RFP# 25RAL0091 Instructions to Bidders.docx

INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS

1. Create An Account Access to the University at Buffalo’s eProcurement System, ShopBlue (Jaggaer), is found at the public site URL: https://solutions.sciquest.com/apps/Router/SupplierLogin?CustOrg=SUNY. A free account is required to view bid opportunities and to submit proposals. Scroll down to enter your email address and click next.

2. Search For Bid Opportunities Proposals, subject to the terms, conditions and specifications of the RFP must be submitted at the public site URL: https://bids.sciquest.com/apps/Router/PublicEvent?CustomerOrg=SUNY. A public bid opening will not be held and late bids will not be accepted.

· Under Business Opportunities, click on Open for Bid

· In the Campus field, type University at Buffalo, then click Search

Get Help Using ShopBlue For help using ShopBlue e-procurement system, contact:

ShopBlue System Support Phone: 716-645-4500 Email: UBS-ShopBlue-Support@buffalo.edu Important Links:

Jaggaer Supplier Registration:

https://solutions.sciquest.com/apps/Router/SupplierLogin

Tutorial Video on registration process https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPwSanSotkw

3. In accordance with the requirements of New York State Finance Law Sections 139j and 139k (“Lobbying Law”), the restricted period for this procurement is now in effect until a binding contractual agreement exists with the selected Contractor and all other Bidders have been notified, or when the University rejects all proposals. Therefore, all communications regarding this procurement must be handled through the designated contacts only. Under no circumstances, may any Bidder or its representative, contact any employee or representative of the University regarding the RFP other than the designated contacts on this RFP. Strict adherence to this important procedural safeguard is required. Any violation of this condition may result in Bidder being considered non-compliant and ineligible for award.

4. Any bid received after the close date/time specified in this RFP will be considered a Late Bid. A Late Bid shall not be considered for award unless: (i) no timely bids meeting the requirements of this RFP are received; or (ii) in the case of a multiple award, an insufficient number of timely bids were received to satisfy the multiple award. Late Bids that are not considered will be held unopened, unless opened for identification, until after award and then retained with other unsuccessful bids. However, any bid bond or guarantee will be returned. Upon receipt of a Late Bid, the University will use the date and time stamp to document the Late Bid’s arrival.

5. SUBMISSION OF QUESTIONS: By submitting a proposal, the bidder agrees that it will neither make any claims for nor assert any right to, damages because of any misunderstandings or lack of information. Written questions and requests for clarification must cite the RFP section, where applicable. Questions received after the deadline may not be answered by the University. A comprehensive list of questions and the official University response will be issued as an Addendum to the RFP. The Addendum will not contain the identities of the bidders submitting the questions; those bidders will remain anonymous to the extent allowed by law.

All questions should be submitted via the Question & Answer Board in the University at Buffalo’s ShopBlue Sourcing system on the date indicated in this RFP. The Question & Answer Board is located on the left navigation bar, under Tools.

6. SUBMISSION OF PROPOSAL: To be deemed “responsive” to this RFP, a Bidder must meet all mandatory requirements and qualifications and its proposal must address all points and questions appearing in this RFP. In the event a Bidder’s proposal is determined by the University to be “non-responsive,” the University may disqualify the proposal. A disqualified proposal will not be further evaluated or considered for contract award.

An authorized person must fully and properly execute the proposal. By signing, you certify (i) your express authority to sign on behalf of yourself, your company, or other entity; (ii) your full knowledge and acceptance of this RFP terms and conditions, Exhibit A (State University of New York Standard Contract Clauses), Exhibit A-1; and (iii) that all information provided is complete, true and accurate.

Proposals should be prepared in such a way as to provide straightforward, concise and specific information about the scope of services your company is able and willing to provide. Emphasis should be placed on responsiveness to the University’s desired services and goals.

Any additional information shall be submitted in a separate document in the Bidder Attachments located in the ShopBlue left navigation bar. Any Bidder terms which are attached or referenced with a submission shall not be considered part of the bid or proposal but shall be deemed included for informational purposes only.

Proposals may be withdrawn or modified by written request from the bidder at any time prior to the Bid Close Date/Time.

The submission of a proposal constitutes a non-revocable, binding offer to perform and provide said services. Such binding offer shall be firm and not revocable for a period of ninety (90) days from bid opening. After ninety (90) days, the proposal may remain in effect, subject to withdrawal communicated in writing signed by the Bidder.

The University reserves the right to request clarifications from Bidders for purposes of assuring a full understanding of responsiveness and further reserves the right to permit revisions from all Bidders determined to be susceptible to being selected for contract award, prior to award.

University reserves the right to reject separable portions of any offer, to negotiate terms and conditions consistent with the solicitation, and to make an award for any or all remaining portions.

University reserves the right to eliminate non-material requirements not met by all Bidders.

In the event of a discrepancy between the unit price and the extension, the unit price will govern. Prices must be extended in decimals, not fractions.

Bidder is responsible to bring to the University’s attention any deviations in the technical specifications and to make recommendations for any additional requirements deemed necessary as standard, or for work indicated in the specifications contained in this RFP. If the University, at its discretion, finds the deviations to be significant to require a change in the necessary specifications for the work, the University will notify all Bidders via an Addendum to the RFP. No deviations from the technical specifications provided herein shall be made without written approval of the University.

By submitting a proposal, Bidder agrees that it will not make any claims for, nor assert any right to damages because of any misinterpretation or misunderstanding of the specifications or because of any misinformation or lack of information.

Bidder may be requested to provide evidence that the award of a contract will not result in:

· a conflict of interest with regard to other work performed by Bidder

· a potential conflict of interest among Bidder’s staff

More than one (1) bid from an individual, firm, partnership, corporation or association under the same or different names will not be considered. Reasonable grounds for believing that a bidder is interested in more than one proposal for the same work will cause the rejection of all proposals in which such bidders are believed to be interested.

Any or all proposals will be rejected if there is reason to believe that collusion exists between bidders. Proposals in which the prices and quantities are obviously unbalanced will be rejected.

Bidder is responsible for all costs that it incurs, direct or indirect, related to the preparation and submission of a proposal in response to this RFP.

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