Voluntary Contractor Certification Program Decal

The State of Maine Division of Purchases is soliciting bids for a Voluntary Contractor Certification Program Decal, with a due date of January 24, 2012.

The decal serves as a visual identifier and marketing tool for contractors who have completed Maine's voluntary certification requirements, enabling certified contractors to demonstrate compliance with state-established standards in the construction and contracting industry.

The contract includes an extension clause permitting the State Purchasing Director to extend the contract period beyond the initial term with contractor consent, with a maximum total contract period not to exceed three years. An overrun of up to 3 percent of contract value is permitted. Vendor past performance may be considered as a factor in award decisions.

The state applies a recycled-content preference for paper or paper products containing a minimum of 30 percent post-consumer recycled material; bids meeting this criterion and falling within 10 percent of the lowest compliant bid may receive up to a 10 percent price preference. Vendors must identify recycled paper offerings and disclose recycled content in their solicitation response comments. Additionally, the state's general procurement policy for paper products and printing services mandates purchase of materials with post-consumer recycled fiber or virgin fiber sourced from certified operations (FSC, SFI, PEFC, ATFS, or MLCP certified). The state will pay a price premium of up to 4 percent above the lowest submitted bid to achieve 100 percent post-consumer recycled or certified virgin fiber content; if no bids meet that threshold, preference goes to products with the highest percentage of recycled or certified content provided cost does not exceed 4 percent above the lowest bid.

All contractors must comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws, including Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act requirements for contracts exceeding $100,000, and are prohibited from assigning work or subcontracting without prior written Division consent.