OCMP 24-20914 Mins SAB Crematory Services 1-8-2023.pdf

Pre-Bid Conference (via Conference Call)

Monday January 08, 2024-11:00 am

Issue Date: December 18, 2023, MDH-SAB-State Anatomy Board

Crematory Services

OCMP 24-20914/eMMA #BPM041414

Pre-Bid Conference call started at 11:05 a.m. on January 08, 2024.

Attendees:

Tearsa Buckner MDH-OCMP

Chevelle McGinnis MDH-OCMP

Mary Angel MDH-SAB

James Schwartz Metro Crematory

MDH – OCMP POINTS TO EMPHASIZE:

1. Good morning, My name is Tearson Buckner from the Office of Contract Management and

Procurement, OCMP for short. I am here to help you understand the contract process for this procurement. In case there is a need for any clarifications after this meeting, I can be reached at.

My e-mail address is Tearsa.Buckner@maryland.gov. This meeting is to review the solicitation for provision of MDH-State Anatomy Board Crematory Services.

Mary Angel is the Procurement Coordinator for the State Anatomy Board, please leave your email address and phone number where you can be reached. It’s very important that everyone leave there contact information if there is a need to contact you as a result of this meeting, we will be able to do so more easily.

As you know, the contract resulting from this solicitation will be for (5) year duration. The anticipated start date is July 01, 2024. Be assured that everything reviewed today is in the specifications; so, if you miss any portion of the meeting, it should not affect your ability to respond to the IFB.

Carefully review Section 1.1-Bidder Minimum Qualifications. As noted, MDH/Office of Contract Management and Procurement has issued this IFB for the provision for MDH State

Anatomy Board -Crematory Services.

The IFB and all subsequent documentation regarding this solicitation has been posted on eMarylandMarketplace (www.emma.maryland.gov) and MDH

(www.procurement.maryland.gov) Procurement website. Please remember that in order to receive a contract award, a vendor must be “registered” on eMMa. Registration is free. Review

Subsection 4.2 for details.

The Procurement Method used for this solicitation is Competitive Sealed Bidding.

An MBE subcontracting goal was NOT established for the contract resulting from this solicitation. However, Minority Business Enterprises are encouraged to respond to this solicitation.

mailto:Tearsa.Buckner@maryland.gov http://www.emma.maryland.go/ http://www.procurement.maryland.gov/

Carefully review Subsection 4.3-Questions, regarding how to submit questions subsequent to this Pre-Bid Conference. Questions to the Procurement Officer, Calvin Johnson, with a copy to the Procurement Coordinator, Tearson Buckner, and Mary Angel, shall be submitted via http://mdh.solicitationquestions@maryland.gov . Questions should be submitted no later than 5 days prior to the bid due date. The Procurement Officer, based on availability of time to research and communicate an answer, shall decide whether an answer can be given before the bid due date. So try to get any questions to us ASAP.

The Background, Purpose, Scope of Work will be given by program staff.

Subsection 4.23, regarding Payments by Electronic Funds Transfer. Carefully review this clause. By submitting a response to this solicitation, the Bidder agrees to accept payments by electronic funds transfer (EFT) unless the State Comptroller’s Office grants an exemption.

Payment by EFT is mandatory for contracts exceeding $200,000. This section goes into detail on how to register or request an exemption.

The Bidder Minimum Qualifications is listed in Section 1, subsection 1.1. As noted, the bidder must provide proof with its bid that all minimum qualifications have been met.

The Scope of Work- Requirements are listed in Section 2, subsection 2.1, This is the “meat” of the solicitation that will give you a clear understanding of what the Department expects of the successful bidder in the provision of the services. Included in Section 3 is subsection 3.6

Insurance Requirements. Please pay special attention to subsection 3.6.1 regarding contractor’s coverage for worker’s compensation.

The Bid Format is listed in Section 4, Pay special attention to the Required Bid Submission, subsection 4.4. Failure to include all required items may void your bid submission.

A. Also included in Section 5, is subsection 5.6-Documents Required upon Notice of

Recommendation for Contract Award. As noted, this is a list of documents that are only required from the winning bidder. Please keep this in mind when submitting your bid documents.

B. One of the affidavits you are required to complete, sign, and submit if you are the winning bidder is the BID Affidavit (Attachment C).

C. Please correctly review the Bid Instructions & Forms (Attachment B) Please see separate Excel Bid Instructions.

D. WE REQUIRED THAT ALL REQUESTED ATTACHMENTS/DOCUMENTS BE

SUBMITTED TO US THROUGH eMMa emaryland with original signatures. We do NOT require that the solicitation documents be returned. A list of the Attachments can be found starting on page 34. Some Attachments are not applicable to this particular procurement.

E. The most important matter is to get your bid into eMMa by the date and time listed. Your single bid documents are due no later than January 22, 2024, no later than 2:00 p.m. No bids will be accepted after 2:00 p.m.

Bid posting to eMMa is scheduled for January 22, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. as listed on the Key

Information Summary Sheet.

At the time of the bid opening, the apparent successful vendor will be determined. However, a final determination will be made after bid submission requests, bid calculations, etc. are made and verified.

http://dhmh.solicitationquestions@maryland.gov/

Please remember that after the Pre-Bid Conference prospective bidders may have questions answered that may help them understand the IFB, etc. Just keep in mind that the answers to your questions, if they are significant in nature, will be posted on the eMMa websites. Therefore, please allow sufficient time for this to occur.

If you have any comments/questions about the procurement process, please contact me at my e-mail address is Tearsa.Buckner@maryland.gov

Contact the Procurement Coordinator, Mary Angel for programmatic questions.

MDH-STATE ANATOMY BOARD- POINTS TO EMPHASIZE:

Presented by Mary Angel-MDH-State Anatomy Board Procurement Coordinator.

Suggests that you give the Section 3.6 Insurance Requirements to your insurance representative for a quote BEFORE bid submissions date to assure that you have all the expenses to incorporate in your bid pricing. If you are one of the awardees, you will have to provide proof of insurance within five (5) days after notification. Having the quote already in place will assure you can provide the POI.

This bid is looking to award up to four (4) awardees. Please see Section 4 for the award parameters.

Use Section 5 for your guidance to assure that you submit ALL required paperwork for an acceptable responsive bid submission. Suggested numbering each item to help with organization. Also remember to submit the required items for Section 1-Minimum

Requirements.

Bid award notification may take up to five (5) days for evaluation process to be announced.

QUESTIONS

Which section has the award process descripted? Section 4

Which section has the bid submission items required? Section 5

Conference call ended at 11:20 p.m.

mailto:Tearsa.Buckner@maryland.gov