T0097 20DPP00484 Bid Amendment 3 4.16.20.doc

Philip D. Murphy

Governor State of New Jersey Department of the Treasury

Division of Purchase and Property

Procurement Bureau

33 West State Street P. O. Box 230

Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0230 Elizabeth Maher Muoio

State Treasurer

Sheila Y. Oliver

Lt. Governor

Maurice A. Griffin

Acting Director https://www.njstart.gov

April 9, 2020 To:

All Interested Vendors {Bidders}

Re:

Bid Solicitation # 20DPP00484 (T-0097) Automotive Lubricants: Motor Oils –All Types, Gear Oils, Greases, Automatic Transmission Fluids (ATF), Tractor Hydraulic/Transmission Fluids, Hydraulic Oils, Diesel Exhaust Fluids (DEF), Antifreeze and Windshield Washer Fluids

Quote Submission Due Date: May 15, 2020 (2:00 p.m. Eastern Time)

Bid Amendment #3 The following constitutes Bid Amendment #3 to the above referenced Bid Solicitation:

· This Bid Amendment includes answers to questions

· Please note that for all additions, deletions, clarifications and modifications to the Bid Solicitation, please refer to the Revised Bid Solicitation entitled “T0097 20DPP00484 Revised Bid Solicitation 4.16.20”.

It is the sole responsibility of the Vendor {Bidder} to be knowledgeable of all of the additions, deletions, clarifications, and modifications to the Bid Solicitation and/or the New Jersey Standard Terms and Conditions relative to this Bid Solicitation as set forth in all Bid Amendments.

All other instructions, terms, and conditions of the Bid Solicitation shall remain the same.

Bid Solicitation #20DPP00484 (T-0097)

Automotive Lubricants: Motor Oils –All Types, Gear Oils, Greases, Automatic Transmission Fluids (ATF), Tractor Hydraulic/Transmission Fluids, Hydraulic Oils, Diesel Exhaust Fluids (DEF), Antifreeze and Windshield Washer Fluids Answers to Questions Where applicable, the question references the appropriate Bid Solicitation section.

Section Reference Question (Bolded) and Answer

The state supplied price sheet from NJSTART only allows group pricing to be entered. Our prices vary by SKU off of list, normally due to buying in bulk and repackaging. In the interest of giving the state the best prices are we allowed to submit hard copy pricing by SKU?

No. The Vendor {Bidder} must bid a firm, fixed percentage discount or markup from the products price list on each price line for which a Quote is submitted. The price list submitted by the Vendor {Bidder} may contain products listed by SKU, but the bid price for the price line on the State-Supplied Price Sheet must be a firm, fixed percentage discount or markup, inclusive of all products pricing contained within a given price list.

Please refer to Bid Solicitation Section 4.4.5.2 (State-Supplied Price Sheet Instructions; Step 1 and Step 2 ), which states:

“Step 1 – The Vendor {Bidder} shall enter the brand name under the “Brand Name” column on the State-Supplied Price Sheet.

Step 2 – The Vendor {Bidder} shall insert a firm, fixed percentage (%) discount or markup from the product price list, by entering the percentage discount or markup bid in the "Percentage (%) Discount (-) or Markup (+)” column on each price line for which a Quote is submitted on the State-Supplied Price Sheet. A Vendor’s {Bidder's} entry in the "Percentage (%) Discount (-) or Markup (+)” column shall be considered a percentage (%). For example, entry of "50" shall be considered "50%" and that of "0.50" shall be considered "0.50%".

A Vendor’s {Bidder's} entry in the "% Discount/Markup” column shall include a plus (+) sign for markup or minus (-) sign for discount. If a Vendor {Bidder} does not include a plus (+) sign for markup or minus (-) sign for discount, the State will consider the percentage offered as a discount.

If a Vendor {Bidder} is offering its pricing at the same pricing listed on the pre-printed price list, the Vendor {Bidder} should provide 0% in the "Percentage (%) Discount (-) or Markup (+)” column on the State-Supplied Price Sheet.

If a Vendor {Bidder} leaves the "Percentage (%) Discount (-) or Markup (+)” column blank on any price line, it shall be considered that the Vendor {Bidder} provided no Quote for that price line item.

Please be advised that Steps 1 and 2 are required fields that must be completed on the State-Supplied Price Sheet. A Vendors {Bidders} failure to complete these columns on the State-Supplied Price Sheet for a price line bid will render its Quote non-responsive for that given price line.”

Section 4.4.5.4 Delivery Time and Costs Our entire line of products is enormous and it’s probably unreasonable to expect to have every SKU stocked and deliverable in 5 days. Will the State accept an alternate delivery schedule?

Note: This question has been paraphrased in the interest of readability and clarity.

Yes, the State will accept an alternate delivery schedule.

In accordance with Bid Solicitation Section 4.4.5.2, Step 5, “The Vendor {Bidder} should enter the days required to make delivery upon receipt of an order into the “Delivery Days ARO” column on the State-Supplied Price Sheet. If the “Delivery Days ARO " field is left blank, then the delivery days shall default to the delivery days set forth in Bid Solicitation Section 4.4.5.4.”

As stated in Bid Solicitation Section 3.4, “Vendor {Contractor} deliveries for all items shall be made within the delivery timeframes noted on the State-Supplied Price Sheet and in strict accordance with the instructions from the Using Agency.”

The following statement has been removed from Bid Solicitation Section 3.4:

Delivery days after receipt of order (ARO) must not exceed five (5) calendar days.

In addition, Bid Solicitation Section 4.4.5.4 has been revised as follows:

“Unless otherwise noted elsewhere in the Bid Solicitation, or State-Supplied Price Sheet all delivery times are ten (10) calendar days after receipt of order (ARO) and prices for items in Quotes shall be submitted Freight On Board (F.O.B.) Destination (Ten (10) calendar days ARO/F.O.B.). The Vendor {Contractor} shall assume all costs, liability and responsibility for the delivery of merchandise in good condition to the State's Using Agency or designated purchaser. Ten (10) calendar days ARO/F.O.B. does not cover "spotting" but does include delivery on the receiving platform of the Using Agency at any destination in the State of New Jersey unless otherwise specified.”

Please refer to the Revised Bid Solicitation titled “T0097 20DPP00484 Revised Bid Solicitation 4.16.20”.

Section 6.6 Evaluation Criteria Just to verify this is not a lowest bidder wins bid, it is a buying list for compliant bidders, correct?

That is correct. Bid Solicitation Section 6.6 states, in pertinent part: “The State intends to award a Statewide Blanket P.O. to each responsive Vendor {Bidder} who submits a Quote that meets the category definition and requirements of the Bid Solicitation.

It is the State’s intent to award Blanket P.O.s for Categories 9 and 10 to each responsive qualifying small business registered and approved with the Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services, Small Business Registration and M/WBE Certification Services Unit at the time of Quote opening as per Bid Solicitation Section 4.4.1.4.

If no responsive Quotes offering reasonable pricing from a Small Business Vendor {Bidder} registered and approved as such at the time of Quote opening as per Section 4.4.1.4 are received for Categories 9 and 10, the State may award a Blanket P.O. to any responsive Vendor {Bidder} as per Bid Solicitation Section 7.2.”

Bid Solicitation Section 1.1 (Purpose and Intent) further states, in pertinent part:

“The intent of this Bid Solicitation is to award multiple Master Blanket Purchase Orders (Blanket P.O.s) to those responsible Vendors {Bidders} whose Quotes, conforming to this Bid Solicitation are most advantageous to the State, price and other factors considered. The State may award any and all price lines. The State, however, reserves the right to separately procure individual requirements that are the subject of the Blanket P.O. during the Blanket P.O. term, when deemed by the Director of the Division of Purchase and Property (Director) to be in the State’s best interest.

There are ten (10) categories of Automotive Lubricants that are listed in Section 3.1 of the Bid Solicitation and represented by price lines on the State-Supplied Price Sheet. The State intends to award a Statewide Blanket P.O. to each responsive Vendor {Bidder} who submits a Quote that meets the category definition and requirements of the Bid Solicitation.”

Section 4.4.3 Submittals

Are there specifications for product requirements beyond OEM spec? API, ILSAC, ASTM? Is there a general product list request?

No, there are not specific product requirements/specifications for each product category. Rather, the intent of this Bid Solicitation is to allow a Vendor {Bidder} to provide a brand’s entire product line for each category, which should include products that meet OEM requirements and API, ILSAC, and/or ASTM requirements.

Bid Solicitation Section 3.1 (Product Specifications) states, in pertinent part (emphasis added in bold):

“Products offered should meet all OEM requirements to be a qualified product for use in the original equipment, as required by Chrysler, GM, Ford, Honda, Toyota, Nissan and North American Truck Manufacturers. Using Agencies should select products based on all applicable/recommended OEM requirements for the unit.”

Please be reminded of the requirements for Quote submission listed in Bid Solicitation Section 4.4.3.

Bid Solicitation Section 4.4.3 (Submittals) states, in pertinent part:

“Specification Conformance:

The Vendor {Bidder} shall submit with its Quote a Vendor’s {Bidder’s} certification in the form of the attachment titled “Specification Conformance Certification”, confirming that all items offered in response to this Bid Solicitation conform to the requirements set forth in Section 3.0 of this Bid Solicitation. Please see the attachment entitled “Specification Conformance Certification.

The Vendor {Bidder} must submit:

· the Specification Conformance Certification or;

· a preprinted price list or catalog for each category and brand bid;

with the Quote submission as stated above. Failure to do so shall render a Vendor’s {Bidder’s} Quote non-responsive.

· Price List and/or Catalog:

In the event that the Vendor {Bidder} submits the Specification Conformance Certification with its Quote, but does not provide a preprinted price list and/or catalog with its Quote, the State will request submission of a preprinted price list and/or catalog for the category(ies) bid The applicable preprinted price list and/or catalog must be submitted to the State within three (3) business days of request. The Vendor {Contractor} is encouraged to submit its price list(s) and/or catalog(s) in the form of a CD or thumb drive in MS Excel, PDF or text format. Failure to submit the preprinted price list and/or catalog within the time frame noted above may deem the Vendor’s {Bidder’s} Quote non-responsive.

If a price list is not published, then the prices listed on the Vendor’s {Contractor’s} letterhead, dated and with authorized signature are acceptable. The letter should include the Bid Solicitation number and category/price line number.”

If a Vendor {Bidder} wants to offer the pricing as it appears in a pre-printed price list, the Vendor {Bidder} should enter ‘0%’ on the State-Supplied Price Sheet.

The following statement has been added to Bid Solicitation Section 4.4.5.2, Step 2:

“If a Vendor {Bidder} is offering its pricing at the same pricing listed on the pre-printed price list, the Vendor {Bidder} should provide 0% in the "Percentage (%) Discount (-) or Markup (+)” column on the State-Supplied Price Sheet.”

Please refer to the Revised Bid Solicitation titled “T0097 20DPP00484 Revised Bid Solicitation 4.16.20”.