RFR Travel Agency SRF 180074.docx

REQUEST FOR RESPONSE

Travel Agency Services RFR # 2017-EEC_TRAVEL / COMMBUYS Bid# BD-18-1037-1CEN0-C0000-21940

REQUEST FOR RESPONSE

Travel Agency Services RFR #2017-EEC_TRAVEL / COMMBUYS Bid#

ISSUE DATE:

1. Description or Purpose of Procurement The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Early Education and Care (EEC), is seeking the services of a Massachusetts based travel agency/organization to provide domestic (airplane, bus, train) and international travel (airplane), hotel accommodations/reservations, and all other travel related arrangements as needed to all EEC staff.

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 to be selected is 1. The Purchasing Department may award more or fewer contracts if it is in the best interests of the Commonwealth to do so.

5. Entities Eligible to Use the Resulting Contract

· [Identify additional Eligible Entities by name or type. If by type, include those applicable from the list below:

· Cities, towns, districts, counties and other political subdivisions;

· Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branches, including all Departments and elected offices therein;

· Independent public authorities, commissions and quasi-public agencies;

· Local public libraries, public school districts and charter schools;

· Public hospitals owned by the Commonwealth;

· Public institutions of higher education;

· Public purchasing cooperatives;

· Non-profit, UFR-certified organizations that are doing business with the Commonwealth;

· Other states and territories with prior approval by the State Purchasing Agent; and

· Other entities when designated in writing by the State Purchasing Agent.].

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

Total Maximum Contract Duration

7. Anticipated Expenditures, Funding or Compensation Estimated Value of Procurement: $25,000 per year.

The funding for any contract resulting from this procurement is conditioned upon budget approval by the Department.

8. Contract Performance and Business Specifications: Scope of Services:

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Early Education and Care (EEC), is seeking the services of a Massachusetts based travel agency/organization to provide domestic (airplane, bus, train) and international travel (airplane), hotel accommodations/reservation, and all other travel related arrangements as needed to all EEC staff.

Commodities being Procured: N/A

Fiscal Terms: Contract will have an annual estimated Maximum Obligation Range Amount of $25,000. Please note: Amounts indicated are only estimates. Contract amounts during the period of the contract may increase or decrease significantly, based upon budget approval, availability of funds, level of travel agency reservation services required by EEC, and evaluation of Contractor’s performance. The Commonwealth makes no guarantee that any commodities or services will be purchased from any Contract resulting from this Solicitation.

Performance Measures:

Contractor must have the ability to provide EEC with prompt, efficient, and accurate travel and hotel accommodations details in writing.

Contractor must prepare all financial travel invoices and provide EEC with accurate travel reporting documents/receipts monthly. All documentation will be subject to approval by EEC finance office.

In the case of any rescheduling and/or cancellations, Contractor must notify the agency requesting the travel immediately and in writing as well as waive any fees agreed upon by both the Contractor/travel agency and EEC.

Contractor must pre-pay (major credit cards) all travel and hotel accommodations/reservations prior to the stay of EEC staff, consultants, or other personnel as requested by EEC staff. Contractor will invoice EEC agency for travel and hotel expenses on a monthly basis.

Small Business Purchasing Program

This is a small procurement targeted to businesses participating in the Commonwealth’s Small Business Purchasing Program (“SBPP”). The Department intends to evaluate bid responses from and to award a contract to a SBPP-participating business (es) who submit a bid that meets or exceeds the solicitation criteria only. Subcontracting in these types of procurements is limited to no more than 20% of the value of the contract, unless it is with another SBPP registered participant. If determined that there is inadequate SBPP capacity, or no SBPP-participating vendors provide a responsive bid, the Department will evaluate and award bid responses received from non-SBPP businesses. To determine eligibility and to participate in the SBPP, please review the requirements and general program information at www.mass.gov/sbpp.

9. 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.

10. Evaluation Criteria

Contractors must submit responses that meet all the submission requirements of the RFR. Only responsive proposals that meet the submission requirements will be evaluated, scored, and ranked by the evaluation team according to the evaluation criteria. Additional information may be requested for evaluation purposes.

Respondent must address each of the following in its bid submission:

· Arrangement of incentive or reward programs

· Relationships with specific airlines and/or hotels

· Define transaction(s)

· Purchases (hotel, excursions, and airfare) placed into one booking and charged single transaction

· Separate transaction fees for each booking

· Mark-up or discount

· Transaction fee charges for changes to hotel and/or tickets

· Availability when trip is postponed or canceled in the event of an emergency

· Availability of a toll-free number

· Availability after business hours if necessary

· Area of agency’s expertise

· Travel insurance or refunds if trip is cancelled

Responses will be evaluated and weighted as follows:

· Price is 60%

· Availability and Flexibility 40%

11. Instructions for Submission of Responses

Responses must be sent via the “Create Quote” functionality contained in COMMBUYS. For instructions concerning how to submit a Quote, please see Appendix B.

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 vendor to make minor corrections to the submission.

12. Estimated Procurement Calendar See below.

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

a. Online Questions (Bid Q&A): December 13, 2017 10:00 AM EDT Written Questions must be entered by pressing the “Bid Q&A” tab for the Bid in COMMBUYS no later than the “Online Questions Due” date and time indicated in the Estimated Procurement Calendar (above). The issuing department 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.BI

Written Responses to Questions will be released on or about the “Responses to Questions Posted Online” 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: December 27, 2017 02:00 PM EDT

c. 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.

d. Quotes (Bid Responses) Deadline (Bid Opening Date/Time): December 27, 2017 3:00PM EDT

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

e. Estimated Contract Start Date

The approximate start date January 16, 2018. The actual start date will be the Contract Effective Date which is the date the Contract is executed by the parties.

13. Required Forms Responses to this RFR must contain the following documents:

14. RFR additional Attachments Forms for your reference:

Appendix A: RFR Required Specifications Appendix B: Electronic Quote Submission Instructions The above attachments are available in the Bid record on COMMBUYS under the Attachments tab.

Updated: April 2, 2014