T2365 Amendment 1 3.15.21.docx

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

To: All Interested Vendors {Bidders}

Re: Bid Solicitation # 21DPP00593 Bid Solicitation: T2365 Coffee and Tea, Regular and Decaf for Distribution and Support Services Quote Submission Due Date: April 7, 2021 (2:00 p.m. Eastern Time)

Bid Amendment #1

The following constitutes Bid Amendment #1 to the above referenced Bid Solicitation:

· This Bid Amendment includes answers to questions;

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: # 21DPP00593 T2365 Coffee and Tea, Regular and Decaf for Distribution and Support Services Answers to Questions

Section Reference Question (Bolded) and Answer

Where applicable, each question references the appropriate Bid Solicitation section.

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Answer: Yes. Prior to the Quote Opening Deadline, a Vendor {Bidder} should review the documents comprising the submitted Quote to ensure that all of the required documents have been completed and attached. Oftentimes a Quote is deemed non-responsive because a Vendor {Bidder} fails to attach a required form or attaches a blank form. To review a submitted a Quote a Vendor {Bidder} should log into NJSTART and review each document attached to the Quote submission. Instructions on how to review a submitted Quote can be found in the Quick Reference Guide entitled How to Review a Submitted Quote which is available on the NJSTART Vendor Support Page under Vendor Reference Guides.

Answer: As stated in Bid Solicitation Section 1.3.1.1, Exceptions to the NJ Standard Terms and Conditions (SSTC): "Questions regarding the SSTC proposed exceptions to mandatory requirements, including the Special and Standard Terms and Conditions in Sections 5 and 9 of this Bid Solicitation must be posed during this Electronic Question and Answer period and shall contain the Vendor's {Bidder's} suggested changes and the reason(s) for the suggested changes." Additionally, as stated in Section 4.1, General: "Quotes including Vendor {Bidder} proposed terms and conditions may be accepted, but Vendor {Bidder} proposed terms or conditions that conflict with those contained in the Bid Solicitation, as defined in Section 2.0 of this Bid Solicitation, or that diminish the State's rights under any Blanket P.O. resulting from the Bid Solicitation, may render a Quote non-responsive."

Answer: If a Vendor {Bidder} fails to provide, with its Quote, specification data sheets for an equivalent brand bid on a given price line, its Quote for that equivalent brand and given price line may be deemed non-responsive.

Bid Solicitation Section 4.4.3.3 states:

"Vendors {Bidders} shall submit with its Quote specification data sheets for all equivalent brands bid. The specification data sheets must document that its product bid meets or exceeds the requirements of the Bid Solicitation specifications.

Vendors {Bidders} offering approved products identified in this Bid Solicitation are not required to submit specification data sheets for those approved products only. However, all required information identified on the State-Supplied Price Sheet is necessary to confirm specification conformance and must be provided."

Answer: Please refer to Bid Solicitation Section 1.2 for instructions for how to view the prices from the last bidding cycle.

Section 1.2 states in pertinent part:

“Vendors {Bidders} interested in the current Blanket P.O. specifications and pricing information may review the current Blanket P.O. T2365 at www.njstart.gov by following these steps:

Go to: www.njstart.gov Select “Contract & Bid Search” Select “Contracts/Blankets” Under “Contract/Blanket Description” type in T2365. Click “Find It” The current Blanket P.O.s will appear under “Results.”

Vendors {Bidders} are cautioned that this new Bid Solicitation addresses current requirements. Vendors {Bidders} should not rely upon or use data from the prior Blanket P.O.”

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