S000000384 Liquid Handling System IFB.pdf

Rev 10/2024

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: S0000000384 Solicitation Issued:

December 17, Description: Automated Liquid Handling System

Department: Department of Public Safety, Arkansas State Crime Laboratory

SUBMISSION DEADLINE AND DELIVERY OF RESPONSE DOCUMENTS

Bid Opening Date: January 17, 2025 Bid Opening Time: 2:00 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: 298 878 885 670

Passcode: pZxx33

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

Phone conference ID: 701 923 948#

TSS OFFICE OF STATE PROCUREMENT CONTACT INFORMATION

TSS OSP Procurement Specialist:

Hanan Malak Procurement Specialist’s Direct Phone Number:

501-324-9320

Email Address: Hanan.Malak@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_MjgzY2U1ZWMtMGZmOS00YWM3LTk4MWItYTNjMGZjOGE2MWVh%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%225ec1d8f0-cb62-4000-b327-8e63b0547048%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%229366d6e8-d352-4f8a-878a-9c24d9253d67%22%7d https://dialin.teams.microsoft.com/6b6513dc-a034-48d2-8d06-7e711c4ecc0b?id=719036839 https://www.transform.ar.gov/procurement/

SECTION 1 – INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS

1.1 INTRODUCTION

This Invitation for Bid (IFB) is issued by the TSS Office of State Procurement (TSS OSP) for the Department of Public Safety, Arkansas State Crime Laboratory to obtain pricing and a contract for Automated Liquid Handling System.

Direct all correspondence regarding this Solicitation to TSS OSP and not to the Department of Public Safety, Arkansas State Crime Laboratory.

1.2 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 is February 2025, 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 one (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.

1.3 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 Department using such a contract.

1.4 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 criteria set forth in the IFB, based on the Total Cost the Official Bid Price Sheet submitted by the Prospective Contractor.

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.

1.5 CLARIFICATION OF SOLICITATION

A. Submit questions regarding this Solicitation via the Solicitation posting in ARBuy by midnight, Central

Time on or before January 2, 2025.

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 January 7, 2025. 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.

1.6 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.

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

c. Completed Official Bid Price Sheet attached to Solicitation posting.

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.

https://arbuy.arkansas.gov/

• The State may order more or less than the estimated quantity on term contracts, and the Contractor shall sell to the Department 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 and adjustments may be negotiated at the time of contract renewal.

• A request for a price increase must include supporting documentation demonstrating that the increase in contract price is based on an increased cost to the Contractor and that the proposed pricing is still competitive in the marketplace. The State has the right to approve or deny any request for a price adjustment.

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 SRV-1 or 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 SRV-1 or Standard Commodities Contract, section 11)

b. Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT), if applicable

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) or Official Bid Price Sheet 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://transform.ar.gov/wp-content/uploads/Services-Contract-SRV-1-Fillable-Form-110824-1.pdf https://www.transform.ar.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Standard-Commodities-Contract-Template-6.18.20.docx https://transform.ar.gov/wp-content/uploads/Services-Contract-SRV-1-Fillable-Form-110824-1.pdf https://www.transform.ar.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Standard-Commodities-Contract-Template-6.18.20.docx https://www.section508.gov/sell/vpat/

SECTION 2 – SPECIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

2.1 INTRODUCTION

The Arkansas State Crime Laboratory (ASCL) seeks pricing and a contract for the purchase of an automated liquid handling system to assist in the qualitative and quantitative procedures in the Toxicology section, performed on biological specimens.

2.2 ANALYZER

A. The automated handler must be fully automated with minimal technician monitoring, operation, intervention, or assistance needed after the beginning of analysis.

B. The automated handler must include a bar-code reader that can automatically read carriers, tubes, and plates.

C. The automated handler must have an 8-channel liquid handling arm with a disposable tip assembly and a filtration system.

D. The automated handler system’s pipetting arms must be able to pipette specified volumes from 0.5 μL to 100 μL.

E. The automated handler system must be capable of adjusting dimensions for pipetting 48 and 96-well plates and 10mm glass tubes

F. The automated handler system must not require ventilation in a hood and must be able to stand alone.

G. The automated handler must have safety door locks and safety shield.

H. The automated handler must be able to hold a minimum three (3) different liquids.

I. The automated handler must have non-reactive containers that will hold the liquids.

J. The automated handler must have liquid detection in each channel using capacitance and/or pressure measurements.

K. The automated handler must by capable of conducting analysis on the following:

1. Whole blood

2. Post-mortem blood

3. Urine

4. Oral fluid

5. Vitreous humor

6. Synthetic blood

7. Other viscous fluids

L. The automated handler system must be able to re-rack tips after the disposal of tips.

M. The automated handler must have a built-in orbital shaker for room temperature shaking as well as heated incubation shaking. The shaker must have a microplate adapter.

N. The automated liquid handler must include a vacuum module for solid phase extractions.

O. The automated handler must have a visible status indicator.

P. The automated handler must be able to be calibrated by more than one ISO 17025 accredited calibration service provider under the scope of their accreditation.

2.3 INSTALLATION

A. Installation services such as electrical power source that require modification of existing building structures will be the responsibility of ASCL.

B. Any installation services over $35,000.00 that modify existing building structures must be regulated by the Division of Building Authority (DBA) regulations.

C. The Contractor shall provide the specifics on electrical power source to ASCL prior to installation.

2.4 EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES REQUIREMENTS

A. The Contractor shall provide the following equipment which must include but not limited to:

1. Instrument and components required to produce the results as stated in the IFB

2. Computer

3. Touch screen panels

4. Touch screen monitor

5. Mouse and keyboard

6. Barcode scanner

7. Carrier holder for sample analysis

8. Current software for analysis

9. Table and mounting hardware if applicable

10. All consumables needed for installation and training

2.5 SYSTEM WARRANTY AND SERVICE STANDARDS AND REQUIREMENTS

A. The automated handler system must include, at minimum, a one-year manufacturer’s warranty.

B. The warranty must cover defects in material and workmanship and must cover all costs associated with the following:

1. Labor

2. Parts

3. Transportation Costs

4. Travel time and expense

5. Other costs associated with such repair, replacement, and/or service

6. All equipment included with initial purchase of Automated handler system.

C. The Contractor shall provide one (1) six-month preventative maintenance service following successful installation and validation.

D. The Contractor shall provide an annual preventative maintenance plan starting at the end of the manufacturer’s warranty period.

E. The analyzer must include one (1) set of service manuals, parts list, and operating manuals to be included with the delivery.

F. The Contractor shall assist with troubleshooting on-site within seven (7) business days after notification by the ASCL, providing the analyzer cannot be fixed over the phone with a technician.

G. The Contractor shall pick up the damaged parts or equipment at the Contractor’s expense and replace with equipment that meets or exceeds prior assembled equipment.

H. Should the replacement equipment’s performance remain unacceptable to agency, the agency may request a full return of the purchase price (including taxes and shipping).

I. The automated handler must not be near end of life, and the Contractor shall guarantee to provide any of the manufacturer replacement parts, labor, and consumables for a period of not less than five

(5) years.

2.6 APPLICATION TRAINING AND INTEGRATION/UTILIZATION

A. The Contractor shall provide at minimum two (2) days of on-site training. Training must include, but is not limited to, the following:

1. System Operations

2. Maintenance, including but not limited to, preventative maintenance that can be performed by analysts in the laboratory

3. Troubleshooting

4. Software

5. Data processing including LIMS integration assistance

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. All payments to the Contractor under a resulting contract shall be made exclusively through ACH (Automated Clearing House) direct deposit.

1. The Contractor shall provide the necessary banking information, including account number, routing number, and any other details required to facilitate ACH direct deposits.

2. The Contractor shall be responsible for ensuring that the provided banking information is accurate and up to date. Any delays or errors in payment caused by incorrect or outdated information provided by the Contractor shall not be the responsibility of the Department.

3. The Department will process payments according to the agreed payment schedule, and all payments made via ACH direct deposit shall be considered as duly received upon successful transmission to the Contractor’s designated bank account.

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).

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

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 Department 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 Department’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 Department.

3. Payment will be made only after the Contractor has successfully satisfied the Department 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 Services Contract (SRV-1) Fillable Form (found here).

1. The contract template is attached to the Solicitation in ARBuy as a sample for your information only.

2. 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

Department 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.

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.

https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.transform.ar.gov%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2FServices-Contract-SRV-1-Fillable-Form-V.3.6.27.22.pdf&data=05%7C01%7Cbrandi.schroeder%40arkansas.gov%7C9a1a244ccb3c41e3116e08db39ea4a05%7C5ec1d8f0cb624000b3278e63b0547048%7C0%7C0%7C638167450648138830%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=vJT2HAmMqM7FwUbkgVGtr%2B%2FlT%2B8b43e9Zz0oayZPGiY%3D&reserved=0

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. DELIVERY: FOB DESTINATION

Arkansas State Crime Laboratory Division of Toxicology 3 Natural Resources Drive Little Rock, AR 72205

A. The Contractor shall take all reasonable measures to ensure that commodities purchased must be delivered within thirty (30) days of the Department’s issuance of the relevant purchase order unless otherwise agreed upon in writing.

1. The Contractor shall give the Department 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.

2. If a delivery date specified in this IFB cannot be met, the Prospective Contractor must state the alternate number of days required to place the commodities in the ordering Department’s designated location.

3. 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.

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

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

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

1. Risk of loss of the order will pass to the Department 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.

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. Unless otherwise agreed upon in writing by the Contractor and Department, 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

F. Unless otherwise agreed upon in writing by the Contractor and Department, 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.

3.5. 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.

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.

3.6. 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.

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.

3.7. 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.