IFB 64-809 Diplomas and Diploma Covers FINAL.pdf

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

The University of North Carolina Asheville

Invitation for Bid #: 64-809

DIPLOMAS AND DIPLOMA COVERS

Date Issued: April 8, 2024

Bid Opening Date: April 24, 2024

At 3:00 PM ET

Direct all inquiries concerning this IFB to:

Lane Brown Purchasing Agent

Email: Lbrown@unca.edu

Phone: 828-232-2285

Ver. 11/2023

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

Invitation for Bids #

64-809

For internal State agency processing, including tabulation of bids, provide your company’s eVP (Electronic Vendor Portal) Number. Pursuant to G.S. 132-1.10(b) this identification number shall not be released to the public. This page will be removed and shredded, or otherwise kept confidential, before the procurement file is made available for public inspection.

This page shall be filled out and returned with your bid.

Failure to do so shall be sufficient cause to reject your bid.

Vendor Name

Vendor eVP #

Note: For a contract to be awarded to you, your company (you) must be a North Carolina registered vendor in good standing. You must enter the vendor number assigned through eVP (Electronic Vendor

Portal). If you do not have a vendor number, register at https://vendor.ncgov.com/vendor/login https://vendor.ncgov.com/vendor/login

IFB 64-809 1

AGENCY: THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA ASHEVILLE

INVITATION FOR BID NUMBER: 64-809

Refer all inquiries to Lane Brown, Purchasing Agent

Lbrown@unca.edu Phone: 828-232-2285 Fax: 828-251-6743

Deadline to submit responses to this IFB: ____________________ at 2:00 p.m.

EXECUTION

In compliance with this Invitation for Bids (IFB), and subject to all the conditions herein, the undersigned Vendor offers and agrees to furnish and deliver any or all items upon which prices are bid, at the prices set opposite each item within the time specified herein.

By executing this bid, the undersigned Vendor understands that false certification is a Class I felony and certifies that:

this bid is submitted competitively and without collusion (G.S. 143-54), that none of its officers, directors, or owners of an unincorporated business entity has been convicted of any violations of Chapter 78A of the General Statutes, the Securities Act of 1933, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (G.S. 143-59.2), and it is not an ineligible Vendor as set forth in G.S. 143-59.1.

Furthermore, by executing this bid, the undersigned certifies to the best of Vendor’s knowledge and belief, that:

it and its principals are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible or voluntarily excluded from covered transactions by any Federal or State department or agency.

As required by G.S. 143-48.5, the undersigned Vendor certifies that it, and each of its sub-Contractors for any Contract awarded as a result of this IFB, complies with the requirements of Article 2 of Chapter 64 of the NC General Statutes, including the requirement for each employer with more than 25 employees in North Carolina to verify the work authorization of its employees through the federal E-Verify system.

As required by Executive Order 24 (2017), the undersigned vendor certifies will comply with all Federal and State requirements concerning fair employment and that it does not and will not discriminate, harass, or retaliate against any employee in connection with performance of any Contract arising from this solicitation.

G.S. 133-32 and Executive Order 24 (2009) prohibit the offer to, or acceptance by, any State Employee associated with the preparing plans, specifications, estimates for public Contract; or awarding or administering public Contracts; or inspecting or supervising delivery of the public Contract of any gift from anyone with a Contract with UNC Asheville, or from any person seeking to do business with UNC Asheville. By execution of this bid response to the IFB, the undersigned certifies, for Vendor’s entire organization and its employees or agents, that Vendor are not aware that any such gift has been offered, accepted, or promised by any employees or agents of Vendor’s organization.

By executing this bid, Vendor certifies that it has read and agreed to the INSTRUCTION TO VENDORS and the NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS incorporated herein. These documents can be accessed from the ATTACHMENTS page within this document.

Failure to execute/sign bid prior to submittal may render bid invalid and it MAY BE REJECTED. Late bids cannot be accepted.

COMPLETE/FORMAL NAME OF VENDOR:

STREET ADDRESS: P.O. BOX: ZIP:

CITY & STATE & ZIP: TELEPHONE NUMBER: TOLL FREE TEL. NO:

PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS ADDRESS IF DIFFERENT FROM ABOVE (SEE INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS ITEM #21):

PRINT NAME & TITLE OF PERSON SIGNING ON BEHALF OF VENDOR: FAX NUMBER:

VENDOR’S AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE: DATE: E-MAIL:

Bid Number 64-809 Vendor: ____________________________________

Ver: 11/2023 2

FOR STATE USE ONLY: Offer accepted and Contract awarded this ____ day of _______________, 20____, as indicated on the attached certification, by ______________________________________________________

VALIDITY PERIOD

Offer shall be valid for at least sixty (60) days from date of bid opening, unless otherwise stated here: ______ days, or if extended by mutual agreement of the parties. Any withdrawal of this offer shall be made in writing, effective upon receipt by the agency issuing this

IFB.

BID ACCEPTANCE

If your bid is accepted, all provisions of this IFB, along with the written results of any negotiations, shall constitute the written agreement between the parties (“Contract”). The NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS are incorporated herein and shall apply.

Depending upon the Goods or Services being offered, other terms and conditions may apply, as mutually agreed.

(Authorized Representative of The University of North Carolina Asheville)

Vendor Checklist

By signing the Execution Page of this IFB, you are acknowledging the following items have been reviewed, signed and attached with Vendor response.

Failure to include this information with bid response may render proposal invalid and it MAY BE REJECTED.

Initials Description

Pricing – Attachment A

Instructions to Vendor – Attachment B

North Carolina General Terms & Conditions – Attachment C

HUB Supplemental Vendor Information – Attachment D

Customer References – Attachment E

Location of Workers – Attachment F

Certification of Financial Condition – Attachment G

Invoices – Section 6.4

Any Published Addenda on the electronic Vendor Portal (eVP) for this RFP

Ver: 11/2023 3

Contents

1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

1.1 CONTRACT TERM

2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

2.1 INVITATION FOR BID DOCUMENT

2.2 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING IFB TERMS AND CONDITIONS

2.3 IFB SCHEDULE

2.4 BID QUESTIONS

2.5 BID SUBMITTAL

2.6 BID CONTENTS

2.7 ALTERNATE BIDS

2.8 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS

3.0 METHOD OF AWARD AND BID EVALUATION PROCESS

3.1 METHOD OF AWARD

3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION

3.3 BID EVALUATION PROCESS

3.4 PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

3.5 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES

4.0 REQUIREMENTS

4.1 PRICING

4.2 ESTIMATED QUANTITIES

4.3 TRANSPORTATION AND IDENTIFICATION

4.4 DELIVERY

4.5 SAMPLES

4.6 HUB PARTICIPATION

4.7 REFERENCES

4.8 VENDOR’S REPRESENTATIONS

4.9 FINANCIAL STABILITY

5.0 PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

5.2 DEVIATIONS

6.0 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

6.1 CONTRACT MANAGER AND CUSTOMER SERVICE

6.2 CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

6.3 ACCEPTANCE OF WORK

6.4 INVOICES

6.5 DISPUTE RESOLUTION

6.6 PRICE ADJUSTMENTS

Ver: 11/2023 4

6.7 USE OF THIS CONTRACT BY THE UNC SYSTEM

6.8 CONTRACT CHANGES

7.0 ATTACHMENTS

ATTACHMENT A: PRICING

ATTACHMENT B: INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS

ATTACHMENT C: NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS & CONDITIONS

ATTACHMENT D: HUB SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION

ATTACHMENT E: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM

ATTACHMENT F: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR

ATTACHMENT G: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

UNC Asheville seeks competitive bids for the printing and furnishing of diplomas and covers as described in Section 5 below.

Vendor’s response must include samples as indicated in Section 4.7. Bids shall be submitted in accordance with the terms and conditions of this IFB and any addenda issued hereto.

The intent of this solicitation is to award an Agency Specific Contract.

1.1 CONTRACT TERM

The Contract shall have an initial term of three (3) years, beginning on the date of final Contract execution (the “Effective Date”). At the end of the Contract’s current term, the State shall have the option, in its sole discretion, to renew the Contract on the same terms and conditions for up to a total of two additional one-year terms. The State will give the Vendor written notice of its intent whether to exercise each option no later than sixty (60) days before the end of the Contract’s then-current term. In addition, the State reserves the right to extend a contract term for a period of up to 180 days in 90-day-or-less increments.

Bids shall be submitted in accordance with the terms and conditions of this IFB and any addenda issued hereto.

2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

2.1 INVITATION FOR BID DOCUMENT

The IFB is comprised of the base IFB document, any attachments, and any addenda released before Contract award, which are incorporated herein by reference.

2.2 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING IFB TERMS AND CONDITIONS

It shall be the Vendor’s responsibility to read the Instructions to Vendors, the North Carolina General Terms and Conditions, all relevant exhibits and attachments, and any other components made a part of this IFB and comply with all requirements and specifications herein. Vendors also are responsible for obtaining and complying with all Addenda and other changes that may be issued in connection with this IFB.

If Vendors have questions or issues, or exceptions regarding any component within this IFB, those must be submitted as questions in accordance with the instructions in the BID QUESTIONS Section. If UNC Asheville determines that any changes will

Ver: 11/2023 5 be made as a result of the questions asked, then such decisions will be communicated in the form of an IFB addendum. UNC Asheville may also elect to leave open the possibility for later negotiation of specific provisions of the Contract that have been addressed during the question-and-answer period, prior to contact award.

Other than through this process or negotiation under 01 NCAC 05B.0503, UNC Asheville rejects and will not be required to evaluate or consider any additional or modified terms and conditions submitted with Vendor’s bid. This applies to any language appearing in or attached to the document as part of the Vendor’s bid that purports to vary any terms and conditions or Vendors’ instructions herein or to render the bid non-binding or subject to further negotiation. Vendor’s bid shall constitute a firm offer that shall be held open for the period required herein (“Validity Period” above).

UNC Asheville may exercise its discretion to consider Vendor proposed modifications. By execution and delivery of this IFB Response, the Vendor agrees that any additional or modified terms and conditions, whether submitted purposely or inadvertently, shall have no force or effect, and will be disregarded unless expressly agreed upon through negotiations and incorporated by way of a Best and Final Offer (BAFO). Noncompliance with, or any attempt to alter or delete, this paragraph shall constitute sufficient grounds to reject Vendor’s bid as nonresponsive.

2.3 IFB SCHEDULE

The table below shows the intended schedule for this IFB. UNC Asheville will make every effort to adhere to this schedule.

Event Responsibility Date and Time

Issue IFB State April 8, 2024 Submit Written Questions Vendor April 17, 2024, 5:00 PM EST Provide Responses to Questions State April 19, 2024, 5:00 PM EST Submit Bids Vendor April 24, 2024, 3:00 PM EST

2.4 BID QUESTIONS

Upon review of the IFB documents, Vendors may have questions to clarify or interpret the IFB in order to submit the best bid possible. To accommodate the Bid Questions process, Vendors shall submit any such questions by the “Submit Written Questions” date and time provided in the IFB SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum.

Written questions shall be e-mailed to Lbrown@unca.edu by the date and time specified above. Vendors will enter “IFB # 64- 809: Questions” as the subject for the email. Question submittals will include a reference to the applicable IFB section and be submitted in a format shown below:

Reference Vendor Question

IFB Section, Page Number Vendor question …?

Questions received prior to the submission deadline date, UNC Asheville’s response, and any additional terms deemed necessary by UNC Asheville will be posted in the form of an addendum to the electronic Vendor Portal (eVP), https://evp.nc.gov, and shall become an Addendum to this IFB. No information, instruction or advice provided orally or informally by any State personnel, whether made in response to a question or otherwise in connection with this IFB, shall be considered authoritative or binding. Vendors shall rely only on written material contained in an Addendum to this IFB.

2.5 BID SUBMITTAL

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is an absolute requirement. Vendor shall bear the risk of late submission due to unintended or unanticipated delay. It is the Vendor’s sole responsibility to ensure its bid has been received as described in this IFB by the specified time and date of opening. The date and time of receipt will be marked on each bid when received. Any bid or portion thereof received after the bid submission deadline will be rejected.

https://evp.nc.gov/

Ver: 11/2023 6

[By Mail]

DELIVERY BY US POSTAL SERVICE DELIVERY BY COURIER (FEDEX, UPS, ETC DELIVERY BY HAND/IN PERSON

IFB 64-809

ATTN: LANE BROWN

PURCHASING DEPARTMENT

CPO 1425

UNC ASHEVILLE

ONE UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS

ASHEVILLE NC 28804

IFB 64-809

ATTN: LANE BROWN CPO 1425

CENTRAL RECEIVING

220 CAMPUS DRIVE

UNC ASHEVILLE

SAM MILLAR BUILDING

ASHEVILLE NC 28804

IFB 64-809

ATTN: LANE BROWN

PURCHASING DEPARTMENT

121 PHILLIPS HALL

UNC ASHEVILLE

ONE UNVERSITY HEIGHTS

ASHEVILLE NC 28804

CAUTION: For bids submitted via U.S. mail, please note that the U.S. Postal Service generally does not deliver mail to a specified street address but to UNC Asheville’s Mail Service Center. Vendors are cautioned that bids sent via U.S. Mail, including Express Mail, may not be delivered by the Mail Service Center to the agency’s purchasing office on the due date in time to meet the bid deadline. All Vendors are urged to take the possibility of delay into account when submitting bids by U.S. Postal Service, courier, or other delivery service. Attempts to submit a bid via facsimile (FAX) machine, telephone or email in response to this IFB shall NOT be accepted.

a) Vendors shall deliver one (1) signed, original executed bid response to the address identified in the table in this Section.

Include only bids in response to this IFB in a sealed package. Address package with Bid # as shown in the table in this Section.

b) Submit your bid in a sealed package. Clearly mark each package with: (1) Vendor name; (2) the IFB number; and (3) the due date. Address the package(s) for delivery as shown in the table above. If Vendor is submitting more than one (1) bid, each bid shall be submitted in separate sealed envelopes and marked accordingly. For delivery purposes, separate sealed envelopes from a single Vendor may be included in the same outer package. Bids are subject to rejection unless submitted with the information above included on the outside of the sealed bid package.

2.6 BID CONTENTS

Vendors shall populate all attachments of this IFB that require the Vendor to provide information and include an authorized signature where requested. Failure to provide all required items, or Vendor’s submission of incomplete items, may result in UNC Asheville rejecting Vendor’s bid, in UNC Asheville’s sole discretion

Vendor IFB responses shall include the following items and attachments, which shall be arranged in the following order:

a) Cover Letter, which must contain all of the following; (i) a statement that confirms that the Vendor has read the IFB in its entirety, including all links, and all Addenda released in conjunction with the IFB; (ii) a statement that the Vendor agrees to perform in accordance with the scope of work, requirements, and specifications contained herein; and (iii) Vendor’s agreement to comply with all instructions, terms and conditions, and attachments.

b) Title Page: Include the company name, address, phone number and authorized representative along with the Bid Number.

c) Completed and signed version of EXECUTION PAGES, along with the body of the IFB.

d) Samples of work, as required in Section 4.5.

e) Signed receipt pages of any addenda released in conjunction with this IFB, if required to be returned.

f) Completed version of ATTACHMENT A: PRICING

g) Completed version of ATTACHMENT D: HUB SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION

h) Completed version of ATTACHMENT E: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM

Ver: 11/2023 7

i) Completed version of ATTACHMENT F: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR

j) Completed and signed version of ATTACHMENT G: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

2.7 ALTERNATE BIDS

Unless provided otherwise in this IFB, Vendor may submit alternate bids for comparable Goods, various methods or levels of Service(s), or that propose different options. Alternate bids must specifically identify the IFB requirements and advantage(s) addressed by the alternate bid. Any alternate bid, in addition to the marking described above, must be clearly marked with the legend: “Alternate Bid #___ [for ‘name of Vendor’]”. Each bid must be for a specific set of Goods and Services and must include specific pricing. If a Vendor chooses to respond with various offerings, each must be offered with a separate price and be contained in a separate bid. Each bid must be complete and independent of other bids offered.

2.8 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS

Relevant definitions for this IFB are provided in 01 NCAC 05A .0112 and in the Instructions to Vendors referenced below which are incorporated herein by this reference.

The following definitions, acronyms, and abbreviations are also relevant to this IFB:

a) AGENCY SPECIFIC TERM CONTRACT: A contract generally intended to cover all normal requirements for a commodity for a specified period of time based on estimated quantities for a single entity.

b) BAFO: Best and Final Offer, submitted by a vendor to alter its initial bid, made in response to a request by the issuing agency.

c) BUYER: The employee of the State or Other Eligible Entity that places an order with the Vendor.

d) COMMUNITY COLLEGE: Any of the fifty-eight (58) public North Carolina Community Colleges.

e) CONTRACT LEAD: Representative of UNC Asheville who corresponds with potential Vendors in order to identify and contract with that Vendor providing the greatest benefit to the State and who will administer the contract for the State.

f) FOB-DESTINATION: Title changes hand from Vendor to purchaser at the destination point of the shipment; Vendor owns commodity in transit and files any claims, and Vendor pays all freight and any related transportation charges. A solicitation may request Vendors to separately identify freight charges in their bid, but no amount or charge not included as part of the total bid price will be paid.

g) IFB: Invitation for Bids.

h) LOT: A grouping of similar products within an IFB.

i) ON-TIME DELIVERY: The delivery of all items within a single order to the receiving point designated by the ordering entity within the delivery time required.

j) QUALIFIED BID: A responsive bid submitted by a responsible Vendor.

k) STATE: The State of North Carolina, including any of its sub-units recognized under North Carolina law.

l) STATE AGENCY: Any of the more than 400 sub-units within the executive branch of the State, including its departments, boards, commissions, institutions of higher education and other institutions.

m) UNC ASHEVILLE: The University of North Carolina at Asheville is one of 17 schools in the State University System.

n) VENDOR: Supplier, contractor, bidder, proposer, company, firm, corporation, partnership, individual or other entity submitting a response to an Invitation for Bids.

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3.0 METHOD OF AWARD AND BID EVALUATION PROCESS

3.1 METHOD OF AWARD

North Carolina G.S. 143-52 provides a general list of criteria UNC Asheville shall use to award contracts, as supplemented by the additional criteria herein. The Goods or Services being procured shall dictate the application and order of criteria; however, all award decisions shall be in UNC Asheville’s best interest.

All qualified bids will be evaluated and award or awards will be based on:

a) Bid total price

b) Quality of workmanship as represented by sample of work (see Section 4.5). Samples should show consistent ink coverage and density and accurate binding, with no jagged or torn edges. Any obvious press or production defects, such as smudges, roller marks, fluctuating alignment, broken serifs, etc. are reasons for possible rejection of Vendor’s response.

While the intent of this IFB is to award a Contract(s) to a single Vendor for all line items, UNC Asheville reserves the right to make separate awards to different Vendors for one or more line items, to not award one or more line items or to cancel this IFB in its entirety without awarding a Contract, if it is considered to be most advantageous to UNC Asheville to do so.

UNC Asheville reserves the right to waive any minor informality or technicality in bids received.

3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION

While this IFB is under evaluation, the responding Vendor, including any subcontractors and suppliers, is prohibited from engaging in conversations intended to influence the outcome of the evaluation. See the Paragraph 29 of the Instructions To Vendors entitled COMMUNICATIONS BY VENDORS.

Each Vendor submitting a bid to this IFB, including its employees, agents, subcontractors, suppliers, subsidiaries and affiliates, is prohibited from having any communications with any person inside or outside the using agency; issuing agency; other government agency office or body (including the purchaser named above, any department secretary, agency head, members of the General Assembly and Governor’s office); or private entity, if the communication refers to the content of Vendor’s bid or qualifications, the content of another Vendor’s proposal, another Vendor’s qualifications or ability to perform a resulting contract, and/or the transmittal of any other communication of information that could be reasonably considered to have the effect of directly or indirectly influencing the evaluation of proposals, the award of a contract, or both.

Any Vendor not in compliance with this provision shall be disqualified from evaluation and award. A Vendor’s proposal may be disqualified if its subcontractor and/or supplier engage in any of the foregoing communications during the time that the procurement is active (i.e., the issuance date of the procurement until the date of contract award or cancellation of the procurement). Only those discussions, communications or transmittals of information authorized or initiated by the issuing agency for this IFB or inquiries directed to the purchaser named in this IFB regarding requirements of the IFB (prior to proposal submission) or the status of the award (after submission) are excepted from this provision.

3.3 BID EVALUATION PROCESS

Only responsive submissions will be evaluated.

UNC Asheville will conduct an evaluation of responsive Bids, as follows:

Bids will be received according to the method stated in the Bid Submittal section above.

All bids must be received by the issuing agency not later than the date and time specified in the IFB SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum. Vendors are cautioned that this is a request for offers, not an offer or request to contract, and UNC Asheville reserves the unqualified right to reject any and all offers at any time if such rejection is deemed to be in the best interest of UNC Asheville.

Ver: 11/2023 9

At the date and time provided in the IFB SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum, the bids from each responding Vendor will be opened publicly and all offers (except those that have been previously withdrawn, or voided bids) will be tabulated. The tabulation shall be made public at the time it is created. When negotiations after receipt of bids is authorized pursuant to G.S. 143-49 and 01 NCAC 05B.0503, only the names of offerors and the Goods and Services offered shall be tabulated at the time of opening. If negotiation is anticipated, cost and price shall become available for public inspection at the time of the award. Interested parties are cautioned that these costs and their components are subject to further evaluation for completeness and correctness and therefore may not be an exact indicator of a Vendor’s pricing position.

At their option, the evaluators may request oral presentations or discussions with any or all Vendors for clarification or to amplify the materials presented in any part of the bid. Vendors are cautioned, however, that the evaluators are not required to request presentations or other clarification—and often do not. Therefore, all bids should be complete and reflect the most favorable terms available from the Vendor. Prices bid cannot be altered or modified as part of a clarification.

Bids will generally be evaluated, based on completeness, content, cost and responsibility of the Vendor to supply the requested Goods and Services. Specific evaluation criteria are listed in Section 3.1 METHOD OF AWARD.

Upon completion of the evaluation process, UNC Asheville will make Award(s) based on the evaluation and post the award(s) to the State’s eVP website under the IFB number for this solicitation. Award of a Contract to one Vendor does not mean that the other bids lacked merit, but that, all factors considered, the selected bid was deemed most advantageous and represented the best value to UNC Asheville.

UNC Asheville reserves the right to negotiate with one or more Vendors, or to reject all original offers and negotiate with one or more sources of supply that may be capable of satisfying the requirement, and in either case to require Vendor to submit a Best and Final Offer (BAFO) based on discussions and negotiations with UNC Asheville.

3.4 PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

Vendor shall complete ATTACHMENT F: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR. In addition to any other evaluation criteria identified in this IFB, UNC Asheville may also consider, for purposes of evaluating proposed or actual contract performance outside of the United States, how that performance may affect the following factors to ensure that any award will be in the best interest of UNC Asheville:

a) Total cost to UNC Asheville

b) Level of quality provided by the Vendor

c) Process and performance capability across multiple jurisdictions

d) Protection of UNC Asheville’s information and intellectual property

e) Availability of pertinent skills

f) Ability to understand UNC Asheville’s business requirements and internal operational culture

g) Particular risk factors such as the security of UNC Asheville’s information technology

h) Relations with citizens and employees

i) Contract enforcement jurisdictional issues

3.5 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES

This IFB serves two functions: (1) to advise potential Vendors of the parameters of the solution being sought by UNC Asheville;

and (2) to provide (together with other specified documents) the terms of the Contract resulting from this procurement. The use of phrases such as “shall,” “must,” and “requirements” are intended to create enforceable contract conditions. In determining whether bids should be evaluated or rejected, UNC Asheville will take into consideration the degree to which Vendors have proposed or failed to propose solutions that will satisfy UNC Asheville’s needs as described in the IFB. Except as specifically stated in the IFB, no one requirement shall automatically disqualify a Vendor from consideration. However, failure to comply with any single requirement may result in UNC Asheville exercising its discretion to reject a bid in its entirety.

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4.0 REQUIREMENTS

This Section lists the requirements related to this IFB. By submitting a bid, the Vendor agrees to meet all stated requirements in this Section, as well as any other specifications, requirements, and terms and conditions stated in this IFB. If a Vendor is unclear about a requirement or specification, or believes a change in a requirement would allow for UNC Asheville to receive a better bid, the Vendor is encouraged to submit these items in the form of a question during the question and answer period in accordance with the Bid Questions Section above.

4.1 PRICING

Bid price shall constitute the total cost to UNC Asheville for delivery fully assembled and ready for use, including all applicable charges for shipping, delivery, handling, administrative and other similar fees. Complete ATTACHMENT A: PRICING FORM and include in Vendor’s response.

4.2 ESTIMATED QUANTITIES

The quantities indicated herein are annual estimates only and are provided for informational purposes based on the anticipated usage during the previous 2-year period. No maximum or minimum quantities are guaranteed. It shall be understood and agreed that UNC Asheville may purchase more or less than the estimated quantities during the contract period. UNC Asheville reserves the right to increase or decrease the quantities as needed. UNC Asheville shall not be obligated to purchase more than its normal requirements. UNC Asheville will be responsible only for items requested and received.

4.3 TRANSPORTATION AND IDENTIFICATION

The Vendor shall deliver Free-On-Board (FOB) Destination to any requested location within the State of North Carolina with all transportation costs and fees included in the total bid price.

When an order is placed using a purchase order, the purchase order number shall be shown on all packages and shipping manifests to ensure proper identification and payment of invoices. If an order is placed without using a purchase order, such as via phone, the Buyer’s name shall be show on all packages. A complete packing list shall accompany each shipment. Vendors shall not ship any products until they have received an order.

4.4 DELIVERY

The Vendor shall deliver Free-On-Board (FOB) Destination to the following location(s):

CENTRAL RECEIVING

220 CAMPUS DRIVE, CPO 1570

UNC ASHEVILLE

SAM MILLAR BUILDING

For delivery in trucks measuring up to 30’: Freight will be received at 220 Campus Drive Monday—Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., except for University holidays.

4.5 SAMPLES

SAMPLE

Samples of items offered shall be furnished prior to bid opening, free of expense, and if not destroyed will, upon request, be returned at the Vendor’s expense. A written request for return shall be made no later than thirty (30) days after the bid award, and Vendor shall provide a prepaid, pre-addressed shipping label suitable for return of the sample(s). Otherwise, the samples shall become UNC Asheville’s property to be used or disposed of at UNC Asheville’s discretion. Each individual sample shall be labeled with the Vendor’s name, bid number, and item number. A sample on which an award is made, will be retained until the contract is completed, and then returned, if requested as specified above.

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Forward samples to:

DELIVERY BY US POSTAL SERVICE DELIVERY BY COURIER (FEDEX, UPS, ETC DELIVERY BY HAND/IN PERSON

IFB 64-809

ATTN: LANE BROWN

PURCHASING DEPARTMENT

CPO 1425

UNC ASHEVILLE

ONE UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS

ASHEVILLE NC 28804

IFB 64-809

ATTN: LANE BROWN CPO 1425

CENTRAL RECEIVING

220 CAMPUS DRIVE

UNC ASHEVILLE

SAM MILLAR BUILDING

ASHEVILLE NC 28804

IFB 64-809

ATTN: LANE BROWN

PURCHASING DEPARTMENT

121 PHILLIPS HALL

UNC ASHEVILLE

ONE UNVERSITY HEIGHTS

Vendor requests samples be returned after evaluation and/or contract completion? YES NO

If return is requested, Vendor must provide prepaid, pre-addressed shipping label with bid.

4.6 HUB PARTICIPATION

Pursuant to North Carolina General Statute G.S. 143-48, it is State policy to encourage and promote the use of small, minority, physically handicapped, and women contractors in purchasing Goods and Services. As such, this IFB will serve to identify those Vendors that are minority owned or have a strategic plan to support UNC Asheville’s Historically Underutilized Business program by meeting or exceeding the goal of 10% utilization of diverse firms as 1st or 2nd tier subcontractors. Vendor shall complete ATTACHMENT D: HUB SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION.

4.7 REFERENCES

Vendors shall provide at least three (3) references, using ATTACHMENT E: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM, for which your company has supplied the exact model of equipment offered. UNC Asheville may contact these users to determine quality level of the offered equipment; as well as, but not limited to user satisfaction with Vendor performance. Information obtained may be considered in the evaluation of the bid.

4.8 VENDOR’S REPRESENTATIONS

If the bid results in an award, Vendor agrees that it will not enter any agreement with a third party that may abridge any rights of UNC Asheville under the Contract. If any Services, deliverables, functions, or responsibilities not specifically described in this solicitation are required for Vendor’s proper performance, provision and delivery of the Service and deliverables under a resulting Contract, or are an inherent part of or necessary sub-task included within such service, they will be deemed to be implied by and included within the scope of the contract to the same extent and in the same manner as if specifically described in the Contract. Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, Vendor will furnish all of its own necessary management, supervision, labor, facilities, furniture, computer and telecommunications equipment, software, supplies and materials necessary for the Vendor to provide and deliver the Services and/or other Deliverables.

4.9 FINANCIAL STABILITY

As a condition of contract award, the Vendor must certify that it has the financial capacity to perform and to continue to perform its obligations under the Contract; that Vendor has no constructive or actual knowledge of an actual or potential legal proceeding being brought against Vendor that could materially adversely affect performance of this Contract; and that entering into this Contract is not prohibited by any contract, or order by any court of competent jurisdiction

Each Vendor shall certify it is financially stable by completing the ATTACHMENT G: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION.

UNC Asheville is requiring this certification to minimize potential performance issues from contracting with a Vendor that is financially unstable. This Certification shall be deemed continuing, and from the date of the Certification to the expiration of the Contract, the Vendor shall notify UNC Asheville within thirty (30) days of any occurrence or condition that materially alters the truth of any statement made in this Certification.

Ver: 11/2023 12

5.0 PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

Vendor must check yes or no for each item listed below.

Specifications Product/Service Offered Meets Specification?

A. Diploma:

1. Quantity: Approximately 900 diplomas and approximately 75 replacement diplomas annually; however, no minimum or maximum quantities are implied or guaranteed.

White protective envelopes equal to the number of diplomas ordered must be included.

These should be sized to hold the diploma rather than the diploma cover.

2. Size: 14” x 11”

3. Stock: “Olympic Parchment”, or comparable measuring at 0.08 on micrometer (i.e., imitation parchment)

4. Printing: Body of diploma is produced via thermography (or other process to emulate engraving) in black; Old English, balanced from the standpoint of heading, body and signature lines and in overrunning name of student and degree and date; heading is shaded. Any honors received by the student will be printed in gold.

5. Signatures: Facsimile signature of all signers furnished by customer; these will change as administrators change.

6. Seal: To be gold foil stamped using finest dies or engraved so as to be of equal quality in appearance (to be determined solely by The University) to ensure uniform quality throughout the term of the contract. All symbols and lettering to be without blemish and with clean, sharp lines.

7. Names/Degrees: Contractor must be able to receive name and degrees list via electronic transmission.

YES NO

B. Diploma Cover

1. Quantity: Approximately 900 annually; however, no minimum or maximum quantities are implied or guaranteed.

2. Size: Appropriate for insertion of 14” x 11” diploma

3. Stock:

Cover – leatherette, Morocco finish, and dark blue Lining – high quality white silk moiré’ fabric Corner Ribbons – 4, dark blue of highest quality Padding – equal to or better than industry standard “Code 3800”; foam padding Of 1/8” thickness or 3 pound cotton wadding glued to base board and laminated for separation from leatherette will be acceptable Protective Cover – clear celluloid inserts (certiguards) over actual diploma

4. Construction:

Cover – all corners neatly formed squares; hinge to long side for opening from bottom;

hinge to be of same material as cover; all edges neatly tucked and glued so no portion of inner case is visible. Seal of university and name, matching seal gold foil stamped on front cover. Approximately 2.5 inches in diameter.

Lining – glued to face and tucked all 4 sides; all edges and corners neatly tucked and formed.

REQUIREMENTS VENDOR’S RESPONSE

Ver: 11/2023 13

C. Delivery:

Delivery guaranteed within 30 consecutive calendar days after receipt of order and insert information.

D. Contract Cancellation:

At any time during the term of the contract, UNC Asheville may, because of non-performance or unsatisfactory performance by the contractor, cancel this contract by giving 30 days written notice.

E. Delivery:

Full count delivery with no shortage at each order.

F. Ownership:

All copy, art, negatives, dies, etc., that are required for this contract remain or become the property of UNC Asheville and shall be returned to UNC Asheville upon contract completion.

G. Quality:

All workmanship and materials necessary for this contract must be of the highest quality to be acceptable to UNC Asheville and any work deemed unsatisfactory by UNC Asheville will not be accepted or paid for. UNC Asheville will be the sole judge of quality and acceptability.

H. Samples:

Each bid must be accompanied by a minimum of one (1) sample of actual diploma printed on the proposed stock and a minimum of one (1) diploma cover illustrative of quality of work that can be expected from the bidder. Sample diplomas must have examples of both fixed text and insert information (i.e., student name/degree).

Any bid submitted without these required samples will be rejected as incomplete and will NOT be considered for award.

I. Labeling of Samples:

Each sample must be clearly labeled with bidder name, bid number and complete stock identification. It is easy for samples to become separated from bid package to which they belong. UNC Asheville cannot be responsible for proper identification of any sample that is not labeled as required. Unidentified samples cannot be used in evaluation. Evaluation of samples will play a major part in the award of this contract.

J. Return of Samples:

Vendor’s response must include samples as indicated in Section 4.5. Bidders wishing samples to be returned after award of contract must include a prepaid shipping label/envelope material.

5.2 DEVIATIONS

The nature of all deviations from the Specifications listed herein shall be clearly described by the Vendor. Otherwise, it will be considered that items offered by the Vendor are in strict compliance with the Specifications provided herein, and the successful Vendor shall be required to supply conforming goods. Deviations shall be explained in detail on an attached sheet. However, no implication is made or intended by UNC Asheville that any deviation will be acceptable. Do not list objections to the North Carolina General Terms and Conditions in this section.

Ver: 11/2023 14

6.0 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

All Contract Administration requirements are conditioned on an award resulting from this solicitation. This information is provided for the Vendor’s planning purposes.

6.1 CONTRACT MANAGER AND CUSTOMER SERVICE

The Vendor shall be required to designate and make available to UNC Asheville a contract manager. The contract manager shall be UNC Asheville’s point of contact for Contract related issues and issues concerning performance, progress review, scheduling, and service.

6.2 CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

UNC Asheville encourages the Vendor to identify opportunities to reduce the total cost UNC Asheville. A continuous improvement effort consisting of various ideas to enhance business efficiencies as performance progresses.

6.3 ACCEPTANCE OF WORK

Performance of the work and delivery of Goods shall be conducted and completed at least in accordance with the Contract requirements and recognized and customarily accepted industry practices. Performance shall be considered complete when the Services or Goods are approved as acceptable by the Contract Administrator.

UNC Asheville shall have the obligation to notify Vendor, in writing ten (10) calendar days following completion of such work or delivery of a deliverable described in the Contract that it is not acceptable. The notice shall specify in reasonable detail the reason(s) it is unacceptable. Acceptance by UNC Asheville shall not be unreasonably withheld; but may be conditioned or delayed as required for reasonable review, evaluation, installation, or testing, as applicable to the work or deliverable. Final acceptance is expressly conditioned upon completion of all applicable assessment procedures. Should the work or deliverables fail to meet any specifications, acceptance criteria or otherwise fail to conform to the Contract, UNC Asheville may exercise any and all rights hereunder, including, for Goods deliverables, such rights provided by the Uniform Commercial Code, as adopted in North Carolina.

6.4 INVOICES

Vendor shall invoice the Purchasing Agency. The standard format for invoicing shall be Single Invoices meaning that the Vendor shall provide the Purchasing Agency with an invoice for each order. Invoices shall include detailed line item information to allow Purchasing Agency to verify pricing at point of receipt matches the correct price from the original date of order. At a minimum, the following fields shall be included on all invoices:

Vendor’s Billing Address, Customer Account Number, NC Contract Number, Order Date, Buyer’s Order Number, Manufacturer Part Numbers, Vendor Part Numbers, Item Descriptions, Price, Quantity, and Unit of Measure.

INVOICES MAY NOT BE PAID UNTIL AN INSPECTION HAS OCCURRED AND THE GOODS ACCEPTED.

6.5 DISPUTE RESOLUTION

During the performance of the Contract, the Parties agree that it is in their mutual interest to resolve disputes informally. Any claims by the Vendor shall be submitted in writing to UNC Asheville’s Contract Manager for resolution. Any claims by UNC Asheville shall be submitted in writing to the Vendor’s Project Manager for resolution. The Parties shall agree to negotiate in good faith and use all reasonable efforts to resolve such dispute(s).

During the time the Parties are attempting to resolve any dispute, each shall proceed diligently to perform their respective duties and responsibilities under this Contract. The Parties will agree on a reasonable amount of time to resolve a dispute. If a dispute cannot be resolved between the Parties within the agreed upon period, either Party may elect to exercise any other remedies available under the Contract, or at law. This provision, when agreed in the Contract, shall not constitute an agreement by either party to mediate or arbitrate any dispute.

Ver: 11/2023 15

6.6 PRICE ADJUSTMENTS

Prices proposed by the Vendor shall be firm against any increase for three (3) years from the effective date of the Contract.

Price increase requests shall be submitted in writing to the Contract Lead, which shall include the reason(s) for the request and contain supporting documentation for the need. Price increases will be negotiated and agreed to by both UNC Asheville and Vendor in advance of any price increase going into effect. UNC Asheville is not obligated to accept pricing adjustments or increases and reserves the right to accept or reject them in part or in whole. Price de-escalation or decreases may be requested by UNC Asheville at any time.

It is understood and agreed that orders will be shipped at the established Contract prices in effect on the date an order is placed. Invoicing that deviates from this provision may result in Contract to cancellation.

6.7 USE OF THIS CONTRACT BY THE UNC SYSTEM

By entering into an agreement with UNC Asheville as a result of this Invitation for Bid, Vendor agrees to honor the prices, terms, and conditions of this agreement with any other University of North Carolina institution, including any of the 17 University of North Carolina constituent institutions and University of North Carolina General Administration, at that University of North Carolina institution’s option, in a separate, written agreement between Vendor and the other University of North Carolina institution. Should another University of North Carolina institution choose to enter into a separate agreement with Vendor with terms similar or identical to an agreement resulting from this Invitation for Bids/Request for Proposals, UNC Asheville shall not be responsible for payments or other obligations contained in that separate agreement.

6.8 CONTRACT CHANGES

Contract changes, if any, over the life of the Contract shall be implemented by contract amendments agreed to in writing by UNC Asheville and Vendor. Amendments to the contract can only be made through the contract administrator.

The remainder of this page is intentionally left blank

Ver: 11/2023 16

7.0 ATTACHMENTS

**IMPORTANT NOTICE**

RETURN THE REQUIRED ATTACHMENTS WITH YOUR RESPONSE

FOLLOW THE LINKS TO ACCESS EACH ATTACHMENT

ATTACHMENT A: PRICING

FURNISH AND DELIVER:

Item Description Quantity Unit Cost Total Extended Cost

1.

Diploma Insert

900 per year

$ __________Ea.

2.

Diploma Cover

900 per year

3.

Replacement Diploma

75 per year

Total Base Bid Price

Delivery will be made from __________________________________________ (city, state) within _____ consecutive calendar days after receipt of purchase order. Promptness of delivery may be used as a factor in the award criteria.

RECYCLED CONTENT:

If the products offered herein contain any recycled content, indicate the material and content percentage:

Material: __________________________________________________ Percentage %:_________________

*Please review section 4. Any additional charges must be indicated on this page.

Ver: 11/2023 17

ATTACHMENT B: INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS

The Instructions to Vendors, which are incorporated herein by this reference, may be found here:

https://ncadmin.nc.gov/formnorth-carolina-instructions-vendors032023/download?attachment

ATTACHMENT C: NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS & CONDITIONS

The North Carolina General Terms and Conditions, which are incorporated herein by this reference, may be found here:

https://www.doa.nc.gov/form-north-carolina-general-terms-and-conditions-11-2023/open

ATTACHMENT D: HUB SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION

Complete and return the Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUB) Vendor Information form, which can be found at the following link:

https://files.nc.gov/ncdoa/pandc/OnlineForms/Form_HUB-Supplemental-Vendor-Information_9.2021.pdf

ATTACHMENT E: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM

Complete and return the Customer Reference Form, which can be found at the following link:

https://files.nc.gov/ncdoa/pandc/OnlineForms/Form_Customer_Reference_Template_09.2021.pdf

ATTACHMENT F: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR

Complete and return the Location of Workers Utilized by Vendor, which can be found at the following link:

https://files.nc.gov/ncdoa/pandc/OnlineForms/Form_Location-of-Workers_09.2021.pdf

ATTACHMENT G: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

Complete, sign, and return the Certification of Financial Condition, which can be found at the following link:

https://files.nc.gov/ncdoa/pandc/OnlineForms/Form_Certification-of-Financial-Condition_09.2021.pdf

*** Failure to Return the Required Attachments May Eliminate Your Response from Further Consideration *** https://ncadmin.nc.gov/formnorth-carolina-instructions-vendors032023/download?attachment https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.doa.nc.gov/form-north-carolina-general-terms-and-conditions-11-2023/open__;!!OrxsNty6D4my!-C7mmXGditS_q2Dq3xD-Jyx5847LGHkCfu2N1vFsNjRbeKVng4vBk871pre2BvvhY0u8e64f70a7pkiALIu6JOKVLdt0p43_IGvjQA$ https://files.nc.gov/ncdoa/pandc/OnlineForms/Form_HUB-Supplemental-Vendor-Information_9.2021.pdf https://files.nc.gov/ncdoa/pandc/OnlineForms/Form_Customer_Reference_Template_09.2021.pdf https://files.nc.gov/ncdoa/pandc/OnlineForms/Form_Location-of-Workers_09.2021.pdf https://files.nc.gov/ncdoa/pandc/OnlineForms/Form_Certification-of-Financial-Condition_09.2021.pdf

Ver: 11/2023 18

APPENDIX A: FRONT COVER

Ver: 11/2023 19

APPENDIX B: INSIDE COVER