DCR 843 DCR Animal Feed Supplies and Equipment RFR Final.docx

THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS

Secretary of Environmental Affairs Department of Conservation & Recreation

251 Causeway Street, suite 600, Boston, MA 02114

Request for Response (RFR)

Document Title: DCR 843 DCR Animal Feed, Supplies, and Equipment

COMMBUYS Bid#: BD-21-1020-DCRCU-DC250-59789

03/12 /2021

Please Note: This is a single document associated with a complete Bid (also referred to as Solicitation) that can be found on COMMBUYS (www.COMMBUYS.com). All Bidders are responsible for reviewing and adhering to all information, forms and requirements for the entire Bid, which are all incorporated into the Bid. Bidders may also contact the OSD Help Desk Helpdesk at OSDHelpDesk@mass.gov or the OSD Helpline at 1-888-MA-STATE. The Helpline is staffed from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday Eastern Standard or Daylight time, as applicable, except on federal, state and Suffolk county holidays.

Document Sensitivity Level: High during development; Low once published.

Revised: October 20, 2020 RFR Introduction and General Description Procurement Scope and Description The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR) is soliciting Bidders for the purchase of animal feed, bedding, health products, related supplies and equipment for domestic farm, law enforcement, and wildlife animals on an as needed basis.

Background information DCR’s Park Ranger Mounted Unit currently own and maintain three (3) horses utilized for park patrols and rules enforcement, search and rescue, special events and visitor educational purposes. The current feed, bedding and equipment contract ends 04/14/21, Applicable Procurement Law This Bid is issued under the following law(s):

· MGL c. 7, § 22; c. 30, § 51, § 52; and 801 CMR 21.00 (Goods and Services) Number of awards The target maximum number of Contractors is two (2). This is a target number; the SST may award more or fewer Contracts if it is in the best interests of the Commonwealth to do so.

Adding Contractors after initial Contract award If, over the life of the Contract, the Strategic Sourcing Team (SST) determines that additional Contractors should be added, these may first be drawn from qualified companies which responded to this Bid but were not awarded contracts. If necessary, to meet the requirements of the Commonwealth, the Bid may be reopened to obtain additional Quotes.

Eligible Entities

Any contract resulting from this Bid will be open for use to the Issuing Entity Only.

Acquisition Method(s) The acquisition method(s) to acquire goods and/or services from this Bid are Outright Purchase.

Contract Duration The expected duration of this contract is as follows:

Initial Duration

3yrs

Total Maximum Contract Duration

5 yrs.

No goods may be ordered and no new leases, rentals, maintenance, or other agreements for services may be executed after the Contract has expired.

Estimated Value of the Contract The estimated value of purchase(s) resulting from this Bid is $140,000 over maximum life of the contract. The Commonwealth makes no guarantee that any commodities or services will be purchased from any Contract resulting from this Bid. Any estimates or past procurement volumes referenced in this Bid are included only for the convenience of Bidders and are not to be relied upon as any indication of future purchase levels.

Basis for estimated dollar value for this Contract (including all options to renew) The “Estimated Value (US$)” for this Bid was based on the following: Dollar amount invoiced against the existing contract for FY-20.

Estimated Procurement Calendar

Times are Eastern Standard/Daylight Savings (US), as displayed on the COMMBUYS system clock displayed to Bidders after logging in. If there is a conflict between the dates in this Procurement Calendar and dates in the Bid’s Header, the dates in the Bid’s Header on COMMBUYS shall prevail. Bidders are responsible for checking the Bid record, including Bid Q&A, on COMMBUYS for Procurement Calendar updates.

Written questions via the Bid Q&A on COMMBUYS The “Bid Q&A” provides the opportunity for Bidders to ask written questions and receive written answers from the SST regarding this Bid. All Bidders’ questions must be submitted through the Bid Q&A found on COMMBUYS (see below for instructions). Questions may be asked only prior to the Deadline for Submission of Questions stated in the Estimated Procurement Calendar. The issuing department reserves the right not to respond to questions submitted after this date. It is the Bidder’s responsibility to verify receipt of questions.

Please note that any questions submitted to the SST using any other medium (including those that are sent by mail, fax, email or voicemail, etc.) will not be answered. To reduce the number of redundant or duplicate questions, Bidders are asked to review all questions previously submitted to determine whether the Bidder’s question has already been posted.

Bidders are responsible for entering content suitable for public viewing, since all of the questions are accessible to the public. Bidders must not include any information that could be considered personal, security sensitive, inflammatory, incorrect, collusory, or otherwise objectionable, including information about the Bidder’s company or other companies. The SST reserves the right to edit or delete any submitted questions that raise any of these issues or that are not in the best interest of the Commonwealth or this Bid.

All answers are final when posted. Any subsequent revisions to previously provided answers will be dated.

It is the responsibility of the prospective Bidder and awarded Contractor to maintain an active registration in COMMBUYS and to keep current the email address of the Bidder’s contact person and prospective contract manager, if awarded a contract, and to monitor that email inbox for communications from the Purchasing Department, including requests for clarification. The Purchasing Department and the Commonwealth assume no responsibility if a prospective Bidder’s/awarded Contractor’s designated email address is not current, or if technical problems, including those with the prospective Bidder’s/awarded Contractor’s computer, network or internet service provider (ISP) cause email communications sent to/from the prospective Bidder/Awarded contractor and the Purchasing Department to be lost or rejected by any means including email or spam filtering.

Locating Bid Q&A Log into COMMBUYS, locate the Bid, acknowledge receipt of the Bid, and scroll down to the bottom of the Bid Header page. The “Bid Q&A” button allows Bidders access to the Bid Q&A page.

Amendment Deadline The SST reserves the right to make amendments to the Bid after initial publication. It is each Bidder’s responsibility to check COMMBUYS for any amendments, addenda or modifications to this Bid, and any Bid Q&A records related to this Bid. The SST and the Commonwealth accepts no responsibility and will provide no accommodation to Bidders who submit a Quote based on an out-of-date Bid or on information received from a source other than COMMBUYS.

Specifications Additional requirements appear in the Appendices to this RFR.

See Appendix A ‘Pricing List’. Please enter bid price or __% off retail price at the time of purchase.

Bidder Qualifications Company experience Business background Years in business Years in bid related industry Organizational chart

References and reference information and/or requirements Largest customers in MA if applicable Largest state government customers if applicable

Capacity plan, resources, and infrastructure for this Contract Capacity plan for meeting the contractual requirements for delivery Local warehouse, stocking levels and order lead times Infrastructure including facilities, delivery trucks, equipment, and offices Emergency response plans/preparedness In a declared state of emergency where the safety and well-being of Commonwealth citizens are at risk, contractors may be asked to supply the Commonwealth with the commodities and/or services under the Contract on a priority basis. The Bidder’s Quote should include the following:

Indicate whether there is a written Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) that describes how the company will continue to do business in case of an emergency.

A list of emergency contact information including name, position/title, phone, email and cell phone.

This information will not be considered in the evaluation of the Quote.

Environmental issues to be included in general product/service training (e.g. Energy Star, climate change considerations, recycling of old product, etc.)

Geographic service and delivery areas Canton, MA Milton, MA Environmental Specifications Bidders shouldcan identify any and all environmental attributes toof items listed on Appendix A, or any other related products as part of the bid. Please also provide environmentally preferred alternatives or replacements items listed on Appendix A, if available. Product specifications or attributes may address product / service performance, end-of-life management, disposal/reuse/recycling and other factors. The SST must follow the OSD EPP Procurement Program Guidance (found on the OSD Best Value Procurement Handbook “key resources” web page) to draft the recommended EPP language and ensure that current specifications are included.> Executive Order 515, Establishing an Environmental Purchasing Policy Products and services purchased by state agencies must be in compliance with Executive Order 515, issued October 27, 2009. Under this Executive Order, Executive Departments are required to reduce their impact on the environment and enhance public health by procuring environmentally preferable products and services (EPPs) whenever such products and services perform to satisfactory standards and represent best value, consistent with 801 CMR 21.00. In line with this directive, all contracts, whether departmental or statewide, must comply with the specifications and guidelines established by OSD and the EPP Program. EPPs are considered to be products and services that help to conserve natural resources, reduce waste, protect public health and the environment, and promote the use of clean technologies, recycled materials, and less toxic products. Questions concerning the EO or the appropriate specifications may be directed to OSD’s EPP Procurement Program, www.mass.gov/epp. The Order can be seen at https://www.mass.gov/executive-orders/no-515-establishing-an-environmental-purchasing-policy.

Environmental plan Beginning the first year of the Contract and throughout the life of the Contract, awarded Bidders must agree to work with the SST to examine the feasibility of implementing an environmental plan. The objective of this requirement is to actively encourage suppliers to incorporate sustainable practices throughout their business operations and further market such practices to Contract users. Such a plan may include, but not be limited to, the following:

· Implementing energy efficiency initiatives at the corporate level in line with Executive Order 484, such as lighting retrofits, purchase of energy from renewable sources, use of bio-heat fuel, and other energy reduction technologies.

· Encouraging environmental initiatives at a corporate and/or manufacturing level for the purpose of reducing the impact of manufacturing on the environment; such as clearly identifying recycled content of packaging on the packaging, providing product life cycle assessments, working toward the elimination of ozone depleting chemical usage in the manufacturing or refining process (where applicable), and conducting internal environmental auditing related to pollution control.

· Adopting standards and/or obtain certifications, where applicable, for product development and manufacturing processes such as but not limited to LEED, ISO 14001, Cradle to Cradle (C2C) Protocol, Green Seal, Environmental Choice and others.

· Using alternative fuel vehicles for delivery or transportation purposes and/or vehicles equipped with diesel emission control devices and operating such vehicles with guidance on anti-idling initiatives.

· Working with the SST to develop and distribute information and/or materials to Commonwealth customers on the Awarded Bidder’s environmental practices and initiatives throughout the term of the Contract.

· Developing a plan to implement the recycling of materials used or produced in normal business operations.

· The SST may award points to Bidders who provide evidence that measures and initiatives such as these are already in place within their operations, and/or for written proposals submitted with their Quote detailing a commitment to action contingent upon receipt of a Contract award. (See the Additional Environmentally Preferable Products / Practices form on COMMBUYS).

Reporting.

Contractors are responsible for compliance with all other contract reporting requirements including, but not limited to, Supplier Diversity Program (SDP) and other contract reports, as required by this contract.

Contract Management (Contractor’s interface with Commonwealth’s Contract Manager) The “Purchaser” contact listed in the Master Blanket Purchase Order on COMMBUYS for this Contract is the Commonwealth Contract Manager.

All Contract questions must be directed to the Commonwealth Contract Manager.

Timely response to requests ` Meetings Commonwealth Contract Manager Other Contractors Contractor providing electronic documents for up-to-date transparent pricing of:

Catalogs Contract Cost Tables Web sites specifically designed for this Contract Change notification Changes to the Contractor’s contact information, company name, legal address, payment address, tax identification number, authorized signatories, SDO-certification status, or EFT information must be promptly reported via email to the Commonwealth Contract Manager. In some cases, additional paperwork will be required to effect the change.

Contractor account team Single Point of Contact (Contractor Contract Manager) Replacement of Contractor staff Adding commodities and/or services to the Contract Automatically follows the manufacturer’s national/global price list with the same percent discount.

Documentation required Time constraints Environmentally Preferable Products and Services The department and Contractor(s) may establish a preference for Environmentally Preferable Products (EPPs) and/or negotiate during the Contract term to permit the substitution or addition of EPPs to the Contract when such products are readily available at a competitive cost and satisfy the department’s performance needs.

Report requirements & due dates Supplier Diversity Program (SDP) Spending Report

Identification and approval of subcontractors & joint ventures (see Subcontracting Policies in this RFR and the Commonwealth Terms and Conditions) Advertising pre-approval Press releases Right to inspect place of business Audit requirements Alternatives Contractors may propose alternatives for equivalent, better or more cost-effective performance than specified under the Contractor’s original Quote at any time during the life of the Contract.

Failure to perform contractual obligations as outlined in the Standard Contract Form, Terms and Conditions, and RFR may result in the following.

Termination Suspension Adding additional contractors Cover/Replacement Costs Liquidated Damages

Audit During the term of this Agreement and for a period of six years thereafter, DCR, its auditors, the Operational Services Division, the Office of the Inspector General or other authorized representatives shall be afforded access at reasonable times to Contractor's accounting records, including sales information on any system, reports or files, in order to audit all records relating to goods sold or services performed pursuant to this Agreement. If such an audit indicates that Contractor has materially overcharged DCR then the Contractor shall remit the overcharged amount and be responsible for payment of any costs associated with the audit.

Evaluation criteria Bidder scores will be used to rank Bidders and will determine which Bidders will proceed to subsequent stages of the evaluation and/or enter into negotiations with the Commonwealth to receive a Contract award.

Alternatives A Quote which fails to meet any material term or condition of the Bid, including the submission of required attachments, may lose points or be deemed unresponsive and disqualified. Unless otherwise specified, Bidders may submit Quotes proposing alternatives which provide equivalent, better, or more cost-effective performance than achievable under the stated Bid specifications. These alternatives may include related commodities or services that may be available to enhance performance during the period of the Contract. The Quote should describe how any alternative achieves substantially equivalent or better performance to that of the Bid specifications.

The SST will determine if a proposed alternative method of performance achieves substantially equivalent or better performance. The goal of this Bid is to provide the best value of commodities and/or services to achieve the goals of the procurement.

Evaluation Components The following components will be some of the criteria considered by the SST when evaluating each Quote:

Price Please note that price will carry a significant weight in the evaluation process.

The following price components will be evaluated:

Pricing Volume purchase discounts Prompt Pay Discounts (PPD) Item availability on pricing list Delivery guarantee of essential items such as feed, health products, hay Timely Delivery and Costs Time limited specials Warrantee Terms

EPP

Business References Supplier Diversity Plan (formerly Affirmative Market Plan) (minimum of 10% weight) Bidders responding to this RFR are required to submit a Supplier Diversity Plan. Requirements for the Supplier Diversity Plan are included in Section 9.

HOW TO SUBMIT A quote

All Bidders may begin creating and compiling Quote materials as soon as the Bid with all attachments is in the Sent document status. Bidders are instructed not to submit Quotes before the Bid Amendment Deadline has been reached (see Estimated Procurement Calendar).

Quote Submission Method Online Quote Submission via COMMBUYS is required.

All Bidders must submit Quotes online using tools available only to Sellers registered in COMMBUYS. COMMBUYS provides Seller registration functionality at no charge. To register, go to www.COMMBUYS.com and click on the “Register” link on the front page. All Bidders who are awarded a contract resulting from this Bid, if any, will be required to maintain an active account during the duration of the Contract, by reviewing their registration information regularly and maintaining its accuracy.

COMMBUYS Quote Submission Training and Instructions The following resources are provided to assist Bidders in submitting Quotes:

· Appendix, Instructions for Vendors Responding to Bids Electronically through COMMBUYS, which is part of this document.

· Training sessions focused on online Quote submission, if offered, are noted in the Estimated Procurement Calendar.

· An online job aid on How to Create a Quote

· Webcast video on How to Find Bids (Solicitations) and Submit Quotes (Responses) through COMMBUYS.

COMMBUYS Support Technical assistance is available during the procurement process. Every effort is made to respond to inquiries within one business day.

Website: Go to www.mass.gov/osd/commbuys and select the COMMBUYS Resource Center link offered under Key Resources.

Email: Send inquiries to the OSD Help Desk at OSDHelpDesk@mass.gov Telephone: Call the OSD Help Desk at 1-888-MA-STATE (1-888-627-8283). The Help Desk is staffed from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday Eastern Standard or Daylight time, as applicable, except on federal and state holidays.

Bidders are advised that COMMBUYS will be unavailable during regularly scheduled maintenance hours of which all users will be notified.

Bid Opening Date/Time All Bids must be received by the Operational Services Division before the specified date, month, year and time displayed as the Bid Opening Date/Time in the Header Information section of the Bid in COMMBUYS. Times are Eastern Standard/Daylight Savings (US), as applicable. All Bidders are advised to allow adequate time for submission by considering potential online submission impediments like Internet traffic, Internet connection speed, file size, and file volume. OSD is not responsible for delays encountered by Bidders or their agents, or for a Bidder’s local hardware failures, such as computers or related networks, associated with bid compilation or submission. Bids submitted via COMMBUYS are time stamped by the COMMBUYS system clock which is considered the official time of record.

Quote Contents Bidders must comply with the requirements below.

RFR Submission Checklist Strategic Sourcing Services Teams seek to reduce the number of Bidder disqualifications based on incomplete submissions. Therefore, Bidders must complete and submit the RFR Submission Checklist and all documents referenced in the Checklist.

Electronic Signatures Quotes submitted via COMMBUYS must be signed electronically by the Bidder or the Bidder’s Agent by accepting the terms and conditions of the bid on the “Terms & Conditions” tab of the Bid in COMMBUYS. By selecting “Save & Continue” on the “Terms and Conditions” tab after accepting the terms and conditions of the bid, the submitter attests that s/he is an agent of the Bidder with authority to sign on the Bidder’s behalf, and that s/he has read and assented to each document’s terms.

Ink Signatures Original ink signatures are required only after contracts have been awarded. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts requires Contractors to submit original ink-signature versions of the following forms:

Standard Contract Form Commonwealth Terms and Conditions/Commonwealth IT Terms and Conditions Contractor Authorized Signatory Listing Request for Taxpayer Identification and Verification (Mass. Substitute W9 Form) Electronic Funds Transfer Sign Up Form Prompt Payment Discount Form Business Reference Form

Successful Bidders who agreed to the terms and conditions of these forms electronically via COMMBUYS online Quote submission tool must still submit the above forms with ink signatures within seven (7) calendar days of award notification or their contract may not be executed by the Commonwealth. Bidders who have previous contract(s) with the Commonwealth and have up-to-date, ink-signature versions of the Commonwealth Terms and Conditions and Request for Taxpayer Identification and Verification (Mass. Substitute W9 Form) on file with the Office of the State Comptroller may submit copies of the signed forms. However, a new Standard Contract Form and Contractor Authorized Signatory Listing with original ink signatures must be submitted for each new contract with the Commonwealth.

Limits and Restrictions

File Naming Conventions Files submitted via COMMBUYS must follow the file naming convention specified below. The Description entered during the file upload process ensures each file is readily identified by Company Name and content. The File Name assigned by the Bidder as stored on their computer or network must be structured such that each file can be processed by the upload tool. The upload tool will reject any file name that includes spaces or symbols, like the brackets [ ] some systems apply when files are downloaded from the Internet.

RFR Section or Quote Component Description Enter in COMMBUYS during upload File Name Assign when creating files

Company Name Marketing Print Ad Company Name Marketing Postcard CompanyName_MktBroch.doc CompanyName_MktPrint.doc CompanyName_MktPost.doc

Company Name Clothing Catalog Part 1 Company Name Clothing Catalog Part 2 CompanyName_FootCat.pdf CompanyName_ClothCat1.pdf CompanyName_ClothCat2.pdf

File Size Limits The system will not accept files that approach or exceed 10 MB. If a large file fails to upload, the Bidder must save the contents as multiple files. Note the naming convention used above which illustrates distinguishing multi-part files through use of Part 1, Part 2, etc. If a large file fails to upload, bidders must break up the file and append _Part1, _Part2 to the end of the Description and File Name.

File Format Restrictions All submitted documents must be readable by MS Office applications.

All scanned documents must be in .pdf or .gif format and must be scanned in such a way that they can be read on a computer monitor and printed on 81/2” x 11” paper, unless otherwise specified. Forms provided for the Bidder to complete, with the exception of the forms requiring ink signatures, must be completed and submitted in their original formats, NOT scanned and submitted as PDF or other file types.

Documents and items that cannot be submitted electronically Documents and items that cannot be submitted electronically, like confidential business references submitted by the reference, or requests for material samples, respectively, must be submitted to the following address in accordance with all of the Quote submission requirements including Bid Opening Date/Time, Bid Package and Environmental Response Submission Compliance provisions.

251 Causeway Street, Attn. Adam Parr, Suite 600, Boston, MA 02114 Withdrawing a Quote Prior to Bid Opening Date/Time Quotes may be withdrawn using the “Withdraw Quote” button offered under the Summary tab of a submitted Quote.

After Bid Opening Date/Time No Quote can be withdrawn after the Bid Opening Date/Time. If the Bidder wants to remove a Quote from consideration, contact the Strategic Sourcing Services Lead for guidance.

Additional Quote Terms Prohibition regarding contract terms Bidders must not, as part of their Quote, propose additional contractual terms, or supplemental or clarifying language pertaining to contractual terms, even if the proposed additions/clarifications are not in conflict with the Commonwealth Terms and Conditions, the Standard Contract Form, or other documents comprising this RFR. It is essential for Contracting Departments that all contractors’ Statewide Contracts can be depended upon to incorporate the same terms and only those terms. Contractors who wish to propose additional non-conflicting contractual terms, or supplemental or clarifying language, may do so ONLY on a case-by-case basis, negotiated for each specific engagement and memorialized in the Project Statement of Work.

Bidder Response Form All specifications of this RFR that are not mandatory such as those specifically identified as “optional,” “desirable” or in other terms indicating that the specification is not mandatory must have a response within the Bidder Response Form (or equivalent) provided on COMMBUYS for this Bid in order to be evaluated. Most items within the Bidder Response Form will be scored to determine the apparent successful bidders. The SSST does not want and will not read, consider or evaluate a line by line response to this RFR.

Appendix 1 – Required Terms for ALL RFRS General Procurement Information Alterations Bidders may not alter (manually or electronically) the Bid language or any Bid component files, except as directed in the RFR. Modifications to the body of the Bid, specifications, terms and conditions, or which change the intent of this Bid are prohibited and may disqualify a Quote.

Ownership of Submitted Quotes The SST shall be under no obligation to return any Quotes or materials submitted by a Bidder in response to this Bid. All materials submitted by Bidders become the property of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and will not be returned to the Bidder. The Commonwealth reserves the right to use any ideas, concepts, or configurations that are presented in a Bidder’s Quote, whether or not the Quote is selected for Contract award.

Quotes stored on COMMBUYS in the encrypted lock-box are the file of record. Bidders retain access to a read-only copy of this submission via COMMBUYS, as long as their account is active. Bidders may also retain a traditional paper copy or electronic copy on a separate computer or network drive or separate media, such as CD or DVD, as a backup.

Prohibitions Bidders are prohibited from communicating directly with any employee of the procuring Department or any member of the SST regarding this RFR except as specified in this RFR, and no other individual Commonwealth employee or representative is authorized to provide any information or respond to any question or inquiry concerning this RFR. Bidders may contact the contact person using the contact information provided in the Header Information this Bid in the event that this RFR is incomplete or information is missing. Bidders experiencing technical problems accessing information or attachments stored on COMMBUYS should contact the OSD Help Desk (see the document cover page for contact information).

In addition to the certifications found in the Commonwealth’s Standard Contract Form, by submitting a Quote, the Bidder certifies that the Quote has been arrived at independently and has been submitted without any communication, collaboration, or without any agreement, understanding or planned common course or action with, any other Bidder of the commodities and/or services described in the RFR.

Terms and Requirements Pertaining to Awarded Contracts Commonwealth Tax Exemption Invoices or invoices submitted to Massachusetts government entities must not include sales tax.

Contractor’s Contact Information It is the Contractor’s responsibility to keep the Contractor’s Contract Manager information current. If this information changes, the Contractor must notify the Contract Manager by email immediately, using the address located in the Header Information of the Purchase Order or Master Blanket Purchase Order on COMMBUYS.

The Commonwealth assumes no responsibility if a Contractor’s designated email address is not current, or if technical problems, including those with the Contractor’s computer, network or internet service provider (ISP), cause e-mail communications between the Bidder and the SST to be lost or rejected by any means including email or spam filtering.

Publicity Any Contractor awarded a contract under this Bid is prohibited from selling or distributing any information collected or derived from the Contract, including lists of participating Eligible Entities, Commonwealth employee names, telephone numbers or addresses, or any other information except as specifically authorized by the SST.

Appendix 2 - RFR - Required Specifications

<Insert RFR Required Specifications, located on the OSD Forms page.>

Appendix 3 - Other Specifications

The OSD Other Forms/RFR Attachments page contains a variety of optional RFR specifications that may be used at the department’s discretion. If a specification is selected by the department, it is required of the bidder.

APPENDIX 4 nstructions for Execution and Submission of Commonwealth Standard Forms

Some of the forms listed below can be electronically signed by the Bidder, see Electronic Signatures. However, online Bidders must, if notified of Contract award, submit the following four (4) forms on paper with original ink signatures unless otherwise specified below, within the timeframe referenced in the RFR section entitled Ink Signatures: the Commonwealth Standard Contract Form, the Commonwealth Terms and Conditions, the Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification (Mass. Substitute W9 Form) and the Contractor Authorized Signatory Listing.

Commonwealth Standard Contract Form Sign electronically as described above; if notified of Contract award, complete as directed below and submit on paper with original ink signature and date.

By executing this document or signing it electronically, the Bidder certifies, under the pains and penalties of perjury, that it has submitted a Response to this RFR that is the Bidder’s Offer as evidenced by the execution of its authorized signatory, and that the Bidder’s Response may be subject to negotiation by the SST. Also, the terms of the RFR, the Bidder’s Response and any negotiated terms shall be deemed accepted by the Operational Services Division and included as part of the Contract upon execution of this document by the State Purchasing Agent or his designee.

If the Bidder does not have a Vendor Code beginning with “VC,” or does not know what their Vendor Code is, the Bidder should leave the Vendor Code field blank. The Bidder should NOT enter a Vendor Code assigned prior to May 2004, as new Vendor Codes have been assigned to all companies since that time.

Signature and date MUST be handwritten in ink, and the signature must be that of one of the people authorized to execute contracts on behalf of the Contractor on the Contractor Authorized Signatory Listing (See below).

Commonwealth Terms and Conditions/Commonwealth IT Terms and Conditions Sign electronically as described above; if notified of Contract award, complete as directed below and submit on paper with original ink signature and date, or submit a copy of a previously executed, up-to-date copy of the appropriate form as directed below.

If the Bidder has already executed and filed the appropriate Commonwealth Terms and Conditions form pursuant to another RFR or Contract, a copy of this form may be included in place of an original. If the Bidder’s name, address or Tax ID Number have changed since the Commonwealth Terms and Conditions form was executed, a new Commonwealth Terms and Conditions form is required. The Commonwealth Terms and Conditions are hereby incorporated into any Contract executed pursuant to this RFR.

This form must be unconditionally signed by one of the authorized signatories (see Contractor Authorized Signatory Listing, below), and submitted without alteration. If the provisions in this document are not accepted in their entirety without modification, the entire Proposal offered in response to this Solicitation may be deemed non-responsive.

The company’s correct legal name and legal address must appear on this form and must be identical to the legal name and legal address on the Request for Taxpayer Identification and Certification Number (Mass. Substitute W9 Form).

Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification (Mass. Substitute W9 Form) Sign electronically as described above; if notified of Contract award, complete as directed below and submit on paper with original ink signature and date, or submit a copy of a previously executed, up-to-date copy of the form as directed below.

If a Bidder has already submitted a Request for Taxpayer Identification and Certification Number (Mass. Substitute W9 Form) and has received a valid Massachusetts Vendor Code, an original W-9 form is not required. A copy of the form as filed may be included in place of an original. If the Bidder’s name, address or Tax ID Number have changed since the Mass. Substitute W9 Form was executed, a new Mass. Substitute W9 Form is required. The information on this form will be used to record the Bidder’s legal address and where payments under a State Contract will be sent. The company’s correct legal name and legal address must appear on this form, and must be identical to the legal name and legal address on the Commonwealth Terms and Conditions. Please do not use the U.S Treasury’s version of the W9 Form.

Contractor Authorized Signatory Listing Sign electronically as described above; if notified of Contract award, complete as directed below and submit on paper with original ink signature and date.

In the table entitled “Authorized Signatory Name” and “Title,” type the names and titles of those individuals authorized to execute contracts and other legally binding documents on behalf of the Bidder. Bidders are advised to keep this list as small as possible, as Contractors will be required to notify the Procurement Manager of any changes. If the person signing in the signature block on the bottom of the first page of this form will also serve as an “Authorized Signatory,” that person’s name must be included in the typed table.

With regard to the next paragraph, which begins “I certify that I am the President, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Fiscal Officer, Corporate Clerk or Legal Counsel for the Contractor…,” if your organization does not have these titles, cross them out and handwrite the appropriate title above the paragraph.

The signature and date should be handwritten in ink. Title, telephone, fax and email should be typed or handwritten legibly.

The second page of the form (entitled “Proof of Authentication of Signature”) states that the page is optional. However, the “optional” aspect of the form is that Commonwealth Departments are not required to use it. In the case of Statewide Contracts, this page is REQUIRED, not optional. The person signing this page must be the same person signing the Standard Contract Form, the Commonwealth Terms and Conditions, and the RFR Checklist.

Please note that in two places where the form says, “in the presence of a notary,” this should be interpreted to mean “in the presence of a notary or corporate clerk/secretary.” Either a notary or corporate clerk/secretary can authenticate the form; only one is required.

Organizations whose corporate clerks/secretaries authenticate this form are not required to obtain a Corporate Seal to complete this document.

Supplier Diversity Program Plan Form 1

Download this form and complete as directed below; include with online submission. Ink signature is not required.

The specific Supplier Diversity Program (SDP) requirements for this procurement can be found earlier in this document. Bidders are required to state a specific percentage of contract revenues that will represent the SDP annual commitment for the entire contract period, including any renewals.

Current Environmentally Preferable Products / Practices Form In line with the Commonwealth’s efforts to promote products and practices which reduce our impact on the environment and human health, Bidders are encouraged to provide information regarding their environmentally preferable/sustainable business practices as they relate to this Contract wherever possible. Bidders must complete this form and submit it with their RFR Response.

Prompt Payment Discount Form Download this form and complete as directed below; include with online submission. Ink signature is not required.

Pursuant to the Prompt Payment Discount terms set forth in the RFR Required Specifications for Contracts and on the Prompt Payment Discount Form itself, all Bidders must execute this form. After entering the “Bidder Name” and “Date of Offer for Prompt/Early Payment Discount”, the Bidder must identify the prompt payment discount(s) terms by indicating the “Percentage Discount off of the Proposed Pricing” and the “Turn-around-time for Payments.” In the event of a hardship that prevents the Bidder from offering a prompt payment discount, the Bidder must document this fact and provide supporting information. If awarded a contract, the final negotiated prompt payment discounts should be reflected on the Commonwealth Standard Contract Form.

Business Reference Form Download this form and complete as directed below; include with online submission. Ink signature is not required.

Bidders must provide all requested information on this form for required references. Three (3) business references is required. In completing this form, note that the “Bidder” is the name of the company submitting a Quote in response to this RFR and the “RFR Name/Title” and the “Agency Document Number” can be found on the cover of the RFR document and in the Short Description field in the Header Information of the Bid record in COMMBUYS. Also, please note that: “Reference Name” is the name of the organization (if not applicable, then name of the individual) that is providing the reference; “Contact” is the name of the individual inside the organization that will provide the reference; and the “Address,” “Phone #” and “Fax/Internet Address” are those of the “Contact” so that the SST may be able to reach them.

appendix 5– Instructions for Vendors Responding to Bids Electronically through COMMBUYS

Introduction COMMBUYS refers to all solicitations, including but not limited to Requests for Proposals (RFP), Invitations for Bid (IFB), Requests for Response (RFR), Requests for Quote (RFQ), as “Bids.” All responses to Bids are referred to as “Quotes.”

Steps for Bidders to Submit a Quote

1. Launch the COMMBUYS website by entering the URL (www.COMMBUYS.com) into the browser.

2. Enter Bidder login credentials and click the Login button on the COMMBUYS homepage. Bidders must be registered in COMMBUYS in order to submit a Quote. Each Vendor has a COMMBUYs Seller Administrator, who is responsible for maintaining authorized user access to COMMBUYS.

3. Upon successful login, the Vendor home page displays with the Navigation and Header Bar as well as the Control Center. The Control Center is where documents assigned to your role are easily accessed and viewed.

4. Click on the Bids tab

5. Clicking on the Bid tab opens four sections:

a. Request for Revision

b. Bids/Bid Amendments

c. Open Bids

d. Closed Bids

6. Click on the blue Open Bid hyperlinks to open and review an open bid

7. A new page opens with a message requesting you acknowledge receipt of the bid. Click Yes to acknowledge receipt of the bid. Bidders should acknowledge receipt to receive any amendments/updates concerning this bid.

8. After acknowledgement, the bid will open.

The top left half of the page contains the following information:

a. Purchaser

b. Department

c. Contact for this bid

d. Type of purchase

i. Open Market

ii. Blanket

e. Pre-Bid Conference details (if applicable)

f. Ship-to and Bill-to addresses

g. Any attachments to the bid, which may include essential bid terms, response forms, etc.

The top right half of the bid includes the following information:

h. Bid Date

i. Required Date

j. Bid Opening Date – date the bid closes and no further quotes will be accepted

k. Informal Bid Flag

l. Date goods/services are required

9. The lower half of the page provides information about the specific goods/services the bid is requesting.

10. Click Create Quote to begin.

11. The General tab for a new quote opens. This page is populated with some information from the bid. Fields available to update include:

a. Delivery days

b. Shipping terms

c. Ship via terms

d. Is “no” bid – select if you will not be submitting a quote for this bid

e. Promised Date

f. Info Contact

g. Comments

h. Discount Percent

i. Freight Terms

j. Payment Terms It is important to note that the bid documents (RFR and attachments) may specify some or all of these terms and may prohibit you from altering these terms in your response. Read the bid documents carefully and fill in only those items that are applicable to the bid to which you are responding.

Update these fields as applicable to the bid and click Save & Continue to save any changes and create a Quote Number. The page refreshes and messages display. Any message in Red is an error and must be resolved before the quote can be submitted. Any message in Yellow is only a warning and will allow processing to continue.

The following messages are received:

Terms & Conditions is not acknowledged – to resolve this, click on the Terms & Conditions tab and accept the terms. Your quote has not been submitted – information message; no action required

12. Click on the Terms & Conditions Tab. This tab refers to the terms and conditions that apply to this bid. The terms and conditions must be accepted before your quote can be submitted. If your acceptance is subject to any exceptions, those exceptions must be identified here. Exceptions cannot contradict the requirements of the RFR, or required Commonwealth standard forms and attachments for the bid. For instance, an RFR may specify that exceptions may or will result in disqualification of your bid.

13. Click the Items tab. The Items tab displays information about the items requested in the bid. To view additional details about an item, click the item number (blue hyperlink) to open.

14. The item opens. Input all of your quote information and click Save & Exit.

15. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION: If documents uploaded in your quote response contain confidential information (security sensitive, EFT, W9, Commonwealth Terms and Conditions), you must mark each item as confidential. The confidential column on the Attachments view allows the user to select whether the attached form is confidential or not. Place a check box under the confidential column for each confidential attached form.

16. Click on the Attachments Tab. Follow the prompts to upload and name all required attachments and forms and bid response documents in accordance with the instructions contained in the solicitation or bid documents. After uploading each individual file or form, click Save & Continue. After you have uploaded all required documents click Save & Exit. Be sure to review your attachments to make sure each required document has been submitted.

17. Click the Summary tab. Review the information and update/correct, as needed. If the information is correct, click the Submit Quote button at the bottom of the page.

18. A popup window displays asking for verification that you wish to submit your quote. Click OK to submit the quote.

19. The Summary tab redisplays with an updated Status for the quote of Submitted.

20. Your quote submission is confirmed only when you receive a confirmation email from COMMBUYS. If you have submitted a quote and have not received an email confirmation, please contact the OSD Help Desk at OSDHelpDesk@mass.gov. If you wish to revise or delete a quote after submission, you may do so in COMMBUYS: (1) for a formal bid, prior to the bid opening date, or (2) for an informal bid (which may be viewed upon receipt), prior to the opening of your quote by the issuing entity or the bid opening date, whichever is earlier.

Bidders may not submit Multiple Quotes in response to a Bid unless the Bid authorizes Multiple Quote submissions. If you submit multiple quotes in response to a bid that does not allow multiple quotes, only the latest submission prior to the bid opening date will be evaluated.

COMMBUYS Bid# BD-21-1020-DCRCU-DC250-59789 Document Sensitivity Level: High during development; Low once published.

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