Fabric, TAN sheeting

The South Carolina Department of Corrections initiated a procurement solicitation for 25,000 yards of tan sheeting fabric through a Request for Quote (RFQ) issued on March 19, 2019. The fabric specifications require a precise technical composition: 3.5 ounces per square yard, 110x76 denier, 50/50 poly/cotton blend, 66-inch width, supplied in rolls of 250 yards with one seam per roll. Specific quality requirements include crease-resistant and soil-release finishes, maximum 2.3% shrinkage, first-quality U.S. domestic finish, and Pantone Color PQ 16-1334TCX. Bidders were required to submit a one square-yard sample for pre-approval, with key procurement dates including question submissions due by March 27, 2019 at 11:00 AM and sealed bids due by April 1, 2019 at 10:00 AM. Delivery requirements mandated a 30-day delivery window following purchase order receipt, with specific delivery restrictions to the SCDC Prison Industries Warehouse in Columbia, South Carolina, limiting deliveries to Monday through Thursday between 8:00 AM and 2:00 PM.

The solicitation was issued under Procurement Exemption #2 for raw materials and was not protestable, with award to be made to the lowest responsible and responsive bidder. Vendor eligibility required registration with the State of South Carolina and possession of a state vendor number, with no specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises. The procurement included specific penalty provisions for late delivery, ranging from 5% for 1-29 day delays to 20% for delays of 60 days or more. Interestingly, the procurement process ultimately resulted in a non-award status, meaning no contract was finalized despite the detailed solicitation. Vendors were required to comply with various state regulations, including drug-free workplace certification, ethics compliance, debarment certification, and equal opportunity requirements. While specific budget ranges were not disclosed, the solicitation required vendors to provide unit pricing in U.S. dollars, with pricing to remain fixed for the contract duration.