S000000337, IFB, Outdoor Walk-In Coolers.pdf

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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: S000000337 Solicitation Issued: May 31, 2024

Description: Outdoor Walk-In Coolers

Department: Arkansas Department of Agriculture

SUBMISSION DEADLINE AND DELIVERY OF RESPONSE DOCUMENTS

Bid Opening Date: June 13, 2024 Bid Opening Time: 1:30 p.m. Central Time

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

It can be accessed at arbuy.arkansas.gov. Bids received after the submission deadline may be rejected as untimely.

LIVE BID OPENING INFORMATION

Teams Meeting Link: Join the meeting now

Meeting ID: 212 112 370 759

Passcode: joHXkF

Call in (audio only): 501.244.3310 or find a local number

Phone conference ID: 625 669 23#

TSS OFFICE OF STATE PROCUREMENT CONTACT INFORMATION

TSS OSP Procurement Specialist:

Julia Shackelford Procurement Specialist’s Direct Phone Number:

501-371-6079

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

TSS OSP Website: transform.ar.gov/procurement file://///tss-file-p1/INDOSPADMIN$/%23_GENERAL_%20PROCUREMENT_%20TEAM_%23/BUYERS/Brandi%20Schroeder/Bid%20Folder%20Documents/%23New%20Drafts/IFB/1%20OSP%20Use/arbuy.arkansas.gov/ https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_NDIyNGQ5YmYtYjAxNi00OWI4LWJkOTctMGRjNjAzNWFmMjE1%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%225ec1d8f0-cb62-4000-b327-8e63b0547048%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22a202d409-7a31-4076-91b4-f7352fde7396%22%7d https://dialin.teams.microsoft.com/6b6513dc-a034-48d2-8d06-7e711c4ecc0b?id=719036839 https://www.transform.ar.gov/procurement/

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SECTION 1 – INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS

1.1 INTRODUCTION

This Invitation for Bid (IFB) is issued by the TSS Office of State Procurement (TSS OSP) on behalf of the Arkansas Department of Agriculture (“Agency”) to obtain pricing and a contract for Outdoor Walk-In Coolers to be delivered to several farming communities throughout the State of Arkansas and installed at each location.

Direct all correspondence regarding this Solicitation to TSS OSP and not to the Agency.

The Agency intends to purchase forty-eight (48) outdoor walk-in coolers for selected farmers located throughout the State of Arkansas. The coolers will hold the farmers agriculture products such as fruits, vegetables, and dairy, eggs.

1.2 BACKGROUND INFORMATION

A. USDA has a requirement of a minimum per unit cost of $10,000 which includes the cost of the equipment, delivery, and installation.

B. USDA has a maximum per unit cost of $100,000 per unit, but these units should be in the $15,000 to $25,000 range.

1. Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Walk-in Cooler and Freezer Refrigeration Systems; Final Rule

2. Appliance Standards Rulemakings and Notices (energy.gov)

1.3 TYPE OF CONTRACT

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

Selection).

B. The anticipated starting date for any resulting contract will be from date of award, 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.

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

C. “Prospective Contractor” means a responsive and responsible bidder who submits a bid that meets the Requirements and criteria set forth in this Solicitation.

D. “Requirement” means a term, condition, provision, deliverable, Specification, or a combination thereof, that is obligated under the Solicitation, resulting contract, or both.

E. “Shall” and “must” mean the imperative and are used to identify Requirements and Specifications.

F. “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.

G. “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 Agency using such a contract.

1.5 CONTRACTOR SELECTION

A. Award is expected to be made to the responsive and responsible Prospective Contractor determined to have submitted the lowest bid that meets the Requirements and meets the criteria set forth in the IFB, based on the Total Cost as shown in the ARBuy portal submitted by the Prospective Contractor.

https://www.energy.gov/eere/buildings/articles/issuance-2016-12-28-energy-conservation-program-energy-conservation-0 https://www.energy.gov/eere/buildings/articles/issuance-2016-12-28-energy-conservation-program-energy-conservation-0 https://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/standards.aspx?productid=56&action=viewlive

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B. If the State so chooses, negotiations may be conducted with the lowest-bidding, responsive and responsible Prospective Contractor if:

1. All bids received from responsive and responsible bidders exceed available funding; or

2. It appears that additional savings to the state may result from negotiation.

C. If negotiations fail to result in a contract, the State may negotiate with the next lowest-bidding, responsive and responsible Prospective Contractor.

1. The negotiation process may be repeated until an acceptable lower bid price is negotiated, or until such time the State determines negotiations are no longer in the best interest of the state.

2. Negotiations are conducted at the sole discretion of the State.

D. Once the anticipated awardee has been determined, the anticipated award will be posted to ARBuy, generally for a period of fourteen (14) days prior to the issuance of a contract. The postings are anticipated awards only, subject to protest.

E. A contract is not effective prior to final award being made by the State; some contracts may be subject to Legislative review prior to final award.

1.6 CLARIFICATION OF SOLICITATION

A. Submit questions regarding this Solicitation via the Solicitation posting in ARBuy by 2:00 p.m. Central

Time on or before June 6, 2024.

1. For each question submitted, Prospective Contractor should reference the specific Solicitation item number to which the question refers, as applicable.

2. Prospective Contractors’ written questions will be consolidated and answered by the State as deemed appropriate. The State’s consolidated written response is anticipated to be posted to the Solicitation posting in ARBuy by the close of business on June 7, 2024. If Prospective Contractor questions are unclear or non-substantive in nature, the State may request clarification of a question(s) or decline to answer.

B. The Prospective Contractor should notify the TSS OSP Procurement Specialist of any term, condition, etc., that precludes the Prospective Contractor from submitting a 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.

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

D. 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.

1.7 RESPONSE DOCUMENTS

A. All bids must be submitted through ARBuy, the State’s eProcurement system. The system can be accessed at arbuy.arkansas.gov.

1. Prospective Contractors must be registered in ARBuy to submit bids.

B. Bid Response Packet

1. Prospective Contractors shall utilize the Bid Response Packet attached to the Solicitation in ARBuy to submit their bids.

2. The following are bid submission Requirements and must be submitted as part of a Prospective Contractor’s bid.

a. Signed Bid Signature Page; signature may be ink or digital.

https://arbuy.arkansas.gov/

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

c. Completed pricing response submitted by the Prospective Contractor in the ARBuy portal.

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

ii. Quantities stated are estimates only and are not guaranteed. Prospective Contractor must bid unit price on the estimated quantity and unit of measure specified.

• The Agency may order more or less than the estimated quantity depending on the cost of each cooler and/or depending on Agency’s budget. The Contractor shall sell to the Agency quantities ordered at no more than the bid price.

iii. If pricing documents do not allow for accurate pricing, Prospective Contractor should notify the TSS OSP Procurement Specialist at least seventy-two (72) hours before the bid opening time.

iv. Prices must be firm offers.

v. Discount from list bids pricing is not acceptable unless requested elsewhere in the Solicitation.

vi. State and local sales taxes should not be included in the bid price. Trade discounts should be deducted from the unit price and the net price should be shown in the bid.

d. Copy of Prospective Contractor’s Equal Opportunity Policy

i. Pursuant to Arkansas Code Annotated § 19-11-104, OSP requires a Prospective Contractor bidding on a state contract to submit a copy of the Prospective Contractor’s Equal Opportunity (EO) Policy. Prospective Contractors not required by law to have an EO Policy must submit a written statement to that effect.

e. Proposed Subcontractors Form (see Standard Commodities Contract, section 14).

3. 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 (see Standard Commodities Contract, section 11).

4. Prospective Contractors should not include any other documents or ancillary information, such as a cover letter or promotional marketing information.

C. Prospective Contractors should not alter any language in Solicitation document(s) provided by the State.

D. Prospective Contractors’ bids cannot be altered or amended after the bid opening except as permitted by law or rule.

E. As requested, Prospective Contractors shall provide clarification regarding Prospective Contractor’s bid response.

F. Prospective Contractors may submit multiple bids.

https://www.transform.ar.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Standard-Commodities-Contract-Template-6.18.20.docx https://www.transform.ar.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Standard-Commodities-Contract-Template-6.18.20.docx

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SECTION 2 – SPECIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

2.1 SPECIFICATIONS

A. The Prospective Contractor shall provide outdoor walk-in coolers that meet the following specifications:

1. Coolers must be fully assembled, equipment pre-installed ready to “plug and go,” such as a standard electrical hookup as NEMA 14-30R, or as determined by the Agency. The Contractor will connect the cooler(s) with the power source before leaving the site.

2. Coolers must be freestanding and stationary.

3. Coolers must be equipped to maintain temperatures between 30° - 40°.

a. The standard coolers are set at 35 degrees or as determined by the Agency.

4. Coolers must have interior lights and vinyl strip curtains.

5. Cooler door handles must be equipped with inside release.

6. The interior cubic feet of the coolers must be a minimum of three hundred seventy-two (372) cubic feet.

7. The interior height of the coolers must be a minimum of seven (7) feet.

8. The interior flooring of the coolers must meet or exceed the United States Department of Energy (DOE) compliance requirements.

a. The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (“EPCA”) History and Impacts | Department of Energy

9. The interior walls and ceilings of the coolers must meet or exceed DOE compliance requirements.

B. The Prospective Contractor shall provide a three (3) year full coverage warranty on all coolers.

C. The Prospective Contractor should list the manufacturer brand and model number they are bidding on (See Bid Response Packet) but must be provided when requested by TSS OSP.

2.2 DELIVERY REQUIREMENTS

A. The Contractor shall deliver the outdoor walk-in coolers throughout the farming community within the

State of Arkansas, FOB Destination, Freight, and Shipping Paid. (See Attachment A: Locations of Farms).

1. The Contractor’s delivery trucks must be able to navigate asphalt, county dirt roads, and gravel roads.

2. The Agency will have the site location prepared in advanced for the delivery of the outdoor walk-in coolers.

B. The Contractor shall take all reasonable measures to ensure that commodities purchased by the Agency be delivered as early as August 1, 2024, through December 1, 2024, of the Agency’s issuance of the relevant purchase order unless otherwise agreed upon in writing.

1. The Contractor shall give the Agency immediate notice of any anticipated delays or plant shutdowns that will affect the delivery requirement. The Contractor will not be liable for delays in performance or for non-performance due to unforeseen circumstances or causes beyond the Contractor’s reasonable control.

C. All deliveries must be made during normal State work hours.

D. The Contractor shall pay all transportation and handling charges, unless otherwise agreed upon in writing by the Contractor and Agency.

E. The Contractor shall bear responsibility for loss or damage that occurs during shipping, prior to the order being received by the Agency.

https://www.energy.gov/eere/buildings/history-and-impacts#:~:text=At%20the%20national%20level%2C%20the,energy%20targets%20for%20consumer%20products.

https://www.energy.gov/eere/buildings/history-and-impacts#:~:text=At%20the%20national%20level%2C%20the,energy%20targets%20for%20consumer%20products.

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1. Risk of loss of the order will pass to the Agency upon Contractor’s delivery of the order conforming to the resulting pursuant to a purchase order.

2. All orders should be properly packaged to prevent damage during shipping.

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

G. Unless otherwise agreed upon in writing by the Contractor and Agency, payment will be made within thirty (30) days of the date of the Contractor’s delivery of product(s) conforming to the resulting contract and receipt of the Contractor’s invoice, whichever is later.

2.3 INSTALLATION REQUIREMENTS

A. The Contractor shall provide offloading and on-site installation for each outdoor walk-in coolers to each specific location listed in Attachment A: Locations of Farms.

1. The Contractor shall provide any equipment necessary to offload the walk-in coolers.

B. The Contractor shall provide on-site installation of the outdoor walk-in coolers per the instruction of each owner where the walk-in coolers are to be installed.

C. The Contractor shall confirm that each outdoor walk-in cooler is connected to a power source and ready for use upon the completion of the installation.

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SECTION 3 – SOLICITATION TERMS AND CONDITIONS

3.1. ACCEPTANCE OF REQUIREMENTS

A. A Prospective Contractor’s past performance with the State may be used to determine if the

Prospective Contractor is responsible (OSP Rule R1:19-11-235).

1. Bids submitted by Prospective Contractors determined to be non-responsible will be rejected.

B. A single Prospective Contractor must be identified as the prime contractor.

1. The prime Contractor shall be responsible for the resulting contract and jointly and severally liable with any of its subcontractors, affiliates, or agents to the State for the performance thereof.

C. By submitting a bid, the Prospective Contractor represents and warrants:

1. That the prices in the bid have been arrived at independently, without any collusion with another competing Prospective Contractor.

a. Collusion violates Arkansas Procurement Law and can lead to suspension, debarment, and can be referred to the Attorney General’s officer for investigation and appropriate legal action (Arkansas Code Annotated § 19-11-240 and 19-11-245).

2. That the Prospective Contractor has not retained a person to solicit or secure the resulting contract upon an agreement or understanding for a commission, percentage, brokerage, or contingent fee, except for retention of bona fide employees or bona fide established commercial selling agencies maintained by the Prospective Contractor for the purpose of securing business.

D. Qualifications, services, and commodities must meet or exceed the required Specifications as set forth in the Solicitation.

3.2. GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

A. The Contractor must be registered as a vendor to receive payment and may register online by visiting ark.org/vendor/index and clicking the Start Here button.

B. The Prospective Contractor represents and warrants that, prior to being awarded any executed contract resulting from this solicitation, the Prospective Contractor has taken or shall take all actions necessary to receive payment from the State through Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) for the services and/or commodities to be provided under any such contract. This includes, without limitation, the following actions:

1. Signing documents authorizing the State to make EFT payments into a bank account designated by the Prospective Contractor.

2. Providing all information requested by the State to set up EFT payments, including either a voided check or a letter from their financial institution that contains the following information:

a. Account holder’s name

b. Account number

c. Routing number

d. Financial institution official’s contact information and signature

3. In the event the EFT information changes, the Contractor shall be responsible for providing the updated information to the State. No interest or late payment penalty will apply if payment is delayed because of the Contractor’s failure to initially provide or update information necessary for the State to make EFT payment.

https://www.ark.org/vendor/index.html?_ga=2.231672543.1782009942.1693919943-292160598.1646079585

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C. Pursuant to Arkansas State Procurement Law, the Contractor shall certify that, unless they offer to provide the goods or services for at least twenty percent (20%) less than the lowest certifying Prospective Contractor:

1. They are not engaged in and shall not, during the aggregate term of the resulting contract, engage in a boycott of Israel (Arkansas Code Annotated § 25-1-503),

2. They are not engaged in and shall not, during the aggregate term of the resulting contract, engage in a boycott of an Energy, Fossil Fuel, Firearms, or Ammunition Industry (Arkansas Code Annotated § 25-1-1102).

D. Pursuant to Arkansas Procurement Law, the Contractor shall certify that the Contractor does not knowingly employ or contract with illegal immigrants and that the Contractor shall not knowingly employ or contract with illegal immigrants during the aggregate term of any contract with the State or any of its departments, institutions, or political subdivisions (Arkansas Code Annotated § 19-11-105).

E. The Contractor shall invoice the State as required by the Agency and should not invoice the State in advance of delivery and acceptance of any commodities or services (Arkansas Code Annotated § 19- 4-1206).

1. The Contractor should invoice the agency by an itemized list of charges. The Agency’s purchase order number and/or the contract number should be referenced on each invoice.

2. Payment will be made in accordance with applicable State of Arkansas accounting procedures upon acceptance of commodities and services by the Agency.

3. Payment will be made only after the Contractor has successfully satisfied the Agency as to the reliability and effectiveness of the commodities or services purchased as a whole.

F. The Contractor should be able to accept the State’s authorized VISA Procurement Card (p-card) as a method of payment. Price changes or additional fee(s) must not be levied against the State when accepting the p-card as a form of payment.

G. This IFB incorporates all terms of the Standard Commodities Contract Template (found here).

1. A Prospective Contractor’s bid may be rejected if a Prospective Contractor takes exception to any terms, conditions, or Requirements in this IFB.

H. The Prospective Contractor shall certify that they are not a company owned in whole or with a majority ownership by the government of the People's Republic of China (a “Scrutinized Company”) and that they do not and shall not during the aggregate term of the resulting contract employ a Scrutinized Company as a contractor (Arkansas Code Annotated § 25-1-1203).

I. The Prospective Contractor agrees and shall adhere to all terms, conditions, and Requirements if selected as the Contractor.

1. Items may only be modified if the legal requirement is satisfied and approved by the State during negotiations.

3.3. GUARANTEES, SAMPLES, AND BRAND NAME REFERENCES

A. By submitting a bid, the Prospective Contractor represents and warrants that goods its sells to the

Agency under a resulting contract shall be merchantable.

B. Samples or demonstrators, when requested, must be furnished for inspection free of expense to the State.

1. Each sample should be marked with the Prospective Contractor's name and address, bid or contract number, and item number.

a. If requested, samples that are not destroyed during reasonable examination will be returned at Prospective Contractor's expense.

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b. After reasonable examination, all demonstrators will be returned at Prospective Contractor’s expense.

2. Tests may be performed on samples or demonstrators submitted with the bid or on samples taken from the regular shipment.

a. If products tested fail to meet or exceed all Requirements and Specifications, the cost of the sample used and the reasonable cost of the testing must be borne by the Prospective Contractor.

C. Unless otherwise specified in the Solicitation, a catalog brand name or manufacturer reference used in the Solicitation is descriptive only, not restrictive, and used to indicate the type and quality desired.

1. Bids on brands of like nature and quality will be considered.

a. The State shall have the right to determine whether a substitute offered is equivalent to and meets the standards of the item specified, and the State may require the Prospective Contractor to supply additional descriptive material.

b. Prospective Contractors not bidding an alternate to the referenced brand name or manufacturer shall furnish the product according to brand names, numbers, etc., as specified in the Solicitation.

3.4. INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

A. The State may inspect any commodities delivered, tendered, or identified to the State as being procured under a resulting contract to determine whether they conform to the contract.

1. The State’s right to inspection may be exercised at any reasonable place and time and in any reasonable manner, as determined in the State’s reasonable discretion, prior to acceptance of and payment for any commodities procured under a resulting contract.

2. If the commodities are found to be conforming as the result of inspection, the State will bear the cost of inspection, if any.

3. If any of the commodities are found to be non-conforming, the State:

a. May elect to recover expenses of inspection, if any, from the Contractor and the Contractor shall bear the cost

b. The Contractor shall be responsible for the cost of any retrieval, return, or disposal of the commodities. Payment for commodities does not constitute acceptance of the commodities as conforming to the contract if the State has not had a reasonable opportunity to inspect the commodities or in the event of Contractor’s fraud or concealment of defects.

B. The State has the option to return any product(s) within the thirty (30) day timeframe for any reason.

The State does not anticipate to arbitrarily request a return of the Outdoor Walk-In Coolers.

C. The Contractor shall include a total satisfaction return policy for all products and shall not impose any liability on the State for such returns.

3.5. MINORITY AND WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESS

A. A minority-owned business is defined by Arkansas Code Annotated § 15-4-303 as a business owned by a lawful permanent resident of this State who is:

• African American

• American Indian

• Asian American

• Hispanic American

• Pacific Islander American

• A Service-Disabled Veteran as designated by the United States Department of Veteran Affairs

B. A women-owned business is defined by Act 1080 of the 91st General Assembly Regular Session 2017 as a business that is at least fifty-one percent (51%) owned by one (1) or more women who are lawful permanent residents of this State.

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C. The Arkansas Economic Development Commission conducts a certification process for minority-owned and women-owned businesses. If certified, the Prospective Contractor’s Certification Number should be included on the Bid Signature Page.

3.6. PROPRIETARY INFORMATION

A. The release of public records is governed by the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (Arkansas

Code Annotated § 25-19-101 et. seq.).

B. Submission documents pertaining to the Solicitation become the property of the State and may be subject to the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

C. In accordance with FOIA, and to promote maximum competition in the State competitive sealed bidding, the State may maintain the confidentiality of certain types of information described in FOIA.

Such information may include trade secrets and other information exempted from public disclosure pursuant to FOIA.

D. Under no circumstances will pricing information submitted in response to an invitation for sealed bids be designated as confidential after the sealed bids have been opened.

E. Consistent with and to the extent permitted under FOIA, any Prospective Contractor may designate appropriate portions of a bid as confidential by submitting a redacted copy of the bid. By so redacting any information contained in the bid, the Prospective Contractor warrants that, after having received such necessary or proper review by counsel or other knowledgeable advisors, it has formed a good faith opinion that the portions redacted are not considered public records under FOIA.

F. If a Prospective Contractor deems part of the information contained in a response not to be a public record, the Prospective Contractor should submit one (1) complete copy of the submission documents from which any proprietary or confidential information has been redacted in their bid response. Except for the redacted information, the redacted copy must be identical to the original copy, reflecting the same pagination as the original and showing the space from which information was redacted.

G. The Prospective Contractor is responsible for identifying all proprietary information and for ensuring the electronic copy is protected against restoration of redacted data.

H. The redacted copy will be open to public inspection under the FOIA without further notice to the Prospective Contractor. If the State deems redacted information to be subject to a public record request under FOIA, the State will endeavor to notify the Prospective Contractor prior to release of the redacted record.

I. The State has no liability to a Prospective Contractor with respect to the disclosure of Prospective Contractor’s confidential or proprietary information ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction pursuant to FOIA or other applicable law.