S000000256 Cemetery Concrete Crypts IFB.pdf

STATE OF ARKANSAS

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSFORMATION AND SHARED SERVICES

OFFICE OF STATE PROCUREMENT

501 Woodlane St., Ste. 220

Little Rock, Arkansas 72201-1023

INVITATION FOR BID

SOLICITATION DOCUMENT

SOLICITATION INFORMATION

Solicitation Number:

S000000256 Solicitation Issued:

July 12th, 2023

Description: Concrete Double-Depth Burial Crypts at State Veterans Cemetery

Department: Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs (ADVA)

SUBMISSION DEADLINE AND DELIVERY OF RESPONSE DOCUMENTS

Bid Opening Date: July 21st, 2023 Bid Opening Time: 2:00 PM, Central Time

Bid responses for this Invitation for Bid must be submitted through ARBuy, the State’s eProcurement system.

It can be accessed at https://arbuy.arkansas.gov. Bids received after the submission deadline may be rejected as untimely. See section 1.2 for information regarding Live Bid Openings.

TSS OFFICE OF STATE PROCUREMENT CONTACT INFORMATION

TSS OSP Buyer: Austin McClane Buyer’s Direct Phone Number: 501-371-6156

Email Address: Austin.McClane@arkansas.gov TSS OSP’s Main Number: 501-324-9316

TSS OSP

Website:

https://www.transform.ar.gov/procurement/

SECTION 1 – REQUIREMENTS

Do not provide responses to items in this section unless specifically and expressly required.

1.1 INTRODUCTION

This Invitation for Bid (IFB) is issued by the TSS Office of State Procurement (TSS OSP) for the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs (ADVA) to obtain pricing and a contract for fabrication of concrete double-depth crypts for delivery to the Veterans Cemeteries at Birdeye, Arkansas (72324) and North Little Rock, Arkansas (72120).

Direct all questions, comments, or concerns you may have regarding this solicitation to the TSS Office of State Procurement, not the Department.

1.2 LIVE BID OPENING

Use the information below to view the bid opening online.

Teams Meeting Link: Click here to join the meeting

Meeting ID: 226 451 638 932

Meeting Password: PGQiHJ Dial-In Information: +1 501-244-3310 Phone Conference ID: 759671521#

1.3 CLARIFICATION OF SOLICITATION

A. The Prospective Contractor should notify the TSS OSP buyer of any term, condition, etc., that precludes the Prospective Contractor from submitting a compliant, Responsive Bid. Prospective Contractors should note that it is the responsibility of the Prospective Contractor to seek resolution of all such issues, including those relating to the terms and conditions of the contract, prior to the submission of a bid.

B. Prospective Contractors may contact the TSS OSP buyer with non-substantive questions at any time prior to the bid opening.

C. An oral statement by TSS OSP will not be part of any contract resulting from this solicitation and may not reasonably be relied on by any Prospective Contractor as an aid to interpretation unless it is reduced to writing and expressly adopted by TSS OSP.

1.4 DEFINITION OF TERMS

A. Unless otherwise defined herein, all terms defined in Arkansas Procurement Law have the same meaning herein.

B. The terms “ADVA” and “Agency” are used synonymously in this document.

C. The terms “Invitation for Bid,” “IFB,” and “Solicitation” are used synonymously in this document.

D. “Prospective Contractor” means a responsible bidder who submits a Responsive Bid in response to this solicitation.

E. “Requirement” means something required.

F. “Responsive Bid” means a bid submitted in response to this solicitation that conforms in all material respects to this IFB.

G. “Shall” and “Must” mean the imperative and are used to identify requirements.

H. “Specification” means any technical or purchase description or other description of the physical or functional characteristics, or of the nature, of a commodity or service. “Specification” may include a description of any requirement for inspecting, testing, or preparing a commodity or service for delivery.

I. “State” means the State of Arkansas. When the term “State” is used herein to reference any obligation of the State under a contract that results from this solicitation, that obligation is limited to the Department using such a contract.

1.5 AWARD CRITERIA

A. Contractor shall bid the quantities specified on the Price Sheet by including “Each” pricing beside both types of crypts and letting Excel calculate total pricing.

B. Contractor should include optional pricing in Table 2 that reflects an adjustment in pricing if they are chosen by ADVA and the State’s General Contractor as the Installing Contractor.

1.6 SPECIFICATIONS FOR FABRICATED DOUBLE-DEPTH BURIAL CRYPTS

A. The Contractor shall provide double-depth concrete burial crypts (“Crypts”) that meet all United States Department of Veterans Affairs, National Cemetery Administration (NCA) performance standards (https://www.wbdg.org/ffc/va/nca-master-specifications/va-nca-03-48-21 ). The State anticipates purchasing between 660-770 crypts during the initial term of the contract.

B. Standard Double-Depth Crypt size must be approximately 95 3/4” +/- 1/8” x 35 3/4” +/- 1/8” x 60” +/- 1/8”

C. Oversized Double Depth Crypt size must be approximately 99" +/- 1/8” x 47" +/- 1/8” x 60" +/- 1/8"

D. Contractor shall submit sealed engineering drawings including structural reinforcing per specifications/NCA standards to ADVA for approval by architect/engineer prior to fabrication.

E. Contractor shall provide the VA standard lifting devices (2ea) for crypt lid removal to ADVA. Lifting devices will be used by the Installing Contractor.

1.7 DELIVERY REQUIREMENTS

A. The Contractor shall deliver the Concrete Burial Crypts to the following locations:

AR Department of Veterans Affairs Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery at Birdeye 3600 Hwy 163 Birdeye, AR 72324

AR Department of Veterans Affairs Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery at North Little Rock 1501 West Maryland Avenue North Little Rock, AR 72120

B. The Contractor shall provide all transportation expenses for the Crypts, which includes, FOB Destination, Freight/Shipping Paid.

C. All deliveries must include off-loading of crypts at designated locations.

D. The Contractor shall work with the State’s General Contractor on the delivery and placement of crypts.

E. The State assumes no liability for commodities produced, processed, or shipped in excess of the amount specified on the Department’s purchase order.

F. The Contractor shall notify ADVA’s designee a minimum of seven (7) Business Days before delivery and unloading of the Crypts.

G. The Department requests delivery within 24 weeks after ordering. If this delivery date cannot be met, the Prospective Contractor must state the alternate number of days required to begin the service and/or place the commodity in the ordering Department’s designated location. Failure to state the alternate delivery time obligates the Contractor to complete delivery by the Department’s requested date. Extended delivery dates may be considered when in the best interest of the State.

H. All deliveries must be made during normal State work hours and within the agreed upon number of days unless otherwise arranged and coordinated with the Department. The Contractor shall give the Department immediate notice of any anticipated delays or plant shutdowns that will affect the delivery requirement.

1.8 ACCEPTANCE STANDARDS

A. All crypts must pass the NCA crypt test and meet NCA design standards.

B. Inspection and acceptance/rejection of product(s) will be made within sixty (60) days of receipt.

C. The State has the option to return any product(s) within the sixty (60) day timeframe for any reason.

D. Bid must include a “total satisfaction” return policy for all products and must not impose any liability on the State for such returns.

SECTION 2 – GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS AND INFORMATION

Do not provide responses to items in this section unless specifically and expressly required.

2.1 TYPE OF CONTRACT

A. As a result of this IFB, TSS OSP intends to award a contract to a single Contractor.

B. The anticipated starting date for any resulting contract is September 1st, 2023, except that the actual contract start date may be adjusted unilaterally by the State for up to three (3) calendar months. By submitting a signed bid in response to the IFB, the Prospective Contractor represents and warrants that it will honor its bid as being held open as irrevocable for this period.

C. The initial term of a resulting contract will be for 1 year. Upon mutual agreement by the Contractor and Department, the contract may be renewed by TSS OSP for up to six (6) additional one-year terms or portions thereof, not to exceed a total aggregate contract term of seven (7) consecutive years.

2.2 CONTRACTOR SELECTION

Award will be made to the lowest-bidding, responsible Prospective Contractor.

2.3 RESPONSE DOCUMENTS

A. All bid responses must be submitted through ARBuy, the State’s eProcurement system. The system can be accessed at https://arbuy.arkansas.gov.

B. Bid Response Packet

1. The following are bid submission requirements and must be submitted as part of a Prospective Contractor’s bid response.

a. Signed Bid Signature Page. Signature may be ink or digital. (See Bid Response Packet.)

b. Completed Bid Response Packet, which must be in the English language.

c. Completed Pricing Response. Official Bid Price Sheet attached to solicitation posting.

Pricing must be proposed in U.S. dollars and cents.

d. Proposed Subcontractors Form. The utilization of any proposed subcontractor is subject to approval by the Department.

2. The following items, which must be submitted prior to a contract award to the Prospective Contractor, may also be included with the Prospective Contractor’s bid response:

a. EO 98-04 Contract & Grant Disclosure Form.

b. Copy of Prospective Contractor’s Equal Opportunity Policy.

3. DO NOT include any other documents or ancillary information, such as a cover letter or promotional/marketing information.

2.4 ACCEPTANCE OF REQUIREMENTS

A. Unless a Prospective Contractor expressly and conspicuously identifies any exception or exceptions to any of the Requirements in the Requirements Section(s) of this IFB by listing them on the Exceptions Form (see Bid Response Packet), the Prospective Contractor understands and agrees its submission of a bid to represent that its bid meets all such Requirements.

B. A Prospective Contractor’s bid may be rejected if the Prospective Contractor takes exception to any Requirements in the Requirements Section(s) of this IFB.

2.5 ADDITIONAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

A. This IFB incorporates all of the Solicitation Terms and Conditions located on the TSS OSP website here (Agencies – Forms and Reporting – Solicitation Templates):

https://www.transform.ar.gov/procurement/agencies/forms-and-reporting/.

B. Any special terms and conditions included in this solicitation shall override the Solicitation Terms and Conditions.

C. The Standard Commodities Contract can be viewed on the TSS OSP website here (Agencies – Forms and Reporting – Solicitation Templates):

https://www.transform.ar.gov/procurement/agencies/forms-and-reporting/.