Glass Beads for Traffic Paint

The State of Minnesota's Office of State Procurement is soliciting proposals for glass beads and wet reflective elements for traffic paint to serve all state agencies and Cooperative Purchasing Vendor members under contract release #G-201(5), with responses due September 30, 2026, at 3:00 PM Central Time through the SWIFT Supplier Portal; questions are due September 23, 2026.

Eligible responders must be Original Equipment Manufacturers, Authorized Representatives, or Authorized Distributors — broker responses will not be accepted. The RFP encourages participation from small businesses and minority-owned, women-owned, and service-disabled veteran-owned enterprises eligible for Minnesota's Small Business Procurement Program certification.

The scope encompasses glass beads conforming to MnDOT Standard Specifications for Construction (2025 Edition, Section 3592) and appearing on the MnDOT Approved/Qualified Products listing. Product lines include Standard Bead M247 Type 1, Utah Blend M247 (minimum 40% direct melt, all dual-coated), VisiMax Plus Type IV, VisiUltra variants, 3M All Weather Elements Series 70 and 90, and wet reflective elements for multi-component liquid and latex paint applications. Products ship in 50-pound bags and 2,000-pound containers on an as-needed basis; pricing is FOB destination prepaid with freight included. All products must be new, currently manufactured, and formally announced as commercially available. Late deliveries incur penalties of $0.50 per 50-pound bag or $20.00 per 2,000-pound container per calendar day. Shipping and distribution occurs throughout Minnesota.

The estimated annual contract value is $1.4 million to $1.6 million; these figures represent neither minimum nor maximum obligations and estimated quantities impose no obligation on the State. The contract term runs from March 1, 2027, through February 29, 2029, with an option to extend up to an additional 36 months in state-determined increments. Cost proposals must remain firm for 90 days for goods and 180 days for goods and services unless otherwise approved in writing.

Evaluation criteria are weighted as follows: Acceptance of State's Terms and Conditions (200 points), Cost Detail (800 points), and Preference Points up to 120 points for eligible Targeted Group, Economically Disadvantaged, Veteran-Owned, and DEED/DHS certified businesses, plus reciprocity considerations. The State may award to a single or multiple responders based on best value. Responders must submit Responder Declarations, Exceptions to State Standard Terms and Conditions, Cost Detail, Responder Forms with Workforce and Equal Pay Declarations, Additional Information, sample invoices and quotes, and the completed Exhibit D Price Schedule; failure to complete the Price Schedule will result in rejection.