Request for Quote.docx

STATE OF MAINE

DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES

OFFICE OF STATE PROCUREMENT SERVICES

RFQ # 17A 25051300000000000254

Low Clearance Flashing Signs

Quotations/Responses Due: 5/28/2025 not later than 4:00 p.m. local time

Note: All questions and responses must be provided via the State of Maine’s e-Procurement system: AdvantageME / Vendor Self Service (VSS). Questions can be submitted up to 48 hours prior to closure date and time. Not all questions will be answered.

General Instructions on Bidder Questions It is the responsibility of each Bidder to examine the entire RFQ and to seek clarification by submitting questions through the Q & A List tab on the Solicitation page in the CGI Vendor Self Service (VSS). Any answers to questions will appear there as well. It is the vendor's responsibility to log in to view all questions and answers posted. Additional information obtained any other way will not be valid.

In the event that you must contact us for any other reasons than the Q & A previously mentioned, only the Buyer listed on the Solicitation page may be contacted from the time this RFQ is issued until award notification is made. No other person/State employee is empowered to make binding statements regarding this RFQ. Violation of this provision may lead to disqualification from the bidding process, at the State’s discretion.

Summary For this competitive Request for Quotations (RFQ) process, the State of Maine Office of State Procurement Services (“OSPS”) is acting on behalf of the Department of Transportation (“Requesting Department”). OSPS and the Requesting Department seek quotations (also referred to as “bids” or “responses” herein) to provide the goods/services listed above. This document provides instructions and descriptions of requirements for this competitive process.

RFQ REQUIREMENTS

1. Required Documents

All bids MUST include the following documentation, or the bid will be deemed incomplete and will not be evaluated.

· Bid Specification Documentation: A quote, PDF literature from the manufacture, and/or other forms of documentation to verify the item(s) being bid meet or exceeds ALL posted specifications covered in Appendix B, pages 10-18. Each specification listed in Appendix B must be identified in the submitted bid documents.

· Equivalency Documentation: An equivalency document must be attached for any specification identified as equivalent in bid documents. Equivalency will be determined by the requesting Department.

2. Other Bid Documents

In addition to the required documents, cost, delivery, and other information required in VSS, all bids should contain the following information. All documents listed below, if not attached to the bid, MUST be received within fifteen (15) days of notification of intent to award or the contract will not be executed.

· Warranty Information

· Appendix A: Bid Cover Page and Responsible Bidder Form

3. Submitting a Quotation

a. Quotations Due: Quotations must be received no later than 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST), on the date listed in VSS. Quotations received after the 4:00 p.m. deadline will not be accepted.

b. Submission Instructions: Bidders must submit their bids in the State of Maine’s electronic procurement system: Advantage “Vendor Self Service” (VSS). More information on this system can be found at the following internet link: https://www.maine.gov/dafs/bbm/procurementservices/vendors/vendor-self-service-system

c. Multiple Quotations: Unless specifically prohibited in Section 1 of this RFQ, Bidders are permitted to submit multiple quotations for this RFQ, offering alternative items or pricing for the State of Maine to consider in its best value determination.

d. Withdrawal of a Quotation: Bidders are permitted to withdraw their own quotations up until the due date and time for receipt of quotations. To do so, a Bidder must enter the VSS system (as referenced above), identify and open their submitted quotation located in the Solicitation Responses tab, and click the “Withdraw” button found at the bottom of the screen. Quotations cannot be withdrawn after the due date and time for receipt of quotations.

e. Attachments: Any attachments provided with the Advantage VSS bid submission must be in MS Word, MS Excel, or Adobe (.pdf) format, unless otherwise specified in Section 1 of this RFQ. Vendors are encouraged to submit supporting documentation that aid the requesting department in understanding how the bid conforms to the requirements. The VSS attachment file size limit is 15Mb. Please contact the buyer for this RFQ if you must submit attachment files larger than this.

f. Vendor specifications: Unless otherwise stated in this RFQ document, limited specification information will be required upon submission of a bid in response to this RFQ. However, a Bidder’s response should include an affirmative statement that their bid complies with all requirements of this RFQ, unless the Bidder specifically addresses how its bid differs from the specifications, and why the differences should be deemed acceptable by the State.

4. General Instructions

a. The Bidder must submit a cost quotation response that covers the goods and term of the contract, including any optional renewal.

b. The cost quotation shall include the costs necessary for the Bidder to fully comply with the contract terms and conditions and RFQ requirements.

c. Failure to provide the requested information may result in the exclusion of the quotation from consideration, at the discretion of OSPS.

d. No costs related to the preparation of the quotation for this RFQ or to the negotiation of the contract with the Department may be included in the quotation.

e. The State is exempt from the payment of Federal, State and local Taxes on articles not for resale. Please provide quotations that do not include these taxes. Upon application, an exemption certificate can be furnished by the State at the point of contract finalization.

5. Quotation Evaluation and Selection

Evaluation of the submitted quotations shall be accomplished as detailed below:

a. State of Maine RFQ documents are evaluated on a Best Value basis. The term “Best Value” may take into consideration the qualities of the goods or services to be supplied, their conformity with the specifications listed in the RFQ, the purposes for which they are required, the date of delivery, and the best interest of the State. Once the goods or services have been determined to conform to the specifications then OSPS will make its award decision based on the lowest price among the Bidders. Delivery days can be a factor in awarding.

b. The State reserves the right to not make an award to the lowest price bidder when that bidder has had documented poor performance, and/or a contract terminated or not renewed within the last five years.

c. At the discretion of OSPS, if a Bidder’s submission is deemed to not conform to the specifications listed in the RFQ, or otherwise not conform to the requirements of the RFQ, then that Bidder’s submission may not be considered for contract award.

d. In the event that no Bidder submission conforms to the specifications of this RFQ, then OSPS may choose not to make any award. Alternatively, OSPS may make an award to the Best Value Bidder whose specifications most closely meet the specifications of this RFQ. For example, if there are five specification requirements, and two responses are received with one Bidder meeting four requirements, and one bidder meeting three requirements, then OSPS, at its discretion, may make a contract award to the Bidder meeting four requirements.

e. If the specifications provided with this RFQ are of a technical nature, then OSPS’s RFQ Coordinator, at his or her discretion, may seek to use an evaluation team comprised of subject matter experts, end-users from the Requesting Department, or other State Department representatives. In such a case, the evaluation team will judge the merits of the quotations received in accordance with the best value criteria defined in the RFQ.

6. Negotiations

a. No Best and Final Offers: The State of Maine will not seek a best and final offer (BAFO) from any Bidder in this procurement process. All Bidders are expected to provide their Best Value pricing with the submission of their quotation.

b. OSPS reserves the right to negotiate with the successful Bidder to finalize a contract at the same rate or cost of goods and services as presented in the selected quotation. Such negotiations may not significantly vary the content, nature or requirements of the quotation or the RFQ to an extent that may affect the price of goods or services requested. OSPS reserves the right to terminate contract negotiations with a selected Bidder who submits a proposed contract significantly different from the quotation submitted in response to the RFQ.

c. In the event that an acceptable contract cannot be negotiated with the highest ranked Bidder, OSPS may withdraw its award and negotiate with the next-highest ranked Bidder, and so on, until an acceptable contract has been finalized. Alternatively, OSPS may cancel the RFQ, at its sole discretion.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR RFQ AND CONTRACT

PART I GENERAL INFORMATION ON RFQs

A. Purpose and Background

The State of Maine (“State”) Department of Administrative and Financial Services (“Department”), Office of State Procurement Services (“OSPS”) acts as the purchasing agent on behalf of all Executive Departments and other agencies within State Government. For this competitive Request for Quotations (RFQ) process, OSPS is acting on behalf of the Requesting Department listed on the cover page. OSPS and the Requesting Department seek quotations (also referred to as “bids” or “responses” herein) to provide the goods/services as defined above in Section 1 of this document. This document provides instructions for submitting quotations, the procedure and criteria by which the Bidder(s) will be selected, and the contractual terms which will govern the relationship between the State and the awarded Bidder(s). Following Bidder selection and upon reaching a mutual agreement, the State and the selected Bidder will enter into a contract – taking the form of a State of Maine Master Agreement or Buyer Purchase Order (all generally referred to as “contract” herein), as applicable.

B. General Provisions

http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/1/title1sec401.html

C. Eligibility to Submit Bids

Public agencies, private for-profit companies, and non-profit companies and institutions are invited to submit bids in response to State of Maine Requests for Quotations.

D. Delivery Terms

For the purchase of goods, OSPS and selected Bidder will decide upon a delivery date in accordance with the State’s requirements and the terms offered in the Bidder’s quotation. Unless stated otherwise in Section 1 of this RFQ, all deliveries are expected with shipping terms of “Free on Board (FOB) – Destination”. The State intends for this to mean that all goods shall be priced in the bid response to include shipping charges, if any, to the State’s desired location. The “FOB – Destination” shipping term is also intended to mean that the State shall not bear any responsibility for the goods in question until the State takes possession of them at the destination point of delivery.

E. Alternate Bids and Approved Equals

When, in bid forms and specifications, an article or material is identified by using a trade name and catalog number of a manufacturer or vendor, the term “or approved equal,” if not inserted with the identification, is implied. Any Bidder that seeks to propose an alternate item from what is specified in this RFQ should refer to State of Maine Statute 5 MRSA §1825-B, for “Bids, awards and contracts”, found here: http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/5/title5sec1825-B.html

F. Appeal of Contract Awards

Any person aggrieved by the award decision that results from this RFQ may appeal the decision to the Director of the Bureau of General Services in the manner prescribed in 5 MRSA § 1825-E and 18-554 Code of Maine Rules, Chapter 120 (found here: Chapter 120). The appeal must be in writing and filed with the Director of the Bureau of General Services, 9 State House Station, Augusta, Maine, 04333-0009 within 15 calendar days of receipt of notification of contract award.

If this RFQ results in the creation of a pre-qualified or pre-approved list of vendors, then the appeal procedures mentioned above are available upon the original determination of that vendor list, but not during subsequent competitive procedures involving only the pre-qualified or pre-approved list participants.

PART II CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION AND CONDITIONS

A. Contract Document

The successful Bidder will be required to execute a contract in the form of a State of Maine Buyer Purchase Order, Contract Agreement to Purchase Services or State of Maine Master Agreement.

The Terms and Conditions used with the aforementioned contract types may be found on the Office of State Procurement Services’ website at the following links:

BPO and MA Terms and Conditions

In the event that the State of Maine’s Standard Terms and Conditions or RFQ provisions do not otherwise cover contractual scenarios that are specific to the goods or services being purchased under this RFQ, then the State is willing to consider a Bidder’s standard terms and conditions. Consideration or use of a Bidder’s standard terms and conditions shall only occur under the general agreement that in the event of a conflict, the State of Maine’s Standard Terms and Conditions and RFQ provisions shall take precedence.

Other forms and contract documents commonly used by the State can be found on the Office of State Procurement Services’ website at the following link: https://www.maine.gov/dafs/bbm/procurementservices/forms

B. Independent Capacity

In providing services and performing under the contract, the successful Bidder shall act independently and not as an agent of the State of Maine.

C. Payments and Other Provisions

The State anticipates paying the selected Bidder for goods and services received, on the basis of net 30 payment terms, upon the receipt of an accurate and acceptable invoice. An invoice will be considered accurate and acceptable if it contains a reference to the State of Maine contract number, contains correct pricing information relative to the contract, and provides any required supporting documents, as applicable, and any other specific and agreed-upon requirements listed within the contract that results from this RFQ.

The State of Maine reserves the right to pay for goods purchased through this solicitation by any of several available means, which include but may not be limited to check, EFT, and/or procurement card. Bidders are advised that state statute precludes sellers from imposing a surcharge on credit or debit card purchases (text follows):

“9-A MRSA §8-509 (1): A seller in a sales transaction may not impose a surcharge on a cardholder who elects to use a credit card or debit card in lieu of payment by cash, check or similar means.”

Appendix A

STATE OF MAINE

DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES

OFFICE OF STATE PROCUREMENT SERVICES

RFQ # 17A 25051300000000000254

Low Clearance Flashing Signs

BID COVER PAGE

Bidder’s Organization Name:

Chief Executive - Name/Title:

Headquarters Street Address:

Headquarters City/State/Zip:

(provide information requested below if different from above)

Lead Point of Contact for Bid - Name/Title:

Street Address:

City/State/Zip:

By signing below Bidder affirms:

· Their bid complies with all requirements of this RFQ;

· This bid and the pricing structure contained herein will remain firm for a period of 180 days from the date and time of the bid opening;

· That no personnel currently employed by the Department or any other State agency participated, either directly or indirectly, in any activities relating to the preparation of the Bidder’s proposal;

· That no attempt has been made or will be made by the Bidder to induce any other person or firm to submit or not to submit a proposal; and

· The undersigned is authorized to enter into contractual obligations on behalf of the above-named organization.

Name:

Title:

Authorized Signature:

Date:

State of Maine RFQ# 17A 25051300000000000254 Rev. 1/28/2025 Responsible Bidder Form

By signing this document, I certify to the best of my knowledge and belief that the aforementioned organization, its principals, and any subcontractors named in this proposal:

1. Are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, and declared ineligible or voluntarily excluded from bidding or working on contracts issued by any governmental agency.

1. Have not within three years of submitting the proposal for this contract been convicted of or had a civil judgment rendered against them for:

0. fraud or a criminal offense in connection with obtaining, attempting to obtain, or performing a federal, state or local government transaction or contract.

0. violating Federal or State antitrust statutes or committing embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsification or destruction of records, making false statements, or receiving stolen property;

0. are not presently indicted for or otherwise criminally or civilly charged by a governmental entity (Federal, State or Local) with commission of any of the offenses enumerated in paragraph (b) of this certification; and

0. have not within a three (3) year period preceding this proposal had one or more federal, state or local government transactions terminated for cause or default.

1. Have not entered into a prior understanding, agreement, or connection with any corporation, firm, or person submitting a response for the same materials, supplies, equipment, or services and this proposal is in all respects fair and without collusion or fraud. The above-mentioned entities understand and agree that collusive bidding is a violation of state and federal law and can result in fines, prison sentences, and civil damage awards.

· Failure to provide this certification may result in the disqualification of the Bidder’s proposal, at the discretion of the Department.

To the best of my knowledge all information provided in the enclosed proposal, both programmatic and financial, is complete and accurate at the time of submission.

Name:

Title:

Authorized Signature:

Date:

Appendix B

DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES

OFFICE OF STATE PROCUREMENT SERVICES

DETAILED SPECIFICATIONS

RFQ # 17A 25051300000000000254

Low Clearance Flashing Signs

Equivalent Bid Items: Equivalent items may be bid; however all equivalent item bids MUST include documentation to prove equivalency. The final decision on equivalency will be determined by the requesting Department.

Samples may be requested during bid evaluation for equivalent bid items. If samples are requested the bidder must provide the samples at no cost and they may not be returned. A specification sheet comparing the items bid to the items requested for equivalent bid items MUST be attached to the submitted bid in the VSS, if the specification sheet is not included the bid will be rejected. The final decision of equivalency will be determined by the requesting Department.

Prices: Bid Price must be with shipping terms of “Free on Board (FOB) – Destination”. The State intends for this to mean that all goods shall be priced in the bid response to include shipping charges, if any, to the State’s desired location. The “FOB – Destination” shipping term is also intended to mean that the State shall not bear any responsibility for the goods in question until the State takes possession of them at the destination point of delivery.

Quantity: The expected purchase quantity is 37 units. There is no guaranteed award associated with this bid opportunity. All purchases will depend on the bid results and departmental budget. The State of Maine reserves the right to negotiate the purchase of additional units at the bid price for six months after the award is officially made.

Delivery Locations: The vendor must deliver to 66 Industrial Drive, Augusta, ME 04330.

Award: The State anticipates making one award as a result of this RFP process. The State reserves the right to not make an award. The State will calculate the total dollar amount of 37 units, then award a buyer purchase order to the vendor with the lowest total dollar amount.

Delivery and Inspection: The requested items will be inspected after delivery. If shipment is deemed unacceptable the delivery will be refused and will be returned at the risk and expense of the selling vendor.

Delivery Date: August 15th, 2025. Delivery date After Receipt of Order (ARO) may be factored into the bid award decision.

Specifications

Description:

The intent of this specification is to describe a post mounted, flashing Low Clearance sign and the associated requirements of supplying a number of these signs to the State of Maine (State) Department of Transportation, (MaineDOT).

These signs will be installed in stationary locations approaching overpasses on major roadways. These are used year-round at unattended locations and must be completely suitable for operation in (sun, rain and snow) in temperatures ranges of -20 degrees Fahrenheit to 120 degrees Fahrenheit without any maintenance. In addition to the technical specifications, this document details vendor supplied documentation, equipment, and responsibilities for each order.

The sign shall consist of a LED embedded sign, power system, and a controller assembly, all to be mounted to a supplied 16’ 6”x6” wood post. The Low Clearance flashing Signs shall meet the material specification section of this appendix.

Delivery: The Contractor shall deliver the materials to the MaineDOT Sign Shop at 66 Industrial Drive in Augusta, ME. The Contractor shall notify MaineDOTa minimum of one week prior to delivery for delivery coordination. The Contractor shall deliver the materials only during the following times: Monday through Thursday, 7:00 AM through 3:30 PM. Deliveries may not be made on Maine State Government holidays, or government closure days. MaineDOT will not off-load the materials at the delivery site.

Invoices and Payments: The Contractor shall submit an itemized bill to MaineDOT for materials following delivery for approval and payment. Invoices shall include the following minimum information:

Contractor Name, Address & Contract Number Invoice Date & Number Dates of Delivery

MaineDOT will pay based upon bid prices and the invoices provided and accepted.

No such payment will be made if, in the judgment of MaineDOT, the Materials are not in accordance with the provisions of the Contract.

The Acceptance by the Contractor of the final payment, as evidenced by cashing of the final payment check, constitutes a release to MaineDOT from all claims and liability under the Contract. Upon Final Acceptance, the Contractor is released from further obligation, except for warranty obligations provided for in this Contract.

Payments to the Contractor shall be full compensation for furnishing all labor, equipment, materials, services, and incidentals used to supply the materials under the Contract in a complete and acceptable manner, and for all risk, loss, damage, or expense of any kind arising from the nature or prosecution of the Work.

Dispute Resolution: If, in the performance of this Agreement, there arises a dispute between the Contractor and MaineDOT that cannot be resolved by the parties to the Contract, the parties may agree to submit the dispute to non-binding Alternate Dispute Resolution. All disputes shall be governed by Maine law, and all actions shall be filed in the Kennebec Superior Court, in Augusta Maine.

Conformity with Standards: Unless otherwise provided in the Contract, all Materials shall conform to the following standards, as applicable.

Material Quality: Materials and manufactured products shall be new unless otherwise specified, free from defect, and in conformity with the contract. If there is no applicable standard set forth in this Contract for a particular item, then the item shall be in accordance with industry standards prevailing at the time of bid. MaineDOT has the authority to inspect all Materials and every detail of the Work.

When material is fabricated or treated with another material or where any combination of materials is assembled to form a finished product, any or all of which are covered by specifications, MaineDOT may reject the finished product if any of the components do not comply with the specifications. MaineDOT may reject materials not conforming to the Specifications at any time.

Material Specification: The following requirements and criteria for these units shall be met completely.

At submission of bid the bidders shall send one (1) Low Clearance Flashing Sign to MaineDOT for 30 days of testing. Bidders are required to send one (1) sample to:

Harold Tower, Sign Shop 66 Industrial Drive Augusta, ME 04330

Award will be to the vendor with the lowest cost that meets the below specification. No payment will be made to vendors that are not selected.

MaineDOT reserves the right to lessen the 30-day testing period if it finds that the sign does not meet specifications.

The award will be made on a best value basis to the vendor that either meets or most closely meets the specifications, while taking price and delivery into consideration.

Please complete all checklists. An X will have the same meaning as standard or specified equipment.

Make note of all exceptions and identify as not available or dealer installed.

The following abbreviations must be used:

X Standard or as specified N/A Not Available AE Approved equal process

Item # 1 DISPLAY SPECIFICATIONS _____1.1 Dimensions: shall be a 48” by 48” diamond

Item # 2 LIGHTING

Item # 3 POWER SYSTEM

(NEMA) 4X rated enclosure

Item # 4 INSTALLATION:

Item # 5 TESTING:

Sign shall be powered up and Flash pattern and LED activation observed

Item # 6 SUPPORT

Item # 7 PAINT ______7.1 All metal shall be free of rust and mill scale and prepared (bead blasted) for primer and finish paint coat.

______7.2 A two (2) part epoxy primer shall be applied to prepared metal surfaces to the minimum thickness of 3-5 mils dry.

7.3 All paint and primer shall be lead free.

Item # 8 WARRANTY

8.1 12-months parts and labor, or standard manufacturer’s warranty shall apply whichever is greater. Warranty shall begin on the date of final delivery of all parts and equipment to MaineDOT.

Item # 9 GENERAL

Basis of Payment The accepted quantity of Flashing Low Clearance Signs will be paid for by Each and will be full compensation for the Flashing Low Clearance Sign, wood posts, any software/firmware, solar panels, batteries, AC wall charger, mounting hardware for sign and solar panels, shipping/delivery/unloading signs to MaineDOT Sign Shop, 66 Industrial Drive, Augusta, ME 04330.

For DOT internal use only:

Appendix C

DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES

OFFICE OF STATE PROCUREMENT SERVICES

COST RESPONSE

RFQ # 17A 25051300000000000254

Low Clearance Flashing Signs

All responses to this RFQ will require a cost quotation response, in a format selected by the State of Maine. That format is described below.

All bids must be entered in the Vendor Self Service (VSS).

All bids must have a bid price (Unit Price). This is the quoted price that will be used for evaluation purposes. The price must be filled in using numbers and a decimal point only.

Example: If your bid is for one dollar you would enter 1.00

All bid must have the estimated days from award of contract to receipt of unit (Delivery Days). This will be entered as CALENDAR DAYS. Only numbers can be entered.

Example: If you expect to be able to deliver the unit in two weeks you would enter 14

If you have any details you want us to know about your bid or the item you are bidding write them in the Comments section.

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