an awarded Contractor wants to add additional lots not already awarded.

Q65: [REDACTED] currently holds a state contract under STC Furniture. The published solicitation paperwork, under Scope of Work/Specifications III.A and III.N indicate that our price list must be available via our website. We manufacture a complex, custom product, and our price list is not published on our website. Our price list is comprised of individual components that are put together to storage system built to fit the customer's needs and space. We manufacture the system in house, but generally our products are sold by dealers. Posting the price list to our website would only benefit our competitors. This being said, my primary question is whether or not this is, indeed, a definite requirement?

State’s Response: No change. Yes, this is a requirement of the contract.

Q66: During the pre-bid meeting it was stated the new Administrative Fee of 1.25% was not coming out of the manufacturer’s or dealer’s pocket because the manufacturer is recouping that fee in the price. Yet that is not necessarily true because the State is setting the price at 50% off list Delivered & Installed in the way the RFP is written forcing pricing to be at levels that don’t really allow the contractor to recover the Administrative Fee. Is there a way to recoup the 1.25% ?

State’s Response: No change. The statement was that the administrative fee is not a “charge” to the Contractor, it is a charge to the UGUs and is incorporated in the Contractors price and not separately invoiced. The fee is included in the price of the furniture.

Q67: Information for Offerors to Submit – General (Mar 2015). Are there any specific dollar amounts, policy & coverage types, or limits we need to meet for the insurance requirement component?

State’s Response: See the added “Contractor’s Liability Insurance” clause.

Q68: Page20, Information for Offerors to Submit – General (Mar 2015). We operate through a dealer network and the dealers occasionally partner with installation companies. Are there any requirements for installation companies’ insurance?

State’s Response: No change. The prime contractor is responsible for ensuring that third party installation companies have sufficient insurance to cover any damage to government property that may be caused by their employees during installation.

Q69: Authorized Dealer/Reseller List (Page 20). Could we get some language here that confirms we do not need to list our authorized dealers for our submittal in response to this solicitation?

State’s Response: No change. Paragraph VI. D. clearly indicates that dealer/reseller lists are not required for submission with the offer and there is no form attached to do so.

Q70: P. 20, IV. Information for Offerors to Submit – General. Please advise whether Offerors are required to submit any information with Attachment B Reporting Template as part of their response, or if it is provided for reference only.

State’s Response: No change. The draft reporting template is for informational purposes only so vendors are aware of the requirement.

Q71: Section VII.B Exceptions to the Ten Year Warranty Requirement (page 34) Would the State allow inclusion of products with a manufacturer warranty of less than 10 years provided that the warranty terms are clearly disclosed in our submittal?