PO23-080 B-34722 DCFS Promotional Items Request for Proposals SBSA 230406.docx

STATE OF ILLINOIS

REFERENCES

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (“Agency,” or “State”) requests proposals from responsible Offerors to meet its needs. A brief description is set forth below for the Offeror’s convenience, with detailed requirements in subsequent sections of this solicitation. If interested and able to meet these requirements, the State appreciates and welcomes an Offer.

Brief Description:

This solicitation is issued by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to establish a Contract to enable DCFS to purchase Promotional and Imprinted Items on an as needed basis during the contract period.

This solicitation is set-aside for award to small businesses registered in the Illinois Procurement Gateway and approved as a Small Business Set-Aside Program (SBSP) vendor in Illinois per 30 ILCS 500/45-45 of the Illinois Procurement Code.

The resulting contract with the awarded Bidder shall have an initial term of five (5) years with no option to renew. In no event will the total term of the contract, including the initial term, any renewal terms, and any extensions exceed ten (10) years. 30 ILCS 500/20-60.

Please read the entire solicitation package and submit an Offer in accordance with the instructions. All forms and signature areas contained in the solicitation package must be completed in full and submitted along with the technical response and price proposal which combined will constitute the Offer. Do not submit the instruction pages with Offers.

Vendor Disclosure (formerly named Forms A), IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure (formerly named Forms B), and Business Enterprise Program/Veterans Small Business Program Utilization Plan may be downloaded from the Chief Procurement Officer for General Service’s website at https://cpo-general.illinois.gov/solicitation-and-contract-templates.html . These sections are a material part of this solicitation, and must be returned when applicable with a Offeror’s Offer.

PER CPO NOTICE 2020.06:

“State Agencies shall only accept electronic submissions for competitive solicitations (IFB and RFP) through BidBuy. Manual submissions in paper format shall not be accepted nor considered.”

Offers that do not adhere to the form and content of the Request for Proposal requirements may not be considered.

STATE OF ILLINOIS

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Services DCFS Promotional and Imprinted Items

PO23-080 / 23-418DCFS-PROCU-B-34722

In compliance with the State and Federal Constitutions, the Illinois Human Rights Act, the U.S. Civil Rights Act, and Section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act, the State of Illinois does not discriminate in employment, contracts, or any other activity.

The State of Illinois encourages prospective vendors to consider hiring qualified veterans and Illinois residents discharged from any Illinois adult correctional center, in appropriate circumstances.

State of Illinois RFP 1 Introduction V.23.3

SECTION 1.

SECTION 2

Pricing E.

SECTION 3.

The following sections (Vendor Disclosure (formerly named Forms A), IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure (formerly named Forms B), and Business Enterprise Program/Veterans Small Business Program Utilization Plan) of the solicitation may be found on the CPO’s website at:

https://cpo-general.illinois.gov/solicitation-and-contract-templates.html

Vendor Disclosure (formerly named FORMS A) Complete this section if you are not using a State of Illinois Vendor Registration Number which represents registration in the Illinois Procurement Gateway (IPG).

IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure (formerly named FORMS B) Complete this section if you are using an active State of Illinois Vendor Registration Number.

To ensure that you are registered in the IPG, search for your business name in the IPG Registered Vendor Directory. If your company does not appear in the search results, then you are not registered in the IPG.

Download from the CPO’s website and complete these documents if this RFP contains a Business Enterprise Program (BEP) goal.

Utilization Plan

Download from the CPO’s website and complete these documents if this RFP contains a Veteran Small Business Program (VBP) goal.

Utilization Plan

OUTLINE

State of Illinois RFP 4

OUTLINE

V.23.3

SECTION 1.

A. INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING OFFERS

Only Electronic Submissions through BidBuy of Bids and Offers will be Accepted

Pursuant to CPO Notice 2020.06, State agencies shall only accept electronic submissions for competitive solicitations (Invitation for Bid (IFB) and Request for Proposal (RFP)) through BidBuy. Manual submissions in paper format or on electronic medium, for example USB drives or digital video discs (DVD), shall not be accepted nor considered.

These instructions and information regarding electronic submission supersedes any instructions and information in this document that may be contradictory. Bidders and Offerors are required to submit their response to the State’s solicitation through BidBuy. Any information sent to the State outside of BidBuy, for example by US Mail, FedEx, UPS, e-mail, or hand delivery, will neither be accepted nor considered. Vendor submissions will only be considered if they are received through BidBuy and on or before the time and date indicated in the Bid Opening section within the solicitation. Any required attachments must be submitted via BidBuy.

Price entries on the items tab will be locked automatically upon submission of the offer. If the agency requires pricing to be submitted in an attachment, Vendor shall upload pricing under the “Required Documents” section on the attachments tab and check the box “Does the Attachment contain any pricing, cost or discount information?”. Failure to check this box allows your pricing to be viewed when bids are opened and may result in disqualification of your offer.

Documents shall be submitted in an electronic format that can be accessed and read using Microsoft Office or Adobe Reader. Corrupted files shall not be considered. It is the responsibility of the vendor to ensure that files are accessible and legible after uploading.

The vendor is solely responsible for ensuring timely submission of their electronic solicitation response. Failure to allow adequate time prior to the solicitation end date to complete and submit a response to a solicitation, particularly in the event technical support assistance from the State is required, places the vendor and their bid, offer or response at risk of not being accepted.

It is recommended that you access your BidBuy account prior to the solicitation due date and time to make sure that your company’s information is up-to-date and your password is current. Files may be uploaded at any time prior to submission.

File size may impact the uploading and downloading speed and may lead to browser time-outs resulting in failed upload/download attempts. Please consider this dependency when attaching very large documents.

The State encourages vendors to make sure that their BidBuy account is up-to-date.

A.1. PROCESS CHANGES RESULTING FROM BIDBUY: BidBuy is the new electronic procurement system being used by State agencies under the jurisdiction of the Chief Procurement Officer for General Services. With the implementation of BidBuy, some procurement processes have changed. In some instances, BidBuy entirely replaces the State’s previous procurement processes. In others, the past instruction or process remains unchanged or is augmented by BidBuy.

The State publishes Requests for Proposals (RFP) in BidBuy. BidBuy consists of public webpages that may be referred to as the “Bulletin” or information “on BidBuy”. BidBuy also permits vendors to create password protected Seller Accounts allowing electronic quoting for some procurement methods. The RFP, along with other attachments and information on BidBuy, constitutes the State’s solicitation. The State does not accept electronic offers in response to RFPs through BidBuy. Offerors must continue to submit offers in paper format and in accord with the instructions for submission. Offerors must pay special attention to the instructions found on BidBuy as they augment the information in this RFP. Offerors shall read the entire contents of this RFP and direct any questions to the Information Contact found on the BidBuy posting.

A.2. CONFLICT BETWEEN INFORMATION IN PAPER FORMAT AND ON BIDBUY: If the State provides information in paper format (i.e. the RFP and other attachments) that is different or in conflict with the information the State provides on BidBuy, then the information in paper format is presumed to represent the State’s intent. If the Offeror provides information in paper format that is different or in conflict with the information the Offeror provides in BidBuy through their Seller Account, then the information in paper format shall represent the Offeror’s intended submission.

A.3. HOW TO ENTER INFORMATION: Type information in the red text form fields provided. If the information requested does not apply to the Offeror’s situation, then enter “N/A” into the text form field. Please enter the requested information or N/A into every text form field.

A.4. PUBLISHED PROCUREMENT INFORMATION: The State publishes procurement information, including solicitations, awards, and amendments, on the General Services Illinois Procurement Bulletin, referred to as the Bulletin or BidBuy (https://www.bidbuy.illinois.gov/bso/). Procurement information may not be available in any other form or location. Offeror is responsible for monitoring the Bulletin. The State will not be held responsible if Offeror fails to receive the optional e-mail notice of future amendments to the solicitation.

A.5. INFORMATION CONTACT: The individual listed in the “Info Contact:” on the Bulletin posting shall be the single point of contact for this solicitation. Unless otherwise directed, Offerors should only communicate with the Information Contact. The State/Agency shall not be held responsible for information provided by or to any other person.

Suspected errors should be immediately reported to the Information Contact. Do not discuss, directly or indirectly, the solicitation or any Offer with any State officer or employee other than the Information Contact.

A.6. OFFEROR QUESTIONS AND AGENCY RESPONSE: All questions, other than questions raised at the Pre-Submission Conference, pertaining to this solicitation must be submitted in writing to the Information Contact no later than seven (7) business days prior to bid opening date. Questions received and Agency responses may be posted as an Amendment to the original solicitation on the Bulletin; only these posted answers to questions shall be binding on the State. Offerors are responsible for monitoring the Bulletin.

A.7. PRE-SUBMISSION CONFERENCE

In the Bulletin posting, the Agency may schedule a Pre-Submission Conference as the “Pre-Bid Conference:”.

Is atendance at the Pre-Submission Conference mandatory? |_| Yes |X| No If attendance is mandatory, Offeror (current Vendor included) will be disqualified and considered non-responsive if Offeror does not attend, is not on time, leaves early or fails to sign the attendance sheet. Offeror must allow adequate time to accommodate security screenings at the site.

A.8. OFFER DUE DATE, TIME, AND ADDRESS FOR SUBMISSION OF OFFERS: Each solicitation contains the Offer Due Date and Time appearing as the “Bid Opening Date:” on the Bulletin posting. Offers will be opened at the Submit/Deliver Offers To address provided below on the “Bid Opening Date:”

A.8.1. Offer Firm Time: The Offer must remain firm for 180 days from opening.

A.8.2. Submit/Deliver Offers via BidBuy: https://www.bidbuy.illinois.gov A.9. ORGANIZATION REQUIRED: Offers shall be submitted as electronic attachments in BidBuy. Please follow these instructions carefully.

A.9.1. Attachment 1 shall contain the Offeror’s response to the Specifications/Qualifications/Statement of Work provided in Section 1, Part D.

A.9.2. Attachment 2 shall contain Offeror’s Pricing provided in Section 2, Part E.

A.9.3. Attachment 3 shall contain the Offeror’s Offer found in Section 1, Part C, and applicable forms found in Section 3, Parts F through J.

A.9.3.1. Exceptions must be provided on Agency’s Exceptions to Solicitation and Contract Terms and Conditions form (Section 3, Part G) or must be in a substantially similar format. Agency discourages taking exceptions. State law shall not be circumvented by the exception process. Exceptions may result in rejection of the Offer.

Additional Offeror Provisions may be stated on this form and should not include exceptions to Agency specifications, terms and conditions, or any other part of this solicitation. This is supplemental information that supports an Offeror’s position; for example, an Offeror’s licensing agreement.

A.9.3.2. The Agency may state additional terms and conditions to contracting in the State Supplemental Provisions (Section 3, Part H).

A.9.4. Attachment 4 shall contain either Vendor Disclosure (formerly named Forms A) or IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure (formerly named Forms B). Vendor Disclosure contains eight forms and shall be returned by Offerors that do not have an active registration in the Illinois Procurement Gateway (IPG).

IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure consists of two pages and a one-page Taxpayer Identification Number. IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure is only returned by Offerors that have a valid IPG registration number with expiration date and elect to not use the forms found in Vendor Disclosure.

A.9.5. Attachment 5 shall contain a redacted copy of the Offer.

A.9.5.1. Offeror should provide a redacted copy of the Offer, if applicable, that removes material considered to be a trade secret or competitively sensitive, confidential, or proprietary. See F.9. in Standard Terms and Conditions, Section 3, Part F.

A.9.6. Attachment 6 shall contain a response to the Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities participation requirements. Attachment 6 is only returned if a Business Enterprise Program goal is stated in the Bulletin posting.

A.9.7. Attachment 7 shall contain a response to the Veteran Small Business (VSB) participation requirements. Attachment 7 is only returned if a VSB goal is stated in the Bulletin posting.

A.10. SUBMISSION OF OFFERS: The Offer must be submitted as separate attachments in BidBuy. Pricing must be submitted in BidBuy as instructed.

A.10.1. The Offeror shall submit the following forms and others by uploading them in the Attachments Tab in BidBuy:

· Offer to the State

· Redacted copy of Offer (if applicable)

· Standard Certifications

· Vendor Disclosure (formerly named Forms A) (if applicable)

· IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure (formerly named Forms B) (if applicable)

· Offeror’s Written Supplier Diversity Program The Offeror must complete, sign, and upload all required documents, such as the Contract, BEP Utilization Plan if applicable, and either Vendor Disclosure (formerly named Forms A) or IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure (formerly named Forms B).

A.10.2. Offers are not accepted via mail, delivery, fax, or email.

A.11. SECURITY: Performance Bond: $0 If a performance bond is required, Offeror must submit the Performance Bond to the Information Contact within ten (10) days after award. The bond must be from a surety licensed to do business in Illinois. An irrevocable letter of credit is an acceptable substitute. The form of security must be acceptable to the State.

A.12. SMALL BUSINESS SET-ASIDE: In the Bulletin posting, if “Yes” is shown to the question “Is this subject to Small Business Set-Aside?”, then Offeror must be qualified by the Small Business Set-Aside Program at the time Offers are due in order for the Offer to be evaluated. For complete requirements and to qualify Offeror’s business in the Small Business Set-Aside Program, please visit the CPO’s website at https://cpo-general.illinois.gov/sell-2-illinois.html.

A.13. MINORITY CONTRACTOR INITIATIVE: The State requires a fee of $15 to cover expenses related to the administration of the Minority Contractor Opportunity Initiative. Any offeror awarded a contract of $1,000 or more under Section 20-10, 20-15, 20-25 or 20-30 of the Illinois Procurement Code (30 ILCS 500) is required to pay a fee of $15. The Comptroller shall deduct the fee from the first check issued to the Vendor under the contract and deposit the fee in the Comptroller’s Administrative Fund. 15 ILCS 405/23.9.

A.14. PROCUREMENT OF DOMESTIC PRODUCTS: It is the policy of the State of Illinois to use State procurements to maximize the use of goods, products, and materials produced in Illinois. 30 ILCS 517. If this procurement is for a product alone and does not include a service, then preference shall be given to a product manufactured in the United States.

A vendor must affirmatively declare at the time they submit their bid or offer that the product being proposed to the State is manufactured in the United States. The purchasing agency may request documentation verifying the product’s manufacturing origin. The purchasing agency shall purchase the product manufactured in the United States unless the agency determines that any of the following applies: (1) the procured product is not manufactured in the United States in reasonably available quantities, or (2) the price of the procured product manufactured in the United States exceeds the price of available and comparable procured products manufactured outside of the United States by 12% or more, or (3) the quality of the procured product manufactured in the United States is substantially less than the quality of the comparably priced, available, and comparable procured products manufactured outside of the United States, or (4) the purchase of the procured products manufactured outside of the United States better serves the public interest by helping to protect or save life, property, or the environment, or (5) the purchase of the procured product is made in conjunction with contracts or offerings of telecommunications, fire suppression, security systems, communications services, Internet services, or information services, or (6) the purchase is of pharmaceutical products, drugs, biologics, vaccines, medical devices used to provide medical and health care or treat disease or used in medical or research diagnostic tests, and medical nutritionals regulated by the Food and Drug Administration under the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

A.15. FEDERAL FUNDS: The resulting contract may be partially or totally funded with Federal funds. Upon notice of intent to award, the percentage of goods and/or services involved that are Federally funded and the dollar amount of such Federal funds will be disclosed.

A.16. EMPLOYMENT TAX CREDIT: Offerors who hire qualified veterans and certain ex-offenders may be eligible for tax credits. 30 ILCS 500/45-67 and 45-70. Please contact the Illinois Department of Revenue (217-524-4772) for information about tax credits.

A.17. GOVERNING LAW AND FORUM: Illinois law and rules govern this solicitation and any resulting contract. Offeror must bring any action relating to this solicitation or any resulting contract in the appropriate court in Illinois. This document contains statutory references designated with “ILCS”. Offeror may view the full text at http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs.asp. The Illinois Procurement Code (30 ILCS 500) and the Standard Procurement Rules (44 ILL. ADM. CODE PARTS 1) are applicable to this solicitation and may be respectively viewed at http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs5.asp?ActID=532&ChapterID=7) and http://www.ilga.gov/commission/jcar/admincode/044/044parts.html.

A.18. PUBLIC RECORDS AND REQUESTS FOR CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT: Offers become the property of the State and late submissions will not be returned. All offers will be open to the public under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 ILCS 140) and other applicable laws and rules, unless Offeror requests in its Offer that the State treat certain information as confidential. A request for confidential treatment will not supersede the State’s legal obligations under FOIA. The State will not honor requests to keep entire Offers confidential. Offerors must show the specific grounds in FOIA or other law or rule that support confidential treatment. Regardless, the State will disclose the successful Offeror’s name, the substance of the Offer, and the price.

If Offeror requests confidential treatment, Offeror must submit additional copy/copies (see Instructions for Submission of Offers in Section A.10.) of the Offer with proposed confidential information redacted. This redacted copy must tell the general nature of the material removed, and shall retain as much of the Offer as possible. In a separate attachment, Offeror shall supply a listing of the provisions identified by section number for which it seeks confidential treatment and identify the statutory basis or bases under Illinois law, including a detailed justification for exempting the information from public disclosure.

Offeror will hold harmless and indemnify the State for all costs or damages associated with the State defending Offeror’s request for confidential treatment. Offeror agrees that the State may copy the Offer to facilitate evaluation, or to respond to requests for public records. Offeror warrants that such copying will not violate the rights of any third party.

A.19. RESERVATIONS: Offeror must read and understand the solicitation and tailor the Offer and all activities to ensure compliance. The State reserves the right to amend the solicitation, reject any or all offers, award by item/services, group of items/services, or grand total, and waive minor defects. The State may request a clarification, inspect Offeror’s premises, interview staff, request a presentation, or otherwise verify the contents of the Offer, including information about subcontractors and suppliers. The State may request Best & Final Offers when appropriate. The State will make all decisions on compliance, evaluation, and terms and conditions, and shall make decisions in the best interests of the State and in accordance with the Illinois Procurement Code, rules and other applicable State and Federal statutes and regulations. This competitive process may require that Offeror provide additional information and otherwise cooperate with the State. If an offeror does not comply with requests for information and cooperate, the State may reject the offer as non-responsive to the solicitation. Submitting an offer does not entitle Offeror to an award or a contract. Posting a vendor’s name in a Bulletin notice does not entitle the vendor to a contract. The State is not responsible for and will not pay any costs associated with the preparation and submission of any offer. Awarded Offeror(s) shall not commence, and will not be paid for any billable work undertaken prior to the date all parties execute the contract, unless approved in writing in advance by the State Purchasing Officer or the Chief Procurement Officer (or designee).

A.20. AWARD:

A.20.1. The State is not obligated to award a contract pursuant to this solicitation. If the State issues an award, the Primary award will be made to the responsive and responsible offeror whose offer best meets the specified criteria unless otherwise permitted by the Illinois Procurement Code and Illinois Administrative Code. However, if the State does not consider the price to be fair and reasonable and negotiations fail to meet an acceptable price, then the State reserves the right to cancel the award and take appropriate action to meet the needs of the State. The State will determine whether the price is fair and reasonable by considering the offer, including the offeror's qualifications, the offeror's reputation, all prices submitted, other known prices, the project budget and other relevant factors. The State will post a notice to the Bulletin identifying the apparent most responsive and responsible offeror.

A.20.2. Offerors must provide pricing for all Line Item Categories as required in BidBuy in order to be determined responsive.

A.20.3. The State of Illinois may issue up to three awards (Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, as it deems appropriate) to ensure availability of all promotional items needed during the term of the Contract.

A.20.4. The Primary Contract will be awarded to the highest scoring responsive and responsible vendor whose offer best meets the specified criteria unless otherwise permitted by the Illinois Procurement Code and Illinois Administrative Code.

A.20.5. If awarded, the Secondary Contract will be awarded to the second-highest scoring responsive and responsible vendor whose offer best meets the specified criteria unless otherwise permitted by the Illinois Procurement Code and Illinois Administrative Code.

A.20.6. If awarded, the Tertiary Contract will be awarded to the third-highest scoring responsive and responsible vendor whose offer best meets the specified criteria unless otherwise permitted by the Illinois Procurement Code and Illinois Administrative Code.

A.20.7. If awarded, such Secondary and Tertiary awards may be made, resulting Contracts entered into, and promotional items may be supplied by the Secondary or Tertiary Vendors if the Primary Vendor is not able to supply the requested items, at the discretion of DCFS.

A.21. REFERENCES: |_| Yes |X| No A.22. INVOICING ADDRESS: The awarded Vendor shall invoice at the completion of the contract unless invoicing is tied in the contract to milestones, deliverables, or other invoicing requirements agreed to in the contract. The Bulletin posting contains the “Bill-to Address:” where invoices should be sent.

Vendor shall not bill for any taxes unless accompanied by proof that the State is subject to the tax. If necessary, Vendor may request the applicable Agency’s Illinois tax exemption number and Federal tax exemption information.

A.23. PROTEST REVIEW OFFICE: Offeror may submit a written protest to the Protest Review Office following the requirements of the Standard Procurement Rules. 44 ILL. ADM. CODE 1.5550. For protests related to specifications, the Protest Review Office must physically receive the protest no later than fourteen (14) days after the solicitation or related addendum was posted to the Bulletin. For protests related to rejection of individual proposals or awards, the protest must be received by close of business no later than fourteen (14) days after the protesting party knows or should have known of the facts giving rise to the protest. The Protest Review Office’s information is as follows:

Chief Procurement Office Email: eec.legalstaff@illinois.gov Attn: Protest Review Office

Springfield, IL 62706 A.24. EVALUATION PROCESS: The State determines how well offers meet the Responsiveness requirements. The State will rank offers, without consideration of price, from best to least qualified using a point ranking system (unless otherwise specified) as an aid in conducting the evaluation. Offerors who fail to meet minimum requirements or who receive fewer than the minimum required 600 points will not be considered for price evaluation and award.

The State evaluates three categories of information: Responsibility, Responsiveness, and Price. The State considers the information provided and the quality of that information when evaluating Offers. If the State finds a failure or deficiency, the State may reject the offer or reflect the failure or deficiency in the evaluation.

A.24.1. RESPONSIVENESS: A Responsive Offeror is one who submits an offer that conforms in all material respects to the Request for Proposal, and includes all required forms.

A.24.1.1. Subcontractor Disclosure: If the Offer includes any subcontractors, then Offeror shall complete the Subcontractor Disclosure form found in Section 3, Part I.

A.24.1.2. References: If references are required, then Offeror shall complete and return the References form in Section 3, Part J.

A.24.1.3. If completing IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure (formerly named Forms B), then responsiveness may include and may not be limited to:

· Active Illinois Procurement Gateway registration # with expiration date

· Disclosure of lobbyists for Offeror and parent entity(ies)

· Disclosure of pending and current contracts

· Certifications timely to this solicitation A.24.1.4. If completing Vendor Disclosure (formerly named Forms A), required forms may include and may not be limited to:

· Business and Directory Information: Offeror should complete and return the Business and Directory Information form in Vendor Disclosure, Part 1.

· Illinois Department of Human Rights Public Contracts Number: Offeror shall complete and return the IDHR Public Contracts Number form in Vendor Disclosure, Part 2.

· Authorized to Transact Business or Conduct Affairs in Illinois: A person (other than an individual acting as a sole proprietor) must be a duly constituted legal entity prior to submitting a bid and authorized to transact business or conduct affairs in Illinois prior to execution of the contract. For more information, see Authorized to Transact Business or Conduct Affairs in Illinois in Vendor Disclosure, Part 3.

· Standard Illinois Certifications: Offeror shall complete and return the Standard Illinois Certifications form in Vendor Disclosure, Part 4.

· State Board of Elections Registration: Offeror may be prohibited from making political contributions and be required to register with the State Board of Elections. For more information, see State Board of Elections in Vendor Disclosure, Part 5.

· Disclosure of Business Operations with Iran: Offeror should complete and return the Disclosure of Business Operations with Iran form in Vendor Disclosure, Part 6.

· Financial Disclosures and Conflicts of Interest: Offeror shall complete and return the Financial Disclosures and Conflicts of Interest form in Vendor Disclosure, Part 7.

· Taxpayer Identification Number: Offeror should complete and return the Taxpayer Identification form in Vendor Disclosure, Part 8.

A.24.1.5. The State will determine whether the Offer meets the stated requirements. Minor differences or deviations that have negligible impact on the price or suitability of the supply or service to meet the State’s needs may be accepted or corrections allowed. If no offeror meets a particular requirement, the State may waive that requirement.

A.24.1.6. When the specification calls for “Brand Name or Equal,” the brand name product is acceptable. Other products will be considered with proof that the other product meets stated specifications and is equivalent to the brand product in terms of quality, performance and desired characteristics.

A.24.1.7. The State will determine whether the Offer complied with the instructions for submitting offers. Except for late submissions, and other requirements that by law must be part of the submission, the State may require that an offeror correct deficiencies as a condition of further evaluation.

A.24.1.8. Offers will only be accepted from established manufacturers or their authorized dealers. Any dealer submitting an offer hereby guarantees that it is an authorized dealer of the manufacturer, and that the manufacturer has agreed to supply the dealer with all quantities of products required by the dealer in fulfillment of its obligations under any resultant contract with the State and all standard warranties shall be honored upon purchase. Offeror must submit authorized dealer letter upon request.

A.24.1.9. Offerors shall attach a detailed Catalog MSRP Price List with their offer in BidBuy which includes all relevant MSRP data, by manufacturer, to demonstrate pricing for each catalog item it intends to supply to DCFS. The MSRP listed should be the most up-to-date pricing in effect at the time of submission of the Offeror’s proposal. This catalog shall include the Brand, Item, Product Description, Package Size, Packaging Type, and the MSRP for each Package Size. Offerors are encouraged to provide an all-inclusive catalog for each Category, listing as many options as they have available. This catalog shall be in a Microsoft Excel or Comma-Separated Value (CSV) format. Offerors may provide a URL or web address specific to their company to meet the requirement.

DCFS reserves the right to compare MSRP price lists to determine authenticity amongst respondents.

A.24.1.10. Any pricing or percentage off discounts on the Line Item and on the items listed in the Bidder’s required catalog of product offerings attached to their bid in BidBuy which is deemed too low, too high or availability of options from one bidder to the next in relation to the prices, percentage discounts and options bid by others, may be seen as an attempt to manipulate the evaluation process or otherwise structure the bid to the unfairness of other bidders and to the disadvantage of the State. Such unbalanced pricing may be cause for rejection of the bid in whole or in part.

A.24.2. RESPONSIBILITY: A responsible Offeror is one who has the capability in all respects to perform fully the contract requirements and who has the integrity and reliability that will assure good faith performance. The State determines whether the Offeror is a “responsible” offeror; an offeror with whom the State can or should do business. For example, the State may consider the following:

A.24.2.1. A “prohibited bidder” includes any person assisting an employee of the State of Illinois by reviewing, drafting, directing, or preparing any invitation for bids, a request for proposal, or request of information, or providing similar assistance unless such assistance was part of a publically issued opportunity to review drafts of all or part of these documents. For purposes of this section, an employee of the State of Illinois means one who, by the nature of his or her duties, has the authority to participate personally and substantially in the decision to award a State contract. No person or business shall submit specifications to a State agency unless requested to do so by an employee of the State. No person or business that contracts with a State agency to write specifications for a particular procurement need shall submit a bid or proposal or receive a contract for that procurement need.

Nothing herein is intended to prohibit a vendor from bidding or offering to supply developing technology, goods or services after providing the State with a demonstration of the developing technology, goods, or services; provided the subject of the demonstration to the State represents industry trends and innovation and is not specifically designed to meet the State's needs. Nothing herein is intended to prohibit a person or business from submitting a bid or offer or entering into a contract if the person or business: (i) initiates a communication with an employee to provide general information about products, services, or industry best practices and, if applicable, that communication is documented in accordance with Section 50-39 of the Illinois Procurement Code or (ii) responds to a communication initiated by an employee of the State for the purposes of providing information to evaluate new products, trends, services, or technologies.

A.24.2.2. Other factors that the State may evaluate to determine responsibility include, but are not limited to: political contributions, certifications, conflict of interest, financial disclosures, taxpayer identification number, past performance in business or industry, references (including those found outside the Offer), compliance with applicable laws, financial responsibility, insurability, effective equal opportunity compliance, payment of prevailing wages if required by law, capacity to produce or sources of supply, and the ability to provide required maintenance service or other matters relating to the offeror’s ability to deliver in the quality and quantity within the time and price as specified in this solicitation.

A.24.2.3. Awarded offerors must at all times have financial resources sufficient, in the opinion of the State, to ensure performance of the contract and must provide proof upon request. The State may require a performance bond if, in the opinion of the State, it ensures performance of the contract. The State may terminate the contract, consistent with the termination for cause provision of the contract, if the vendor lacks the financial resources to perform under the contract.

A.24.2.4. The State may require that an offeror correct any deficiencies as a condition of further evaluation.

A.24.3. PRICE: The State identifies the lowest priced offer that meets the responsibility and responsiveness requirements. Quantities and designated Unit Costs are for evaluation purposes only and does not guarantee nor represent any actual usage or anticipated value for the food or grocery items being purchased.

A.25. BUSINESS ENTERPRISE FOR MINORITIES, WOMEN, AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ACT PARTICIPATION AND UTILIZATION PLAN: The Bulletin posting indicates whether this solicitation contains a goal to include businesses owned and controlled by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities. If this solicitation is for non-construction supplies or services and contains a goal, then failure to submit a Utilization Plan shall render the Offer non-responsive. 30 ILCS 575/4(f). All questions regarding the subcontracting goal must be directed to the Agency Business Enterprise Program (BEP) Liaison prior to submission of proposals.

BEP Goal: None

This solicitation is set-aside for award to small businesses registered in the Illinois Procurement Gateway and approved as a Small Business Set-Aside Program (SBSP) vendor in Illinois per 30 ILCS 500/45-45 of the Illinois Procurement Code.

BEP Questions: Info Contact in BidBuy

A.26. VETERAN SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION AND UTILIZATION PLAN: The Bulletin posting indicates whether this solicitation contains a goal to include businesses owned and controlled by military veterans. If this solicitation contains a goal, then failure to submit a Utilization Plan as instructed later in this solicitation may render the Offer non-responsive. All questions regarding the subcontracting goal must be directed to the Agency Veteran Small Business Liaison prior to submission of proposals.

VSBP Goal: None

This solicitation is set-aside for award to small businesses registered in the Illinois Procurement Gateway and approved as a Small Business Set-Aside Program (SBSP) vendor in Illinois per 30 ILCS 500/45-45 of the Illinois Procurement Code.

VSBP Questions: Info Contact in BidBuy

A.27. BIDBUY TERMINOLOGY AND GUIDANCE: BidBuy is an online e-procurement system. There may be some difference between the procurement terminology used in this solicitation and the terms used in BidBuy. Please learn more about BidBuy by accessing the online resources found here:

https://www2.illinois.gov/cpo/PathwayToProcurement/Pages/Guides-and-Manuals.aspx.

-END OF INSTRUCTIONS-

STATE OF ILLINOIS

SUBCONTRACTOR DISCLOSURES

ATTACHMENT FF

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING OFFERS

State of Illinois RFP 30 Attachment FF– Subcontractor Disclosures V.13.3 State of Illinois RFP 16 Section 1. Part A.Instructions V.23.3

B. SELECTION OF VENDOR

B.1. The State may award to the most responsive and responsible Offeror whose Offer best meets the below criteria.

B.2. The State determines how well Offers meet the responsiveness requirements. The State ranks Offers, without consideration of price, from best to least qualified using a point ranking system (unless otherwise specified) as an aid in conducting the evaluation. Offerors who receive fewer than the minimum required 600 points will not be considered for price evaluation and award.

B.3. There are three parts to each proposal – technical, commitment to diversity, and pricing. Each part of the proposal is evaluated and ranked independently of the other parts of the proposal. The evaluation results shall be used in ranking of proposals.

B.4. Section 30 ILCS 500/20-15 and 30 ILCS 500/35-30 of the Illinois Procurement Code requires Offerors to show a demonstrated commitment to diversity.

B.4.1. The commitment to diversity points are equivalent to 20% of the technical points.

B.4.2. Offerors should provide evidence supporting their commitment to diversity using the Commitment to Diversity form found in Section D.9.3.

B.4.3. Commitment to Diversity Categories:

B.5. If the State does not consider the price to be fair and reasonable and negotiations fail to meet an acceptable price, the State reserves the right to cancel the award and take appropriate action to meet the needs of the State. The State determines whether the price is fair and reasonable by considering the Offer, including the Offeror's qualifications, the Offeror's reputation, all prices submitted, other known prices, the project budget, and other relevant factors.

B.6. The chart below shows the elements of responsiveness that the State evaluates, their relative weights in point format and any minimum point requirements.

B.6.1. Mandatory Requirements – D.6.1.

B.6.2. The total number of points for Technical and Commitment to Diversity is 1,000.

B.6.3. Offerors who receive fewer than the minimum required 600 points in Technical and Commitment to Diversity will not be considered for price evaluation and award.

B.6.4. TECHNICAL ELEMENTS

Technical Proposal: 800 points (based on points for offeror experience, technical and strategic approach, and staff specifications)

B.6.5. COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY ELEMENTS

Commitment to Diversity: 200 points

B.7. The total number of points for Price is 500. The State will determine Price points using the following formula:

Maximum Price Points X (Lowest Price/Offeror’s Price) = Total Price Points B.8. The maximum number of points is 1,500 (Technical 800 + Commitment to Diversity 200 + Price 500).

SELECTION OF VENDOR

State of Illinois RFP 17 Section 1. Part B. Selection of Vendor V.23.3 C. Project Title / BidBuy Reference #: DCFS Promotional and Imprinted Items / PO23-080 / 23-418DCFS-PROCU-B-34722 The undersigned authorized representative of the identified Offeror hereby submits this Offer to perform in full compliance with the subject solicitation. By completing and signing this form, the Offeror makes an Offer to the State of Illinois that the State may accept.

Offeror should use this form as a final check to ensure that all required documents are completed and included with the Offer. Offeror must mark each blank below as appropriate; mark N/A when a section is not applicable to this solicitation. Offeror understands that failure to meet all requirements is cause for disqualification.

C.1. SOLICITATION AND CONTRACT REVIEW: Offeror reviewed the Request for Proposal, including all referenced documents and instructions, completed all blanks, provided all required information, and demonstrated how it will meet the requirements of the State of Illinois.

|_| Yes |_| No C.2. ADDENDA: Offeror acknowledges receipt of any and all addenda to the solicitation and has taken those into account in making this Offer.

|_| Yes |_| No|_| N/A C.3. PRE-SUBMISSION CONFERENCE: If attendance was mandatory, Offeror attended the Pre-Submission Conference.

|_| Yes |_| No |_| N/A C.4. OFFER SUBMISSION: Offeror is submitting the correct number of copies, in a properly labeled container(s), to the correct location, and by the due date and time.

|_| Yes |_| No C.5. VENDOR DISCLOSURE (formerly named FORMS A) or IPG ACTIVE REGISTERED VENDOR DISCLOSURE (formerly named FORMS B): Offeror is properly submitting either Vendor Disclosure or IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure, but not both.

|_| Yes |_| No C.6. BOND: If applicable, Offeror is submitting its Bid Bond or Performance Bond.

|_| Yes |_| No |X| N/A C.7. SMALL BUSINESS SET-ASIDE: Offeror is a qualified small business in the Small Business Set-Aside Program at the time Offers are due.

|_| Yes |_| No |_| N/A

C.8. ATTACHMENT 1 – SPECIFICATIONS/QUALIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF WORK

|_| Yes |_| No

C.9. ATTACHMENT 2 – PRICING

Bidder has completed the PRICING part of the CONTRACT, if applicable, and entered pricing in BidBuy as required.

|_| Yes |_| No

C.10. ATTACHMENT 3 – OFFER

|_| Yes |_| No

C.11. ATTACHMENT 4 – VENDOR DISCLOSURE (formerly named FORMS A) |_| Yes |_| No

C.12. ATTACHMENT 4 – IPG ACTIVE REGISTERED VENDOR DISCLOSURE (formerly named FORMS B)

C.13. ATTACHMENT 5 – REDACTED OFFER

C.14. ATTACHMENT 6 – BEP UTILIZATION PLAN

C.15. ATTACHMENT 7 – VSB UTILIZATION PLAN

C.16. PREFERENCES

The Illinois Procurement Code provides various preferences to promote business opportunities in Illinois.

Does Offeror make any claims for preferences? If so, please mark the applicable preference(s) and include a listing of the items that qualify for the preference at the end of this Section and a description of why the preference applies. Agency reserves the right to determine whether the preference indicated applies to Offeror.

|_| Resident Bidder (30 ILCS 500/45-10).

|_| Soybean Oil-Based Ink (30 ILCS 500/45-15).

|_| Recycled Materials (30 ILCS 500/45-20).

|_| Recycled Paper (30 ILCS 500/45-25).

|_|…