Bulk Chemicals for MDOC - Michigan State Industries (MSI)

The Michigan Department of Corrections issued RFP 260000001172 to procure bulk chemicals for Michigan State Industries (MSI), a procurement requiring the supply of nineteen chemical products including automatic dishwashing detergent, degreasers, disinfectants, cleaners, floor wax, and other janitorial and industrial supplies. The solicitation was posted on SIGMA VSS on February 12, 2026, with proposals due on March 2, 2026, and the contract term extends for three years with options for up to two additional one-year renewal periods. Evaluation of responsive proposals was conducted by a Joint Evaluation Committee consisting of representatives from MDOC and MSI using a technical scoring rubric weighted across five criteria with a total possible score of 100 points, with the lowest overall cost to the State following technical evaluation serving as the determining factor for award recommendations. A critical mandatory requirement specified that the primary contractor must be a manufacturer-authorized distributor directly providing Safety Data Sheets and recall notifications. Two responsive bidders submitted proposals: Arrow Chemical Products, Inc., which achieved a technical score of 95, and Austin Sales Group, Inc., which scored 80; both bidders participated in a second-round negotiation process to refine pricing. One product, Quaternary Ammonium Disinfectant, was deemed ineligible for both bidders due to SDS approval issues and incomplete submissions.

Arrow Chemical Products, Inc. of Kalamazoo, Michigan has been recommended for award in the amount of $2,193,557.10, while Austin Sales Group, Inc. of Fraser, Michigan has been recommended for award in the amount of $928,732.27, with both recommendations pending State Administrative Board approval. Neither recommended bidder qualifies as a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Business or Geographically Disadvantaged Business Enterprise, and no set-aside designations or restrictions on organization types were identified in this procurement. The award values were based on estimated totals calculated using three-year usage projections provided in the RFP documentation. Bidders not recommended for award may request a debriefing session with Solicitation Manager Marta Moore to understand the evaluation outcomes and scoring results.