RFQ 18P 260519_0299 Firearm Auction in Person or Online Re-Solicting.pdf

State of Maine RFQ# 18P 260519-0299 Rev. 3/30/2026

STATE OF MAINE

DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES

OFFICE OF STATE PROCUREMENT SERVICES

Re-Soliciting

RFQ # 18P 26051900000000000299

Auction for Firearms in Person or Online

Quotations/Responses Due: Monday July 6th 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 Administration and Financial 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

Purpose

The purpose of this RFQ is to create a Master Agreement (MA) contract permitting State Agencies to purchase the goods or services described in Appendix B on an as needed basis.

1. 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.

• Appendix A: Bid Cover Page and Debarment Form

• Appendix C: Cost Response - Cost, based on a percentage per auction, include if you are going to charge a buyer’s premium sellers premium or any other charges.

• Appendix D: Master Agreement Vendor Information

• Transmittal Letter: See Appendix B Proposal Package for content requirements

• Documentation: Evidence of a current Auctioneer License issued by the State of

Maine Board of Licensing for Auctioneers

• Documentation: Evidence of a current Federal Firearms License

• Documentation: Statement that the bidder is following all applicable Federal and

State laws concerning the sale and transfer of firearms to include the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act (Brady Act) and the ability to perform purchaser checks, when required, through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).

• Documentation: Statement that the bidder is able to provide complete auctioneering services within 60 miles of Augusta, Maine

• Documentation: Statement that the bidder agrees to and meets all Mandatory Requirements and Services to be provided by the contractor

• Documentation: Evidence that the bidder possesses a minimum of two (2) years’ experience auctioning Firearms

• Documentation: A statement that they have conducted at least 3 auctions containing firearms. See Appendix B Proposal Package for details.

2. Contract Term

In addition to any mutually agreed upon delivery dates for purchases of goods, the contract resulting from this RFQ will have a term, or “Period of Performance”, during which the contract is considered to be in effect. The anticipated contract term is defined in the table below. Please note that the dates below are estimated and may be adjusted as necessary in order to comply with all procedural requirements associated with this

RFQ and the contracting process. The actual start and end dates of the contract will be established by the completed and approved contract.

Contract Renewal: Following the initial term of the contract, OSPS, at their discretion, may opt to renew the contract for four (4) extension periods as defined below.

The term of the anticipated contract, resulting from this RFQ, is defined as follows:

Period Start Date End Date

Initial Period of Performance August 1, 2026 July 31, 2027 Optional Extension Period #1 August 1, 2027 July 31, 2028 Optional Extension Period #2 August 1, 2028 July 31, 2029 Optional Extension Period #3 August 1, 2029 July 31, 2030 Optional Extension Period #4 August 1, 2030 July 31, 2031

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 https://www.maine.gov/dafs/bbm/procurementservices/vendors/vendor-self-service-system https://www.maine.gov/dafs/bbm/procurementservices/vendors/vendor-self-service-system 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 RFQs are evaluated on a Best Value basis. “Best Value” means that bids are assessed for compliance with all specifications, required purposes, delivery timelines, and the overall interests of the State. Once OSPS determines that a bid meets all specifications and requirements, the RFQ award will be made to the lowest-priced qualified Bidder.

b. By submitting a quote, bidders affirm compliance with both 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.

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

d. 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.

e. 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.

f. 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 the 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. From the time the RFQ is issued until award notification is made, all contact with the State regarding the RFQ must be made through the RFQ Coordinator. No other person/State employee is empowered to make binding statements regarding the RFQ. Violation of this provision may lead to disqualification from the bidding process, at the State’s discretion.

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

3. All proposals must adhere to the instructions and format requirements outlined in the RFQ and all written supplements and amendments (such as the Posted Questions and Answers in the Vendor Self Service), issued by the Department. Bidders must include the required documents with their bid submission to enable the Department to evaluate whether the bid conforms with all posted specifications in Appendix B.

4. Bidders will take careful note that in evaluating a proposal submitted in response to the RFQ, the Department will consider materials provided in the proposal, information obtained through interviews/presentations (if any), and internal Departmental information of previous contract history with the Bidder (if any). The Department also reserves the right to consider other reliable references and publicly available information in evaluating a Bidder’s experience and capabilities.

5. The proposal must be signed by a person authorized to legally bind the Bidder and must contain a statement that the proposal and the pricing contained therein will remain valid and binding for a period of 180 days from the date and time of the bid opening.

6. The RFQ and the awarded Bidder’s proposal, including all appendices or attachments, will be the basis for the final contract, as determined by the Department.

7. Following announcement of an award decision, all submissions in response to this RFQ will be public records pursuant to 5 MRSA §1825-B sub-§15, and available for public inspection pursuant to the State of Maine Freedom of Access Act (FOAA) (1 M.R.S. § 401 et seq.). State contracts and information related to contracts, including bid submissions, are generally public records per FOAA.

8. In the event that a Bidder believes any information that it submits in response to this RFQ is confidential, it must mark that information accordingly and include citation to legal authority in support of the Bidder’s claim of confidentiality. In the event that the Department receives a FOAA request that includes submissions marked as confidential, the Department shall evaluate the information and any legal authority from the Bidder to determine whether the information is an exception to FOAA’s definition of public record. If the Department determines to release information that a Bidder has marked confidential, it shall provide advance notice to the Bidder to allow them to seek legal relief.

9. The Department, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to recognize and waive minor informalities and irregularities found in proposals received in response to the RFQ.

10. If awarded a contract resulting from this RFQ, vendors shall be required to disclose, in writing and in accordance with applicable Maine law, any actual or potential conflicts of interest. Such disclosure must include any financial, professional, or personal relationships that could give rise to a conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest. Failure to disclose a known conflict or appearance of conflict may result in disqualification, contract termination, or other remedies as provided by law.

11. All applicable laws, whether or not herein contained, are included in this reference. It is the 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.

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 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mainelegislature.org%2Flegis%2Fstatutes%2F5%2Ftitle5sec1825-B.html&data=05%7C02%7CWJE.Allen%40maine.gov%7C1390e78d4c524861dbbd08de8e59b141%7C413fa8ab207d4b629bcdea1a8f2f864e%7C0%7C0%7C639104713422342809%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=pUbJI%2FrYOR8S9cAFRcQ8jGG5CZuIo5wYmftv5KBsH8I%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mainelegislature.org%2Flegis%2Fstatutes%2F1%2Ftitle1sec401.html&data=05%7C02%7CWJE.Allen%40maine.gov%7C1390e78d4c524861dbbd08de8e59b141%7C413fa8ab207d4b629bcdea1a8f2f864e%7C0%7C0%7C639104713422369389%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=oPZ4VFQCfEyMMNCUeEAQdTU4KwQw2T00PBmqtXGmunk%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mainelegislature.org%2Flegis%2Fstatutes%2F1%2Ftitle1sec401.html&data=05%7C02%7CWJE.Allen%40maine.gov%7C1390e78d4c524861dbbd08de8e59b141%7C413fa8ab207d4b629bcdea1a8f2f864e%7C0%7C0%7C639104713422369389%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=oPZ4VFQCfEyMMNCUeEAQdTU4KwQw2T00PBmqtXGmunk%3D&reserved=0 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 Service Contract Terms and Conditions IT Service Contract Terms and Conditions:

IT POLICIES

1. All IT applications including this one must comply with Maine’s Digital Accessibility Policy (https://www.maine.gov/oit/sites/maine.gov.oit/files/inline-files/DigitalAccessibilityPolicy.pdf). In addition, all IT applications and content delivered through web browsers must comply with the State Web Standards (https://www.maine.gov/oit/sites/maine.gov.oit/files/inline-files/WebStandards.pdf)

2. All IT applications must comply with Maine’s Application Deployment Certification Policy

(Application Deployment Certification Policy (maine.gov).

3. All IT products and services delivered as part of this Agreement must conform to the State IT Policies, Standards, and Procedures (https://www.maine.gov/oit/policies-standards).

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 https://www.maine.gov/dafs/bbm/procurementservices/forms https://www.maine.gov/dafs/bbm/procurementservices/forms https://www.maine.gov/oit/sites/maine.gov.oit/files/inline-files/DigitalAccessibilityPolicy.pdf https://www.maine.gov/oit/sites/maine.gov.oit/files/inline-files/DigitalAccessibilityPolicy.pdf https://www.maine.gov/oit/sites/maine.gov.oit/files/inline-files/WebStandards.pdf https://www.maine.gov/oit/sites/maine.gov.oit/files/inline-files/ApplicationDeploymentCertification.pdf https://www.maine.gov/oit/policies-standards https://www.maine.gov/oit/policies-standards

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 relating 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.”

https://www.maine.gov/dafs/bbm/procurementservices/forms

Appendix A

STATE OF MAINE

DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES

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:

• This bid is compliance with both 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;

• 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

Master Agreement: The results of this bid process will be the creation of a Master Agreement Contract (MA) that will allow all State of Maine Departments and Agencies to purchase the listed items as needed. The State reserves the right to add other similar items or commodities to the MA if it’s in the State’s best interest but does not obligate the State to purchase similar noncontracted items or commodities from the selected bidder.

Prices: See Appendix C Costs Response

Price and Rate Guarantee Period: All quoted prices and rates must be guaranteed for and must remain firm for minimally one year of the initial contract period. Any approved price or rate adjustments must be held firm for minimally one year or the remainder of the contract period. Price adjustment requests must be made by the vendor at least sixty (60) days prior to the effective date. Requests for price adjustments must include sufficient documentation from the manufacture supporting the request. The price adjustment will not go into effect until the contract amendment has been fully approved by the State of Maine.

Award: The State anticipates making one award. The State reserves the right to make multiple or no award. The award will be made to the bidder with the lowest total bid, which best meets the posted specifications.

Specifications

I. SCOPE

The State of Maine, Department of Administrative and Financial Services, Maine State Agency for Surplus Property intends to contract for auctioneering services. Physical auctions must be conducted within sixty (60) miles of Augusta, Maine. Auctions may also be conducted via an approved online, web-based auction platform operated from anywhere within the State of Maine. The auction items will consist mainly of handguns, rifles and shotguns. The auction will be considered a consignment type auction. The anticipated frequency will be once per year but may occur more or less frequently depending on the volume of weapons in the possession of the State.

II. MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS – Bids will not be considered if mandatory requirements are not met.

A. The auctioneer responsible for the auction and auction contract pursuant to 32 MRS Section 298 shall hold a current Auctioneer License issued by the State of Maine Board of Licensing of Auctioneers, a copy of which must be submitted with the bid. The license must remain current throughout the term of the contract.

B. Possession of a Federal Firearms License (FFL) issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, a copy of which must be submitted with the bid. The registered address of the FFL must be in Maine, and the license must remain current throughout the contract term.

C. Compliance with all applicable Federal and State laws concerning the sale and transfer of firearms including the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act (Brady Act) and the ability to perform purchaser checks through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).

D. Auctioneer must be able to conduct auctions in person at their site (within sixty (60) miles of Augusta), online from anywhere in Maine, at a Sportsman event, or a combination of these formats.

E. The contractor must maintain insurance coverage equal to at least two (2) times the total gross sales value of the most recent State of Maine firearms auction. Based on the most recent auction conducted in 2025, this amount is approximately $150,000. Proof of insurance must be submitted with the bid and maintained throughout the contract term.

Insurance must cover loss, theft, or damage to firearms while in the custody or control of the contractor.

III. SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED BY THE CONTRACTORS

A. All advertising sufficient to provide statewide coverage. The bidder must describe advertising methods and firearms must be advertised for a minimum of thirty (30) days prior to auction.

B. Auctioning Facility including all necessary items.

C. Staff necessary to conduct an auction.

D. Registration of all bidders.

E. Inspection of firearms and inventory verification prior to each auction.

F. If selected by the State, an approved online auction-portal or platform to conduct an auction via the internet.

G. Firearms logistics shall be flexible and may include any combination of the following arrangements, as mutually agreed upon with Maine Surplus Property: (1) Contractor pickup of firearms from Maine Surplus Property located at 85 Leighton Road, Augusta, Maine; (2) Drop-off of firearms by the State to the contractor’s facility; and/or (3) Scheduled pickups by the contractor from Maine Surplus Property throughout the year at a convenient, mutually agreed upon time. Regardless of the logistics method used, the contractor must maintain chain-of-custody documentation for all firearms received. The contractor must take full delivery of all firearms sufficiently in advance of any auction date or online listing to allow for serial number verification, photography, tagging, and any required preparation.

H. Provide security measures necessary for loss prevention and secure firearm storage.

I. Insurance to cover loss or theft of the firearms once possession is transferred to the auction company.

J. Sale of all items by a continuous process until the last item is sold.

K. Reception of payment and disbursal of agreed upon percentage to participating State agencies within thirty (30) to sixty (60) calendar days of the auction date.

L. Conduct the auction in a timely manner while adhering to the rules promulgated by the

Board of Licensing of Auctioneers.

M. Evaluate firearms for quality, safety and appropriate sale through the auction process.

N. Each firearm must be tagged for identification.

O. Provide an Excel spreadsheet after the sale listing: item number, make of weapon, model, auction price, amount after commission, purchaser name and address, and the State agency that turned the item in.

P. Provide a venue for 3 days with at least 4 hours each day, the week prior to the auction where the items can be viewed in person.

Q. Contractor must photograph firearms within seven (7) days of pickup or drop-off from

Maine Surplus Property.

R. Photographs and listings must be available online for viewing for at least thirty (30) days prior to the auction.

S. Maine Surplus Property shall serve as the point of verification for all serial numbers on firearms to be auctioned. The contractor must coordinate with Maine Surplus Property to confirm and reconcile all serial numbers prior to taking possession of any firearm. No firearm may be transported, stored, or listed for auction until its serial number has been verified by Maine Surplus Property.

IV. STATE RESPONSIBILITIES

A. Inventory all firearms in advance of the auction date and provide an Excel document including make, model, type, serial number, agency that turned it in, and any accessories. The State shall verify inventory against turn-in spreadsheets provided by participating agencies to ensure accuracy prior to transfer to the contractor.

B. Participating agencies and the successful bidder will verify the inventory of firearms to be auctioned.

C. Coordinate the transfer of firearms to the contractor, either by arranging contractor pickup from Maine Surplus Property located at 85 Leighton Road, Augusta, Maine, or by delivering firearms directly to the contractor’s facility, at a mutually agreed upon time.

Maine Surplus Property shall be responsible for verifying all firearm serial numbers prior to any transfer of possession to the contractor.

V. PROPOSAL PACKAGE

A. Transmittal Letter must provide the following:

1. Name and address of the bidder.

2. Name, title and telephone number of the contact person for the bidder.

3. A statement that the proposal is in response to this bid.

4. The typed name, title and signature of the individual authorized to commit the bidder to the bid.

B. Evidence of a current Auctioneer license issued by the State of Maine Board of Licensing for Auctioneers.

C. Evidence of the current Federal Firearms License.

D. Statement confirming compliance with the Brady Act and NICS background checks.

E. Statement confirming ability to provide physical auctions within sixty (60) miles of Augusta and online auctions anywhere in Maine.

F. Statement that the bidder agrees to and meets all Mandatory Requirements and Services to be provided by the contractor.

G. Evidence that the bidder possesses a minimum of two (2) years’ experience auctioning firearms.

H. Statement confirming that at least three (3) auctions containing firearms have been conducted (provided dates and locations).

I. Cost proposal based on a percentage per auction including buyer’s premium, seller’s premium, or other charges. Appendix C.

J. Cost base price must include any additional cost that may be added if an online auction is selected. Appendix C.

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.

Bidders must complete this bid form. If your company will not charge for the listed task enter zero (0).

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.

Buyer's premium percentage

Sellers premium percentage

Additional charge per item for live auction

Additional charge per item for online auction

Fee for web portal or landing page for online aution

Appendix E

MASTER AGREEMENT VENDOR CONTACT and

CONTRACT SIGNOR INFORMATION

This bid process will result in the creation of a Master Agreement Contract (MA) which will permit users to order contracted items as needed.

Ordering Procedures: Delivery Orders (DO) will be created in AdvantageME for all orders over $5000.00. If a DO is used, the DO will be emailed to the email address referenced on the MA as a .pdf file. Orders less than $5000.00 can be placed using a State of Maine issued P-Card (credit card).

Please provide the following information for the primary person users who can contact to place orders less than $5000.00, follow up on orders and invoices:

Contact Person Name: _________________________________________________

Telephone: ______________________________________________

Email Address: ___________________________________________

The MA Documents will be emailed via Docusign to be reviewed and signed, please provide the following information for the person who will sign the MA contract documents:

Contract Signer Name: ___________________________________________________

Title: _____________________________________________________

Email Address: _____________________________________________

Appendix F

FEDERAL DOCUMENT AGREEMENT FORM

By signing this appendix, the bidder listed below agrees to abide by all Federal Terms and Conditions covered in associated attached documents.

Name of Company: __________________________________________________________

Address: ___________________________________________________________________

Printed Name of Authorized Bidder Signor: ______________________________________

Signature: __________________________________________________________________

Date: __________________________________________