Personal Hygiene and Grooming Products

The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Statewide Procurement Division has issued Invitation for Bids No. 304T-26-652A1.3 for personal hygiene and grooming products, with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) as the primary customer for resale through its Prison Commissaries Division. This solicitation encompasses seven line items: antifungal powder (150 cases), shaving cream (690 cases), hairbrushes (172 cases), antibacterial bar soap (2,000 cases), panty liners (5,460 cases), sanitary napkins (18,192 cases), and tampons with cardboard applicators (5,460 cases), all quoted on a per-case basis for statewide delivery to five primary locations including Beeville, Huntsville, Rosharon, and Snyder, Texas. All products must be new, unused, and in first-class condition with detailed specifications including required active ingredients, container types, sizes, and packaging quantities; mandatory sample submissions are required for each line item with costs borne by the bidder, and bar coding is required for Lines 1-4 using UPCA, UPCE, or Code 3 of 9 formats compatible with TDCJ scanners. Respondents must submit firm, all-inclusive, fixed pricing that includes all shipping, handling, and fuel surcharges, along with a 1.5% Texas SmartBuy administrative fee, and must maintain minimum commercial general liability insurance of $500,000 per occurrence. The questions submission deadline is May 8, 2026, with responses provided by addendum on May 12, 2026, and the response due date is May 26, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. Central Time in Austin, Texas. The initial contract term runs from the Notice of Award effective date through August 31, 2027, with two renewal options extending through August 31, 2029, and price adjustments are permitted only after the initial term based on documented manufacturer price changes.

The solicitation permits respondents to identify state procurement preferences including Texas-manufactured goods, agricultural products, service-disabled veteran-owned businesses, and environmentally sensitive materials, though no mandatory set-asides are specified. Respondents must complete comprehensive certifications addressing compliance with federal and state laws, including antitrust regulations, equal employment opportunity requirements, child support obligations, immigration laws, human trafficking prohibitions, and deceptive trade practices compliance, and must disclose any artificial intelligence systems to be used in contract performance and provide ownership information for all individuals with at least 25 percent ownership. Referenced manufacturers and acceptable equivalent brands include Rugby and Geri-Care for antifungal powder, Amerfresh and Barbasol for shaving cream, Bob Barker and Always for feminine hygiene products, and other specified vendors; a minimum order quantity of 100 cases applies to the shaving cream line item. No incumbent vendors or current contractor information is specified in the solicitation documents. The procurement does not establish reserve prices, and all seven line items are designated as "No Bid" not required, allowing respondents to bid on any combination of available products; specific award values or total contract budget ranges are not disclosed in the available documentation.