USDB Sole Source - Sterling Adaptives

Open State & local contract opportunity Posted

Solicitation number
USBE-CC27271-ACW
State
Utah
Responses due

Opportunity facts

Opportunity details come from utah.bonfirehub.com. Updated .

About this opportunity

The Utah State Board of Education (USBE) is issuing a notice of intent to award a sole-source contract to Sterling Adaptives for assistive technology equipment for the Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind (USDB), with challenges due November 19, 2026. USBE cites U.C.A. 63G-6a-802 and justifies the award on a single-source basis, and the notice states that absent valid challenges, USBE may award without competitive bidding. Sterling Adaptives is an approved California Small Business (Number #47508, expiring February 28, 2028) and a Cal-ATSD Vendor.

The procurement covers four HumanWare BrailleNote EVOLVE refreshable braille computers (four EVOLVE 32 units and one EVOLVE QT32 QWERTY), two HumanWare Explore 8 portable electronic video magnifiers, and three LVI MagniLink ZIP 13-inch desktop video magnifier systems with batteries, connection boards, and power adapters. USBE's sole-source basis rests on exclusive distribution agreements: HumanWare has designated Sterling Adaptives as its sole authorized Utah distributor, and LVI America has named Sterling the exclusive sole-source provider and technical service center for USDB. The procurement also includes a $1,000 per-unit trade-in credit for existing BrailleNote Touch Plus 32 devices, which voids if trade-in units are not returned within 5–7 business days of receiving new equipment.

The estimated contract value is $48,543.00, including $530.00 in freight. Sterling's quotation is dated September 23, 2026, valid for 30 days, with Net 30 payment terms from invoice date. Vendors contesting the award must submit the contesting person's name and a detailed explanation with documentation of other competing sources to the purchasing agent identified in the notice. Vendors should also include, as applicable, documentation of comparable or better equipment, documentation of the same proprietary or an equivalent product, and a comparison of transitional costs if those costs are cited as justification.

Opportunity text

NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD A CONTRACT WITHOUT ENGAGING IN A STANDARD PROCUREMENT PROCESS The Utah State Board of Education (USBE) is publishing this notice in accordance with the Utah Procurement Code and, as authorized by U.C.A. § 63G-6a-802, intends to award a contract without engaging in a standard procurement process if it is determined by the Head of the Procurement Unit for USBE, in writing, that: There is only one source for the procurement item; Transitional costs are a significant consideration in selecting a procurement item and the transitional costs are unreasonable or cost-prohibitve; or The award of a contract is under circumstances, described in rules adopted by the board, that make awarding the contract through a standard procurement process impractical and not in the best interest of USBE. USBE's justification for awarding a contract without engaging in a standard procurement process is included in the Supporting Documentation section. Identification of Other Qualified and Interested Vendors The purpose of this notice is to determine if there are any other interested and qualified vendors that meet the specifications of this notice. Any such vendors wishing to challenge the proposed award must submit to the purchasing agent identified in this notice the following information: The name of the contesting person; and A detailed explanation of the challenge, including documentation showing that there are other competing sources for the procurement item. In addition, a vendor should include, as applicable: Documentation that your firm can provide a comparable or better procurement item that meets or exceeds the specifications; Documentation that your firm can also provide the same proprietary procurement item or an equivalent procurement item; and If transitional costs are identified as the justification for this notice, a comparison of the transitional costs identified in this notice against your firm's anticipated transitional costs. Regardless of any prior communications with USBE, all vendors interested in responding to this notice must submit a response to this posting containing all of the information requested above. ALL CHALLENGES TO THE PROPOSED CONTRACT AWARD MUST BE SUBMITTED THROUGH THE UTAH PUBLIC PROCUREMENT PLACE PORTAL, and any questions regarding this notice, including requests for additional information, must be submitted through the Public Procurement Place Portal during the public notice period. THIS NOTICE IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, INVITATION FOR BIDS, OR REQUEST FOR QUOTES. No action is required if you have no objections to the proposed award. If, after the public notice period has passed, the Head of the Procurement Unit determines that there are other interested and qualified vendors that meet the specifications of this notice, USBE will not award a contract pursuant to this notice; otherwise, if no valid challenges are received, then USBE may award a contract to the identified vendor without engaging in a standard procurement process. Please read the entire form very carefully before responding to this notice.

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