Black Hills State University-Athletic Apparel and supplies

Black Hills State University (BHSU) is seeking qualified vendors to provide a five-year volume purchase agreement for athletic uniforms, apparel, and supplies serving 14 NCAA Division II sports with a total unduplicated roster of 345 student-athletes during the 2024-2025 season. The procurement encompasses uniforms (official game clothing including footwear), apparel (sweatshirts, shorts, jackets, hats, and practice gear), supplies (knee pads, socks, sports bras, and athletic supporters), and services (screen printing and embroidery). Vendors must demonstrate capability to serve all sports with appropriate sizing and shoe fitting accommodations, provide a dedicated customer service representative, guarantee FOB destination shipping with freight prepaid and inside delivery, deliver standard products within ten days of order, pre-sort merchandise for team distribution, accept credit cards, and provide proof of screen printing or embroidery prior to production. BHSU will evaluate proposals based on product quality and brand recognition, pricing structure (which must include significant discounts off retail price, multiple product options, quantity-based credits, and an initial lump sum product credit at contract signing), experience with similar higher education institutions, customer references, turnaround time, and overall value. Questions and requests for clarification must be submitted by February 4, 2026 at 2 p.m. MST, with an addendum issued by February 11, 2026; proposals are due February 25, 2026 at 2 p.m. MST via email to barbara.mustard@sdsmt.edu. Contract award is expected by late March or early April 2026, with contract signing by early April 2026. The initial five-year contract commences May 1, 2026 and concludes May 30, 2031, with three optional one-year extensions available upon mutual agreement, with extension negotiations occurring between March 1 and April 30 annually.

The RFP document does not indicate any set-aside designations, restrictions on bidder types, disadvantaged enterprise requirements, or incumbent vendor information. BHSU currently spends approximately $200,000 annually on athletic apparel and supplies, providing a baseline indicator of expected contract volume, though specific award values or budget ranges beyond this annual spending estimate are not disclosed in the procurement materials. Pricing shall remain firm within each contract year, with price adjustments considered only after the first year upon documented evidence of vendor cost increases related to Consumer Price Index (CPI) or other substantiated factors. Proposals may include performance-based credits for NCAA Tournament appearances and coaching awards in addition to cash payments. The South Dakota Standard Contract terms shall prevail in instances of inconsistency with the RFP terms and conditions.