MSI janitorial kitchen concentrates

The Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) Michigan State Industries (MSI) issued a Request for Information (RFI) for janitorial kitchen concentrates to support cleaning operations in correctional facility kitchens. The procurement seeks vendor responses across seven product categories: automatic dishwashing detergent, pot and pan liquid detergent, heavy duty degreaser, kitchen quarry tile cleaner, concentrated citrus/peroxide cleaner, and concentrated freezer cleaner. All products must be supplied in 330-gallon concentrated palletized totes (with the exception of freezer cleaner, which requires 4 one-gallon cases) and must produce a minimum of 660 gallons of diluted finished product upon preparation. Required specifications include a minimum two-year shelf life, freedom from sediment or foreign matter, integrated pallet base mounts on totes, and preferably NFPA ratings of 2 or less. Vendors were required to submit specifications, certificates of analysis, safety data sheets (SDS), and product documentation at no cost to the State. The RFI established a deadline for submitting questions of February 7, 2019, with answers posted by February 13, 2019, and responses due by February 19, 2019. The State reserved the right to invite vendors for oral presentations and indicated plans to issue a formal Request for Proposal (RFP) in the near future based on information gathered from this RFI.

The RFI document does not specify set-aside designations, restrictions on organizational types, or disadvantaged enterprise requirements. Arrow Chemical Products Inc. was referenced as a benchmark vendor for equivalency comparison purposes, though vendors were permitted to propose alternative products with detailed justification. The State reserves sole discretion in determining which products, if any, will be incorporated into the upcoming formal bid document. No specific award value or budget range was disclosed in the RFI documentation. All vendor responses become the property of the State and are subject to disclosure under Michigan's Freedom of Information Act. The RFI indicated that vendors with prior experience supplying caustic cleaners to correctional industries should communicate their qualifications, as the State identified a likelihood of bidding on the forthcoming RFP.