State of Utah Government Employee Emergency Preparedness Items

The State of Utah Division of Purchasing issued a Request for Statement of Qualifications (RFSQ) for Government Employees Emergency Preparedness Items under solicitation #NS18022, seeking to establish an open-ended approved vendor list for emergency preparedness products. The procurement specifically targets 72-hour emergency kits, first aid kits, and related emergency preparedness items for government employees. Vendors were required to offer new products at a percentage discount from their catalog or price list, with shipping and handling costs included in pricing. Key requirements included providing a searchable catalog, maintaining a local authorized representative during business hours, offering product defect warranties, and demonstrating experience with emergency preparedness kits. Evaluation criteria encompassed vendors' ability to comply with FEMA standards, provide comprehensive customer service plans, and accommodate special needs. The solicitation opened on 10/10/2017 and closed on 10/20/2017, with the intent to create a 12-month vendor list that could be periodically reopened for additional qualifications.

The solicitation did not explicitly indicate specific set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises. Two vendors, Ready Store LLC and Sunset Survival & First Aid, Inc., were ultimately awarded as qualified vendors on the approved list. The procurement was designed to create a centralized purchasing mechanism for government employees, with awarded vendors' products to be identified on the state purchasing website for easy access and review. While specific award values were not detailed in the documentation, the open-ended nature of the approved vendor list suggests flexible purchasing capabilities for government entities. The 12-month vendor list structure allows for ongoing procurement of emergency preparedness items, with potential for periodic reopening to incorporate additional qualified vendors. The procurement's focus on emergency preparedness indicates a strategic approach to ensuring government employees have access to critical survival and first aid resources.