RFQ 18F 250821-0043.pdf

State of Maine RFQ# 18F 250821-0043 Rev. 1/28/2025

STATE OF MAINE

DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES

OFFICE OF STATE PROCUREMENT SERVICES

RFQ # 18F 25082100000000000043

2025 Individual Income Tax Booklets & Loose Forms (Printing and Mailing)

Quotations/Responses Due: Wednesday, October 15, 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 Maine Revenue Services (“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. Purpose

The purpose of this RFQ is to create a Buyers Purchase Order (BPO) for the one-time purchase of the goods or services described in Appendix B.

2. Essential Bid Documents

All bids should include the following documentation. The State reserves the right to request supplementary documentation to verify compliance with all bid specifications and requirements. The State may request proof of compliance at any time, which must be provided within forty-eight (48) hours. Failure to do so may result in the rejection of a bid.

• Quote: Quote must minimally contain the following:

o Description of each item bid

Specifications Quantities Pricing Packaging Details o Estimated Delivery Time o Confirmation pricing for unaddressed booklets and loose forms is FOB destination o Statement that samples will be sent upon request within ten (10) calendar days of request

• Appendix A: Bid Cover Page and Responsible Bidder Form

• Appendix D: Additional MRS Requirement 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 https://www.maine.gov/dafs/bbm/procurementservices/vendors/vendor-self-service-system https://www.maine.gov/dafs/bbm/procurementservices/vendors/vendor-self-service-system 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

1. Issuance of this RFQ does not commit OSPS or the Requesting Department to issue an award or to pay expenses incurred by a Bidder in the preparation of a response to this RFQ. This includes attendance at personal interviews or other meetings and software or system demonstrations, where applicable.

2. All responses to this RFQ should adhere to the instructions and format requirements outlined in this RFQ and all written supplements and amendments (such as OSPS’s answers to the Bidders’ questions submitted through the VSS), as issued by OSPS.

Responses are to follow the format and respond to all questions and instructions specified above in the “Submitting a Quotation” section of this RFQ.

3. Bidders shall take careful note that in evaluating a quotation submitted in response to this RFQ, the Department may consider materials provided in the quotation, information obtained through interviews/presentations (if any), and internal information of previous contract history between OSPS and the Bidder (if any). OSPS also reserves the right to consider other reliable references and publicly available information available in evaluating a Bidder’s experience and capabilities, if needed. All responses to this RFQ shall be considered to be authorized to legally bind the Bidder, and if selected for award, shall contain or be considered to contain a statement that the quotation and the pricing contained therein will remain valid and binding for a period of at least 180 days from the date and time of the bid opening.

4. The RFQ and the selected Bidder’s quotation, including all appendices or attachments, may be incorporated in the final contract.

5. Following announcement of an award decision, all submissions in response to this RFQ will be considered public records available for public inspection pursuant to the State of Maine Freedom of Access Act (FOAA) (1 M.R.S. §§ 401 et seq.).

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

6. OSPS, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to recognize and waive minor informalities and irregularities found in quotations received in response to this RFQ.

7. OSPS reserves the right to authorize other State Departments to use the contract(s) resulting from this RFQ, if it is deemed to be beneficial for the State to do so.

8. All applicable laws, whether or not herein contained, shall be included by this reference.

It shall be Bidder’s responsibility to determine the applicability and requirements of any such laws and to abide by them.

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.

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

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 http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/5/title5sec1825-B.html https://www.maine.gov/dafs/bbm/procurementservices/policies-procedures/chapter-120 https://www.maine.gov/dafs/bbm/procurementservices/policies-procedures/chapter-120 https://www.maine.gov/dafs/bbm/procurementservices/forms 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:

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 and EFT.

Appendix A

STATE OF MAINE

BID COVER PAGE

Bidder’s Organization Name:

Chief Executive - Name/Title:

Tel: Cell: E-mail:

Headquarters Street Address:

Headquarters City/State/Zip:

(provide information requested below if different from above) Lead Point of Contact for Bid - Name/Title:

Tel: Cell: E-mail:

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:

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:

a. 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.

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

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

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

iii. 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

iv. 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.

c. 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

DETAILED SPECIFICATIONS

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: Samples will be required to be shipped upon request during bid evaluation. The samples submitted must include samples of products similar to those required by this contract including scannable forms/booklets and copies of contracts related to the samples. The samples submitted must include loose forms, booklets and forms containing data imaging.

The samples must also show the use of multiple ink colors. The samples submitted must be manufactured by the vendor submitting the bid. Samples must be received within ten (10) calendar days after receiving the request. If the samples are not received within that timeframe or the bidder is unwilling to send samples, that bid may be disqualified and the next low qualifying bid will be evaluated.

Prices: Bid Price must be with shipping terms of “Free on Board (FOB) – Destination” for the non-addressed booklets and all the loose forms. 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 one (1) order. 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.

Award: The State anticipates making one (1) award as a result of this RFQ process. The State reserves the right not to make an award. The award will be made to the bidder with the lowest total cost of all items that meets the specifications and requirements list in the RFQ.

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: Non-addressed booklets and all loose forms are to be drop-shipped FOB to Maine Revenue Services in Augusta, ME by December 1, 2025. Addressed booklets must be mailed as directed by MRS, to be determined at a later date. Delivery date After Receipt of Order (ARO) may be factored into the bid award decision.

Specifications

Maine Revenue Services (MRS) seeks a contractor to produce, address and mail/ship Maine individual income tax booklets and forms to individual taxpayers by the dates specified. The booklets and forms are to include drop-out inks for imaging. The successful bidder must use a Heat Set printing process or a similar process for booklets to ensure against print fading and smudging. The booklets must include security-type return envelopes. Some of the income tax booklets must be prepared for mail processing including addressing.

This project includes:

A. Individual Income Tax Booklets for tax year 2025. Only certain quantities are to be addressed and mailed.

B. Individual Income Tax Loose Forms for tax year 2025 (Form 1040ME) to be printed identical to the Form 1040ME, pages 1 through 3 included in the booklets. No addressing or mailing required.

1. BID CONTENT

All bids submitted must include the following:

A. Cost. The bid must specify the total contract cost, excluding postage and freight costs. Postage and freight costs must each be stated separately. Also, the cost for each additional ink color (see item 6(A)(d) below), the cost for each additional page as may be required (see item 6(C)(b) below) and the cost for reorders (see item 7(E) below) are to be listed as separate items in the bid. The bidder must include an explanation of any special restrictions or limitations related to adding additional inks or pages.

2. QUANTITIES

The following are approximate quantities; actual quantities will be determined based on final filings of 2024 returns. No underruns allowed; overruns may not exceed 3%.

A. Tax year 2025 Individual Income Tax Booklets:

a. 10,000 Resident Booklets – Addressed and Mailed

b. 1,500 Nonresident Booklets – Addressed and Mailed

c. 10,000 Resident Booklets

d. 1,500 Nonresident Booklets

B. Tax year 2025 Individual Income Tax Loose Forms:

a. 3,000 Loose Forms

3. DELIVERY DATES

A. The addressed booklets must be mailed as directed by MRS, to be determined at a later date.

B. The bidder must drop-ship the non-addressed booklets and all the loose forms FOB to Maine Revenue Services ATTN: Brittany Sanford, 51 Commerce Drive, Augusta, Maine 04330 by December 1, 2025.

a. Lift gate required. The delivery location does not have access to a loading dock or forklift; therefore, the bidder must have the ability to provide liftgate services for delivery.

4. MAILING

A. All addressed booklets must be mailed Standard (3rd class) Mail in accordance with the mail dates set forth above. Booklets must not be mailed prior to the dates so established.

B. The bidder must be a certified user of CASS One software and must apply NCOA standards in order to achieve the highest quality postal sort discount. The bidder must bar code, presort, carrier-route, DDU and SCF all zip codes to the maximum discount allowed by the U.S. Postal Service. The bidder is responsible for informing MRS of any special mailing requirements such as ancillary endorsement requirements, including appropriate statement(s) to be included on each mail piece. MRS must not be subject to postage due on returned mail.

The bidder must deliver the booklets to the U.S. Postal Service for mailing and certify to the USPS that NCOA standards have been applied.

C. Postal Indicia. The bidder must include the postal indicia on the front cover of each addressed booklet. Non-addressed booklets must not include the postal indicia. The bidder is responsible for obtaining a bulk mail permit with the U.S. Post Office. The bidder may image the postal indicia during the addressing process, or MRS can incorporate the indicia in the camera-ready copy. If MRS is required to incorporate the indicia into the camera-ready copy, the bidder must provide the Maine Revenue Services with the appropriate postal indicia permit number.

D. Postage. The state will advance money for postage based upon estimated postage cost. Bidders must list the estimated postage cost as a separate item in the bid submitted. The bidder must invoice the state for the estimated postage amount in advance of the mailing date in order to obtain the postage advance. After mailing is complete, the bidder must submit proof of charges with invoice to reconcile account.

E. Postal Service Form 3602-R (Postage Statement - Standard Mail (A) [Other than Nonprofit] - Permit Imprint) must be submitted to the U.S. Postal Service and a copy submitted to MRS. "Name and Address of Individual or Organization for which Mailing is Prepared" must read: State of Maine, Maine Revenue Services, 24 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0024.

F. Approximately 250 of the booklets are to be mailed to foreign addresses outside the U.S. These booklets must be inserted into envelopes for mailing. Bidders are requested to include a separate quote for this foreign mailing.

5. ADDRESSING

Addressed booklets are to be jet imaged on the front cover of booklets that are to be mailed to taxpayers. Taxpayer data includes taxpayer name (first, middle initial, last), spouse name (first, middle initial, last), street/PO box address line 1, street/PO box address line 2, city, state, and ZIP code.

A. Data Processing: The bidder must have on-site data processing capabilities to receive electronic data. Raw data files must be converted to CASS Certified Postage order and into production format. MRS will furnish electronic data for addressing booklets. Electronic data will be zip code sorted.

B. Security of Data. All data provided by MRS or duplicates made by the bidder or its representatives and any resultant printouts must be kept accountable and under security (approved by MRS) to prevent their release to any unauthorized persons. Data may not be duplicated in whole or in part for any purpose other than to create materials to be used in the performance of this proposal. The bidder agrees to make no use of this data other than as set forth and prescribed by this proposal. Any edited address overruns or other use of the data which result in the printout of material other than that specifically required for the performance of the contract will be held by the bidder in a secure place and destroyed pursuant to directions to be subsequently issued by MRS. Upon completion of the imaging operation, the bidder must promptly return to MRS the data furnished by MRS to MRS, using a shipping means by which the data can be readily traced in the event of misdirection or loss.

C. Quality: Laser quality black ink (at 100%), 300 x 300 DPI or greater. Courier

11-point monospace font required. Print must be crisp and clear; characters must not touch and there must be no smudging. Addressed booklets are to be jet imaged on the front cover with applicant name and mailing address data, carrier route 5-digit presorted and delivered to the Maine State Postal Center for third class, bulk rate mailing.

D. Data: MRS will provide electronic data for imaging. Expected availability of data is November 14, 2025.

6. CONSTRUCTION

A. Booklets and Loose Forms.

a. Quality. High quality paper, ink, addressing, registration and perforations are required. The forms will be scanned (optically read and imaged) on IBML scanners (model IBML ImageTrac 6450).

b. Registration. To ensure high quality readability, all forms must be printed in perfect registration, including registration between colors. All margins must remain within a tolerance of +/- 1/32".

c. Paper. Forms must be printed on white virgin stock, 24 lb. OCR bond per specifications attached.

d. Ink. Ink must be Black. ENVELOPE ink must be: Black, PMS-294 (blue), and Light Blue. See specifications attached. Because the forms will be scanned, the black and the red ink on the returns must not overlap.

A Heat Set printing process or a similar process must be used to print the booklets to ensure against fading and smudging. There can be no smudging of ink on forms.

The bidder must quote separately the price for each additional ink color that may be required and include an explanation of any special restrictions or limitations related to adding additional inks.

e. Forms Size. Detached forms and loose forms must measure 8 ½" x 11".

B. Loose Forms Only. The loose forms are to be printed using landscape orientation on 11” x 17” sheets of paper, folded at the center of the 17” dimension and perfed vertically at the center fold. The detached form size must be 8 1/2" x 11".

C. Booklets Only.

a. Booklet Size. (Left side glue bind or saddle stitch)

Addressed: 8 3/4” x 11” Non-addressed: 8 3/4” x 11”

b. Number of Pages. Actual number of pages in each booklet will depend on legislation and MRS’s needs. The expected number of pages for each booklet is as follows. The bidder must quote separately the cost for each additional page that may be required and include an explanation of any special restrictions or limitations related to adding additional pages.

*Resident Booklets: 28 pages *Nonresident Booklets: 28 pages

c. Construction. Booklets must be bound at the left side using two-wire saddle stitch or with solid glued binding stub on the left edge or other binding method approved by MRS. Use of glue binding requires single-section construction; the gluing together of multiple booklet sections is strictly forbidden. Bid must clearly identify the binding method upon which the bid is based. Identified forms are to be perforated along the 11" dimension on the left side. Construction must be of sufficient strength to travel through the USPS mail process without separation or deterioration. Detached forms must measure 8 ½" by 11".

e. Booklet Specifications. See below tables. Subject to change.

PART DESCRIPTION QUANTITY COLOR WEIGHT/GRADE LENGTH WIDTH FACE BACK LEFT ADD'L

1 COVER/INSTR 20M WHITE 24 LB OCR BOND 8 3/4 11 BLACK BLACK

2 INSTRUCTIONS 20M WHITE 24 LB OCR BOND 8 3/4 11 BLACK BLACK

3 INSTRUCTIONS 20M WHITE 24 LB OCR BOND 8 3/4 11 BLACK BLACK

4 INSTRUCTIONS 20M WHITE 24 LB OCR BOND 8 3/4 11 BLACK BLACK

5 INSTRUCTIONS 20M WHITE 24 LB OCR BOND 8 3/4 11 BLACK BLACK

6 RETURN, pgs 1 & 2 20M WHITE 24 LB OCR BOND 8 3/4 ** 11 BLACK BLACK X 7 RETURN, pg 3 & SCH CP 20M WHITE 24 LB OCR BOND 8 3/4 ** 11 BLACK BLACK X

8 SCHEDULE PTFC/STFC 20M WHITE 24 LB OCR BOND 8 3/4 ** 11 BLACK BLACK X

9 SCHEDULE PTFC/STFC INSTR 20M WHITE 24 LB OCR BOND 8 3/4 11 BLACK BLACK X

10 SCHEDULE 1A / BLANK 20M WHITE 24 LB OCR BOND 8 3/4 ** 11 BLACK BLACK X

11 SCHEDULE 1S/SCHED 1S 20M WHITE 24 LB OCR BOND 8 3/4 ** 11 BLACK BLACK X

12 SCHEDULE 2 & INSTR 20M WHITE 24 LB OCR BOND 8 3/4 ** 11 BLACK BLACK X

13 SCHEDULE A / SCHED A 20M WHITE 24 LB OCR BOND 8 3/4 ** 11 BLACK BLACK X

14 TAX TABLES/COVER 20M WHITE 24 LB OCR BOND 8 3/4 11 BLACK BLACK

NOTE:

Black ink **Detached form to measure 8 1/2" x 11".

PERFORATIONS*

Each part is a single sheet containing 2 consecutive pages, front & back.

COMPONENT PAPER INK

*Microperfs required.

2025 MAINE INDIVIDUAL INCOME TAX BOOKLETS

BOOKLET CONSTRUCTION

RESIDENT BOOKLETS

(subject to change)

f. Perforations. Microperfs are required for clean separation. Left side must be perforated along the 11" dimension only on identified forms (see booklet specifications above). The forms and schedules must measure 8 1/2" x 11" when detached.

g. Security Type Return Address Envelopes. Envelope must be constructed of conventional, security type white wove 24 lb. bond, measuring 9 1/2" wide x 5" high. Envelope stock must have security backing to maintain confidentiality of documents placed inside. Standard construction is required to avoid glue lines on top, left, and right edges of the envelope (top and right edges are to be sliced for mail opening). Envelope flap must contain 2 removable return address labels that measure 3 1/4” x 1 3/8” each, perforated at the top and sides. Glue from flap must completely cover back of the return address labels.

Labels must contain proper fim markings for mail processing by the USPS. One label must be white with black print (no refund label), and the other must be light blue with black print (refund label). Envelopes are to be inserted between signatures (or inserted or attached by some other method approved by MRS) in each booklet during the manufacturing process. Recipient must be able to remove the envelope with no tearing and use it as a return envelope. Copy must include Postal Service bar codes and fim markings. The bidder is responsible for production of envelope, including camera-ready copy and checking bar code with postal service for accuracy.

See attached EnvelopeFace.pdf document for actual envelope.

Booklet envelopes: Black ink both sides, blue (PMS-294) broken bar on one side (not to exceed 4 1/2" from left side), light blue on envelope flap. Use the following addresses on the tear-off labels:

White label – (no refund) Light Blue label – (refund)

MAINE REVENUE SERVICES MAINE REVENUE SERVICES

PO BOX 1067 PO BOX 1066

AUGUSTA MAINE 04332-1067 AUGUSTA MAINE 04332-1066

Total Quantity – 23m.

*Subject to change if booklet quantities change

7. OTHER REQUIREMENTS

A. Composition. The bidder will be provided camera-ready copy of booklets and forms, except for the envelopes. Camera-ready copy will be available as an Adobe InDesign file. The bidder must use PC-based Adobe InDesign or otherwise ensure that no changes/errors will result from conversion of files to another desktop publishing program or platform. The bid must specify the program and platform (PC or Macintosh) that will be used. The bidder will be fully responsible for correcting such errors without cost to the State and without affecting the delivery dates stated above. Expected availability of camera-ready copy is November 14, 2025.

B. Production Schedule. Shortly after receiving the award, the successful bidder is required to provide MRS with a Production Schedule that reflects key deadlines for both MRS and the bidder. The schedule must provide for press proofs (see below) and on-site inspection by MRS personnel during print run, binding, and addressing process.

C. Proofs.

a. Initial proofs of booklets, forms, and envelopes must show color breaks, registration, and pagination. Additional proofs will be required if corrections to initial proofs are necessary. After MRS approval, at least 100 color press proofs for each booklet (a total of 400 proofs) and 100 color press proofs for each loose form are required as samples for testing on MRS’s scanning system. The press proofs are required prior to actual print run and mailing of booklets. The press proofs must include return envelopes. The successful bidder must guarantee that the proofs contain no variations from the camera-ready copies provided unless specifically requested by MRS.

The bidder will be held responsible for errors discovered after delivery caused by or in the control of the bidder resulting from the conversion of electronic files or other composition or printing error. (Note: Press proofs are proofs of booklets and loose forms produced from an actual press run.)

The press proofs must be delivered to; Maine Revenue Services, ATTN:

Brittany Sanford, 51 Commerce Drive, Augusta, Maine via overnight mail.

A. Packing.

a. Non-Addressed: Each booklet type (resident form, and nonresident form) is to be packed separately. Each carton must be labeled "quantity – 2025 Income

Tax Booklets—Resident" or "quantity - 2025 Income Tax Booklets - Nonresident". Booklets must be packed in cartons of 100 booklets each alternating groups of 25 within the carton. The carton size must be of sufficient size for each quantity.

b. Loose forms must be separately packed into cartons of equal quantities of no more than 1,500 forms per carton. Forms within the carton are to be wrapped or banded in lots of 500 each. Each carton must be labeled "quantity – 2025 Maine Form 1040ME.

B. Reorder. Forms must be left standing by the bidder for one year for additional printing if required. Bidders must quote price of reorders of 5,000 up to 20,000 booklets and/or loose forms. A short delivery time will be required for any reorder.

Appendix C

COST RESPONSE

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.

Appendix D

Additional MRS Requirement Form

High quality, proper production of documents on schedule is of utmost importance to the State of Maine. Bids will be accepted directly from manufacturers and non-manufacturers. Non-manufacturers bidding on these documents must identify the manufacturer and contact person employed by the manufacturer (to be available throughout the contract period), and provide a letter of commitment from the manufacturer, addressed to the State of Maine, Office of State Procurement Services (“OSPS”), agreeing to the specifications and delivery requirements. In addition, non-manufacturers must agree to allow direct and unrestricted communication by MRS staff with the manufacturer.

All bidders must answer the following questions and provide this form with their bid submission.

CIRCLE ONE

1 Are you the manufacturer of the base material specified on this bid? YES NO

If your answer is “NO” to question (1) indicate below the information asked:

MANUFACTURER

CONTACT PERSON

CONTACT NUMBER

2.a.

Agree to allow direct and unrestricted communication by MRS staff with the manufacturer.

YES NO

3.

Qualifications:

Must, at a minimum, include equipment, processes, and quality assurance procedures used in the printing, addressing, binding, and mailing of products. Also, at a minimum, the

YES NO

Bidder must have successfully completed this printing project for Maine or another State in the past five (5) years. Bidder must provide State and date of project.

5.

On-Site Visit:

Upon request, the bidder must allow for an on-site demonstration of the printing and addressing process during the production period.

YES NO

6.

Quality Control:

In addition to the requirements stated in the preceding pages, the bidder must:

6.a. Provide verification of ISO 9000 certification. YES NO

6.b.

Identify company procedures in the event of equipment failure or other unforeseen circumstances that might otherwise result in project delays to ensure that the job will be completed timely.

YES NO

6.c. All phases of the project will be completed at one facility. YES NO