RFR Revised Evaluation Criteria.docx

ISSUE DATE: August 28, 2018

RFR Number

COMMBUYS Bid Number

Procurement Category

1. Description or Purpose of Procurement The Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, Office of Grants and Research-Highway Safety Division (EOPSS/OGR/HSD) seeks to contract with a single organization for meeting facilities, and related services within a hotel for a multi-day Impaired Driving Assessment conference. The event is planned for December 2-7, 2018 in the greater Boston area.

A reserve block of eight (8) hotel sleeping rooms must be made available for attendees. Attendees will be responsible for all related room charges and will not be part of the contract between the hotel and EOPSS/OGR/HSD. Hotel rooms should not exceed the allowable federal per diem rate. The current U.S. General Services Administration Federal Fiscal Year 2018 maximum federal per diem rate for December 2018 is $169 per night in Boston. These rates are available on line at https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates/per-diem-rates-lookup and are adjusted periodically.

MEETING ROOM REQUIREMENTS

Room #1- A room large enough to accommodate 30-40 comfortably. Tables in the meeting room should be set up to allow informal discussions between the facilitators and presenter panels. A sample layout is in Appendix A.

There should be ample room for presenters to move about to make presentations, provide handouts, and interact with the participants. Each table must have pens, writing pads, and pitchers of water that will be replenished daily. This room must be available 24 hours a day starting on Sunday 5:00 p.m., through Friday 3:00 p.m.

Room #2

OFFICE/WORK ROOM

A separate and secure office/work room. The preferred arrangement is a room situated next to, and with direct access to, the main meeting room. The room must be large enough to serve as a working office and meeting space. The office/workroom should accommodate up to 8 comfortably, have an extra-large conference table, office equipment –laser printer, full size copier, and supplies. This room should be able to safeguard both the security of the equipment and an Administrative Assistant (who will be working alone very late at night). The office/work room must be available 24-hours a day starting Sunday 5:00 p.m., through Friday 3:00 p.m.

LOGISTICAL SUPPORT

· A high speed color printer, with spare toner cartridge (up to 1 per day) set up in the office/work room work area.

· A high speed collating photocopy machine with spare toner cartridge (up to 1 per day) set up in the office/work room area. 24-hour technical assistance and easy access to an alternative quick copying center such as the hotel’s business center (as an emergency back-up only).

· Digital Projector in room #1

· Projection Screen in room #1

· Power strip(s)

· Video/Voice Conferencing capability

· Access in the hotel to a FAX machine (24 hour)

2. Applicable Procurement Law

Executive Branch Goods and Services

3. Acquisition Method

4. Whether Single or Multiple Contractors are Required for Contract Check One (“X”):

a. Estimated Number of Awards The target maximum number of Contractors is 1. The Purchasing Department may award more contracts if it is in the best interests of the Commonwealth to do so.

5. Entities Eligible to Use the Resulting Contract

The Purchasing Department reserves the right to add or remove additional authorized users during the contract term.

6. Expected Duration of Contract (Initial Duration and any Options to Renew)

Initial Duration

6 months

Renewal Options

Total Maximum Contract Duration

6 months

7. Anticipated Expenditures, Funding or Compensation The maximum obligation of the contract is up to $15,000. Includes all fees for approved services rendered.

8. Contract Performance and Business Specifications:

Within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, EOPSS/OGR/HSD is the entity responsible for planning, implementing, and evaluating highway safety projects with federal funds. The mission of EOPSS/OGR/HSD is to reduce fatalities, injuries, and economic losses from motor vehicle crashes on Massachusetts roadways. EOPSS/OGR/HSD also works to coordinate the efforts of federal, state, and local organizations involved in highway safety in Massachusetts.

Scope of Services:

The selected vendor shall:

Provide meeting space, logistical support, and reserve a block of sleeping rooms as described in Section 1, “Description or Purpose of Procurement.”

9. Supplier Diversity Program (SDP) Supplier Diversity Program (SDP). Massachusetts Executive Order 565 reaffirmed and expanded the Commonwealth’s policy to promote the award of state contracts in a manner that develops and strengthens certified Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs), Women Business Enterprises (WBEs), Minority and Women Nonprofit Organizations (M/WNPOs), Veteran Business Enterprises (VBEs), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Enterprises (SDVOBEs), Disability-Owned Business Enterprises (DOBEs), and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Business Enterprises (LGBTBEs).

Partnerships with certified diverse businesses: All bidders are required to make a significant financial commitment to partner with certified M/WBEs, M/WNPOs, VBEs, SDVOBEs, DOBEs and/or LGBTBEs certified or verified by the Supplier Diversity Office (SDO). Bidders must identify a commitment in the form of a specific percentage of sales made under the resulting contract that will be spent with an SDP Partner(s) on a Massachusetts fiscal year basis, using SDP Plan Form #1 – SDP Plan Commitment. This percentage commitment will extend for the life of any resulting contract.

This requirement extends to all bidders regardless of their certification status, and no bidder will be awarded a Contract unless and until the above requirement is met. Bidders may not list themselves or affiliates as SDP Partners. In order to ensure compliance with this section and encourage bidder participation, SDP Plans will be evaluated at 10% or more of the total evaluation score for all for Large Procurements (those with a total value of greater than $150,000). SDP Plan submission is encouraged but not required for Small Procurements (those with a total value equal to or less than $150,000).

Once an SDP commitment is approved, the agency will monitor the Contractor’s performance, and use the Contractor’s reported expenditures with M/WBEs, M/WNPOs, VBEs and SDVOBEs to fulfill their own SDP expenditure benchmarks. The Commonwealth reserves the right to contact SDP Partners at any time to request that they attest to the amounts reported to have been paid to them by the Contractor.

SDP Forms: Unless otherwise specified in the RFR, the following SDP forms are required to be submitted by the deadlines noted below in order to meet the mandatory participation requirements of the SDP:

In addition to the requirements above, all bidders must follow the requirements set forth in the Supplier Diversity Program (SDP) Plan Section of the RFR. During the life of the contract, the Commonwealth reserves the right to expand the range of certified business categories available for SDP partnerships to all those mentioned above and/or request reports on the Contractors’ spending with such certified business categories.

Supplier Diversity Program (SDP) Resources: Bidders may refer to the SDP Resources for Vendors and Contractors webpage for additional program information, training and compliance resources.

10. Prompt Payment Discounts (PPD) All bidders responding to this procurement must agree to offer discounts through participation in the Commonwealth Prompt Payment Discount (PPD) initiative for receiving early and/or on-time payments, unless the bidder can provide compelling proof that it would be unduly burdensome. PPD benefits both contractors and the Commonwealth. Contractors benefit by increased, usable cash flow as a result of fast and efficient payments for commodities or services rendered. Participation in the Electronic Funds Transfer initiative further maximizes the benefits with payments directed to designated accounts, thus eliminating the impact of check clearance policies and traditional mail lead time or delays. The Commonwealth benefits because contractors reduce the cost of products and services through the applied discount. Payments that are processed electronically can be tracked and verified through the Comptroller’s Vendor Web system. The PPD form can be found as an attachment for this Bid or on COMMBUYS.

Bidders must submit agreeable terms for Prompt Payment Discount using the PPD form within their proposal, unless otherwise specified by the SST. The SST will review, negotiate or reject the offering as deemed in the best interest of the Commonwealth.

The requirement to use PPD offerings may be waived by the SST on a case-by-case basis if participation in the program would be unduly burdensome on the bidder. If a bidder is claiming that this requirement is a hardship or unduly burdensome, the specific reason must be documented in or attached to the PPD form.

11. Environmentally Preferable Products Products and services purchased by state agencies must be in compliance with Executive Order 515, issued October 27, 2009. Under this Executive Order, Executive Departments are required to reduce their impact on the environment and enhance public health by procuring environmentally preferable products and services (EPPs) whenever such products and services perform to satisfactory standards and represent best value, consistent with 801 CMR 21.00. In line with this directive, all Contracts, whether departmental or statewide, must comply with the specifications and guidelines established by OSD and the EPP Program. EPPs are considered to be products and services that help to conserve natural resources, reduce waste, protect public health and the environment, and promote the use of clean technologies, recycled materials, and less toxic products.

12. Evaluation Criteria Bidders must submit responses that meet all the submission requirements of this RFR. Only proposals that meet the submission requirements will be evaluated, scored and ranked by the review team according to the evaluation criteria. Evaluation criteria are listed below:

1) Strength and completeness of proposal

2) The suitability of the facilities and services offered

3) The bid’s strength in providing the “Best Value” to the Commonwealth

13. Instructions for Submission of Responses:

Bidders must submit their proposal electronically in COMMBUYS; no hard copies of the application will be accepted. Responses must be sent via the “Create Quote” functionality contained in COMMBUYS. For instructions concerning how to submit a Quote, please see section 14 of this RFR.

The proposal should include the following information:

1.) Description of your organization 2.) Attachments to the proposal must include:

· Attachment B: SDP Form 1

· Attachment C: SDP Form 2

· Attachment D: SDP Form 3

· Attachment E: Prompt Pay Discount Form

· Attachment F: EFT Form

· Attachment G: W-9 form

· Attachment H- Commonwealth Terms and Conditions

Any submission which fails to meet the submission requirements of the RFR will be found non-responsive without further evaluation unless the evaluation team, at its discretion, determines that the non-compliance is insubstantial and can be corrected. In these cases, the evaluation team may allow the bidder to make minor corrections to the submission.

14. Estimated Procurement Calendar

Bidders are required to monitor COMMBUYS for changes to the procurement calendar for this Bid.

a. Online Questions (Bid Q&A) Written Questions must be entered by pressing the “Bid Q&A” tab for the Bid in COMMBUYS no later than the “Bid Q&A” date and time indicated in the Estimated Procurement Calendar (above). EOPSS/OGR/HSD reserves the right not to respond to questions submitted after this date. It is the Bidder’s responsibility to verify receipt of questions.

It is the responsibility of the prospective Bidder and awarded Contractor to maintain an active registration in COMMBUYS and to keep current the email address of the Bidder’s contact person and prospective contract manager, if awarded a contract, and to monitor that email inbox for communications from the Purchasing Department, including requests for clarification. The Purchasing Department and the Commonwealth assume no responsibility if a prospective Bidder’s/awarded Contractor’s designated email address is not current, or if technical problems, including those with the prospective Bidder’s/awarded Contractor’s computer, network or internet service provider (ISP) cause email communications sent to/from the prospective Bidder/Awarded contractor and the Purchasing Department to be lost or rejected by any means including email or spam filtering.

Written Responses to Questions will be released on or about the “Official Answers for Bid Q&A published” date indicated in the Estimated Procurement Calendar (above).

(Written questions and responses will be posted on the Bid Q&A Tab for this Bid in COMMBUYS.)

b. Bid Amendment Deadline The Purchasing Department reserves the right to make amendments to the Bid after initial publication. It is each Bidder’s responsibility to check COMMBUYS for any amendments, addenda or modifications to this Bid, and any Bid Q&A records related to this Bid. The Purchasing Department and the Commonwealth accept no responsibility and will provide no accommodation to Bidders who submit a Quote based on an out-of-date Bid or on information received from a source other than COMMBUYS.

c. Quotes (Bid Responses) Deadline (Bid Opening Date/Time) See the Quotes (Bid Responses) Deadline (Bid Opening) Date and Time indicated in the Estimated Procurement Calendar (above).

d. Estimated Contract Start Date This is the approximate start date. The actual start date will be the Contract Effective Date which is the date the Contract is executed by the parties.

Quote Submission Method Online Quote Submission via COMMBUYS is required. All Interested Vendors and Offerors must submit Quotes online using tools available only to Sellers registered in COMMBUYS. COMMBUYS provides Seller registration functionality at no charge. To register, go to https://www.commbuys.com/bso and click on the “Complete Registration” link. All Interested Vendors and Offerors who are awarded a contract resulting from this Notice, if any, will be required to maintain an active account during the duration of the Contract, by reviewing their registration information regularly and maintaining its accuracy.

COMMBUYS Training and Instructions Vendor Training Courses are available to assist Interested Vendors and Offerors:

COMMBUYS Support Technical assistance is available during the procurement process. Every effort is made to respond to inquiries within one business day.

· Website: Go to www.mass.gov/osd/commbuys and select the COMMBUYS Resource Center link offered under Key Resources.

· Email: Send inquiries to the COMMBUYS Helpdesk at COMMBUYS@state.ma.us

· Telephone: Call the COMMBUYS Help Desk at 1-888-MA-STATE (1-888-627-8283). The Help Desk is staffed from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday Eastern Standard or Daylight time, as applicable, except on federal and state holidays.

Interested Vendors and Offerors are advised that COMMBUYS will be unavailable during regularly scheduled maintenance hours of which all users will be notified.

15. RFR Appendix and Attachments list Appendix A: Sample Room #1 Layout Attachment A: Required Specifications Attachment B: SDP Form 1 Attachment C: SDP Form 2 Attachment D: SDP Form 3 Attachment E: Prompt Pay Discount Form Attachment F: EFT Form Attachment G: W-9 form Attachment H- Commonwealth Terms and Conditions

Updated: April 2, 2014 image1.emf