Office Supplies, Copy Paper and Toner

The Connecticut Department of Administrative Services (DAS) Procurement Division is conducting a competitive online reverse auction to procure office supplies, copy paper, and toner for distribution to state agencies, local government offices, schools, and non-profit organizations throughout Connecticut. The solicitation, numbered 25PSX0200, encompasses a comprehensive range of products organized into three primary categories: Core Office Goods and Paper (221 line items), Core Toner (43 items), and Non-Core items (130 items spanning writing instruments, filing supplies, binders, labels, mailroom materials, office accessories, office electronics, and miscellaneous products). All copy paper and colored paper must contain a minimum of 30 percent post-consumer recycled content in compliance with Connecticut General Statutes Section 4a-67e. The three-year contract, effective March 1, 2026 through February 28, 2029, requires respondents to bid a minimum of 90 percent of Core Office Goods Paper items, 90 percent of Core Toner items, and at least eight of ten non-core categories. The procurement follows a two-phase process with Phase 1 submissions of all required documentation without pricing due through the CTsource system on January 8, 2026 at 2:00 PM Eastern Time, followed by DAS evaluation of respondent responsibility and qualification in accordance with Connecticut General Statutes Section 4a-59; Phase 2, consisting of an online reverse auction, is scheduled for January 22, 2026 at 9:00 AM EST, where qualified bidders submit pricing. Questions regarding the solicitation must be submitted by December 8, 2025 at 1:00 PM EST, with answers posted as an addendum by December 10, 2025. Evaluation criteria prioritize pricing as the primary award criterion, followed by conformity to specifications, past performance, financial responsibility, and delivery terms. Contractors must maintain fully staffed warehouses with 24 to 48-hour processing capability, maintain a minimum 98 percent fill rate, provide FOB Destination pricing with no additional charges for fuel or surcharges, operate an online ordering platform with secure HTTPS encryption and individualized logins, assign a dedicated account manager with one-business-day response times, and provide complimentary toner cartridge recycling services.

This solicitation contains no set-asides for Minority Business Enterprises or Small Business Enterprises; however, price preferences are available for Microbusinesses (up to 10 percent preference for those with gross revenues not exceeding $3,000,000) and Veteran-Owned Microbusinesses (up to 15 percent preference), conditional upon submission of required documentation by the solicitation due date. The incumbent vendors for the prior contract period (June 2023 through July 2024) include WB Mason with approximately $3,015,758.84 in annual spending, Suburban Stationers with $85,966.88, and Aztech with $19,480.90, indicating an estimated total annual contract value exceeding $3 million. The solicitation requires integration with the EasiBuy LLC internet-based strategic sourcing platform for the reverse auction process; awarded suppliers must pay a one percent transaction fee on total final purchase prices, plus an additional 3 percent processing fee if paying by credit card. Pricing for Core Goods and Core Copy Paper shall remain fixed for twelve months following the contract effective date, after which annual adjustments are capped at the lesser of actual Producer Price Index increases or specified percentages (2.5 percent for Core Goods and Core Paper using WPU091506 or WPU091301 indices, and 3.0 percent for Non-Core Goods). No bid or performance bonds are required, and payment terms require settlement within 45 days of acceptance via electronic funds transfer or the State's Purchasing Card Program.