Driver's Guide

The State of Maine is requesting bids for a Driver's Guide with a proposal due date of January 14, 2010. Certified wood and recycled-fiber content requirements are the primary evaluation drivers.

All paper products and printing services must meet mandatory environmental sustainability standards. Vendors must specify the percentage of post-consumer recycled fiber and certified virgin fiber content for each proposed product, with third-party certification from the American Tree Farm System (ATFS), Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Master Logger Certification Program (MLCP), Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), or Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). Proof of chain-of-custody certification and identification of all certification labels are required.

The State of Maine will award contracts based partially on the percentage of recycled or certified content and has authority to pay up to a 4% price premium above the lowest bid to procure products with 100% post-consumer recycled or certified virgin fiber content. If no bids achieve the 100% threshold, preference will be given to products with the highest percentage of qualifying fiber content provided cost does not exceed 4% above the lowest submitted bid price. Vendors submitting bids for products containing a minimum of 30% post-consumer recycled material may receive up to a 10% price preference if their bid is within 10% of the lowest bid meeting all other specifications.

The contract period may be extended beyond the initial expiration date with contractor consent, with a maximum total contract period not to exceed three years. Contract overruns are not to exceed 3%. Past performance of vendors may be considered as a factor in award determination. Questions due and pre-bid meeting information are not specified in the available documents.