Office of Procurement and Contracts 900 SW Jackson St., Room 1001 North Topeka, KS 66612

Phone: 785-296-2376 Fax: 785-296-7240 https://admin.ks.gov/offices/procurement-contracts

Adam Proffitt, Secretary Todd Herman, Director Laura Kelly, Governor

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)

Bid Event Number: EVT0010883

Replaces Contract: New

Date Posted: July 20, 2026

Closing Date: August 21, 2026, 2:00 PM CST

Procurement Officer: Justin Hubbard Telephone: 785-296-6271 E-Mail Address: justin.hubbard@ks.gov

Web Address: http://admin.ks.gov/offices/procurement-and-contracts/

Agency: Kansas Department of Administration — Procurement and Contracts

Item: Online Marketplace Services

Period of Contract: Date of final signature through five (5) years

(With the option to renew for two (2) additional 24-month periods)

Bid Guarantee: No monetary bid guarantee required.

This Bid Event was recently posted to the Procurement and Contracts Internet website.

The document can be downloaded by going to the following website:

http://admin.ks.gov/offices/procurement-and-contracts/

It shall be the bidder's responsibility to monitor this website on a regular basis for any changes/amendments.

mailto:justin.hubbard@ks.gov

Event ID: EVT0010883

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

Online Marketplace Services

Cooperative Purchasing Vehicle for Participating Public Agencies

Contents Contents Section 1 Scope of Work

1.1 Background and Purpose

1.2 Definitions

1.3 Scope of Services and Deliverables

1.4 Platform Requirements

1.5 Product Offering and Categories

1.6 Pricing Requirements

1.7 Order Fulfillment, Delivery, and Pickup

1.8 Customer Service and Account Support

1.9 Implementation and Onboarding

1.10 Cooperative Purchasing and Participating Public Agencies

1.11 Contract Administration

1.12 Value-Added Capabilities

1.13 Proposal Response Requirements for the Scope of Work

Section 2 Cost Sheet

2.1 Offeror Identification

2.2 Pricing Model Declaration

2.3 Administrative Fee

2.4 Discount Structure

2.5 Category-Level Pricing

2.5A Market Basket Cost Evaluation

2.6 Subscription, Membership, or Premium Service Fees

2.7 Shipping and Delivery

2.8 Implementation, Onboarding, and Account Setup Fees

2.9 Other Fees, Charges, or Cost Items

2.10 Procurement Card and Payment Terms

2.11 Cost Summary and Certification

Section 3 Proposal Instructions

3.1 Bid Event ID / Reference Number

3.2 Questions and Addenda

3.3 Pre-Bid Conference

3.4 Negotiated Procurement

3.5 Appearance Before Committee

3.6 Marketplace Demonstration

3.7 Notices

3.8 Cost of Preparing Proposal

3.9 Preparation of Proposal

3.10 Signature of Proposals

3.11 Acknowledgment of Amendments

3.12 Modification of Proposals

3.13 Withdrawal of Proposals

3.14 Competition

3.15 Evaluation of Proposals

3.15.1 Cost Evaluation: Market Basket and Category Award

3.16 Acceptance or Rejection

3.17 Proposal Disclosures

3.18 Disclosure of Proposal Content and Proprietary Information

3.19 Exceptions

3.20 Notice of Award

3.21 News Releases

3.22 Submission of Proposals Electronically

3.23 Submission of Proposals via Courier Service

3.24 Proposal Format

3.25 Transmittal Letter

3.26 Bidder Information

3.27 Qualifications

3.28 Experience

3.29 Timeline

3.30 Methodology

3.31 References

3.32 Bidder Contracts

3.33 Technical Literature

3.34 Procurement Card (P-Card)

3.35 Cooperative Purchasing Vehicle Acknowledgment

3.36 Administrative Fee Acknowledgment

Section 4 Terms and Conditions

4.1 Contract

4.2 Contract Documents

4.3 Captions

4.4 Definitions

4.5 Contract Formation

4.6 Statutes

4.7 Governing Law

4.8 Jurisdiction

4.9 Mandatory Provisions

4.10 Termination for Cause

4.11 Termination for Convenience

4.12 Rights and Remedies

4.13 Antitrust

4.14 Hold Harmless

4.15 Force Majeure

4.16 Breach

4.17 Assignment

4.18 Third Party Beneficiaries

4.19 Waiver

4.20 Injunctions

4.21 Staff Qualifications

4.22 Subcontractors

4.23 Independent Contractor

4.24 Worker Misclassification

4.25 Immigration and Reform Control Act of 1986 (IRCA)

4.26 Proof of Insurance

4.27 Conflict of Interest

4.28 Nondiscrimination and Workplace Safety

4.29 Confidentiality

4.30 Environmental Protection

4.31 Care of State Property

4.32 Prohibition of Gratuities

4.33 Retention of Records

4.34 Off-Shore Sourcing

4.35 On-Site Inspection

4.36 Indefinite Quantity Contract

4.37 Prices

4.38 Payment

4.39 Invoices

4.40 Accounts Receivable Set-Off Program

4.41 Federal, State and Local Taxes

4.42 Charge Back Clause

4.43 Debarment of State Contractors

4.44 Materials and Workmanship

4.45 Industry Standards

4.46 Implied Requirements

4.47 New Materials, Supplies or Equipment

4.48 Submission of the Bid

4.49 Inspection

4.50 Acceptance

4.51 Ownership

4.52 Information/Data

4.53 Certification of Materials Submitted

4.54 Transition Assistance

4.55 Integration

4.56 Modification

4.57 Severability

4.58 Award

Section 5 Required Forms

5.1 Vendor Response Checklist

5.2 Signature Sheet

5.3 Tax Clearance Instructions

5.4 Certification Regarding Immigration Reform & Control

5.5 Sexual Harassment Policy / Executive Order 18-04

5.6 Certification of Company Not Currently Engaged in a Boycott of Goods or Services from Israel

5.7 Certification of Company Not Currently Engaged in the Procurement or Obtainment of Certain Equipment, Services, or Systems

Section 6 Contractual Provisions Attachment (DA-146a)

6.1 Important

6.2 Terms Herein Controlling Provisions

6.3 Kansas Law and Venue

6.4 Termination Due to Lack of Funding Appropriation

6.5 Disclaimer of Liability

6.6 Anti-Discrimination Clause

6.7 Acceptance of Contract

6.8 Arbitration, Damages, Warranties

6.9 Representative’s Authority to Contract

6.10 Responsibility for Taxes

6.11 Insurance

6.12 Information

6.13 The Eleventh Amendment

6.14 Campaign Contributions / Lobbying

Exhibit A: Marketplace Cooperative Contract Addendum A.1 State of Kansas Marketplace Cooperative Contract A.2 Administrative Operating Services Provider to KMCC A.3 Cooperative Procurement with Other Jurisdictions A.4 Additional Geographic Reach A.5 Administrative Fees A.6 Monthly Sales Reporting Requirement A.7 Audit and Inspection of Records

Section 1 Scope of Work Online Marketplace for the Purchase of Products and Services

1.1 Background and Purpose

The State of Kansas, Office of Procurement and Contracts, (“the State”) is seeking proposals from qualified Offerors to provide an online marketplace solution for the purchase of a broad range of products and services. The resulting contract will be used by the State for its own procurement needs and made available to other public entities throughout the State, including but not limited to counties, municipalities, school districts, higher education institutions, and other governmental bodies (collectively, “Participating Public Agencies” or “PPAs”).

The State seeks a marketplace platform that enables efficient, cost-effective, and policy-compliant purchasing while supporting key procurement objectives, including compliance with mandatory statewide contracts and the promotion of in-state small businesses.

This procurement is being conducted on behalf of the State and pursuant to Statute 75-3739, the resulting contract(s) shall be available for use by any Participating Public Agency. Use of the contract by PPAs is voluntary and at the discretion of each individual agency.

This solicitation has been structured with the intent of ensuring genuine price competition, equitable treatment of all Participating Public Agencies, full transparency in contractor and cooperative administrator compensation arrangements, and active support for in-state small and local businesses. Offerors are on notice that the resulting contract will include provisions requiring: price parity across PPAs; audit rights enabling the State to verify pricing accuracy; full disclosure of all fees paid to or received from the cooperative administrator; and annual reporting on spend directed to in-state small business suppliers. Offerors whose platforms rely on opaque algorithm-driven pricing or whose marketplace practices result in displacement of local and independent suppliers are advised that this solicitation includes specific contractual protections designed to address those risks.

1.2 Definitions

For purposes of this RFP and any resulting contract, the following definitions apply:

• Online Marketplace: A digital platform, operated by the Offeror, through which the Offeror sells goods (and any related services) to buyer organizations from its own commercial catalog, comprising goods the Offeror offers as a first-party seller and/or goods offered by third-party sellers transacting through the Offeror's platform, together with the associated catalog, pricing, ordering, order-management, and fulfillment capabilities. The catalog available through the Online Marketplace is supplied by the Offeror and/or by third-party sellers the Offeror has onboarded to its platform; it is not a catalog populated by the buyer or by the buyer's separately-contracted suppliers. For purposes of this RFP, an Online Marketplace does not include an eProcurement system, catalog-or punchout-hosting service, or other e-commerce or marketplace technology platform that does not itself sell goods and into which a buyer or its suppliers load their own products, prices, or contracts.

• Contractor: The Offeror awarded a contract resulting from this RFP.

• Participating Public Agency (PPA): Any public entity authorized to use the resulting contract under the State’s cooperative purchasing authority, including but not limited to state agencies, counties, cities, school districts, and higher education institutions.

• Administrator: An authorized user within a PPA account who has elevated permissions to configure account settings, manage users, and set purchasing controls.

• Mandatory Contract: A statewide or agency-specific contract through which purchases of a particular category of goods or services are required to be made, precluding use of other purchasing vehicles for those categories.

• In-State Small Business: A business that is (a) headquartered or has its principal place of business in [State], and (b) meets the applicable small business size standards established by the U.S. Small Business Administration or [State Small Business Program], as applicable.

• Cooperative Administrator: The cooperative purchasing organization, alliance, or entity through which the resulting contract is administered for the benefit of Participating Public Agencies.

• Dynamic Pricing: A pricing model in which product prices are determined in real time and may fluctuate based on factors including but not limited to market conditions, seller competition, supply and demand, and time of purchase.

• Mandatory [M] / Preferred [P]: Requirements designated [M] are mandatory; offerors that cannot meet a Mandatory requirement may be deemed non-responsive. Requirements designated [P] are preferred and will be considered as part of the evaluation but are not disqualifying.

1.3 Scope of Services and Deliverables

The Contractor shall provide an online marketplace platform that supports procurement of goods and services across multiple categories, with the functionality, governance controls, and reporting capabilities described in this Section 1. At a minimum, the Contractor shall:

• Provide and maintain a digital marketplace platform accessible to authorized users of the State and Participating Public Agencies;

• Offer access to a broad and diverse catalog of products and services, sourced from the Contractor’s own inventory and/or third-party sellers;

• Provide configurable account, user, group, and purchasing-control management at the State and PPA level;

• Provide order management, invoicing, payment processing, fulfillment, returns, and customer service appropriate to the public-sector buyer;

• Provide reporting and analytics capabilities sufficient for budget, audit, and policy-compliance purposes;

• Comply with applicable security and privacy standards and the price-parity, fee-transparency, and conflict-of-interest provisions in this Section;

• Support implementation, onboarding, training, and account support for the State and any PPA electing to use the resulting contract; and

• Provide cooperative purchasing administration consistent with the requirements of Section 1.10 and Exhibit A.

1.4 Platform Requirements

1.4.1 General Platform Standards

[M] The Contractor must provide a web-based, browser-accessible online marketplace platform compatible with current versions of major commercial browsers (e.g., Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari).

[M] The platform must be available with at least 99.5% uptime, excluding scheduled maintenance windows communicated in advance.

[M] The platform must support standard accessibility requirements, including conformance with WCAG 2.1 Level AA where applicable.

[P] The platform should offer a mobile-responsive design and/or native mobile application for use on tablets and smartphones.

[P] Single sign-on (SSO) integration via SAML 2.0 or OpenID Connect is preferred and should be available without additional cost.

1.4.2 Account Structure and User Management

[M] Administrators must be able to add, remove, and manage users within their account; assign roles and permissions;

and reset access, ideally without the involvement of the Contractor. If Contractor involvement is required, steps must be taken to minimize the involvement and make administrator-requested changes as immediate as possible, no longer than two [2] business days and at no additional cost beyond the contract pricing described in the Offeror’s cost proposal.

[P] The platform should support spending limits, approval workflows, and order routing rules configurable at the account, sub-account, group, and user levels.

[P] The platform should support role-based access controls, with at minimum the ability to distinguish between administrators, approvers, and end-user purchasers.

[P] The platform should support a hierarchical account structure that allows the State or any PPA to configure parent-child relationships among accounts (e.g., agency, department, division, sub-account, individual user) consistent with that PPA’s organizational structure.

[P] The platform should allow PPA administrators to delegate administrator privileges to other authorized users within their account.

1.4.3 Purchasing Controls and Governance

[M] Category Restriction / Blocking. The platform must allow the State and each PPA to restrict or block the availability of specific product categories, sub-categories, individual products, or third-party sellers within their account, in order to enforce compliance with mandatory contracts, internal policy restrictions, or other procurement requirements. This requirement is mandatory as to outcome; the mechanism of configuration may vary. Where restrictions are implemented by the Contractor on a PPA's behalf rather than configured directly by the PPA administrator, the Contractor must implement a requested restriction within five [5] business days of the request, confirm implementation in writing, and maintain the restriction until the requesting PPA directs its removal. Restrictions identified during a PPA's onboarding must be in place before the PPA's account is activated. In all cases, this functionality must be available at no additional cost beyond the contract pricing described in the Offeror's cost proposal. Offerors must describe the granularity at which restrictions can be applied (e.g., category, sub-category, brand, seller, individual SKU), the method by which restrictions are configured, and any limitations on this capability.

[P] Administrator self-service configuration of restrictions, without Contractor intervention, is preferred and will be considered favorably in evaluation.

[P] The platform should support approval workflows that route orders above a configurable threshold to designated approvers prior to order placement.

[P] Administrators should be able to configure preferred-supplier or featured-product lists that are surfaced to end-user purchasers in catalog search results and product browsing.

[P] The platform should support purchase order (PO) integration, including the ability to associate PO numbers with orders, generate PO-formatted documents, and integrate with PPA enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems via standard interfaces (e.g., cXML, OCI, EDI).

1.4.4 In-State Small Business Promotion

[M] If third-party sellers are included in the platform, the platform must include functionality that identifies and promotes products and services offered by in-state small businesses to PPA purchasers. At minimum, the platform must:

• Allow PPA administrators to designate in-state small business products as preferred or featured in their account, such that these products are surfaced prominently in catalog search results and product recommendations;

• Provide a filter or search facet enabling end-user purchasers to view products from in-state small businesses;

• Identify in-state small business sellers in product detail pages and order history records;

• Support reporting of total spend directed to in-state small business sellers, by PPA, by category, and over time.

[M] Spend Disaggregation Reporting. The Contractor must provide annual reporting to the State (and to each PPA upon request) showing, for each contract year, total dollar value and total order count of purchases directed to (a) in-state small businesses, (b) in-state businesses generally, and (c) all other sellers, broken down by product category. This reporting is required regardless of whether the State has set a target for in-state small business spend.

[P] Seller Recruitment Preference. Offerors are encouraged to describe their approach to recruiting in-state small business sellers onto the platform, including any seller-onboarding support, fee waivers or reductions, and marketing or promotional support offered to in-state small businesses. Offerors that demonstrate active recruitment of in-state small businesses will be viewed favorably in evaluation.

1.4.5 Reporting and Analytics

[M] The Contractor must offer customizable reporting templates that can be saved and reused, and the ability to schedule automated report delivery. It is preferred that report requests and scheduling controls are in-platform.

[M] Standard reports must include, at minimum: order history, spend by category, spend by user or group, and order status/tracking.

[M] Reports must be downloadable in common formats (e.g., CSV, Excel, PDF).

[M] Data must be filterable by time period, user, group/sub-account, product category, seller, and payment method, at minimum.

[M] The platform must provide access to a minimum of [24] months of historical transaction data, accessible by request of an administrator and delivered within two [2] business days. It is preferred that requests can be made within the platform with real-time delivery.

[P] The platform should include an integrated analytics and reporting dashboard accessible to administrators in real time.

[P] Advanced analytics capabilities (e.g., spend forecasting, benchmarking, trend analysis) are valued and should be described in the proposal.

1.4.6 Payment and Invoicing

[M] The platform must accept government purchase cards (P-cards) and credit cards as a standard payment method.

[M] The platform must support purchase order (PO)-based payment, including the ability to enter and associate a PO number at checkout.

[M] The platform must support tax exemption processing for qualifying public entities, including the ability to apply tax exemption status to accounts without requiring end-user action at each transaction.

[P] The platform should offer invoice-based payment options (e.g., net-30 invoicing), and the ability to generate consolidated, itemized invoices by account, sub-account, or cost center.

[P] The platform should support three-way match functionality to facilitate reconciliation of orders, receipts, and invoices.

1.4.7 Security and Compliance

[M] The platform must maintain industry-standard data security practices, including encryption of data in transit (TLS 1.2 or higher) and at rest.

[M] The Contractor must provide documentation of applicable security certifications (e.g., SOC 2 Type II, FedRAMP, ISO 27001, or equivalent) upon request.

[M] The platform must comply with all applicable federal, state, and local privacy and data security laws, including requirements related to the protection of government purchasing data.

[M] The platform must not share, sell, or monetize PPA purchasing data for advertising, commercial targeting, or any purpose other than fulfillment of the contract, without the express written consent of the PPA.

[M] The Contractor must comply with Section 889 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and must not provide covered telecommunications equipment or services.

[M] Third-Party Seller Vetting and Product Authenticity: If third-party sellers are included in the platform, the Contractor must describe its process for vetting third-party sellers before they are permitted to list products on the platform, including any verification of seller identity, business legitimacy, and compliance with applicable product safety and authenticity requirements. The Contractor must describe how it monitors third-party listings for counterfeit, mislabeled, banned, or hazardous products, and the process by which such listings are identified and removed. For any products sold by third-party sellers and purchased by a PPA under this contract, the Contractor must describe its policy for addressing claims of counterfeit or mislabeled products, including the process for refund or replacement and the expected resolution timeline.

[M] Product Safety Compliance and CPSC Liability: The Contractor must comply with all applicable requirements of the Consumer Product Safety Act and Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, including obligations applicable to online marketplace operators under U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) regulations. For products sold by third-party sellers on the platform and purchased by PPAs under this contract, the Contractor must not disclaim responsibility for product safety compliance, and must maintain a process for promptly removing products that are subject to CPSC recall or safety alert. The Contractor must notify the State within [5] business days of any CPSC recall or safety action affecting a product category available for purchase under this contract.

[M] Administrator Product Removal Rights: Administrators must be able to report a specific product listing as potentially counterfeit, mislabeled, or unsafe, and the Contractor must have a defined process for investigating and resolving such reports within a specified timeframe. Offerors must describe the escalation process for product safety concerns raised by PPA administrators and the maximum expected time to resolution.

[P] The platform should support federal FIPS 140-2 encryption standards where applicable.

1.5 Product Offering and Categories

Offerors are encouraged to propose their complete catalog of products and services across as many categories as their platform supports. Offerors are not required to offer all categories listed below; however, the breadth of the product offering will be considered in evaluation.

The items listed in each category are illustrative and not restrictive or exhaustive. PPAs retain the discretion to limit which categories are available to their end users, consistent with their mandatory contract obligations and internal policies.

Categories include but are not limited to:

• Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) Supplies: Building materials, hardware, plumbing, electrical, cleaning products, janitorial supplies, tools, safety equipment, and related products.

• Breakroom and Facilities Supplies: Beverages, snack food, paper products, kitchen supplies, and personal care and hygiene items.

• Office Supplies and Accessories: Paper, writing instruments, binders, filing, desk accessories, mailing supplies, and general office consumables.

• Arts, Crafts, and Educational Supplies: Art materials, school supplies, craft products, classroom equipment, and educational tools and resources.

• Books, Media, and Curriculum: Textbooks, professional reference materials, digital content, and curriculum resources.

• Apparel and Uniforms: Staff uniforms, outerwear, personal protective equipment (PPE), and safety apparel.

• Automotive and Fleet Supplies: Fleet parts, tools, accessories, and fleet management consumables.

• Medical and First Aid Supplies: First aid consumables, personal protective equipment, over-the-counter health products, and non-prescription medical supplies.

• Recreation and Athletic Supplies: Sports equipment, outdoor recreation supplies, and fitness materials.

• Food Service Equipment and Supplies: Small kitchen appliances, serving equipment, and food service consumables.

• Information Technology (IT) Products and Peripherals: Laptops, desktops, monitors, tablets, printers and imaging supplies, computer peripherals and accessories, cables, storage media, and related commodity technology products. This category excludes enterprise software licensing, telecommunications services, and managed IT services.

• Office Furniture (Basic): Task seating, desks and tables, filing and storage, whiteboards and presentation surfaces, and related freestanding furniture items. This category excludes modular office systems, systems furniture, and installed workstations, which are outside the scope of this procurement.

• Miscellaneous/Other: Offerors are encouraged to include additional product categories offered through their platform not listed above.

1.6 Pricing Requirements

Offerors must provide a complete description of their pricing model, including how prices are determined and updated.

This RFP does not prescribe a single pricing model; Offerors may propose dynamic pricing, fixed or catalog-based pricing, or a hybrid approach. Where an Offeror’s platform supports multiple pricing models, Offerors should describe each and explain the conditions under which each applies or can be elected by a PPA. The following requirements apply:

• Pricing Model: Offerors must describe the pricing model(s) supported by their platform. Acceptable models include, but are not limited to: (a) Dynamic Pricing, in which product prices reflect real-time market conditions and seller competition and may fluctuate over time; (b) Fixed or Catalog Pricing, in which prices for specified products or product categories are set at a defined rate for a defined period, providing price predictability for PPAs that require it; and (c) Hybrid Pricing, in which dynamic pricing applies to the general catalog while fixed pricing is available for negotiated items, high-volume categories, or specific PPA accounts. Where dynamic pricing is proposed, Offerors must describe the mechanism by which prices are determined and the protections in place to ensure that prices offered to PPAs remain at or below standard retail prices. Where fixed or catalog pricing is proposed or available, Offerors must describe the process by which fixed prices are established, the duration for which they are guaranteed, and the conditions under which they may be adjusted. PPAs that require fixed pricing for budgeting, auditing, or compliance purposes must be able to access a fixed pricing arrangement under the contract without being required to use dynamic pricing.

• Offerors must describe the methodology used to demonstrate and validate that platform pricing represents market value, including any benchmarking, price guarantees, or most-favored-nation (MFN) pricing provisions applicable to the State.

• Discount Structures: Offerors must describe all discount structures available under the proposed contract, including how each is triggered and applied. Discount structures may include, but are not limited to: (a) Volume- Based Discounts, applied at the line-item or order level when a purchaser orders above a specified unit quantity threshold; (b) Tiered Pricing, in which the per-unit price decreases as order quantity increases across defined tiers; (c) Account-Level or Negotiated Discounts, established for a specific PPA or group of PPAs based on anticipated or historical spend; (d) Annual or Cumulative Spend Rebates, returned to a PPA or to the State based on total spend over a contract year or other defined period; (e) Cooperative or Aggregate Volume Discounts, in which spend across multiple PPAs using the contract is pooled to qualify for higher discount thresholds; and (f) Promotional or Time-Limited Discounts, applied to specific products or categories for a defined period. For each discount type offered, Offerors must describe the applicable thresholds, the mechanism by which the discount is applied (e.g., automatically at checkout, via negotiated amendment, or through a rebate payment), and any limitations on which PPAs or product categories are eligible.

• Shipping and delivery costs must be clearly disclosed to purchasers prior to order placement. Offerors must describe standard shipping terms (e.g., F.O.B. Destination, freight prepaid and allowed) and any free shipping thresholds.

• Pricing for products and services must remain consistent with the contract terms and may not be increased except in accordance with the price adjustment provisions of the resulting contract.

• Subscription and Membership Fee Disclosure: Offerors must identify in their proposal each platform feature described in response to this RFP that is only available to PPAs through the purchase of a subscription, membership, or add-on service tier (e.g., a Business Prime membership or equivalent), including the applicable annual cost per account. This disclosure must cover, at minimum, any features described in response to Section

1.4.3 (Purchasing Controls and Governance), Section 1.4.4 (In-State Small Business Promotion), Section 1.4.5 (Reporting and Analytics), and Section 1.7 (Order Fulfillment). All platform features designated as Mandatory [M] requirements in this RFP must be available to PPAs at no subscription or membership cost beyond the contract pricing described in the Offeror’s cost proposal. Offerors may propose subscription-based features as value-added capabilities under Section 1.12, provided that such features are clearly disclosed as subscription-dependent and that no Mandatory [M] requirement is contingent on subscription enrollment.

• Price Parity: The Contractor certifies that no Participating Public Agency purchasing products under this contract will be charged a price exceeding the lowest price charged to any other similarly-situated public entity for the same product under this contract during the same time period. The Contractor must maintain transaction-level records sufficient to demonstrate compliance with this provision and must make such records available to the State upon written request within thirty (30) calendar days. Violation of this provision, including any instance of differential pricing across PPAs for identical products not otherwise attributable to a permitted discount structure, shall constitute a material breach of contract.

• Price Audit Rights: The State reserves the right to audit the Contractor’s pricing records at any time during the contract term and for five (5) years following contract expiration or termination. Such audit may include comparison of prices charged to different PPAs for identical products, verification of discount application, and benchmarking against publicly available market prices or prices offered by the Contractor to non-government customers. The Contractor must cooperate fully with any such audit and must remediate any confirmed overcharges, including issuance of credits or refunds to affected PPAs, within sixty (60) calendar days of written notice from the State.

• Administrative Fee Independence Certification: The Offeror certifies that any administrative, cooperative program, or similar fee paid to the cooperative administrator in connection with this contract is not calculated as a function of the prices charged to Participating Public Agencies for products purchased through the platform. The Offeror further certifies that no aspect of the cooperative administrator’s compensation structure creates a financial incentive for the administrator to permit, encourage, or decline to remediate pricing that exceeds market rates for PPAs purchasing under this contract.

• Conflict-of-Interest Certification / Cooperative Administrator Compensation: The Contractor certifies that neither it nor the cooperative administrator has entered into any arrangement, agreement, or understanding, whether formal or informal, written or unwritten, under which the cooperative administrator’s compensation from this contract is tied to, derived from, or calculated as a function of product pricing levels charged to PPAs. The Contractor must promptly notify the State in writing of any change to the cooperative administrator’s compensation structure that could create a financial incentive for the administrator to permit, obscure, or fail to remediate overcharging of PPAs under this contract.

1.7 Order Fulfillment, Delivery, and Pickup

• The Contractor shall be responsible for order fulfillment from point of purchase through delivery to the requesting

PPA location or, where applicable, through pickup by the authorized purchaser. Offerors must describe all order fulfillment methods supported, including shipment delivery, curbside or in-store pickup, and secure package pickup.

• The majority of catalog items must be available for delivery within five (5) business days of order placement;

Offerors should describe the percentage of catalog items meeting this standard and any expedited options available.

• The platform must provide order tracking functionality, enabling purchasers to monitor shipment status for individual orders in real time.

• For orders containing multiple items, each item may have a separate shipment and tracking number; the platform must clearly communicate this to purchasers.

• The Contractor must provide a documented, user-accessible process for returns, refunds, and replacements, including timelines and any applicable conditions or fees.

• Where the Contractor or its sellers operate retail or pickup locations within the State, Offerors should describe the availability of in-person purchasing, curbside pickup, or in-store pickup as fulfillment options for PPAs.

• Offerors must describe any limitations on delivery to specific PPA locations, including but not limited to remote sites, secured facilities, or sites without standard receiving capabilities.

1.8 Customer Service and Account Support

The Contractor must provide a dedicated customer service function accessible to PPA users for assistance with platform navigation, order issues, returns, and account management. At minimum, customer service must:

• Be available during standard business hours in the Central Time Zone (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m., excluding state holidays), with documented response-time expectations for support requests;

• Be reachable via multiple channels (e.g., telephone, email, live chat, ticketing system);

• Provide a designated account or relationship manager assigned to the State for account-level escalations and contract administration matters; and

• Maintain a documented escalation path for unresolved issues, with maximum expected resolution times for each tier of escalation.

1.9 Implementation and Onboarding

The Contractor must support the implementation of the platform for the State and any PPA electing to use the contract.

Implementation services must include, at minimum:

• Account setup, configuration, and user provisioning for the State and any PPA upon their election to use the contract;

• Training resources, including online documentation, recorded tutorials, and live training sessions as needed for administrators and end-user purchasers;

• Migration support for PPAs transitioning from a previous marketplace or e-procurement system, where applicable;

• Communication support for PPAs to inform users of platform availability and access procedures.

Implementation services must be provided at no additional charge beyond the contract pricing described in the Offeror’s cost proposal.

1.10 Cooperative Purchasing and Participating Public Agencies This contract is intended to be available for use by all Participating Public Agencies in the State of Kansas, in accordance with applicable State cooperative purchasing law. Use of the contract by PPAs is voluntary. The terms and conditions of this contract, including pricing, discounts, fees, and service-level commitments, shall apply equally to all PPAs electing to use the contract, except as expressly modified by the Offeror in the proposal and accepted by the State.

Additional cooperative purchasing terms applicable to this contract are set forth in Exhibit A Marketplace Cooperative Contract Addendum, which is incorporated into and made a part of this RFP. The Contractor shall comply with the cooperative administration provisions, administrative fee provisions, and reporting requirements set forth in Exhibit A.

1.11 Contract Administration

The Contractor shall provide a contract administration function responsible for ensuring compliance with the terms of the contract, including pricing, discount, fee, and reporting obligations. Contract administration responsibilities include:

• Maintaining accurate transaction records sufficient to support price audits, fee remittance, and spend reporting;

• Producing required reports to the State in the formats and at the frequencies described in this RFP and the resulting contract;

• Remitting any administrative or cooperative fees due in accordance with the contract;

• Notifying the State of any material changes to platform features, pricing structures, fee structures, or third-party arrangements affecting the contract;

• Coordinating with the State and the cooperative administrator on contract amendments, renewals, and dispute resolution.

1.12 Value-Added Capabilities

Offerors are invited to describe additional value-added capabilities offered by the platform that are not otherwise required in this RFP. Examples may include but are not limited to:

• Sustainability and ESG Features: Reporting on sustainable products, recycled-content products, and supplier sustainability certifications.

• Diversity and Inclusion Features: Reporting and surfacing of women-owned, minority-owned, veteran-owned, and disability-owned business sellers.

• Innovation and Future-Proofing: Description of the Contractor’s roadmap for platform enhancements, AI-assisted purchasing tools, predictive analytics, or other emerging capabilities.

• Third-Party and Platform-Integrated Solutions: Offerors may propose additional solutions, services, or capabilities that are offered by or through third-party providers and are accessible to PPAs via the Offeror’s platform, whether through direct integration, embedded marketplace functionality, or a facilitated referral or purchasing arrangement. Such proposals should describe: (a) the nature of the third-party solution and the end-user need it is intended to address; (b) the mechanism by which the solution is accessed through the platform (e.g., embedded checkout, linked storefront, API-integrated service); (c) how pricing and contract terms applicable to the third-party solution are established and managed; and (d) any limitations on the availability of the solution to PPAs. Proposed third-party solutions must remain within the general marketplace scope of this procurement (i.e., they must involve goods, services, or related capabilities that can be ordered, accessed, or managed through the platform) and are subject to State approval before being made available under the contract. This capability is intended to allow the Contractor to respond to emerging end-user needs, such as new product categories, digital or subscription-based services, or innovative fulfillment methods, without requiring a formal solicitation or contract modification for each addition.

1.13 Proposal Response Requirements for the Scope of Work

Offerors must provide a point-by-point narrative response to each subsection of Section 1, in the order presented.

Responses must:

• Clearly identify which requirements are met, which are partially met, and which cannot be met, with explanation.

• Include screenshots, demonstrations, or supplemental documentation as needed to substantiate descriptions of platform capabilities, particularly for Sections 1.4.3 (Category Restriction) and 1.4.4 (In-State Small Business Promotion).

• Provide login credentials or a hyperlink to a live demonstration environment for evaluator use during the evaluation period.

• Describe any proposed enhancements, customizations, or configurations that would be implemented specifically for the State’s account if awarded the contract.

• Include a list of current public-sector customers, with references, to demonstrate experience supporting government marketplace contracts of comparable scale.

Section 2 Cost Sheet Instructions to Offeror: This Cost Sheet must be completed in full and returned with the Offeror’s proposal. Pricing and fees proposed on this Cost Sheet must align with the Pricing Requirements set forth in Section 1.6 (Pricing Requirements) and apply to all Participating Public Agencies (PPAs) accessing the resulting contract through the Cooperative Purchasing Vehicle described in Section 1.10 and Exhibit A. Offerors must complete every applicable field. Where a category does not apply to the Offeror’s solution, the Offeror shall enter “N/A” and provide a brief explanation.

2.1 Offeror Identification

Each Offeror submitting a proposal must complete the identification table below. The identification provided here must match the legal name and information provided on the Signature Sheet (Section 5).

Field Response

Legal Name of Offeror [Enter legal entity name]

Doing Business As (if different) [Enter DBA, if applicable]

Federal Tax ID / EIN [Enter EIN]

Primary Cost Sheet Contact (Name and Title) [Enter name and title]

Email [Enter email]

Phone [Enter phone]

Date Cost Sheet Completed [Enter date]

2.2 Pricing Model Declaration

Per Section 1.6, the State accepts a flexible pricing model that may include dynamic pricing, fixed/catalog pricing, or a hybrid approach. Each Offeror must declare its proposed pricing model below, indicating the predominant approach and identifying any product categories or use cases governed by an alternative model.

Pricing Model Element Offeror Response

Predominant pricing model proposed (check one): ☐ Dynamic Pricing ☐ Fixed / Catalog Pricing ☐ Hybrid (combination)

Description of the pricing model and the mechanisms by which prices are set, updated, and made transparent to PPAs:

[Offeror narrative response]

Frequency of price updates (for dynamic or hybrid models): [Enter response, e.g., real-time, daily, weekly]

Categories or use cases governed by an alternative pricing model (if applicable):

[Offeror narrative response or N/A]

Price benchmarking, ceiling, or competitiveness controls offered: [Describe any competitive pricing guarantees, benchmarking, or controls]

2.3 Administrative Fee

The Contractor is expected to absorb a Cooperative Administrative Fee equal to two percent (2.0%) of all gross sales transacted through the resulting contract by the State and any Participating Public Agency. This fee is described in Exhibit A and is payable to the Cooperative Administrative Operating Services Provider. The Contractor shall not separately invoice or pass through this fee to PPAs.

Offerors should also disclose any other administrative or platform fees applied to PPAs, the State, the Cooperative, or sellers, and indicate whether any portion of the 2.0% Cooperative Administrative Fee is offset by, layered on, or stacked with other administrative fees.

Administrative Fee Element Offeror Response

Acknowledgment that the Contractor will absorb the 2.0% Cooperative Administrative Fee on all gross sales (Yes / No):

[Yes / No]

Method by which the Contractor will calculate, track, and remit the Cooperative Administrative Fee (reference Exhibit A):

[Offeror narrative response]

Other administrative or platform fees applied to PPAs, the State, or sellers (description and percentage or flat amount):

[Offeror narrative response or N/A]

Confirmation that no other administrative fees will be layered on or stacked with the Cooperative Administrative Fee in a manner that increases PPA cost (Yes / No, with explanation):

[Yes / No, with explanation]

2.4 Discount Structure

Offerors shall describe the discount structures available to PPAs under the resulting contract, consistent with the discount types identified in Section 1.6. Each applicable discount type must be quantified to the extent possible, with sample categories or thresholds. Where a discount type is not offered, the Offeror shall enter “Not Offered” and may provide explanation.

Discount Type Description / Mechanism Discount Range or Example

Volume Discounts Discounts triggered when a single PPA, or a transaction, exceeds defined unit or dollar thresholds.

[Offeror to specify thresholds and discount %]

Tiered Discounts Increasing discount levels applied as cumulative spend, order quantity, or contract usage reaches successive tiers.

[Offeror to specify tier thresholds and discount %]

Account-Level Discounts

Discounts negotiated or applied at the individual PPA account level (e.g., agency-specific pricing, item-level discounts).

[Offeror to describe, negotiated by category, by PPA size, by spend profile, etc.]

Annual / Cumulative Rebate

Year-end or cumulative rebate paid to the State, the Cooperative, or PPAs based on aggregate spend.

[Offeror to specify rebate %, threshold, and recipient]

Cooperative / Aggregate Volume Discounts

Discounts that consider the combined volume across all PPAs accessing the contract through the cooperative, applied either at the contract level or at the PPA level.

[Offeror to specify aggregate volume thresholds, qualifying purchases, and discount %]

Promotional Discounts Time-limited promotional pricing on selected products, categories, or seasonal offerings.

[Offeror to describe frequency, typical depth, and surface mechanism]

Offerors may propose additional or hybrid discount mechanisms not listed above. Each additional mechanism shall be described in the table below.

Additional Discount Mechanism (Offeror-Proposed) Description Discount Range or Example

[Offeror to enter] [Description] [Range or example]

[Offeror to enter] [Description] [Range or example]

2.5 Category-Level Pricing

To support the State’s evaluation of pricing competitiveness across the broad range of products available through the marketplace, Offerors shall complete the table below for representative product categories. For each category, identify whether the Offeror offers fixed/catalog pricing, dynamic pricing, or both, and identify any discount level applied below standard list price.

Category Pricing Model (Dynamic / Fixed / Hybrid)

Discount Off List

Notes / Conditions

Office Supplies and Accessories [Dynamic / Fixed / Hybrid] [Discount %] [Notes]

Office Furniture (Basic) [Dynamic / Fixed / Hybrid] [Discount %] [Notes]

Information Technology (IT) Products and Peripherals

[Dynamic / Fixed / Hybrid] [Discount %] [Notes]

Janitorial, Sanitation, and Facility Supplies [Dynamic / Fixed / Hybrid] [Discount %] [Notes]

Industrial, MRO, and Safety Supplies [Dynamic / Fixed / Hybrid] [Discount %] [Notes]

Medical and First Aid Supplies [Dynamic / Fixed / Hybrid] [Discount %] [Notes]

Books and Educational Materials [Dynamic / Fixed / Hybrid] [Discount %] [Notes]

Apparel, Uniforms, and Footwear [Dynamic / Fixed / Hybrid] [Discount %] [Notes]

Tools and Hardware [Dynamic / Fixed / Hybrid] [Discount %] [Notes]

Food, Pantry, and Breakroom Supplies [Dynamic / Fixed / Hybrid] [Discount %] [Notes]

Audio/Visual and Conferencing Equipment [Dynamic / Fixed / Hybrid] [Discount %] [Notes]

[Offeror-proposed additional category] [Dynamic / Fixed / Hybrid] [Discount %] [Notes]

2.5A Market Basket Cost Evaluation Offerors shall complete the Market Basket Cost Sheet (Attachment A) in accordance with its Instructions tab and return it with the Cost Sheet. The Market Basket models representative monthly purchasing volume across twelve (12) product categories. Offerors may respond to all categories or to a subset. Each category is evaluated independently under the methodology in Section 3.15.1: an Offeror must price every line item in a category to be evaluated in that category, per-category subtotals are compared only among Offerors bidding the same category, and there is no combined or grand total across categories. Brand names and specifications in the Market Basket are illustrative; an Offeror may price a functionally equivalent product, disclosed as such, subject to an acceptability review before category subtotals are finalized, and Offerors able to meet the listed specification directly are encouraged to do so. Contract-level fees disclosed under Sections 2.3 and 2.6 are evaluated separately and are not allocated to any category subtotal.

2.6 Subscription, Membership, or Premium Service Fees

Per Section 1.6, all subscription, membership, premium, or value-added service fees that may apply to PPAs (whether mandatory, optional, or tiered) must be disclosed in this Cost Sheet. Offerors shall not impose or enable any fee not disclosed below or otherwise approved in writing by the State.

Service / Subscription Name Description Fee (Annual or Recurring) Mandatory or Optional

[e.g., Premium Membership] [Description of benefits] [Fee] [Mandatory / Optional]

[Offeror to enter] [Description] [Fee] [Mandatory / Optional]

[Offeror to enter] [Description] [Fee] [Mandatory / Optional]

Confirmation: Offeror confirms that no subscription, membership, or premium service fee not disclosed above shall be imposed on the State or any PPA accessing the contract through the cooperative, except as approved in writing by the State.

Confirmation (Yes / No): _________________

2.7 Shipping and Delivery

Offerors shall describe…