Library Shelving Units

The Commonwealth of Kentucky Finance and Administration Cabinet, on behalf of the Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, issued Request for Bid (RFB) 758 2300000224 for the procurement of library shelving units and related components to be delivered to Elliott County. The solicitation requires bidders to provide 474 completed double-faced integral back shelving units composed of 7,110 shelves, 992 side braces, 948 L-shaped posts, 496 beaded posts, 7,110 sets of clips (28,440 total clips), 36 column protectors, and 480 back braces, all in gray color. Each shelving unit must meet specific technical requirements including approximately 16 feet 1 inch height by 42 inches width by 30 inches depth, 15 shelves per unit, 22-gauge construction, minimum 310-pound weight capacity per shelf, and compliance with Republic Steel Shelving specifications or approved equivalents. All costs for transportation, assembly, labor, and installation must be included in the bid price, with delivery and installation to occur at the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives State Records Center located at 1425 Leestown Road, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601, with preferred completion by January 13, 2023. Written questions were due October 18, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. ET, and the bid closing date was November 2, 2022, at 1:30 p.m. ET, with mandatory electronic submission through the Kentucky eProcurement system. A mandatory site visit to the delivery location was required prior to bid submission, scheduled through Cathrine Giles at (502) 564-1702, with vendors required to obtain an authorized representative's signature on the Site Visit Validation Form. Award will be made on a best value basis with evaluation criteria weighted as follows: price (90 points), delivery time in working days (10 points), and completion date in working days (10 points), for a total of 110 points, with the lowest-priced responsive bid receiving maximum points and subsequent bids scored proportionally.

Kentucky resident bidders are eligible for reciprocal preference against nonresident bidders, and qualified bidders including Kentucky Correctional Industries, Kentucky Industries for the Blind, and certain nonprofit agencies serving individuals with disabilities receive preference scoring equal to 15 percent of maximum points (20 percent for Kentucky Correctional Industries). Bidders proposing alternate brands or specifications must submit descriptive literature demonstrating interchangeability with existing Republic Steel Shelving currently in use to avoid non-responsive designation. Prior to award, successful bidders must submit proof of liability insurance and workers' compensation coverage with limits of $1,000,000 per accident, with the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives listed as certificate holder, along with a Kentucky Tax Registration Form 10A100 and required affidavits regarding campaign finance compliance, tax obligations, and trade restrictions. Vendors must also complete and submit the Annual Affidavit for Bidders, Offerors and Contractors affirming compliance with Kentucky laws regarding lobbying prohibitions, sales and use tax registration, and state tax obligations. All bids must be quoted F.O.B. Destination Freight Prepaid and Allowed and must exclude federal excise tax and Kentucky sales or use tax. The specific budget amount for this procurement was not disclosed in the solicitation documents, but the contract will be established as an Award Contract for use by the Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives with indefinite duration subject to 30-day cancellation notice.