In Room Coffee for Kentucky Department of Parks

The Commonwealth of Kentucky Finance and Administration Cabinet issued a Request for Bid (RFB) on behalf of the Kentucky Department of Parks for in-room coffee products and equipment to support 17 state resort parks containing 829 lodge rooms. The procurement seeks a single vendor to supply coffeemakers, coffee packs (both Cafe Valet and Caribou brands in regular and decaf varieties), tea, cups, lids, condiment packets, and wire presentation baskets on a "Group All" basis, meaning bidders must submit pricing for all eleven line items or be deemed non-responsive. The Kentucky Department of Parks sold 109,906 room nights in fiscal year 2022 across these facilities, establishing the scale of the operation. Vendors must submit electronic bids through the Kentucky Vendor Self Service system by May 5, 2023, at 1:30 PM Eastern Time; written questions were due by April 21, 2023, at 9:00 AM ET, with the Commonwealth's responses issued by April 24, 2023. Evaluation will be based on best value using a 95-point weighting for price and a 5-point weighting for delivery time in business days, with the lowest bidder on price receiving maximum points and other bidders scored proportionally. All pricing must be submitted on an F.O.B. Destination Freight Prepaid and Allowed basis with no additional shipping charges permitted, and prices must remain valid for a minimum of 60 calendar days after the bid due date. The resulting contract will be awarded as a Master Agreement for an initial two-year period with options to renew for four additional two-year periods at mutual written approval of both parties, and price increases are prohibited during the first twelve months; thereafter, increases may be requested with written justification based on industry-wide price changes.

Kentucky resident bidders and qualified bidders receive preference points as specified in Kentucky statutes, including Kentucky Correctional Industries, Kentucky Industries for the Blind, and qualified nonprofit agencies for individuals with severe disabilities. Vendors must demonstrate prior authorization to conduct business in the Commonwealth and documented compliance with state tax, unemployment insurance, and workers' compensation requirements for the preceding year. A notable requirement is that coffeemakers must be provided to the Commonwealth at no cost, with replacement units supplied free of charge without limitation when needed, effectively requiring the vendor to absorb equipment costs as part of the service model. The solicitation does not identify an incumbent vendor or specify a budget range; however, the scale of the procurement based on approximately 829 lodge rooms and historical room night sales suggests a significant annual commitment. Failure to meet contracted delivery dates will result in a one percent deduction from the vendor's invoice per day of delay, and the Commonwealth reserves the right to cancel the RFB if funding is insufficient or to extend the contract to other state agencies with vendor consent.