2019-1 Page 1 of 12 Revised 04/02/2020

SOLICITATION SPECIFICATIONS

QLVM- PASS/FAIL ASSESMENT MASTER APRICE AGREEMENT

HEADER: OEV260065

TITLE: MPA 125 “ROCK SALT” FOR ROAD USE

SECTION A. BACKGROUND

The State of Rhode Island’s Department of Administration (DOA), Division of Purchases (the “Division” or the “State”) on behalf of Executive and Judicial Branches of Rhode Island, Cities and Towns and other State entities is conducting a pre-qualification solicitation for qualified vendors to supply ROCK SALT ROAD use. This solicitation will be conducted in two (2) phases.

Over the past year participation from cities, towns, higher education and eligible entities has progressively increased. Monitoring and confirming the needs of eligible entities annually has and will continue to be done through the completion and submission of an estimated seasonal tonnage.

Statewide usage from RIDOT estimates this season’s annual total use will be 50,000 tons.

Any Contract resulting from this Bid will be open for use by the following types of entities:

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

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

3. Independent public authorities, commissions and quasi-public agencies;

4. Local public libraries, public school districts and charter schools;

5. Public hospitals owned by the State;

6. Public institutions of higher education;

7. Other states and territories with no prior approval by the State Purchasing Agent; and

8. Other entities when designated in writing by the State Purchasing Agent.

Each eligible entity is responsible for executing its own purchase orders and paying its own invoices for goods and/or services acquired from this Contract. Each contractor will be responsible for marketing their goods and/or services to State Agencies and other eligible entities.

Phase 1 – Initial Product Submission: All vendors are required to submit product information for each Item Number description contained within specifications. NO PRICING is to be included. This is a pre-qualifying event only. All proposed products will be evaluated to establish a qualified list of vendors/products to participate in a “live” online price bidding event. All vendors whose product(s) are

2019-1 Page 2 of 12 Revised deemed qualified will be notified by the Division of Purchasing. Only those vendors and product(s) submitted for evaluation and deemed qualified will be allowed to participate in pricing event (Phase 2).

Phase 2 – Reverse Auction Pricing Event: The State in conjunction with Electronic Auction Services (EASI) will conduct a Reverse Auction to determine final pricing of submitted products. This will be an Online Reverse Auction. All procedural information is contained and included as part of this solicitation.

SECTION B: SCOPE OF WORK AND REQUIREMENTS

Company experience Bidders qualified to receive awards within Categories identified shall have been in the business of distributing Sodium Chloride for a minimum of at least three (3) years preceding the opening date, including service to a large commercial or governmental entity or entities equal in size and scope of this QLVM.

State Quantities –Operational Requirements by District The State of Rhode Island estimates this season’s annual total use will be 50,000 tons. This quantity estimate is for RIDOT use only; all other municipalities’ salt requirements are beyond this estimated quantity. The State of Rhode Island reserves the right to require up to 150% of the annual estimated use at no increase coat.

The State reserves the right to order quantities of rock salt which best serves its needs.

For the purpose of this bid the State has been divided into seven districts. Each district contains some locations for the State of Rhode Island Department of Transportation Division of Highway & Bridge Maintenance (RIDOT) and some Rhode Island municipalities. There is a total of twenty-one (21) RIDOT maintenance locations, thirty-eight (38) municipalities, and two (2) other State locations: (a) Quonset Development Corporation (QDC) and (b) University of Rhode Island (URI). The RIDOT locations have approximate quantities available for their minimum purchased quantities, by location.

Delivered Prices: Prices quoted will be expressed at the per ton price for each Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) 21 Highway Operation Sites. Prices shall be based on freight or transportation rates in effect on the date of submission of bids. All delivered material will be F.O.B. destination to RIDOT’s 21 operations sites or municipal locations. It is the intent of the RIDOT to have all requested salt delivered by the vendor.

Pick-Up Prices: Prices quoted will be expressed at the net per ton price. Salt loaded by the vendor into trucks supplier by the State for the transport of salt. No additional charges will be allowed. It is the intent of RIDOT to utilize pick-up prices in extreme emergencies.

Delivery Terms & Vendor Availability Routine Delivery is defined herein as receipt of requested quantities within a maximum of seven

(7) calendar days (168 hours) after request by an authorized State representative and shall commence within 24 hours. Routine delivery times are between 7:00AM to 4:00PM, including weekends.

Emergency/After Hours Delivery is defined as receipt of requested quantities WITHIN SIX (6) HOURS AFTER REQUEST by an authorized State representative. Emergency/After Hours

2019-1 Page 3 of 12 Revised delivery times are 4:01PM to 6:59AM, including weekends and holidays, with no increase in price.

A minimum of 3,000 tons, in total, per day is requested to be delivered to locations at the request of an authorized State representative for the locations listed below.

Vendor(s) shall have two (2) operational and certified scales at time of award.

Vendor(s) shall ensure trucking companies operate in compliance with all applicable Federal and State requirement, including but not limited to, the acquisition of overload permits as necessary.

Awarded vendor(s) shall designate a representative responsible for accepting and scheduling requests for routine deliveries and emergency/after-hours delivery. This contact shall reliably be available 24 hours a day, 7 days per week.

There is a price line for the rate per ton for each location. The price provided by your company will be for all locations listed. Locations and quantities of deliveries as per indicated.

Delivery Documentation and Invoice Terms A certified weight slip shall be presented at each RIDOT facility for every delivery made. On the first of every month, subsequent to when a delivery is made, a duplicate copy of each delivery receipt is to be forwarded to:

RIDOT Financial Management 2 Capitol Hill Providence, RI 02903

One invoice per month will be submitted in duplicate directly to the Financial Management Office;

invoice will indicate the total tonnage delivered to each RIDOT location and shall be fully reconciled to the sum total of the month’s delivery receipts. For each RIDOT location an itemized load data sheet will accompany each invoice to reconcile deliveries.

Note: The vendor(s) is/are responsible for meeting all product specifications and delivery terms. Where the vendor fails to supply the product the State reserves the right to cancel the order and contract with a different vendor and to invoice the original vendor for any price differential in price over the original contract price.

Specification for Rock Salt for removal of Ice and Snow

Chemical Composition The sodium chloride shall conform to the following requirements as to chemical composition:

Total chlorides expressed as NaC1 minimum %.... 95.0

Physical Requirements

A. The gradation when tested by means of laboratory sieves conform to the following requirements for particle size without any variation:

Sieve Size % Passing by Weight 5/8” 100.0% 7/16” 95.0% - 100.0% No. 4 60.0%

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No. 8 35.0% No. 30 10.0%

B. The moisture content of the sodium chloride delivered shall not exceed 3.0%

C. In order to prevent caking while in storage following delivery, all bulk salt shall be uniformly treated with an anti-caking conditioner (e.g. Anticake, Storite, or equal) prior to delivery. The conditioner shall be introduced uniformly throughout the sodium chloride at a rate equivalent to two pounds conditioner per one ton of sodium chloride.

The use of a colored conditioned is desired.

Condition The sodium chloride shall arrive at the purchaser’s delivery point in a free flowing and useable condition.

Sampling

A. Each sample submitted for treating shall consist of a minimum of three increments selected at random from the material. Each increment shall be at least one pound in weight and not include the top inch of stored material. Every attempt shall be made to insure a composition sample representative of the pile. Samples for chemical composition, gradation, water content and anti-caking shall be taken at the supplier’s stockpile. Samples for moisture content, gradation and anti-caking may also be obtained at the time of delivery to the purchaser’s delivery destination.

B. The purchaser or their representative shall provide free entry and access at the supplier’s storage areas for sampling. It is anticipated that determination for initial compliance will be made from samples obtained from the supplier’s storage areas. Shipments to the purchaser’s points of delivery may be randomly sampled for moisture content and gradation control. If in doubt, complete analysis may be made on these samples.

Testing

A. Chemical composition testing shall follow AASHTO M-143 Appendix A1 – Rapid Method of Test for Sodium Chloride, except for controversy, in which case testing shall conform to the 11th edition of the Official Methods of Analysis of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists or comparable absorption analysis.

B. Particle site analysis shall consist of using sieves with square openings mounted on substantial frames or interlocked manner as to insure loss of material during sieving.

Woven wire cloth shall conform to AASHTO M-92. Gradation analysis shall be made on oven dried material and the sample shall weigh, after drying, or at least 500.0 grams. In no case shall the fraction retained on any sieve, at the completion of the sieving operation, weight more than four grams per square inch of sieving surface (this is 200 grams for 8-inch diameter round sieves). If sieving is completed by hand – shaking lateral and vertical motion with occasional jarring action to keep the material moving continuously over surfaces of the sieves for a time not less than three minutes. When mechanical shaking is provided the time limit shall be a maximum of five minutes. The balance of the scale shall be sensitive to within 0.2% of the weight of the sample to be tested.

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C. Moisture content shall be determined by a method of weighing before and after oven.

Oven shall be at 110 degrees +/- 5 degrees C (230 degrees +/- 9 degrees F) for a minimum of four hours.

D. Each successful bidder shall indication the chemical nature of the anti-caking material and shall furnish a laboratory procedure for the method for determining the uniform presence of their respective anti-caking conditioner.

Penalty and Price Adjustment

A. For each percent by which moisture content exceeds maximums specified, the contractor will be penalized by reducing the price of the sodium chloride by two percent (2.0%).

B. For each percent by which gradation exceed the maximum allowed, the contractor will be penalized by reducing the price of the sodium chloride by one percent (1.0%).

C. Penalties, if any, will be assessed against the accumulated and mixed samples of each of the daily deliveries to each location. Said sample shall representative of the gradation and moisture content of all sodium chloride delivered that day.

Winter Sand/Salt Delivery Locations

Facility Address Est. Tonnage

RIDOT Northwest District Clayville Route 14/102, Foster 02815 1100 Glocester 648 Putnam Pike, Glocester 02814 4000 Scituate 34 Spring Brook Rd., Scituate 02857 3400

RIDOT Providence District Lincoln 680 George Washington Hwy, Lincoln 02865 11800 Smithfield 395 George Washington Hwy, Smithfield 02917 2500 RI-6 at I-295 Interchange, Johnston 02919 9300

RIDOT Kent District Jefferson Blvd. Jefferson Blvd. at Route 37, Warwick 02888 7500 Midstate 2400 New London Turnpike, E. Greenwich 02818 8600 Summit Route 117 at Route 102, Coventry 02827 3600

RIDOT Washington N. District Bellville 439 Tower Hill Rd. North Kingstown, 02852 6700 Dillion’s Corner Route 108, Narragansett 02882 2600

RIDOT Washington S. District Charlestown Post Rd. at Town Dock Rd., Charlestown 02813 2100 Hope Valley 51 Bank Street, Hopkinton 02832 5700 Westerly 89 Westerly Bradford Rd., Westerly 02891 2200

RIDOT Bristol District East Providence 32 Sachem Rd., East Providence 02915 1400

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Warren Avenue 691 Warren Avenue at RT 114, E. Providence 02914 7200 Pawtucket Roosevelt Ave. at I-95 SB Exit 30, Pawtucket 02860 2400

RIDOT Newport District Little Compton Willow Avenue, Little Compton 02837 800 Newport RT 138 Ramp, Newport 02840 3600 Portsmouth 170 Anthony Rd. Portsmouth 02871 4400 Warren Yard 47 Ridgeway Drive, Warren 02885 600

RIDOT Strategic Salt Reserve Providence 288 Allens Ave, Providence 02905 10,000

QDC

North Kingstown 95 Cripe Street, North Kingstown 02852 400

URI

Kingston 22 Tootell Road, Kingston 02881 1,000

NOTICE TO VENDORS:

It is NOT MANDATORY to bid on all districts. However, if bidding a district vendor must be able to deliver to all locations identified within that district.

Contract Term: One (1) year guarantee, with four twelve (12) month renewal options.

Price Adjustment for Renewals Price Adjustments for extensions or renewals shall be negotiated and mutually agreed upon by the State of Rhode Island and vendor(s). State’s review may include appropriate indices as determined by market conditions reflecting supply and demand, and other economic factors deemed. Each vendor’s review will be independent.

Price Reductions Contractors shall be permitted to reduce their pricing any time during the contract term.

Number of awards It is intended to make one (1) or multiple awards. Bidders may be awarded multiple districts.

The State reserves the right to reject any or all bids wholly or in part, to waive technicalities, make multiple awards, award by district or all (districts) to one vendor, award one first place contract &award one second place contract or make award in a manner deemed in the best interest of the State.

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SECTION C: PROPOSAL

1. Proposal – QLVM Bidder Requirement(s) Assessment Criteria

Narrative and format: Vendor responses must address specifically each of the following elements:

A. Bidder Qualifications – Company experience Bidders qualified to receive awards within Categories identified shall have been in the business of distributing Sodium Chloride for a minimum of at least three (3) years preceding the QLVM opening date, including service to a large commercial or governmental entity or entities equal in size and scope of this QLVM.

B. Bidder Stockpile Locations and Capacity

Bidders submit stockpile locations with contact information and tonnage capacity which will be supplying the areas bid on. Please list each stockpile location and identify which area it will be supplying.

Stockpile and Capacity:

Bidders shall identify their stockpile by:

a. Geographic location

b. Receiving, holding and storage capacity by tons

c. Site Limitations

d. Site person’s contact information

C. Sodium Chloride Conditioner Certification Bidders submit a Certification and the name of the manufacturer.

D. Bidder Qualification Statement

Submit evidence that he/she has the necessary equipment, storage facilities, experience, ability and capital to furnish the required materials in the manner prescribed and to perform the required work satisfactorily.

E. Salt Facility Property Lease/Mortgage Agreement Each Bidder supply a copy of their salt facility property lease/ mortgage agreement identifying location, capacity, limitations and/or restrictions as further referenced herein.

Any Bid, which does not contain one of these two requirements, may not be given consideration.

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EASI Bidder Agreement Terms & Conditions

Spreadsheet with acknowledgement of District bidding

SECTION D: EVALUATION AND SELECTION - SOLICITATION SPECIFIC

Proposals shall be reviewed by the Division of Purchases on a “Pass/Fail” basis. All proposals receiving a “Pass” determination for a vendor’s potential inclusion on the resulting qualified vendor list. Any criteria with a “Fail” determination may not be reviewed further and the vendor may be dropped from consideration.

Proposals shall be reviewed and scored based upon the following criteria:

Criteria

Pass/Fail

Bidder Qualifications – Company experience Pass/Fail

Bidder Stockpile Locations and Capacity Pass/Fail

Sodium Chloride Conditioner Certification

Bidder Qualification Statement

Salt Facility Property Lease/Mortgage Agreement Pass/Fail

EASI Bidder Agreement Terms & Conditions Pass/Fail

Spreadsheet with acknowledgement of District bidding

Overall Pass/Fail Pass/Fail

NOTE: See the “Requirements” tab of this solicitation for additional information on the evaluation and selection process in the “QLV -Qualified List of Vendors” section.

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REVERSE AUCTION EVENT PROCESS

The State of Rhode Island Division of Purchasing will accept bids for “ROCK SALT” FOR ROAD USE using an Online Reverse Auction Process managed and hosted by Electronic Auction Services, Inc. (EASI).

Reverse Auctions allow government and other commercial businesses to obtain pricing information from bidders on a web-based online platform where multiple bidders can submit descending pricing, multiple times within a proscribed period.

The Online Reverse Auction Process will be conducted in accordance with the QUALIIFED

LIST VENDOR (MASTER PRICE AGREEMENT) (QLVM) QUALIFICATIONS TO BIDDER

INSTRUCTIONS, GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF PURCHASING FOR THE

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND and the QLVM specifications. This Online Reverse Auction Event will be the process used to determine final pricing. By submitting a bid through the Online Reverse Auction Process, the bidder agrees to abide by the SOLICITATION BIDDER

INSTRUCTIONS, GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF PURCHASING FOR THE

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND and the QLVM specifications. Bidders interested in bidding on this contract are required to upload all bid documents as instructed prior to the bid closing date and time.

During the Bid process, the only change is that the bidder does not submit pricing along with their response. The pricing for fixed line items will be submitted at a later date by the bidder on the Reverse Auction Platform.

The State of Rhode Island Department of Administration/Division of Purchases will review the documents you submit and will notify EASiBuy, LLC (EASi) as to which bidders will be permitted to participate in the Reverse Auction and will provide us with bidders contact names and information. EASi will reach out to each bidder to schedule an in-depth 20-30-minute training session with the bidder representative who will be submitting pricing on the day of the Reverse Auction. This training session will typically take place 1 or 2 days in advance of the Reverse Auction date and allows bidders to familiarize themselves with the platform and to ask questions.

The afternoon/evening prior to the Reverse Auction event date EASi will send an email to each bidder notifying them that they can now submit their placeholder bids. These are your initial bids and are required to be submitted prior to the start of the bidding event in order to properly reflect your initial bid rankings.

The bidder interface will be configured such that one bidder will not know the identity, or pricing, of competing bidders until the event is complete.

During the auction the bidder may submit multiple prices depending on the line item. The final price entered will be your final offer. The event will begin with a pre-determined amount of time, with extension periods built in to allow bidders to continue entering prices until they are at a desired ranking/price point.

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Upon completion of the auction all bidder pricing is transmitted to the State of Rhode Island Department of Administration/Division of Purchases. They will utilize their existing award process to complete the procurement.

Number of awards It is intended to make one (1) or multiple awards.

The State reserves the right to reject any or all bids wholly or in part, to waive technicalities, make multiple awards, award by district or all (districts) to one vendor, award one first place contract &award one second place contract or make award in a manner deemed in the best interest of the State.

Second Place Awards:

The State requests a second-place bid holder contract. To support all efforts for adequate distribution throughout the life of the contract (for both State Facilities, Quasi-Agencies and Municipalities) the State is requesting a second-place bid holder contract award. This will enable the second-place overall vendor to obtain on-call emergency usage and non-emergency as needed supply. In the event the primary award holder does not fully the obligation of performance to the contact the State will utilize the second-place contract holder as the primary supplier. In the event the primary awarded contract holder cannot maintain supply demand requirements the State will utilize the second-place contract holder as an equal to the primary contract holder for supply purchases including but not limited to non-emergency, emergency or any other request in the best interest of the State.

The State may conduct a “best & final offer” among the not too low bidders and factor pricing ranking to determine a second-place overall score ranking. The second-place vendor will be in receipt of a full contract pursuant to all terms and conditions set-forth within this solicitation.

Contract renewals will be offered at the sole discretion of State. At a minimum, offers to renew will be contingent upon satisfactory contractor performance, compliance with reporting requirements, and adequate sales volume.

Adding Contractors after initial Contract Award If, over the life of the contract, the State determines that additional Contractors may be added, these may be drawn from qualified companies which responded to this Solicitation that were or were not awarded Contracts. If necessary to meet the requirements of the State, the Solicitation may be reopened to obtain additional Bids.

**The State reserves the right at close of the live auction event and official time clock indicates 00:00:00 time, at the States sole option, may conduct a ‘Best & Final” offer among all bidders.

**The State retains the right to establish a set “ceiling/reserve” price prior to live auction event and cancel solicitation if offers exceed set pricing.

**If ceiling/reserve price is not achieved at conclusion of final event (inclusive of “best & final if invoked) the State Reserves the right to negotiate with apparent low bidder prior to cancelation determination.

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**The State reserves the right to remove ceiling/reserve price at any time during or at conclusion of either initial live pricing event or prior to or at close of “best * final”.

**The State retains the right to negotiate terms and alternative pricing methodology with the awarded vendor(s) for the extension periods.

Prices are not to be stated or otherwise included at this time. Prices will be submitted during the reverse auction.

Responses will be reviewed prior to the reverse auction event. If the State knows or has reason to conclude that a technical omission has been made, The State Purchasing Agent reserves the right to reject any and all bids or proposals in whole or in part, to waive technical defects, irregularities, and omissions, to give consideration to a Vendor’s past performance where, in the State Purchasing Agent’s judgment, the best interest of the State will be served, to require additional competitive negotiations and/or to issue a request for best and final offers.

The State reserves the right to exclude bidders who are deemed not responsive or not responsible.

EASI shall work with the bidders to prepare for the auction event. Preparation may include but is not limited to configuration of the auction computer system; testing of the bidder interface;

delivery of the event procedure manuals and other supporting documentation; and training.

Only those bidders on the qualified bidders list will be allowed to participate in the auction event. EASI will provide the necessary operational and administrative support to ensure that the integrity of the auction event is not compromised.

EASI will keep an event record, which will include the prices offered by the bidders. The event record will become part of the contract documents and a public record at the conclusion of the event.

The bidder interface will be configured such that a bidder will not know the identity of competing bidders until the event is complete.

EASI will begin the event through electronic notification to all qualified bidders. Bidders may submit multiple prices during the event. The lowest price offered will become the price portion of the bid response.

Bids must be submitted by, or under the direction of, an authorized representative of the bidder as designated in the qualification’s summary.

The auction event will have a scheduled stop time. The event may be extended if bids are received within a predetermined amount of time prior to the scheduled stop time.

The event will conclude at either the scheduled stop time or the time at which all extensions are completed, whichever is later.

After the conclusion of the auction event, the State will consider the qualifications summary and the price offered during the auction event to determine the lowest responsive and responsible

2019-1 Page 12 of 12 Revised bidder. The Purchasing Agent reserves the right to reject, in part or in whole, all bids submitted in the reverse auction.

The award of the contract will be to the bidder(s) deemed to offer the materials, supplies or products at the lowest bid price, lowest ultimate cost, or best overall value to the State based on the responsive quotation(s) meeting the specifications set forth in the RFQ/RFP, and the final price(s) offered during the reverse auction event.

The bidder(s) with whom the State enters a contract will be required to pay a transaction fee to EASI pursuant to the Terms & Conditions signed and returned to the Purchasing Agent prior to the bid response due date. The fee will be one percent (1%) of the contract amount. The transaction fee is payable to EASI as follows:

State of Rhode Island agencies, including but not limited to Post-Secondary Education, Colleges and Universities, Quasi agencies, Municipalities (Cities, Towns, etc.) are permitted to make purchases using the prices, terms and conditions of any contracts resulting from this award.

End.