Art Materials - Stock

The School Board of Polk County, Florida is issuing an Invitation to Bid for a one-year contract to procure art materials for delivery to the school district's warehouse in Bartow, Florida. The solicitation encompasses 157 line items representing a comprehensive range of art supplies, including acrylic, watercolor, and tempera paints; ceramic materials such as clay and glazes; drawing implements including colored pencils, charcoal pencils, and drawing pencils; markers, inks, and adhesives; modeling compounds and crayons; and various art papers in multiple sizes and colors. Quantities range from 10 boxes to 22,850 individual units depending on the specific item. Sealed bids must be submitted electronically through VendorLink by April 21, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time, with no pre-bid conference scheduled. The award recommendation is anticipated by April 30, 2026, with superintendent or board approval expected by May 7, 2026, and the contract period commences June 1, 2026 and concludes May 31, 2027. Prices must remain firm for the entire contract period and include all freight and handling charges; all items are restricted to approved brands and models with no substitutions permitted unless a manufacturer has discontinued production. Bidders must submit responses on designated Bid Form and Specifications pages in approved file formats (Microsoft Excel, PDF, or ZIP) through VendorLink, and all submissions by mail, facsimile, or email will not be accepted.

The School Board reserves the right to adjust contract terms and pricing after 90 days if extreme and unforeseen marketplace volatility affects pricing or availability, and the award may be made on a line-item or composite basis as determined to be in the school board's best interest. Bidders whose principal place of business is outside Florida must submit a legal opinion regarding state bidding preferences. The procurement does not appear to include specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises, though the solicitation includes a Drug-Free Workplace Certification Form that provides competitive preference when multiple bids are otherwise equal in price, quality, and service. All vendors must submit mandatory certifications including the Affidavit Regarding Coercion for Labor and Services under Florida Statute 787.06(13), the Affidavit Regarding Foreign Countries of Concern under Florida Statute 287.138, and the Drug-Free Workplace Certification Form under Florida Statute 287.087. The School Board is exempt from state sales and use taxes and federal excise taxes. No specific budget range or award value is provided in the available solicitation documents.