RFP RBAA 2027-045 Law Enforcement Ammunition.pdf

Request for Proposal (RFP)

Request for Proposal (RFP) #: RBAA 2027-045 Project Title: Law Enforcement Ammunition Date Due: Tuesday, November 17 at 2:00 PM MT

SIGNATURE PAGE

ISSUING OFFICE: This Request for Proposal (RFP) is issued by the Colorado Department of Public Safety (CDPS), Executive Director’s Office. The CDPS Purchasing and Contracts Office is the sole point of contact concerning this solicitation. The CDPS Purchasing and Contracts Office can be contacted at:

cdps_edo_bids@state.co.us.

PROPOSALS ACCEPTED BY THE ISSUING OFFICE ONLY. FAXED PROPOSALS WILL NOT

BE ACCEPTED. NO LATE PROPOSALS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

Colorado VSS / CORE Number Date

Company Name

Address

City State Zip Code

Phone Email

Indicate if your company is registered and verified by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business:

YES (if yes, please submit validation with your response) NO

Indicate that you have attached a Word version of the Contract and marked any exceptions using “Track Changes”.

YES, attached as a separate Word document as described in 7.D. NO, no exceptions taken to the Contract.

Print Name of Company Representative Title

Signature of Company Representative Signature by an authorized officer or agent of the company.

COMPLETE & RETURN WITH PROPOSAL SUBMISSION (ELECTRONICALLY)

mailto:cdps_edo_bids@state.co.us

Request for Proposals

Colorado Department of Public Safety

RFP RBAA 2027-045

Law Enforcement Ammunition

Release Date: October 15, 2026

Close Date: November 17, 2026

RFP Summary Sheet

The information found in this summary sheet is for reference purposes only. Vendors or other interested parties are cautioned to review the solicitation, including any later amendments, in its entirety and contact the listed Point of Contact with any questions.

1. Important Dates:

1. Publication Date- Thursday, October 15, 2026

2. Deadline for Questions- Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at 2:00PM MST

3. Question and Answer Publication Date- Friday, October 30, 2026

4. Proposal Submission Deadline- Tuesday, November 17, 2026, at 2:00PM MST

2. Requested Proposal Format- Additional Information found in Section 5

3. Proposal Submission Instructions- Section 4

1. Responses must be submitted through Colorado VSS. Emailed proposals not accepted

2. Ensure all requested attachments are included

3. Responses received after the submission deadline shall not be opened and shall be rejected as a late response, unless otherwise permitted by the procurement official in accordance with Procurement Rule R-24-103-201-10.

file://Cpqnas/edo/PROCUREMENT%20TEAM/2.%20CSP/Ammunition%20Cooperative%20Procurement/RFP%20&%20Attachments/Solicitation/1.%20To%20Post%20-%20Master%20RFP%20&%20Exhibits/RFP%20Template_remediated_06.2026%20(1).docx#Schedule file://Cpqnas/edo/PROCUREMENT%20TEAM/2.%20CSP/Ammunition%20Cooperative%20Procurement/RFP%20&%20Attachments/Solicitation/1.%20To%20Post%20-%20Master%20RFP%20&%20Exhibits/RFP%20Template_remediated_06.2026%20(1).docx#Format

V010925 RFP RBAA 2027-045 Page 1 of 15

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION

A. General Information

B. Background

C. Goals and Objectives

D. Sole Point of Contact

E. Schedule of Activities

F. Anticipated Contract Term

G. Price Term and Option Letters

2. CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

A. Accessibility Requirements

B. Insurance Requirements

C. Mandatory Qualification Requirements

3. SCOPE OF WORK REQUIREMENTS

A. Shipping Terms & Destination

B. Minimum Order Quantities

C. Product Substitution

D. Delivery Timelines

E. Quality Assurance and Safety Recalls

F. Delivery Timelines

G. Quality Assurance and Safety Recalls

H. Packaging and Pallet Weight Restrictions

4. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION INSTRUCTION

5. Requested Proposal Format

A. Demonstrated Experience and Capabilities

B. Accessibility Requirements

6. EVALUATION METHODOLOGY

A. Evaluation Process

B. Evaluation Committee

C. Proposal Evaluation Criteria

D. Demonstrations and Discussions

V010925 RFP RBAA 2027-045 Page 2 of 15

E. Single proposal

F. Award

V010925 RFP RBAA 2027-045 Page 3 of 15

1. INTRODUCTION

A. General Information

On behalf of the State of Colorado, the Colorado Department of Public Safety

(CDPS) is soliciting competitive sealed proposals for Law Enforcement (LE)

Ammunition with the intent to establish a contract with qualified Manufacturers or distributors to provide dependable, high-quality, brass-cased duty and training ammunition.

i. Cooperative Purchase Agreement

In accordance with section 24-110-201, C.R.S., the award under this solicitation will be a Cooperative Purchasing Agreement available for use by the State Agency issuing this solicitation and other State and local Agencies and Political Subdivisions, including, but not limited to, city and county government entities, public utilities, public schools districts, and State

Institutions of Higher Education, on the terms, conditions and rates set forth in the Cooperative Purchasing Agreement. Each agency or entity ordering goods or services under the contract will be responsible for all costs and expenses incurred in connection with its orders.

B. Background

i. The Colorado Department of Public Safety and the Colorado State Patrol require reliable ammunition sourcing to maintain public safety, law enforcement readiness, and rigorous training standards. Because this solicitation is established as a Cooperative Procurement, this contract will be accessible not only to the Colorado State Patrol but also to other state agencies, higher education institutions, and political subdivisions (cities, counties, school districts) across the State of Colorado.

C. Goals and Objectives

i. The State intends to establish cost-effective Contract(s) that ensure firm, competitive box pricing, strict adherence to delivery timeframes, and seamless logistical execution across varied regional delivery sites. The successful Offeror will:

V010925 RFP RBAA 2027-045 Page 4 of 15

a. Provide reliable, high-quality, brass-cased ammunition meeting or exceeding the technical baselines defined in Section 3, Scope of Work.

b. Maintain an uninterrupted supply chain capable of fulfilling individual agency purchase orders within the preferred 90-day turnaround.

c. Provide clean, clear, structured invoice tracking reflecting pricing exactly as stated in the specific Manufacturer's Exhibit B-Prices and

Rates.

D. Sole Point of Contact

i. The State’s sole point of contact for this solicitation is Nancy Guzman, Purchasing Agent, Colorado Department of Public Safety. She may be reached via email at cdps_edo_bids@state.co.us. Initiating contact with anyone other than this individual may result in Offeror disqualification.

E. Schedule of Activities

This Schedule of Activities is for information and planning purposes only.

Schedules for Activities listed as “Estimated” may be subject to change depending on the needs of the State. All times are considered in Mountain Time (MT), as adjusted for daylight savings.

i. The date of publication for this solicitation on Colorado VSS is Thursday, October 15, 2026.

ii. Written inquiries must be submitted to cdps_edo_bids@state.co.us no later than Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at 2:00PM MST.

iii. The estimated date for the State’s responses to vendors’ written inquiries to be published on Colorado VSS is Friday, October 30, 2026.

iv. All proposals must be submitted in the method described in Section 6 below, no later than 2pm MT on Tuesday, November 17, 2026.

v. A public opening of the proposals will be held virtually on Tuesday, November

17, 2026, at 3:00 PM MT. Please request an invitation by emailing cdps_edo_bids@state.co.us.

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vi. The estimated date for the publication of an Intent to Award on Colorado VSS is TBD.

F. Anticipated Contract Term

i. The initial term of the awarded Contracts is anticipated to begin on January

01, 2027, and end on December 31, 2028. The Contracts may be renewed for up to three (3) additional one-year periods at the sole discretion of the

State. The total duration of the Contracts, including all options, is not anticipated to exceed five (5) years. The model Contract Template is included in this RFP as Exhibit D – State Cooperative Agreement.

ii. The State may extend the Contract(s) beyond the anticipated term in accordance with the Colorado Procurement Code, and in the event that the

State determines an extension is necessary.

iii. The State may, within its sole discretion, choose not to exercise any option or extension term in the Contract(s) for any reason. If the State chooses not to exercise any option or extension term, it may re-procure the goods and/or services in its sole discretion.

G. Price Term and Option Letters

i. Proposed pricing must remain firm for the first twelve (12) months of the

Contract. Following the initial 12-month period, the Contractor may request a price adjustment once per year. Any requested increase must be fully supported by documented market commodity fluctuations and must be mutually agreed upon in writing by the Colorado Department of Public

Safety. Approved price adjustments will be formally executed and modified via a State Contract Amendment.

ii. Market Reductions & Price Decreases: If at any time during the contract term raw material commodity prices (e.g., brass, copper, lead) decrease significantly, or if the Contractor or Manufacturer lowers its commercial catalog pricing or standard government tier pricing for any awarded item, the Contractor must pass the equivalent price reduction along to the

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State. The Contractor shall proactively notify CDPS of any price reductions within fifteen (15) calendar days of the market or catalog adjustment.

2. CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

A. Accessibility Requirements

All work performed as a result of this solicitation must comply with all applicable provisions of §§24-85-101, et seq., C.R.S., and the Accessibility Standards for

Individuals with a Disability, as established by the Office Of Information

Technology pursuant to Section §24-85-103 (2.5), C.R.S. and 3) all State of

Colorado technology standards related to technology accessibility and with Level

AA of the most current version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

(WCAG), incorporated in the State of Colorado technology standards. In alignment with CRS 24-34-802, the system must comply with accessibility standards for individuals with disabilities on or before July 1, 2025. Additional information can be found at the following website: https://oit.colorado.gov/standards-policies-guides/guide-to-accessible-web-services/vendor-accessibility-guide

B. Insurance Requirements

The awarded Offeror(s) will be required to submit a certificate(s) of insurance evidencing insurance coverage for, at minimum, the types and amounts of insurance as required by the Insurance provision in the Contract included in this solicitation as an attachment, prior to execution of the Contract.

C. Mandatory Qualification Requirements

i. Offerors must satisfy the following mandatory qualification requirements on a pass/fail basis. Failure to provide the required verifications will result in the immediate rejection of the proposal:

a. Federal Firearms License (FFL): The Offeror must hold and maintain an active and valid Federal Firearms License appropriate for the commercial distribution, importation, or manufacture of ammunition.

A copy of the current FFL must be provided with proposal submission.

b. Prior Experience: Offeror must have a minimum of five (5) years of https://oit.colorado.gov/standards-policies-guides/guide-to-accessible-web-services/vendor-accessibility-guide https://oit.colorado.gov/standards-policies-guides/guide-to-accessible-web-services/vendor-accessibility-guide

V010925 RFP RBAA 2027-045 Page 7 of 15 experience within the last seven (7) years selling ammunition to government, military, or law enforcement entities.

3. SCOPE OF WORK REQUIREMENTS

This Scope of Work describes what the awarded Offeror(s) will be expected to provide through the Contract resulting from this RFP. The Scope of Work is intended to provide interested Offeror’s with sufficient basic information to submit a proposal. It is not intended to limit a proposal’s content or exclude any relevant or essential data.

A. Ammunition Specifications:

i. Casing: All proposed ammunition shall feature high-quality brass casings.

Alternate casing materials (e.g., steel, aluminum, polymer, or lacquered composites) are strictly prohibited.

ii. Caliber: Offerors may propose ammunition in multiple calibers, including, but not limited to 9mm, .308, and other calibers that meet the requirements of this RFP.

B. Shipping Terms & Destination

i. Standard Freight & Delivery Terms (FOB Destination): Except as provided in subsections 2 and 3 below, all standard ground orders shall be FOB

Destination, Freight Prepaid and Allowed, to the specific delivery location designated by the purchasing Cooperative Entity at the time the Purchase

Order is issued. Standard delivery costs shall be incorporated into the vendor's unit pricing.

ii. Bulk / Multi-Pallet Freight Exceptions: For bulk shipments exceeding a specified threshold (e.g., full truckload or orders requiring specialized freight carrier handling), the Contractor may pass along actual, reasonable freight costs to the purchasing entity.

iii. Pre-Approval Requirement: Any freight or fuel surcharge costs must be explicitly disclosed, itemized, and approved in writing by the purchasing

V010925 RFP RBAA 2027-045 Page 8 of 15 entity prior to processing the order and issuing the Purchase Order. No unapproved freight surcharges will be accepted or paid.

C. Loading Dock Operations & Liftgate Requirements: The main Colorado

Department of Public Safety receiving facility operates a dedicated loading dock open Monday through Friday during standard business hours [e.g., 8:00 AM – 4:00

PM MT]. However, because this contract is accessible to cooperative entities that may lack loading docks, the Contractor must ensure delivery transport is equipped with a mechanical liftgate service upon request, as well as a 24-hour notice of delivery date.

i. Damaged or Rejected Shipments: The Purchasing Entity reserves the right to inspect all shipments at the time of delivery or within ten (10) business days of receipt. If ammunition boxes, cases, or pallets arrive damaged, wet, structurally compromised, or non-conforming, the delivery may be refused in whole or in part. The Contractor shall, at zero cost to the Purchasing Entity, arrange for the prompt pickup and full replacement of all damaged or non-conforming goods within ten (10) business days of written notification.

D. Minimum Order Quantities

i. To ensure accessibility for smaller political subdivisions and individual specialized units, the strict Minimum Order Quantity under this contract shall be one (1) individual box of the targeted ammunition caliber. Offerors may not mandate bulk-only case or pallet minimums as a condition of order fulfillment.

E. Product Substitution

i. Strict No-Substitution Policy: Product substitutions are strictly prohibited.

The Contractor shall fulfill all Purchase Orders using the exact Manufacturer, product code, caliber, grain weight, casing, and bullet configuration specified in the contract award and PO. No alternative products or generic equivalents may be shipped without prior written authorization from the

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Purchasing Entity’s procurement officer prior to dispatch. Unauthorized substitutions will be rejected at the delivery dock and returned at the

Contractor's sole expense.

F. Delivery Timelines

i. Delivery Window: It is preferred that the Contractor deliver all ordered ammunition to the destination point within ninety (90) calendar days or less from the date the Purchase Order was transmitted to the vendor.

ii. Delayed Performance: Failure to meet the delivery deadline agreed to at time of purchase may be considered a material breach of contract and may result in order cancellation of said purchase.

iii. At Time of Quote: When requested to provide a quote or estimate prior to order issuance, the Contractor must explicitly disclose whether any requested items are on backorder and provide a realistic, estimated time of arrival

(ETA).

iv. Post-PO Transmittal: If an item becomes back-ordered after an order is placed, the Contractor must notify the Purchasing Entity in writing within twenty-four (24) hours of Purchase Order receipt. The notification must state the reason for the delay and the expected fulfillment date.

v. Cancellation Right: If the back-order ETA exceeds the preferred 90-day delivery window or fails to meet the agency's operational needs, the

Purchasing Entity reserves the right to cancel the Purchase Order without penalty or penalty fees.

G. Quality Assurance and Safety Recalls

i. Notification: The Contractor must notify the CDPS Sole Point of Contact and any affected Purchasing Entities in writing within twenty-four (24) hours of any Manufacturer recall, safety warning, or critical quality advisory involving any product line awarded under this Contract.

ii. Remediation: In the event of defective ammunition (e.g., squib loads, catastrophic casing failures, failure to feed/fire due to manufacturing

V010925 RFP RBAA 2027-045 Page 10 of 15 defects) or a safety recall, the Contractor shall immediately replace all affected stock at zero cost to the Purchasing Entity or refund the purchase price in full, at the Purchasing Entity’s discretion. The Contractor shall be responsible for all freight and logistics costs associated with returning defective or recalled inventory.

H. Packaging & Pallet Weight Restrictions

i. Pallet Capping: To safely accommodate the physical weight limits of local agency forklifts, manual pallet jacks, and facility floors, the maximum gross weight of any single delivered pallet shall not exceed 2,500 lbs.

ii. Commercial Packaging Standards: Ammunition must be delivered in standard, clean retail boxes, neatly packed inside heavy-duty commercial cardboard outer cases. Outer cases must be clearly marked with the

Caliber, Manufacturer, Grain, Bullet Type, and Manufacturing Lot Number.

All cases stacked on a pallet must be securely block-stacked and thoroughly shrunk-wrapped to prevent shifting during transit.

iii. Manufacturing Lot Consistency: To maintain ballistic consistency and point-of-impact uniformity during law enforcement qualification and duty use, each individual line item on a single Purchase Order must be fulfilled using a single manufacturing lot number. If a single order volume exceeds what can be fulfilled from a single lot, the Contractor must obtain prior written approval from the Purchasing Entity before splitting the shipment across multiple lot numbers, and distinct lot numbers must be packaged and labeled separately.

4. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

A. Submit your Proposal by 2:00 PM MT on November 17, 2026. Responses must be submitted through Colorado VSS. Emailed proposals will not be accepted.

B. Ensure all requested attachments are included.

C. Responses received after the submission deadline shall not be opened and shall be rejected as a late response, unless otherwise permitted by the procurement

V010925 RFP RBAA 2027-045 Page 11 of 15 official in accordance with Procurement Rule R-24-103-201-10.

D. Please note the following:

The subject line and the body of the email are not uploaded into the online submission application. Only email attachments are uploaded. Should any Offeror wish to ask a question or make a comment regarding the Solicitation, Offerors should send a separate email to cdps_edo_bids@state.co.us.

1. Offerors should submit all required Proposal submission documents listed below in section 4.D.2. The documents must include the following title: RFP-

RBAA-2027-045 and include the Offeror’s name.

2. Submission Checklist

☐ Technical Proposal

☐ Exhibit B – Prices and Rates

☐ Signature Page (Page 1 of RFP)

☐ Exhibit C – W-9 Signed and dated

Proposals not following this procedure may be declared non-responsive by the

CDPS Procurement Director and given no further consideration.

3. The Solicitation submission application is only for Proposal submission. All inquiries, questions, comments, or concerns should be submitted to the point of contact via email and not through the Solicitation submission application. Offeror should not send their Proposal to the point of contact via email.

5. REQUESTED PROPOSAL FORMAT

Proposals should cover the following areas, with an emphasis on how these areas relate to the evaluation criteria listed in this Request for Proposals.

A. Technical Proposal

i. Demonstrated Experience and Capabilities: Offeror shall describe how the

Offeror’s experience and capabilities make it the ideal candidate to perform

V010925 RFP RBAA 2027-045 Page 12 of 15 the work. Describe experience working with three (3) government entities on similar projects.

ii. Offeror Response: Offeror shall indicate key personnel who will be assigned to the project and describe their experience.

iii. Accessibility Requirements: Offeror shall describe how their proposed solution will meet or exceed the accessibility requirements detailed in this solicitation.

iv. Terms and Conditions: The vendor has reviewed and agrees to all terms and conditions of Exhibit D - State of Colorado Cooperative Agreement.

B. Cost Proposal

Offeror Response: Offeror must submit completed Exhibit B - Prices and Rates.

6. EVALUATION METHODOLOGY

A. Evaluation Process

A comprehensive, thorough, complete and impartial evaluation of each proposal received will be conducted in accordance with §24-103-203(7), C.R.S, which states, “The award shall be made to the responsible Offeror(s) whose proposal is determined in writing to be the most advantageous to the state, taking into consideration the price and evaluation factors set forth in the request for proposal.”

B. Evaluation Committee

i. An Evaluation Committee will be established utilizing measures to ensure the integrity of the evaluation process. These measures include the following:

a. Mandatory Qualification Requirements: Scored on a Pass/Fail baseline (FFL validation & Experience Requirement).

b. Demonstrated Experience and Capabilities: Evaluated based on history and three (3) government references.

c. Technical Proposal: Offeror’s ability to meet all Scope of Work logistics, delivery parameters, and product specifications.

d. Cost Proposal (Individual Box Pricing Model): Price scoring will not

V010925 RFP RBAA 2027-045 Page 13 of 15 be computed as a generalized average. The Evaluation Committee will review and score cost proposals based on individual box pricing per ammunition type/caliber. The State reserves the right to issue multi-vendor awards or partial line-item awards by caliber to ensure the most economically advantageous outcome for Purchasing Entities across Colorado.

e. Accessibility Compliance: Offeror shall describe how their digital ordering or catalog tools will meet or exceed the accessibility requirements detailed in this solicitation.

f. Terms and Conditions: The vendor has reviewed and agrees to all terms and conditions of the State of Colorado Cooperative Agreement, Exhibit D.

Criterion Weight

Federal Firearms License (FFL) Pass/Fail

Prior experience selling ammunition to government entities Pass/Fail

1. Demonstrated Experience and Capabilities 20%

2. Technical Proposal 40%

3. Cost Proposal (Individual Box Pricing Model) 30%

4. Accessibility Compliance 5%

5. Terms and Conditions 5%

ii. The objective of the Evaluation Committee is to conduct reviews of the proposals that have been submitted, to hold frank and detailed discussions among themselves, and to recommend an Offeror(s) for award(s). The State will be awarding to multiple vendors.

C. Proposal Evaluation Criteria

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i. The State will evaluate proposals to determine if each Offeror meets all mandatory qualification requirements; provided, however, that the State has the authority to waive non-material mandatory requirements in certain circumstances. Reference Procurement Rule R-24-103-301-03. The mandatory qualification requirements are scored on a Met/Not Met basis and only those proposals found to meet all mandatory requirements, other than non-material mandatory requirements waived by the State, can be considered for a Contract resulting from this solicitation.

ii. Proposals will be evaluated using the evaluation criteria listed above. The evaluators will consider whether the Scope of Work requirements in the solicitation have been addressed, and they will review the capabilities of the

Offeror, as well as the quality of the approach proposed, the price, and any other aspect determined relevant to the evaluation criteria.

D. Demonstrations and Discussions

i. The Evaluation Committee may, if necessary, request clarifications, conduct discussions, oral presentations, or request best and final offers. Per R-24-

103-203-03, discussions may be held with responsible Offerors whose proposals are determined to be reasonably susceptible to be selected for award to:

a. Promote understanding of the state’s requirements and the Offerors’ proposals; and

b. Facilitate a contract that will be most advantageous to the state taking into consideration price and the other evaluation factors set forth in the request for proposals.

ii. The Evaluation Committee may adjust its scoring based on the results of such activities. However, proposals may be reviewed and determinations made without such activities. Offerors should be aware that the opportunity for further explanation might not exist; therefore, Offerors should ensure that their submission is complete, and are encouraged to submit their best possible proposal, including pricing.

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E. Single proposal

If only one proposal is received in response to a solicitation, an award may be made to the single Offeror if the procurement official finds that the price submitted is fair and reasonable and that other prospective Offerors had reasonable opportunity to respond. Reference Procurement Rule R- 24-103-201-

02(d).

F. Award

i. A Notice of Intent to Award will be published on Colorado VSS.

ii. The award determination is ultimately a business decision that will reflect an integrated assessment of the relative merits of the proposals received, using the factors set forth in this solicitation.

iii. The State intends to award Contracts to one or more Offeror(s) whose proposals, conforming to the solicitation, will be most advantageous to the

State, price and other factors considered.