PID_ADM_02_Online_Apparel_Storefront_Vendor_Questions_FY25.docx
DOCX document 115 KB Posted
- Attached to
- Online Apparel Storefront
- Solicitation number
- 487-487-CM-004006
- Issued by
- Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
About this file
This document is an Addendum to a Request for Proposals (RFP) issued by the Mecklenburg County Procurement Division in North Carolina for an Online Apparel Storefront Vendor. The county is seeking a vendor to provide an online storefront where county departments and employees can directly purchase apparel for both personal and professional use. The addendum includes a list of modifications to the original solicitation and responses to vendor questions. Key details include that the county is looking for a hosted/SaaS solution with the ability to accept both county-funded and employee-funded purchases, and that the county is unable to provide information on anticipated sales volumes or spending, as this is a new program. The county has provided a list of six basic apparel items they would like to have available, with the ability to add more items as mutually agreed upon. Vendors will be required to provide ongoing maintenance and technical support for the solution.
In terms of pricing, the county will allow shipping charges but is not expecting vendors to maintain an inventory of items. Vendors are encouraged to propose multiple pricing options, such as for "order on demand" versus "large quantity" purchases. The county is also requiring SOC-2 Type 2 compliance or an equivalent third-party assessment for security purposes. Overall, this appears to be a new initiative by the county to provide an online apparel storefront for its employees, with the selected vendor responsible for hosting and managing the solution.
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Other files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| PID_RED_OnlineApparelStorefront.docx | DOCX document | |
| PID_ADM_eStore_Vendor_Addendum_1_Modification_To_Schedule_of_Events_FY25.pdf |
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Mecklenburg County Procurement Division Online Apparel Storefront Solicitation #487-CM-PID004006 Addendum 2 Modification and Vendor Questions and Answers Date of Notice October 8, 2024
Modification Change to Solicitation:
| # |
| PAGE # |
| SECTION |
| LANGUAGE |
| MODIFICATION(S) |
| 1 |
| 8 |
| 6.3. Deliverables (service levels, reporting, milestones, etc.) |
· Products
· Personal use items:
· Personal use items:
· Zip up sweatshirts
· Hoodies, crewneck sweatshirts
· Fleece jackets
· Windbreakers
· Long-sleeve t-shirts
Will now read:
· Personal use items:
· Zip up sweatshirts
· Hoodies, crewneck sweatshirts
· Fleece jackets
· Windbreakers
· Long-sleeve t-shirts
· Hats baseball and winter
Vendor Questions and County Responses:
| # |
| Vendor questions |
| Responses |
| 1. |
| Will the employees be paying for these themselves? |
| No |
| 2. |
| DO you have inventory already? |
| No |
| 3. |
| Can we use DTG, direct to garment? |
| It depends on the item ordered. Some items may require or look better with embroidery. |
| 4. |
| Is there any data/info available with previous history - such as volume per apparel type? |
| No |
| 5. |
| what volume of inventory are we anticipating per year? 200 items? 20,000 items? more? |
| The County is unable to provide this information as this is the first project of this kind by the County. |
| 6. |
| Is this a prepaid inventory based store? |
| No |
| 7. |
| We need to be set up for purchase orders and credit cards? |
| Yes. It is County policy that items totaling LESS THAN $3000 can be purchased with a County credit card. Anything over $3000, a purchase order is required. |
| 8. |
| will this presentation be sent to our emails? |
| No, the presentation will be posted as an Addendum along with the vendor questions and responses. |
| 9. |
| Will shipping charges be allowed? |
| Yes |
| 10. |
| Would there be multiple entities from either side involved? |
| The County would like to work with one vendor. If the selected vendor needs to utilize subcontractors, that relationship should be managed by the vendor. |
| 11. |
| What is your anticipated annual spend for this program? |
| The County is unable to provide this information as this is the first project of this kind by the County. |
| 12. |
| Are you expecting the bulk of the sales / orders to be placed by and paid for by the employees or orders paid for by the county? |
| The County is unable to provide this information as this is the first project of this kind by the County. |
| 13. |
| How many days after the closing date will we know who will be awarded the contract? |
| Once a contract is fully executed with the awarded vendor. |
| 14. |
| Once an order is placed, what would lead time need to be until delivery? |
| The County understands that lead times vary based on availability of product, quantity ordered, etc. Delivery times should be communicated upfront, prior to the order being placed. |
| 15. |
| Are you expecting the purchases thru mobile app? |
| No |
| 16. |
| Is there a brand/product list of currently worn items? Brand requirements? |
No
| 17. |
| Do you have mockups for the site already or a design document that needs to be followed? |
| No |
| 18. | ||||
| Required merchant account or credit card processor? | Comment by McCandies, Tracy: @Cuthbertson, Dovona J. for this project PDI is looking for a vendor with a hyperlink to an independent site (hosted independently from Mecklenburg) with specifically procured apparel where departments and employees can select and purchase items independent from County network - can you review the items in go for a response? | Comment by Cuthbertson, Dovona J.: @McCandies, Tracy What does PDI stand for? I will send this to the Vendor Risk Management team. | Comment by McCandies, Tracy: Public Information Department. | Comment by Cuthbertson, Dovona J.: @McCandies, Tracy Thanks. Jeremy Pollard is the SPM for PDI. He's the best person to engage. I will forward to him and VRM. |
| Comment by Graham, Liz: PID :) | ||||
| Comment by Howard, Jeffrey: @Pollard, Jeremy M. @Taylor, Mike Regarding 18 - 28, IT VRM can't really weigh in on these as they are more in line with what specific needs the department has, which would drive the technical requirements. | Comment by Taylor, Mike: @Howard, Jeffrey @Pollard, Jeremy M. I took a stab at it. Feel free to update any phrasing as needed. | |||
| Yes |
| 19. |
| Do you need integration with any supplier? |
| No |
| 20. |
| What is the Website Bandwidth required for the website, & Cybersecurity requirements? |
| Unknown, site is not critical |
| 21. |
| In terms of cloud hosting, who should be hosting the solution? Does the county have AWS servers? Does it need to be on-premise? Or should the company offer the complete AWS infrastructure. |
| The County is looking for a hosted/SAAS solution |
| 22. |
| Is there any requirements in terms of technology? Some companies like to use Wordpress, or Shopify plugins, or a headless eCommerce? |
| We are looking for a full service solution with its own website. Not an integration. |
| 23. |
| What is the Website Bandwidth required for the website, & Cybersecurity requirements ? |
| Unknown, it is not critical. |
| 24. |
| Cloud Hosting: Who is expected to host the solution? Does the county currently utilize AWS servers, or does it need to be hosted on-premise? Alternatively, is the vendor responsible for providing the full AWS infrastructure? |
| The County is looking for a hosted/SAAS solution |
| 25. |
| Cybersecurity Support: Does the county already have a vendor providing cybersecurity support for its cloud infrastructure (AWS), or should this be included in the vendor's services? |
| This will not fall within our current website environments, but security is necessary. |
| 26. |
| Ongoing Maintenance and Technical Support: Will the vendor be required to provide ongoing maintenance and technical support post-launch? If so, what is the expected duration of this commitment? |
| Yes. The vendor should be managing updates for the hosted/SAAS solution |
| 27. |
| Technology Requirements: Are there any specific technology or platform requirements for the storefront? Should the solution be built using technologies such as WordPress, Shopify plugins, would a headless eCommerce architecture or there is no requirements as far as the technology goes? |
| No |
| 28. |
| Training and Customer Support: Should the vendor be responsible for providing continuous customer support, or will this be managed by the county’s internal team? |
| Vendor is responsible for technical support. County can assist with Level 1 issues that only need Q/A and do not require technical remediation/ |
| 29. |
| Does MECK CO require the website to be SOC-2 Compliant? If no, you should make this a requirement. |
| SOC2 Type 2 reporting is the preferred method for the County to assess the security posture of the vendor. However, if SOC 2 is unavailable, an equivalent third-party assessment report (e.g. vulnerability scans/penetration tests) may be considered to provide reassurance regarding the controls in the VENDOR’s environment. A written statement or report from the third-party assessor must be shared with the County for review along with the remediation or mitigation strategy for each finding. A nondisclosure agreement can be provided to ensure confidentiality. |
| 30. |
| How many employees does the county employ? |
| Approx. 6000 |
| 31. |
| Employees can order stuff themselves. Some of them will be paid by county and others are to be paid by themself individually. So how do we decide that and how does the payment processing works for individuals as well as the county? |
| See question 7. |
| 32. |
| What was the $ volume of purchases made by the county last year for these items? |
| The County is unable to provide this information as this is the first project of this kind by the County. |
| 33. |
| Do we need to have a fully functional site up and running with mock up inventory for the demonstration? |
Can you provide website examples?
No, a fully functional site is not required for demonstration though it would be ideal to view comparable sites the vendor has created and managed. The County would also like to see examples of apparel that demonstrate the quality of the embroidery, screen printing, laser engraving, etc.
Example website: https://unioncounty.mybrightsites.com/
| 34. | |
| Will logo and customization outlines be listed in the RFP? Will the county provide vector files for logos? Are all bidding suppliers given the opportunity to do a demonstration? | Comment by Graham, Liz: @Miller, Caroline Y. - not sure? |
The County’s Brand Guidelines can be found here: https://www.mecknc.gov/brand-guidelines
Vector files of the County seal (which is only used in Black, White, and Royal Blue) will be provided to the selected vendor.
Only vendors selected as short-list vendors will be given the opportunity, not all.
| 35. |
| For the RFP are you wanting a quote for every product (shirt hat etc)? |
| A total price will need to be provided for the entire project proposed by the respondent. |
| 36. |
| Is everyone notified of whose selected/awarded the contract? |
| No |
| 37. |
| How do schedule a demonstration? Short-listed vendors will be invited. |
| Vendors selected as Short-list vendors will receive be invited. |
| 38. |
| Are you looking to incorporate the apparel site onto the https://www.mecknc.gov/ site? |
Or are you looking to hyperlink to an independent site (hosted independently from Mecklenburg) with specifically procured apparel?
Hyperlink to an independent site (hosted independently from Mecklenburg) with specifically procured apparel where departments and employees can select and purchase items independent from County network Hyperlink – yes. (See example: https://www.unioncountync.gov/government/departments-f-p/human-resources/employee-resources >> UC Store)
Specifically procured apparel – yes and no. Some items may be pre-selected, but ideally the items are order on demand.
| 39. |
| Since this is a new program that Mecklenburg County is starting, how do we estimate cost, without knowing what the volume projected will be? Also what projected costs are they referring to? Because as I see it, the costs are built into the apparel’s purchase price. Are they referring to the store hosting costs? The customer service availability the RFP stated the county would want? M-F 8am-5pm? |
It is our understanding that the cost of developing the site will be absorbed by the selected vendor with the understanding that the potential sales volume will be quite large given the fact that the County employs 6,000 individuals.
Costs can be part of the discussion during demonstrations.
8am –5pm EST customer service availability seems reasonable, but this may vary based on the vendor’s location and staffing structure.
| 40. |
| Was page 10 of the RFP intentionally left blank or is there more to section 6 - Scope of Work? |
Page 10 was left blank
| 41. | |
| Can you estimate the annual spend expected to go through the online store front? | Comment by Caroline: @Graham, Liz Hi - Please go through the questions and answer. We had a lot more come through on the 1st. |
| See question 32. The County is unable to provide this information as this is the first project of this kind by the County. |
| 42. | |
| Can you explain the PO process for orders over $3k for this store? | Comment by Graham, Liz: Maybe we can get recommended wording from someone in Finance. |
| 43. |
| How will the products offered on the store be decided and approved? |
| The County would like to have 6 basic items available, plus any additional items the vendor and the county mutually decide on once the bid has been awarded. |
1. Womens long sleeve button down oxford style shirt
2. Mens long sleeve button down oxford style shirt
3. Womens wicking material s/s golf shirt
4. Mens wicking material s/s golf shirt
5. Hoodie sweatshirt, men's sizes
6. Fleece zip up vest, men's sizes
| 44. |
| What needs to done with that seal to be included in the Solicitation Bid? |
This question is unclear. If referencing the County’s seal – that is the County logo. It is intricate and vendors should be aware of its details as that may affect the process used to place the seal on an item. (For example, if the seal is being placed on an item that requires it to be small in size, embroidery may not work because the details will be lost.)
| 45. |
| 3.2 Total Cost of Project - Should pricing include shipping or can shipping be a separate cost? Shipping rates vary constantly. |
Shipping can be additional.
| 46. |
| 6.3 Promotional/Branded Items |
* Provide "Order on Demand" without the need for large quantity inventory - What would be considered as minimum for "on-demand" and how soon would the County expect it?
The County would like to have 6 basic items available, plus any additional items the vendor and the county mutually decide on once the bid has been awarded.
1. Womens long sleeve button down oxford style shirt
2. Mens long sleeve button down oxford style shirt
3. Womens wicking material s/s golf shirt
4. Mens wicking material s/s golf shirt
5. Hoodie sweatshirt, men's sizes
6. Fleeve zip up vest, men's sizes
Minimum quantities can be discussed once the bid has been awarded.
The County has no delivery expectations at this time.
| 47. |
| *Shipping - Will we have in stock items? We offer two options as we do not want to hold inventory: |
1. Unless the County is paying up front, we can add the inventory to the ecommerce store and once ordered, the employee would be charged.
2. Employees order, then we put in a bulk order and charge the employee.
Are either of the 2-options acceptable or does the County have other options they'd like to be considered?
Items do not need to be “stocked”. Ideally, they are order on demand.
| 48. |
| Can we get an estimated budget for this project, so we have a baseline for quoting? |
| The County is unaware of costs they will need to incur. If this is inaccurate, please include that information in the proposal. |
| 49. |
| On the Contract Preparation and Submission Checklist, can you confirm if only the checked boxes of Automobile Liability and Audited Financial Statement return with Contract need to be provided in the bid response? In the Contract Section 4 Insurance Requirements (and pages 6-7, 3.5 Insurance of the Request for Proposal) state we need Automobile Liability, Commercial General Liability, Worker’s Compensation, Professional Errors and Omissions, Sexual Abuse and Molestation, Network Security and Privacy Liability, and Crime Fidelity Bond-Employee Theft. |
| For this RFP you need the following insurance: Commercial General Liability, Automobile, Workers Comp, Network Security and Privacy, Crime and Fidelity Insurance. Please refer to the RFP for what is needed with your response. |
The following is NOT needed: Audited Financial Statement, Professional Errors, and Sexual Molestation BUT please write these in as an exception with your response.
| 50. |
| Setup Fee: |
Will MECK CO be purchasing inventory for the program?
No. Ideally the items are order on demand.
| 51. |
| Promotional/Branded Items: |
Order on demand provides optimal customer experience. In order to have limited inventory “on the shelf”, you need to minimize the number of products offered. When can MECK CO have product assortment, or do you expect supplier to provide this?
We will start with these basic items to have on the shelf. Ideally, the store will have additional apparel options to choose from. Options could vary based on season, sale price, etc.
1. Womens long sleeve button down oxford style shirt
2. Mens long sleeve button down oxford style shirt
3. Womens wicking material s/s golf shirt
4. Mens wicking material s/s golf shirt
5. Hoodie sweatshirt, men's sizes
6. Fleece zip up vest, men's sizes
| 52. |
| Promotional/Branded Items: |
For Large Quantity pricing (bulk purchases), would MECK CO like a different website or secure portion of employee website for ordering?
Ideally, all ordering will take place on the same site.
| 53. | |
| Products: | Comment by Graham, Liz: I will select 6 basic items for "order on demand" to allow for quantity discounts. This is tricky because everyone has different apparel tastes, and sizing can vary greatly. |
1. Womens long sleeve button down oxford style shirt
2. Mens long sleeve button down oxford style shirt
3. Womens wicking material s/s golf shirt
4. Mens wicking material s/s golf shirt
5. Hoodie sweatshirt, men's sizes
6. Fleeve zip up vest, men's sizes When will MECK CO and vendor select products to be offered on the online store?
See question 51
| 54. |
| Billing & Terms: |
Will vendor bill MECK CO for coupon codes used by employees monthly?
No, the code should be worked into the price offered on the site
| 55. |
| Billing & Terms: |
For inventory product owned by MECK CO, can vendor remit payment monthly back to MECK CO for product purchased on the online store?
Meck Co. would not like the vendor to keep an inventory of items.
| 56. |
| Shipping: |
With various shipping options, is it safe to say that customer will pay for shipping charges/costs?
Yes, shipping will be paid for the person/department placing the order.
| 57. | |
| BDI Solicitation: | Comment by Caroline: @Walton ll, John L |
I participated in the Pre-Proposal Conference but am still not sure how to fill out form. How can I get assistance/support?
You can reach out to the Procurement Analyst for this project, and they will route you to the BDI Team for assistance. Please keep in mind that samples of the BDI forms were provided during the Pre-Proposal Conference – these could be beneficial to you as well.
| 58. | |
| BDI Form B: | Comment by Caroline: @Walton ll, John L |
1. I participated in the Pre-Proposal Conference but am still not sure how to fill out form. How can I get assistance/support?
2. How do we assess Total Bid Amount? If we do not know amount of inventory product, this is difficult to estimate.
1. You can reach out to the Procurement Analyst for this project, and they will route you to the BDI Team for assistance. Please keep in mind that samples of the BDI forms were provided during the Pre-Proposal Conference – these could be beneficial to you as well.
2. Part of the response to the proposal should include some element of pricing for services rendered. Utilize that information for the Total Bid Amount or reach out to the Procurement Analyst for guidance.
| 59. | |
| BDI Form C: | Comment by Caroline: @Walton ll, John L |
1. I participated in the Pre-Proposal Conference but am still not sure how to fill out form. How can I get assistance/support?
2. Since we are purchasing blank product (e.g., polos, hats, etc.), I assume nobody can fill this out form.
1. You can reach out to the Procurement Analyst for this project, and they will route you to the BDI Team for assistance. Please keep in mind that samples of the BDI forms were provided during the Pre-Proposal Conference – these could be beneficial to you as well.
2. Without speculating, you should fill out the BDI Forms based on your firm’s current situation.
| 60. | |
| BDI Form D: | Comment by Caroline: @Walton ll, John L |
1. I participated in the Pre-Proposal Conference but am still not sure how to fill out form. How can I get assistance/support?
2. Since we are MWBE, do we just not fill out this form?
1. You can reach out to the Procurement Analyst for this project, and they will route you to the BDI Team for assistance. Please keep in mind that samples of the BDI forms were provided during the Pre-Proposal Conference – these could be beneficial to you as well.
2. The Bidder’s status as a certified firm, unfortunately, is inconsequential to the Achievement Goals of the project. We are encouraging all firms to be inclusive with their utilization of subcontractors and, if you are subcontracting, you must fill out Form D as thoroughly as possible. Again, Form D would apply to the Bidder’s engagement with other subcontracted firms -- not their own status as a certified firm.
| 61. |
| Billing and Terms: |
Is an allowance dollar amount per employee acceptable in lieu of a "coupon code"? Section 6.3 Billing and Terms This can be determined with vendor once selected.
| 62. |
| Promotional Branded Items: |
Can we create a separate process for order on demand pricing, and large quantity pricing?
Section 6.3 Promotional/Branded Items Sure, that would make sense as those are two very different types of orders.
| 63. |
| Shipping: |
Is shipping direct to employee? Flat rate shipping if ship directly to employee?
Section 6.3 Shipping See question 56. Shipping does not need to be a flat rate because shipping costs will vary greatly depending on the size of the order.
| 64. |
| Products: |
How many employees will have access to the webstore?
Potentially all employees. Ideally anyone will be able to place an order using a personal credit card, county credit card, or purchase order if over $3000.
| 65. |
| Products: |
How do you plan to determine the product list? How do we price the items without first determining the items?
The items will be mutually determined by the vendor and the County once the bid has been awarded.
| 66. |
| Catalog Website: |
Would you like for us to propose items based on comparable web stores and provide with a few vendor catalogs to see full range of product options?
Sure!
| 67. |
| What is the annual sales volume for company funded purchases |
| The County is unable to provide this information as this is the first project of this kind by the County. |
| 68. |
| What is the annual sales volume for employee funded purchases |
| The County is unable to provide this information as this is the first project of this kind by the County. |
| 69. |
| How many transactions /orders per year |
| The County is unable to provide this information as this is the first project of this kind by the County. |
| 70. |
| Average order size in dollars |
| The County is unable to provide this information as this is the first project of this kind by the County. |
| 71. |
| Where can we view existing program |
| The County is unable to provide this information as this is the first project of this kind by the County, though this is a good example of a comparable jurisdiction: https://unioncounty.mybrightsites.com/ |
| 72. |
| Please provide annual transaction/volume detail for each item requested pricing |
| The County is unable to provide this information as this is the first project of this kind by the County. |
| 73. |
| What is the expected start date for this program |
| We are slated for the first of the year. |
| 74. |
| Please provide the details on the items to be inventoried in your existing program |
| We do not have an existing program and are not asking for inventory to be kep on hand by the vendor. |
| 75. |
| Is the intent to have a fully stocked program, an "order on demand" or a mixture of both |
| Ideally, order on demand. |
| 76. |
| Please provide the challenges with your current program |
We do not have a current program.
| 77. |
| Please provide the current strengths of your current program |
| We do not have a current program. |
| 78. |
| Please provide annual spend on apparel and branded merch outside of your organization’s company store |
| $300,000 - $400,000 |
| 79. |
| Please provide the SKU, manufacturer and price under current contract |
N/A - We do not have an apparel contract.
| 80. |
| Please share details on bulk purchases for special events (pop up shop) |
| The County is unable to provide this information because the current process allows departments to purchase from any registered County vendor. |
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