Hay and Cattle Feed Commodities Procurement Announcement

The State of Colorado, through the Colorado Department of Corrections Division of Colorado Correctional Industries (CCi), issued a Request for Information (RFI) solicitation number CFAA 2018000001 for hay and cattle feed commodities procurement. This procurement opportunity, posted July 5, 2017, with a response deadline of July 19, 2017 at 2:00 PM MT, seeks qualified vendors to supply hay and feed products for the CCi Agriculture Programs located in Canon City, Colorado. The goods and services being procured include multiple categories of hay products—specifically alfalfa hay at varying RFV (Relative Feed Value) levels for horses, dairy cattle, and goats, as well as grass hay and straw products—along with numerous feed commodities including whole cottonseed, bakery waste byproducts, wheat middlings, corn distiller's dried grain, soybean meal, steam flaked corn, corn gluten feed, and specialized grain products formulated to current nutritionist specifications for dairy calves, water buffalo, and lactating goats. All hay products must meet strict quality specifications, originating from the current crop year with specified moisture content levels (13-15% maximum), and be free from mold, dust, excessive weeds, and heat damage, with dairy quality alfalfa hay subject to testing upon delivery with automatic rejection if test results fall below specified RFV thresholds. Deliveries are required Monday through Friday between 7:00 AM and 3:00 PM, with drivers required to contact the requestor 30 minutes prior to arrival for facility clearance. Evaluation criteria for award include pricing, proposed delivery times, bidder status as Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses based in Colorado, and past performance; awards may be split among multiple vendors to achieve best value unless vendors designate bids as "all or none." Prospective vendors must submit completed vendor forms, W-9 forms, and capability documentation via email to maryann.shaw@state.co.us or fax to (719)269-4064, and all prospective bidders must be registered on the Colorado Vendor Self Service website to be eligible for award.

Set-aside designations for this procurement include preference for Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses based in Colorado. The procurement documentation requires vendors to complete the State of Colorado Substitute W-9 Form, which mandates identification of demographic classifications relevant to state contracting preferences, including minority-owned business designations (African American, Asian Pacific American, Subcontinent Asian American, Hispanic American, Native American), women-owned and veteran-owned business certifications, disadvantaged business enterprise status, small business classifications, and specialized certifications such as CDOT Emerging Small Business and HUBZone Certified status. All contractor employees accessing Colorado Department of Corrections property may be required to undergo criminal background checks and sign a Consent to Search Authorization form. Payment terms are assumed to be Net-45 days after receipt of goods and invoice, though payment terms of less than 45 days with discounts (such as 2%-10 days) are encouraged. Pricing will be established on a FOB destination basis, with costs varying based on the specific commodities, quantities ordered, veterinary recommendations, and market factors. This RFI is published annually to maintain an updated vendor list, and CCi intends to solicit future bidding opportunities primarily through email rather than publishing on the VSS website, indicating an ongoing procurement relationship with selected vendors rather than a single, fixed-value contract award.