FY18 Travel RFR.docx

REQUEST FOR RESPONSE

Travel Agency Services RFR #2018-MGC_TRAVEL / COMMBUYS Bid# BD-18-1068-1068C-1068L-00000000884

REQUEST FOR RESPONSE

Travel Agency Services RFR #2018-MGC_TRAVEL / COMMBUYS Bid# BD-18-1068-1068C-1068L-00000020303

ISSUE DATE: October 1, 2017

Description or Purpose of Procurement:

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) is seeking the services of a Massachusetts based travel agency/ organization to provide domestic and international travel, hotel accommodations/reservation, car rental services and all other travel related arrangements as needed to all MGC staff.

Applicable Procurement Law

Executive Branch Goods and Services

Acquisition Method:

Whether Single or Multiple Contractors are Required for Contract:

Check One (“X”):

Estimated Number of Awards The target maximum number of Contractors is 2 the Purchasing Department may award more or fewer contracts, if it is in the best interests of the Commonwealth to do so.

Entities Eligible to Use the Resulting Contract

[Identify additional Eligible Entities by name or type. If by type, include those applicable from the list below:

Cities, towns, districts, counties and other political subdivisions;

Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branches, including all Departments and elected offices therein;

Independent public authorities, commissions and quasi-public agencies;

Local public libraries, public school districts and charter schools;

Public hospitals owned by the Commonwealth;

Public institutions of higher education;

Public purchasing cooperatives;

Non-profit, UFR-certified organizations that are doing business with the Commonwealth;

Other states and territories with prior approval by the State Purchasing Agent; and Other entities when designated in writing by the State Purchasing Agent.].

The Purchasing Department reserves the right to add or remove additional authorized users during the contract term.

Expected Duration of Contract (Initial Duration and any Options to Renew):

Initial Duration

Total Maximum Contract Duration

Anticipated Expenditures, Funding or Compensation:

Estimated Value of Procurement: $80,000 per year The funding for any contract resulting from this procurement is conditioned upon budget approval by the Commission.

Contract Performance and Business Specifications: Scope of Services:

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) is seeking the services of a Massachusetts based travel agency/organization to provide domestic and international travel, hotel accommodations/reservation, car rental services and all other travel related arrangements as needed to all MGC staff.

Commodities being Procured: N/A Fiscal Terms: Contract will have an annual estimated Maximum Obligation Range Amount of: $20,000 - $80,000. Please note: Amounts indicated are only estimates. Contract amounts during the period of the contract may increase or decrease significantly, based upon budget approval, availability of funds, level of travel agency reservation services required by MGC, and evaluation of Contractor’s performance. The Commonwealth makes no guarantee that any commodities or services will be purchased from any Contract resulting from this Solicitation.

Performance Measures:

Contractor must have the ability to provide MGC agencies with prompt, efficient and accurate travel and hotel accommodations details in writing.

Contractor must prepare all financial travel invoices and provide MGC with accurate travel reporting documents/receipts monthly. All documentation will be subject to approval by MGC finance office.

In the case of any rescheduling and/or cancellations, Contractor must notify the agency requesting the travel immediately and in writing as well as waive any fees agreed upon by both the Contractor/travel agency and MGC.

Contractor must pre-pay (major credit cards) all travel and hotel accommodations/reservations prior to the stay of MGC staff, consultants or other personnel as requested by MGC staff. Contractor will invoice MGC agency for travel and hotel expenses on a monthly basis.

Small Business Purchasing Program This is a small procurement targeted to businesses participating in the Commonwealth’s Small Business Purchasing Program (“SBPP”). The Department intends to evaluate bid responses from and to award a contract to a SBPP-participating business(es) who submit a bid that meets or exceeds the solicitation criteria only. Subcontracting in these types of procurements is limited to no more than 20% of the value of the contract, unless it is with another SBPP registered participant. If determined that there is inadequate SBPP capacity, or no SBPP-participating vendors provide a responsive bid, the Department will evaluate and award bid responses received from non-SBPP businesses. To determine eligibility and to participate in the SBPP, please review the requirements and general program information at www.mass.gov/sbpp.

Supplier Diversity Plan (SDP) Plan Supplier Diversity Program (SDP). Massachusetts Executive Order 524 established a policy to promote the award of state contracts in a manner that develops and strengthens Minority and Women Business Enterprises (M/WBEs) that resulted in the Supplier Diversity Program in Public Contracting. M/WBEs are strongly encouraged to submit responses to this RFR, either as prime vendors, joint venture partners or other type of business partnerships. All bidders must follow the requirements set forth in the SDP section of the RFR, which will detail the specific requirements relating to the prime vendor’s inclusion of M/WBEs. Bidders are required to develop creative initiatives to help foster new business relationships with M/WBEs within the primary industries affected by this RFR. In order to satisfy the compliance of this section and encourage bidder’s participation of SDP objectives, the Supplier Diversity Program (SDP) Plan for large procurements greater than $150,000 will be evaluated at 10% or more of the total evaluation. Once an SDP Plan is submitted, negotiated and approved, the agency will then monitor the contractor’s performance, and use actual expenditures with SDO certified contractors to fulfill their own SDP expenditure benchmarks. M/WBE participation must be incorporated into and monitored for all types of procurements regardless of size; however, submission of an SDP Plan is mandated only for large procurements over $150,000.

This RFR will contain some or all of the following components as part of the Supplier Diversity Program Plan submitted by bidders:

Sub-contracting with certified M/WBE firms as defined within the scope of the RFR, Ancillary use of certified M/WBE firms, Growth and Development activities to increase M/WBE capacity, A Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), Woman Business Enterprise (WBE), M/Non-Profit, or W/Non-Profit, is defined as such by the Supplier Diversity Office (SDO). All certified businesses that are included in the bidder’s SDP proposal are required to submit an up to date copy of their SDO certification letter. The purpose for this certification is to participate in the Commonwealth’s Supplier Diversity Program for public contracting. Minority- and Women-Owned firms that are not currently certified but would like to be considered as an M/WBE for the purpose of this RFR should submit their application at least two weeks prior to the RFR closing date and submit proof of documentation of application for consideration with their bid proposal. For further information on SDO certification, contact their office at 1-617-502-8851 or via the Internet at mass.gov/SDO.

Environmentally Preferable Products 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.

Evaluation Criteria Contractors must submit responses that meet all the submission requirements of the RFR. Only responsive proposals that meet the submission requirements will be evaluated, scored and ranked by the evaluation team according to the evaluation criteria. Additional information may be requested for evaluation purposes.

Price is 60% Supplier Diversity Plan 10% Availability and Flexibility 30%

Instructions for Submission of Responses:

Responses must be sent via the “Create Quote” functionality contained in COMMBUYS. For instructions concerning how to submit a Quote, please see Appendix B.

Any submission which fails to meet the submission requirements of the RFR will be found non-responsive without further evaluation unless the evaluation team, at its discretion, determines that the non-compliance is insubstantial and can be corrected. In these cases, the evaluation team may allow the vendor to make minor corrections to the submission.

Estimated Procurement Calendar

Bidders are required to monitor COMMBUYS for changes to the procurement calendar for this Bid.

Online Questions (Bid Q&A) October 16, 2017 Written Questions must be entered by pressing the “Bid Q&A” tab for the Bid in COMMBUYS no later than the “Online Questions Due” date and time indicated in the Estimated Procurement Calendar (above). 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.

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.

Written Responses to Questions will be released on or about the “Responses to Questions Posted Online” date indicated in the Estimated Procurement Calendar (above).

(Written questions and responses will be posted on the Bid Q&A Tab for this Bid in COMMBUYS.)

Bid Amendment Deadline October 23, 2017 The Purchasing Department 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 Purchasing Department and the Commonwealth accept 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.

Quotes (Bid Responses) Deadline (Bid Opening Date/Time) See the Quotes (Bid Responses) Deadline (Bid Opening) Date and Time indicated in the Estimated Procurement Calendar (above).

Estimated Contract Start Date:

This is the approximate start date November 6, 2017 . The actual start date will be the Contract Effective Date which is the date the Contract is executed by the parties.

Required Forms The successful bidder will be required to submit the following documents. Please do not include these in the response.

The above attachments are available as attachments as part of the Bid record on WWW.COMMBUYS.COM.

RFR Attachments Appendix A: Required Specifications Appendix B: Electronic Quote Submission Instructions

Updated: April 2, 2014