15-9043-STEEL Outright Purchase of Steel Type Supplies

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Correction is issuing a Request for Response (RFR) for the outright purchase of steel type supplies under contract #15-9043-STEEL. The intent is to establish a multi-vendor, market basket approach price agreement contract that can be utilized by any Massachusetts Department of Correction facility on an as-needed basis. The contract term is up to two years, with three optional two-year renewal periods. Responses are due by June 18, 2014 at 2:00 PM. The contract will allow for the addition and removal of products to an approved list, and will also allow DOC facilities to purchase any other items the contractor offers. Pricing will be based on a market basket approach, with negotiated rates for additional items. Contractors will be evaluated on factors such as pricing, prompt payment discounts, experience, and their supplier diversity plan.

The procurement does not include any federal funding and the Commonwealth makes no guarantee of the volume of purchases that will be made. Multiple contractors may be awarded this "single department procurement/multiple department user contract" where other Commonwealth departments may also utilize the contract. The RFR specifies that the contract is intended to promote the use of environmentally preferable products and practices, and bidders can receive evaluation points for demonstrating relevant initiatives. Bidders must also submit a Supplier Diversity Program (SDP) plan committing a percentage of contract sales to certified SDP partners, which include Minority Business Enterprises (MBE), Women Business Enterprises (WBE), and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Enterprises (SDVOBE).