Audiology Supplies

The Commonwealth of Kentucky, Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS), Division of Procurement & Grant Oversight issued a Request for Bid (RFB 758 2100000763) on June 28, 2021, to establish a one-year master agreement for audiology supplies with four optional one-year renewal periods. The procurement seeks to supply comprehensive audiology-related products to eleven clinic locations throughout Kentucky, including ear dams, tubing, hearing aid maintenance supplies, cleaning solutions, diagnostic equipment, earmolds, electrodes, and accessories comprising approximately 380 line items with estimated annual purchase quantities ranging from 1 to 110 units per item. Bidders must submit completed bid sheets with pricing for all line items, delivery timeframes, and total bid offer prices through the Commonwealth's electronic eProcurement system, with vendors required to enter $0.01 as the unit price electronically while providing actual pricing on the separate Bid Price Sheet. Written vendor questions were due by July 1, 2021, at 1:30 p.m. EST, with final bid closing on July 12, 2021, at 1:30 p.m. EST, and bidder registration in the eProcurement system required 24 to 48 hours prior to submission. Award evaluation will be based on best value methodology allocating 90 points to price and 10 points to delivery time in working days, with pricing valid for a minimum of 60 calendar days after the bid due date and quoted as F.O.B. Destination Freight Prepaid and Allowed. Several audiology supply items are designated as brand-specific and non-substitutable, including Welch Allyn diagnostic specula dispensers and 3M double stick contour tape, while others are listed as "brand or approved equal," and all delivery and shipping costs to the eleven clinic locations must be included in bid offers.

The Commonwealth applies reciprocal preference to Kentucky resident bidders and qualified bidders as defined by Kentucky statutes, including Kentucky Correctional Industries (20 percent preference) and Kentucky Industries for the Blind and qualified nonprofit agencies serving individuals with severe disabilities (15 percent preference). Vendors must comply with all applicable Kentucky and federal requirements, including tax registration, Secretary of State registration for foreign entities, Equal Employment Opportunity compliance, accessibility standards, and disclosure of prior statutory violations, with failure to meet minimum specifications or provide required documentation resulting in non-responsive bids. All bidders are required to execute an Annual Affidavit certifying compliance with campaign finance law, Kentucky Department of Revenue sales and use tax registration, state tax payment status, trade boycott prohibitions, and ethics law compliance, with the affidavit effective for one year and subject to renewal upon request. The contract will be awarded by group to all qualified vendors, indicating multiple vendors may receive awards across different product categories, though the specific award value or budget range is not disclosed in the solicitation documents. Bidders must submit responses electronically through the Commonwealth's eProc management and approval request system (eMARs) at https://emars311.ky.gov/webapp/vssprdonline3111d/AltSelfService, with contact for additional information provided by Evelyn Osborne at 502-564-0552.