JPMC Carbonless Paper

The Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS), in agreement with the Chief Procurement Officer for General Services (CPO-GS), is establishing a Joint Purchase Master Contract (JPMC) for carbonless paper to be purchased on an as-needed basis by all governmental units and qualified not-for-profit agencies throughout Illinois. The solicitation (Reference Number 27-416CMS-BOSS4-B-51740) seeks to procure carbonless paper products, including three-part carbonless forms in various sizes and specifications, with delivery on an F.O.B. Destination basis and a minimum order threshold of $500. Bidders must submit electronic bids through BidBuy, the State's e-procurement system, and must provide pricing by case, roll, or pound with detailed package information; unbalanced or manipulative pricing may result in bid rejection. The contract will be awarded to the lowest priced responsive and responsible bidder, with the State potentially awarding by individual line item if necessary. A mandatory pre-bid conference will be held on May 7, 2026, at 10:00 AM via Webex to explain procurement requirements, and written questions must be submitted no later than three business days after the conference. The solicitation deadline is May 26, 2026, and the resulting contract will commence on December 26, 2026, or upon final execution by both parties, whichever is later, extending through November 30, 2031, with a maximum total term not exceeding ten years. Bid samples may be requested within seven calendar days of notification, and all vendors must be registered as active vendors with the Illinois Procurement Gateway at the time of bid submission.

The State has established a Business Enterprise Program (BEP) goal of 1 percent for this solicitation, requiring bidders to demonstrate either self-performance as a BEP-certified firm, identification of BEP-certified subcontractors to meet or split the goal, or documented good faith efforts and a waiver request if unable to achieve the goal; failure to complete and submit the BEP Utilization Plan renders a bid non-responsive. All vendors must complete and submit the IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure and the Vendor Disclosure form, and for contracts with an annual value exceeding $100,000, vendors must disclose any lobbyist representation, details of all current and pending contracts with State entities, and certify compliance with numerous statutory requirements including drug-free workplace standards, equal employment opportunity, and non-discrimination provisions. Vendors are required to maintain worker's compensation insurance and general liability coverage of $1,000,000 each, as well as comply with prevailing wage requirements and retain records for three years (five years if federal funds are used). No specific set-asides for small businesses, minority-owned businesses, women-owned businesses, persons with disabilities-owned businesses, or veteran-owned small businesses are designated for this procurement, and no Veteran Small Business Participation (VSBP) goal has been specified. Pricing must remain firm for the first year following contract execution, after which vendors may request one upward price adjustment per six-month period, subject to approval by CMS BOSS and limited by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index for pulp, paper, and allied products. A Certified Vendor List has been provided identifying pre-qualified minority-owned, women-owned, and veteran-owned businesses that may participate as subcontractors, and the contract may be partially or fully funded with federal funds, with the percentage and dollar amounts to be disclosed upon award notice.