Bag in box milk crates - (6 gallon)

The South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) issued a Request for Quote (RFQ) solicitation for a one-time procurement of 2,808 bag-in-box milk crates for their Agriculture Division. The specified crates must be six-gallon capacity with precise dimensions: outer dimensions of 17.75" L x 10.15" W x 10"H and inner dimensions of 16.75" L x 9.5" W x 9.5"H. These crates must be manufactured from black polyethylene plastic with no logos or printing, and all items must be brand new. The delivery location is the Wateree River Dairy facility at 8200 State Farm Road, Rembert, SC 29128, with delivery hours restricted to 8am-3pm, Monday through Friday. The solicitation specified a delivery timeline of 30 days from purchase order receipt, with sealed bids originally due by April 27, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. and award notification scheduled for May 3, 2023. Award criteria focused on selecting the lowest responsible and responsive bidder, with pricing required in U.S. dollars as a fixed, all-inclusive unit price.

The procurement included standard South Carolina vendor requirements, mandating that vendors be registered with the state to submit offers. Vendors could claim South Carolina or U.S. end-product preferences and potential resident vendor preferences. The contract includes provisions for termination for convenience, payment within 30 days of invoice acceptance, and F.O.B. destination shipping. Ultimately, the contract was awarded to Design Specialties, Inc. of North Haven, Connecticut, with a total awarded amount of $21,762.00, which translates to a unit price of $7.75 per crate. The procurement process incorporated standard certification requirements, including independent price determination, debarment certification, drug-free workplace certification, ethics compliance, and equal opportunity provisions. The solicitation was managed by Buyer Myrtle deWerdt under the oversight of Ruthie H. Bishop, CPPB, Director of Purchasing for the South Carolina Department of Corrections.