Vendor Contract for Janitorial Supplies

The City of Milwaukee Department of Administration is soliciting bids through Invitation to Bid #21780 for a citywide vendor contract to supply janitorial supplies for a three-year initial term with two optional one-year extensions available upon mutual agreement. The procurement encompasses three distinct product groups: Group 1 (cleaners and cleaning products consisting of 125 items), Group 2 (toilet paper with 6 items), and Group 3 (hand towels with 7 items) to be delivered to various Milwaukee City locations. Bidders must submit complete pricing for all line items within each group for which they wish to compete; failure to complete all required information disqualifies that group submission. The City prioritizes green-certified products for Group 1, specifically those certified by Green Seal, EcoLogo, or EPA DfE, and requires all chemicals to have a minimum of 12 months remaining shelf life and paper products to comply with City Specifications 5-D-1 and 5-D-5. Delivery must occur within three working days of order receipt between 7:30 AM and 2:30 PM, with all goods delivered FOB destination. Bidders must submit sealed bids exclusively through the Bonfire Portal at https://cityofmilwaukee.bonfirehub.com/opportunities/228714, with the bid closing date of Tuesday, May 5, 2026, at 4:30 PM Central Time. Award will be made to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder(s), with the City reserving the right to award multiple vendors per group, and the City retains the authority to evaluate and award based on responsibility, responsiveness, and cost considerations.

Small Business Enterprise (SBE) participation is mandatory at 25 percent in accordance with City Ordinance Chapter 370 Section 5, and bidders must submit a completed Contractor Compliance Plan (Form 2-E) along with active, non-expired SBE certifications issued by the City of Milwaukee Office of Equity & Inclusion. Eligible bidders may qualify for local business enterprise preferences (up to 5 percent over lowest bid or $25,000), Milwaukee-made/American-made preferences (up to 12 percent or $28,171 over lowest bid), or socially responsible contractor preferences (up to 5 percent or $25,000), though only one preference category applies per ordinance hierarchy. All bidders must submit Form W-9, appropriate affidavits, and comply with ethical purchasing requirements including non-poverty wage standards; no bid deposits or performance bonds are required. The specification documents establish detailed technical requirements for both toilet paper (minimum 40 percent post-consumer recovered materials per Wisconsin statutes, bursting strength of not less than 12 points, and maximum absorption time of 120 seconds) and paper towels (minimum 10 percent post-consumer recovered material, minimum dry tensile strength of 2.8 pounds, and absorption capability of 10 seconds or less). Bidders may appeal specifications by submitting written appeals to the City Purchasing Director no later than five working days prior to bid opening, accompanied by a non-refundable appeal fee of 1.25 percent of the estimated contract dollar amount. While no specific budget range is disclosed in the solicitation documents, the estimated contract value appears substantial given the citywide scope and three-year term with multiple line items across three product groups.