DCR 989 Animal Feed, Supplies, and Equipment

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation issued Request for Response (RFR) DCR 989 on March 9, 2026, to procure animal feed, bedding, health products, supplies, and equipment for domestic farm, law enforcement, and wildlife animals on an as-needed basis. This procurement replaces the previous DCR 843 contract and will support the agency's Park Ranger Mounted Unit, which maintains three horses for park patrols, rules enforcement, search and rescue, special events, and visitor education. Bidders must demonstrate capacity to provide goods and services with delivery to specified locations in Canton and Milton, Massachusetts, and must maintain valid general liability insurance coverage. The evaluation criteria emphasizes pricing as a significant weighting factor, including consideration of pricing structure, volume purchase discounts, prompt pay discounts, warranty terms, environmentally preferable products, and business references. Key deadlines include March 24, 2026, for written questions, March 26, 2026, for official answers, April 6, 2026, at 11:00 AM Eastern Time for quote submission via COMMBUYS, April 30, 2026, for notification of apparent successful bidders, and June 1, 2026, as the estimated contract start date. The contract will have an initial three-year term with two one-year renewal options for a maximum total duration of five years, with a target of two contractors, though the Commonwealth reserves the right to award more or fewer contracts as deemed appropriate.

The procurement implements the Massachusetts Small Business Purchasing Program (SBPP) with preference for SBPP participants meeting best-value criteria; non-SBPP bidders will only be evaluated if no qualifying SBPP participant submits an acceptable response. All bidders must be registered with the Massachusetts Department of Revenue and the Secretary of State's Corporations department to conduct business in the Commonwealth and must comply with Executive Order 515 regarding environmentally preferable products by developing an environmental plan during the contract term. Compensation will be based solely on cost tables or catalogs supplied by bidders and accepted by the agency, which may include volume purchase discounts, tiered discounts, dock delivery discounts, or cost-plus pricing models. Bidders must provide three business references, prompt payment discount information, evidence of compliance with Commonwealth tax exemption and security requirements, and complete all mandatory forms including the Prompt Payment Discount Form, Environmental Practices Form, and Business References Form. The estimated contract value is $140,000 over the maximum contract life, though the Commonwealth makes no guarantee regarding actual purchase volumes, as compensation will be based solely on actual usage and accepted pricing structures provided by awarded contractors.