MPA 233 Natural Gas Supply Service

The State of Rhode Island Division of Purchases, in collaboration with the State of Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources, is conducting a solicitation (QLVM23001711) for a Master Price Agreement (MPA 233) to establish a Qualified List of Vendors for natural gas supply services. The procurement seeks qualified firms to provide competitive market-based pricing for natural gas supply to the state and participating public sector entities, with contract terms ranging from 12 to 48 months and potential for two 12-month renewals. Vendors must submit electronic proposals through the Ocean State Procures system by August 15, 2022, at 11:00 AM EDT. The solicitation will utilize a reverse auction process conducted by a third party to determine pricing, with successful vendors being invited to participate. Key objectives include informing energy supply procurement decisions and establishing a statewide purchasing agreement that allows participation from political subdivisions, municipalities, higher education institutions, schools, and quasi-public agencies. Vendors must provide comprehensive natural gas supply services with competitive pricing and meet specific insurance requirements, including $1 million in general liability coverage, workers compensation, and automobile liability insurance.

The solicitation includes a mandatory 10% Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and Women Business Enterprise (WBE) participation requirement, with vendors required to submit an MBE Utilization Plan for review and approval by the Office of Diversity, Equity and Opportunity. A 1% contract administrative fee will be assessed on all purchase orders issued under the Master Price Agreement, effective January 1, 2020. While specific award values are not explicitly stated, the broad applicability of the agreement suggests potential significant procurement volumes across various public sector entities. Vendors must be registered in the Ocean State Procures system and comply with Rhode Island's affirmative action laws and non-discrimination policies. The state reserves the right to make one or multiple awards and to reject any or all bids. Proposals will be considered irrevocable for 180 days following the opening date, and vendors may not withdraw their submissions without express written permission from the State Purchasing Officer. This solicitation is a truncated reposting of a previous procurement (QLVM22001514), indicating an ongoing effort to maintain a robust and competitive natural gas supply service for state and local government entities.