Request for Proposal (RFP 4028) for Read Up Program (Summer 2019)

The Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) in Wisconsin is seeking a vendor to provide books for its Read Up program during Summer School 2019. The procurement involves supplying approximately 15,000 books to students, with a specific focus on titles from a provided list and five new high-interest releases per grade level. Vendors must create thematic book bundles for 4K students, with a strong preference for bilingual (English and Spanish) offerings. The successful vendor will be responsible for printing and applying Read Up book labels, packaging materials according to district specifications, and shipping to a designated address in Madison. Proposal submissions are due by December 21, 2018, at 2:00 PM CST, with potential vendors required to submit questions by November 30, 2018. The evaluation criteria include cost (25%), organizational ability to meet service requirements (40%), organizational qualifications and experience (20%), diverse-owned business documentation (5%), and references (10%). The district anticipates Board of Education approval by January 28, 2019, with a contract notification by January 30, 2019.

The procurement offers potential advantages for diverse-owned businesses certified by the Wisconsin Supplier Diversity Program or participating in the Wisconsin Diversity Procurement Network, which may receive a 5% scoring preference. The contract will be effective upon purchase order or execution and will run through June 30, 2019, with an option for mutual one-year renewal. The program is donation-based, requiring competitive pricing to maximize book quantities within available funding. The district is exempt from Federal Excise Tax and Wisconsin State Sales Tax and qualifies for governmental and educational discounts. Liquidated damages are set at $500 per working day, not exceeding one-half the contract total, for late delivery. The total contract value is estimated at approximately $950,000, with a fixed unit price of $100 per book across approximately 120 book titles. The district reserves the right to reject any proposals, negotiate with the highest-scoring proposer, or award to multiple vendors if deemed in the best interest of the district.