Promotional Items (Souvenirs)

The City of Newark, New Jersey, Department of Administration, Division of Central Purchasing, is soliciting bids for Invitation to Bid #2025-100, Promotional Items (Souvenirs), through electronic submission via the City's e-Procurement Portal (ProcureNow). The procurement seeks a qualified vendor capable of providing a comprehensive range of promotional products including ballpoint pens, key chains, desk paperweights, bumper stickers, shopping bags, t-shirts, baseball caps, buttons, lapel pins, and portfolios, all of which must be new, of good quality, and from current manufacturer production. The successful vendor must also provide custom design and inscription services including embedding, hot-stamping, engraving, embossing, imprinting, monogramming, and silk-screening. Bidders are required to submit digital catalogs and price lists via flash drive, USB memory stick, or CD, indicating manufacturer/brand, catalog number, discount percentage, and specific pricing columns, with all pricing structured as F.O.B. destination including inside delivery and shipping/handling costs. The contract term is for two years with separate Year 1 and Year 2 pricing required in bid proposals. Questions must be submitted by November 19, 2025, at 12:00 pm, with bids due electronically by November 25, 2025, at 10:15 am, after which bids will be publicly opened and read aloud; the City emphasizes that submissions must be completed well in advance as late submissions will not be accepted. Vendors must comply with New Jersey affirmative action requirements, provide proof of New Jersey Business Registration, deliver during normal business hours (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), assume liability for damage during transit, and replace defective products within five business days at no additional cost.

Responding vendors must complete and submit multiple compliance and certification documents including a Statement of Ownership Disclosure, Bidder Qualification Questionnaire, Federal Non-Debarment Certification, Disclosure of Investment Activities in Iran form (certifying non-involvement per Public Law 2012, c. 25), Certification of Non-Involvement in Prohibited Activities in Russia or Belarus form (per N.J.S.A. 52:32-60.1), and IRS Form W-9 (Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification), with all forms requiring submission no later than ten days prior to contract award. The City of Newark is tax-exempt and will not pay state sales and use taxes, and the procurement documents indicate that the City reserves the right to award contracts to multiple vendors, reject any or all bids, increase or decrease quantities as needed, and terminate the contract with sixty days' notice or for cause. No specific budget range or estimated contract value is provided in the solicitation documents; however, vendors should note that the two-year contract term and the breadth of requested promotional items and customization services suggest a substantial procurement. No pre-bid conference will be held, and no specific set-asides for disadvantaged enterprises, minority-owned businesses, women-owned businesses, or other protected classifications are mentioned in the available documentation. The City may request product samples from bidders and will require the selected vendor to provide manufacturer warranties on all products supplied.