MPA 565 OE Grounds Keeping Supplies, Materials, and Equipment

The State of Rhode Island Division of Purchases is conducting an Open Enrollment Vendor Assessment (OEV22000916) to establish a Master Price Agreement (MPA 565) for grounds keeping materials, equipment, supplies, and turf consulting services. This solicitation aims to create a qualified vendor list that can be utilized by state agencies, quasi-governmental organizations, Rhode Island municipalities, and the legislative and judicial branches. The procurement seeks vendors capable of providing a comprehensive range of grounds keeping services, including materials, equipment, and specialized turf consulting. Vendors will be evaluated on a pass/fail basis and must submit proposals electronically through the Ocean State Procures system between January 4, 2022, and February 1, 2022, with a vendor Q&A period running from January 4 to January 25, 2022. The initial contract term will be approximately three years, beginning around March 1, 2022, with potential annual renewals. Evaluation criteria include vendor qualifications, insurance requirements, and the ability to provide competitive pricing for specific project needs.

The solicitation includes a strong emphasis on diversity and inclusion, with a mandatory 10% minimum participation requirement for Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs), Women Business Enterprises (WBEs), and Veteran Business Enterprises (VBEs). Vendors must submit an MBE Utilization Plan for review and approval by the Office of Diversity, Equity and Opportunity for each project awarded. Insurance requirements are stringent, including $1 million in general liability coverage, workers compensation, and automobile liability insurance. A 1% contract administrative fee will be assessed on all purchase orders to support the state's eProcurement system. While no specific budget range is explicitly stated, the open enrollment format suggests flexibility in contract value and vendor selection. When specific projects arise, user agencies will issue mini-bids to the qualified vendors, with a requirement to obtain at least one quote from a certified MBE/WBE/VBE vendor when available. The state reserves the right to cancel the solicitation or remove vendors from the qualified list at its discretion.