RFI_-_Cookies__Crackers__and_Snacks.pdf

OFFICE OF STATE PROCUREMENT (OSP)

DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

SOLICITATION NUMBER: BPM048163

Issue Date: January 23, 2025

STATEWIDE

COOKIE, CRACKER, AND SNACK PRODUCTS

NOTICE

A Prospective respondent that has received this document from the Office of State Procurement website or procurement.maryland.gov, or that has received this document from a source other than the Procurement Officer, and that wishes to assure receipt of any changes or additional materials related to this RFI, should immediately contact the Procurement Officer and provide the

Prospective Respondents name and mailing address so that addenda to the RFI or other communications can be sent to the Prospective Bidder.

https://procurement.maryland.gov/

STATE OF MARYLAND

Office of State Procurement

RFI KEY INFORMATION SUMMARY SHEET

Request for Information: Cookies, Crackers, and Snacks

Solicitation Number: BPM048163

Solicitation Type: To Be Determined

RFI Issue Date: January 23, 2025

RFI Issuing Office: Office of State Procurement

Procurement Officer: Tierra Ali-Said

301 W. Preston Street, Suite M-4

Baltimore, MD 21201

Phone: 410-767-0788 e-mail: Tierra.Ali-Said1@maryland.gov

Closing Date and Time: February 6, 2025, at 2:00 PM Local Time

Responses are to be submitted via email only to Tierra.Ali-Said1@maryland.gov.

mailto:Tierra.Ali-Said1@maryland.gov

CONTENTS OF THIS SOLICITATION PACKAGE

Section A General Information

Attachment 1

SECTION A

GENERAL INFORMATION

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

Cookie, Cracker, and Snack Products

A. OBJECTIVE:

a) The purpose of this Request For Information (RFI), which is not a solicitation to procure, is a means of conducting market research to identify capable parties having an interest in the

Statewide Cookies, Crackers, and Snacks procurement. This RFI is in addition to any formal forthcoming virtual pre-bid conference that would occur after the procurement solicitation posting, once a date is determined.

b) The requirements stated in this RFI may not accurately reflect that which may be contained in a

Request for Proposal (RFP), Invitation for Bid (IFB), Purchase Order RFP (PORFP), Task

Order RFP (TORFP) or other procurement vehicle. This issuance does not constitute a commitment to issue a request for bids, award a contract, or pay any costs incurred in preparation of a response to this request. Furthermore, the Department of General Services

(DGS) requires that all responding vendors abstain from providing any quotes or bids in response to this RFI unless otherwise asked to do so.

c) Any information received in response to this RFI will assist DGS in collecting information that may be used at a future date for a procurement. A submission in response to this RFI does not guarantee that the respondent will be included in any subsequent procurement. Likewise, a non-submission in response to this RFI does not preclude a recipient or vendor from inclusion in any future procurement.

d) As part of DGS's efforts to gather this information, DGS may schedule information sessions as it determines necessary with participants or others. The purpose of these sessions is strictly information gathering. This is not a procurement activity and will not result in an evaluation or a purchase.

e) OSP intends on subsequently soliciting and awarding a Fixed Price, Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity Contract for various cookies, crackers, and snack products to be furnished and delivered at various agency sites. The term of the contract is anticipated to commence the

Second Quarter, 2025. It is anticipated that the contract will be for multiple years and potentially contain renewal options.

f) The contract award(s) may be by geographic region, however, the makeup of this has not been determined at this time. OSP would like to designate one or more portions of this requirement as a Small Business Preference (SBP) Procurement, and to allow for the maximum opportunity for Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and Veteran Small Business Enterprise (VSBE) utilization at both the prime and subcontracting-levels.

B. INSTRUCTIONS

a) This information is for OSP internal planning purposes only. Responses will not be used to evaluate firms.

b) In order to facilitate an expedited review and response period, the OSP is requesting that vendors complete Attachment 1 and send Attachment 1 to the DGS OSP Procurement Listed in this RFI.

c) Respondents should give specific attention to the identification of those portions of its response which it considers confidential, proprietary, commercial information, or trade secrets, and provide justification why such materials, upon request, should not be disclosed by the State under the Public

Information Act, Title 4 of the General Provisions of the Annotated Code of Maryland. Respondents are advised that, upon request for this information from a third party, the Procurement Officer will be required to make an independent determination regarding whether the information may be disclosed.

C. COOKIES, CRACKERS, AND SNACK PRODUCTS:

a) For reference purposes and to assist in determining if your firm is capable of handling the requirements of the state, below you will find information for the current scope of work.

b) The contract requires the supply of cookie, cracker, and snack products. All products furnished shall be dated with the use by, sell by, best by, expiration or production date, preferably on each individual product, but in the least, on each case. These dates should be calendar dates, not Julian dates. All cookies, crackers, and snacks products shall be US Grade A. Case/Container must bear USDA grade seal and USDA certificate shall be available upon request.

c) The cookies, crackers, and snack items are ordered on an as needed basis. Delivery shall be completed within fifteen (15) working days after receiving an order from using

Agency.

d) The Contractor shall be responsible for all transportation, shipping and delivery charges.

Deliveries shall be made as required by the using agency, but not more than thirty (30) days after receipt of order. All orders shall be shipped and billed directly to each using agency.

e) The Contractor shall provide Recall Notification, regardless of level, in writing, to the

State and each institution through the most expedient method possible. The notices, at a minimum, shall include a complete product description and/or identification, contract number, delivery order number and disposition instructions.

f) Unless otherwise instructed by the using agencies, deliveries shall be made in compliance with delivery schedules as indicated by the ordering agency. Deliveries to cover Sundays and State holidays shall be made on the preceding day. Hours of the day and points at which deliveries shall be made will be established by the ordering agency in writing to the bidder(s) awarded the contract.

g) Shall be made by the requested using authority on an “as-required” basis.

h) All materials, supplies, equipment or services supplied as a result of this contract shall comply with the applicable U.S. and Maryland Occupational Safety and Health Act

Standards.

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

BPM TBD

ATTACHMENT 1

Instructions: To Submit your Response to the Request for Information (RFI), download

Attachment 1 and complete the YELLOW fields. Submit ATTACHMENT 1 to the following email address:

Tierra.Ali-Said1@maryland.gov

A) Contractor Contact Information:

Company Name:

Address:

Email Address:

Website Address:

Telephone Number:

Point of Contact (name, title, telephone number, and email address):

Satellite/Branch Office Locations:

B) Socioeconomic Information: MBE / VSBE / SBR: (circle one)

Business Size (Small or Large)

If small, list other any additional socio-economic grouping

Notes:

STATEWIDE DELIVERY

REGIONS: Please circle the regions your Company can deliver to:

Region A Region B Region C Region D-1

Region D-

2 Region E

Allegany Frederick Anne Arundel Caroline Dorchester Calvert

Garrett Montgomery Baltimore Cecil Somerset Charles

Washington Prince George's

Baltimore

City Kent Wicomico St. Mary's

Carroll Queen Anne's Worcester

Harford Talbot

Howard

STATEWIDE PRICING: Enter a price per unit cost in each field.

Note, this price will not be evaluated but will be collected for Market Research Purposes.

a. Please provide your company’s capability statement addressing the particulars of this effort within the counties you indicated above. If there is a particular task outlined in the Statement of Work that hinders you from being able to cover a particular zone or region please provide this information in your statement.

b. Please provide prior experience on projects of similar scope and magnitude. Describe no more than three (3) projects relating to the work areas outlined in the attached specifications that have been completed within the past five (5) years.

C) General Questions.

a. Is there anything unduly restrictive about the draft specifications that would prevent your company from being able to compete?

b. What part of this requirement do you believe could be subcontracted out to increase MBE/VSBE participation (and why)?

c. What do you believe MBE/VSBE goals should be for this requirement, by region/county (and why?)

d. Are there any regions/counties that you believe can be designated as SBR (and why?)

e. Is there any other items you believe that OSP should consider before finalizing the specifications and soliciting?

THIS IS THE END OF THE REQUEST FOR INFORMATION.