S000000431 Phillips Cty Prepared Meals.pdf

Rev 05/2025

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: S000000431 Solicitation Issued: June 16, 2025

Description: Phillips County Prepared Meals

Department: Department of Correction

BID DUE DATE AND DELIVERY OF BIDS

Bid Response Due Date: July 14, 2025 Time: 2:00 p.m., Central Time

Bid responses for this Invitation for Bid must be submitted through ARBuy, the State’s eProcurement system, by the Bid Response Due Date and Time. Bids received after the Bid Response Due Date and Time will be rejected as untimely. ARBuy can be accessed at arbuy.arkansas.gov.

LIVE BID OPENING INFORMATION

Teams Meeting Link: Join the meeting now

Meeting ID: 227 434 876 438 6

Passcode: uV7sh3i8

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

Phone conference ID: 288 642 948#

TSS OFFICE OF STATE PROCUREMENT CONTACT INFORMATION

TSS OSP Procurement Specialist:

Julie Robnolt Procurement Specialist’s Direct Phone Number:

501-371-6070

Email Address: julie.robnolt@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_MzA5MjZkMjgtYWYyMS00NGE4LWIwZDgtOWIxZTUwZTUxODYw%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%225ec1d8f0-cb62-4000-b327-8e63b0547048%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22a5e9cf20-c478-4e36-8fed-351f1ae086e2%22%7d https://dialin.teams.microsoft.com/6b6513dc-a034-48d2-8d06-7e711c4ecc0b?id=719036839 mailto:julie.robnolt@arkansas.gov 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 Correction (“DOC” or “Department”) to obtain pricing and a contract for Phillips County Prepared Meals Services to be provided daily for offenders housed at the following location:

Phillips County Detention Center 1806 Martin Luther King Drive Helena, AR 72342

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

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 August 18, 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 Annual Cost of 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 June 22, 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 June 25, 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.

https://arbuy.arkansas.gov/

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 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.

• Include this bullet if price increase is an option: 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, 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, 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/procurement/forms-and-reporting/#:%7E:text=Services%20Contract%20(SRV-1)%20Fillable%20Form:~:text=ORIGINAL%20CONTRACT%20DOCUMENTS https://transform.ar.gov/procurement/forms-and-reporting/#:%7E:text=Services%20Contract%20(SRV-1)%20Fillable%20Form:~:text=ORIGINAL%20CONTRACT%20DOCUMENTS https://www.section508.gov/sell/vpat/

SECTION 2 – SPECIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

2.1 PROSPECTIVE CONTRACTOR MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

A. The Prospective Contractor shall have a minimum of three (3) years’ experience providing services of a similar size and scope as described in this IFB.

B. The Prospective Contractor shall have and shall maintain for the duration of any resulting contract the following licenses and permits:

1. Business license – required for operating any type of business, including food service.

2. Food handler’s permit – required for individuals preparing or serving food.

3. Food service license – necessary to legally prepare and serve food.

4. Catering license – required for businesses that prepare food off-site and deliver to an entity.

2.2 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

A. The Contractor shall provide Prepared Meals Sunday through Saturday, seven (7) days per week, three-hundred sixty-five (365) days per year.

B. The Contractor shall provide eighty (80) breakfasts per day and eighty (80) dinners per day up to the maximum of one hundred six (106) breakfasts per day and one hundred six (106) dinners per day.

C. The Contractor shall have the flexibility to handle increases and decreases in the minimum/maximum population numbers.

D. Breakfasts and dinners must be ready for pickup at 6:30 AM CST and 4:30 PM CST respectively.

E. The DOC will provide the Contractor with the meal count including any dietary restrictions or modifications each day by 5:00 AM CST for breakfast and 12:30 PM CST for dinner.

2.3 OVERALL FOOD REQUIREMENTS

A. The Contractor shall perform all duties in compliance with the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA)

Food Code.

B. The Contractor shall perform all duties in compliance with the Bioterrorism Act of 2002.

C. The Contractor shall utilize the Arkansas Department of Corrections (ADC) Diet Manual for information about dietary types, samples of menus, and other details regarding dietary restrictions (See Attachment A: ADC Diet Manual).

D. The Contractor shall follow Arkansas Department of Health’s (ADH) guidelines with regard to prepared food temperatures:

1. Hot food must be kept at a temperature of 135°F (57.2°C) or higher.

2. Cold food must be kept between 35°F and 41°F (1.7°C and 5°C).

2.4 DOC FACILITY ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

A. The Contractor shall pass a background check prior to entering into any DOC facility. Background checks will be conducted and paid for by the DOC.

B. The Contractor shall comply with the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (PREA) and shall adhere to “zero tolerance” regarding rape or sexual assault of inmates.

C. The Contractor shall attend training as required by PREA, at no cost to the DOC. The frequency and length of the training is dependent upon the level of contact the Contractor has with inmates.

https://portal.arkansas.gov/owning-a-business/ https://legalclarity.org/arkansas-food-permit-guide-application-fees-and-exemptions/ https://healthy.arkansas.gov/programs-services/public-health-safety/food-protection-inspection-portal/food-protection-faq/ https://pos.toasttab.com/blog/on-the-line/how-to-get-a-catering-license-in-arkansas?srsltid=AfmBOooPKd35o4vOkPt993FjLBw-bNdM1fjLTTjpGbaKIZdl69jmDimZ https://www.fda.gov/food/retail-food-protection/fda-food-code https://www.cbp.gov/trade/priority-issues/import-safety/bioterrorism https://healthy.arkansas.gov/programs-services/public-health-safety/food-protection-inspection-portal/ https://www.prearesourcecenter.org/about/prison-rape-elimination-act

2.5 INSURANCE AND WORKERS’ COMPENSATION REQUIREMENTS

A. The Contractor shall keep and maintain commercial, professional, and general liability insurance coverage for the duration of any resulting contract.

B. The Contractor shall keep and maintain workers’ compensation for its employees for the duration of any resulting contract.

2.6 INVOICING REQUIREMENTS

The Contractor shall provide monthly invoices which must be emailed to adc.goodsreceipt@doc.arkansas.gov, or mailed to:

Arkansas Department of Corrections ATTN: Accounts Payable P.O. Box 6408 Pine Bluff, AR 71611

2.7 DOC OBLIGATIONS FOR MEAL PICKUP

A. The DOC will provide appropriate containers to transport meals to and from the facility to ensure that the food maintains the required temperatures of 135°F for hot foods, and 35°F – 41°F for cold foods.

B. The DOC will pick up and transport breakfast at 6:30 AM CST and dinner at 4:30 PM CST.

C. The DOC will take the temperature of meals upon arrival at the Unit and record in accordance with the FDA Food Code.

D. The DOC will ensure that the meals are delivered in a timely manner to maintain appropriate temperatures.

2.8 MEAL DELIVERY REQUIREMENTS

A. The Prospective Contractor shall include optional estimated pricing for delivery of Prepared Meals

Sunday through Saturday, seven (7) days per week, three hundred sixty-five (365) days per year.

B. Pricing for the delivery of Prepared Meals will not be used in low-cost determination, however, submissions that do not include delivery of Prepared Meals in pricing will be rejected.

C. The DOC may, at its discretion, choose to negotiate with the Contractor for the inclusion of the delivery of the Prepared Meals as part of any resulting contract.

2.9 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

A. State law requires that contracts for services include Performance Standards for measuring the overall quality of services that a Contractor shall provide.

B. The State may be open to negotiations of Performance Standards prior to contract award, prior to the commencement of services, or at times throughout the contract duration. Table A: Performance Standards identifies expected deliverables, performance measures, or outcomes; and defines the acceptable standards.

C. Performance Standards shall not be amended unless they are agreed to in writing and signed by the parties.

D. Failure to meet the minimum Performance Standards as specified will result in the assessment of damages.

E. In the event a Performance Standard is not met, the Contractor will have the opportunity to defend or respond to the insufficiency. The State has the right to waive damages if it determines there were extenuating factors beyond the control of the Contractor that hindered the performance of services. In these instances, the State has final determination of the performance acceptability.

F. Should any compensation be owed to the Department due to the assessment of damages, the Contractor shall follow the direction of the Department regarding the required compensation process.

mailto:adc.goodsreceipt@doc.arkansas.gov https://www.fda.gov/food/retail-food-protection/fda-food-code

TABLE A: PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

Criteria Standard Damages

Example: Implementation Completes all implementation activities by the Go-Live Date.

$300 for each calendar day beyond the Go-Live Date whereby the Contractor fails to complete all implementation activities.

Contractor will credit damages applied to the first submitted monthly invoice.

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).

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

Phillips County Detention Center 1806 Martin Luther King Drive Helena, AR 72342

A. The Contractor shall give the Department immediate notice of any anticipated delays or plant shutdowns that will affect the delivery requirements. 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.

B. If a delivery time specified in this IFB cannot be met, the Prospective Contractor must state the alternate time required to place the commodities in the ordering Department’s designated location in their response.

C. Failure to state the alternate delivery time obligates the Contractor to complete delivery by the Department’s requested time.

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

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

https://transform.ar.gov/procurement/forms-and-reporting/#:%7E:text=Services%20Contract%20(SRV-1)%20Fillable%20Form:~:text=ORIGINAL%20CONTRACT%20DOCUMENTS

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.

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

G. 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.

3.4. 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 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.

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.