Rev. 2/2020 Sourcewell RFP #031121
Grounds Maintenance Equipment, Attachments, and Accessories with Related Services
RFP #031121
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
for
Grounds Maintenance Equipment, Attachments, and Accessories with Related Services
P
roposal Due Date: March 11, 2021, 4:30 p.m., Central Time So
urcewell, a State of Minnesota local government agency and service cooperative, is requesting proposals for Grounds Maintenance Equipment, Attachments, and Accessories with Related Services to result in a contracting solution for use by its Participating Entities . Sourcewell Participating Ent ities include thousands of governmental, higher education, K -12 education, nonprofit, tribal government, and other public agencies located in the United States and Canada.
A full copy of the Request for Proposals can be found on the Sourcewell Procurement Portal [https://proportal.sourcewell-mn.gov]. Only proposals submitted through the Sourcewell Procurement Portal will be considered. Proposals are due no later than March 11, 2021 , at 4:30 p.m. Central Time, and late proposals will not be considered.
S
olicitation Schedule
Public Notice of RFP Published: January 19, 2021
Pre-proposal Conference: February 11, 2021, 10:00 a.m., Central Time Question Submission Deadline: March 4, 2021, 4:30 p.m., Central Time Proposal Due Date: March 11, 2021, 4:30 p.m., Central Time Late responses will not be considered.
Opening: March 11, 2021, 6:30 p.m., Central Time **
** SEE RFP SUB-SECTION V. G. “OPENING”
Rev. 2/2020 Sourcewell RFP #031121
Grounds Maintenance Equipment, Attachments, and Accessories with Related Services
I. ABOUT SOURCEWELL PARTICIPATING ENTITIES
A. SOURCEWELL
So
urcewell is a State of Minnesota local government agency and service cooperative created under the laws of the State of Minnesota (Minnesota Statutes Section 123A.21) that facilitates a competitive public solicitation and contract award process for the benefit of its 50,000+ participating entities across the United States and Canada. Sourcewell’s solicitation process complies with State of Minnesota law and policies, conforms to Canadian trade agreements, and results in cooperative contracting solutions from which Sourcewell’s Participating Entities procure equipment, products, and services.
C
ooperative contracting provides participating entities and vendors increased administrative efficiencies and the power of combined purchasing volume that result in overall cost savings. At times, Sourcewell also partners with other purchasing cooperatives to combine the purchasing volume of their membership into a single solicitation and contract expanding the reach of contracted vendors’ potential pool of end users.
So
urcewell uses a website-based platform, the Sourcewell Procurement Portal, through which all proposals to this RFP must be submitted.
B. USE OF RESULTING CONTRACTS
In t
he United States, Sourcewell’s contracts are available for use by:
• Federal and state government entities;
• Cities, towns, and counties/parishes;
• Education service cooperatives;
• K-12 and higher education entities;
• Tribal government entities;
• Some nonprofit entities; and
• Other public entities.
I
n Canada, Sourcewell’s contracts are available for use by:
• Provincial and territorial government departments, ministries, agencies, boards, councils, committees, commissions, and similar agencies; • Regional, local, district, and other forms of municipal government, municipal organizations, school boards, and publicly-funded academic, health, and social service entities referred to as MASH sector (this should be construed to include but not be limited to the Cities of Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Calgary, Ottawa, and Winnipeg), as well as any corporation or entity owned or controlled by one or more of the preceding entities;
Rev. 2/2020 Sourcewell RFP #031121
Grounds Maintenance Equipment, Attachments, and Accessories with Related Services
• Crown corporations, government enterprises, and other entities that are owned or controlled by these entities through ownership interest; • Members of the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) and their represented Associations, Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM), Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA), Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM), Local Authority Services (LAS), Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador (MNL), Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities (NSFM), and Federation of Prince Edward Island Municipalities (FPEIM).
For a listing of current United States and Canadian Participating Entities visit Sourcewell’s website (note: there is a tab for each country’s listing): https://www.sourcewell- mn.gov/sourcewell-for-vendors/agency-locator.
A
ccess to contracted equipment, products, or services by Participating Entities is typically through a purchase order issued directly to the applicable vendor. A Participating Entity may request additional terms or conditions related to a purchase. Use of Sourcewell contracts is voluntary and Participating Entities retain the right to obtain similar equipment, products, or services from other sources.
To m
eet Participating Entities’ needs, public notice of this RFP has been broadly published, including notification in the United States to each state-level procurement department for possible re-posting.
P
roof of publication will be available at the conclusion of the solicitation process.
II. EQUIPMENT, PRODUCTS, AND SERVICES
A. SOLUTIONS-BASED SOLICITATION
T
his RFP and contract award process is a solutions-based solicitation; meaning that Sourcewell is seeking equipment, products, or services that meet the general requirements of the scope of this RFP and that are commonly desired or are required by law or industry standards.
B. REQUESTED EQUIPMENT, PRODUCTS, OR SERVICES
I
t is expected that Proposers will offer a wide array of equipment, products, or services at lower prices and with better value than what they would ordinarily offer to a single government entity, a school district, or a regional cooperative.
1. So
urcewell is seeking proposals for Grounds Maintenance Equipment, Attachments, and Accessories with Related Services, to include:
Rev. 2/2020 Sourcewell RFP #031121
Grounds Maintenance Equipment, Attachments, and Accessories with Related Services
a. Lawn and garden equipment, tools, attachments, and accessories for all types of lawn, field and turf care, golf course maintenance, l andscape maintenance, sidewalk and walking path maintenance, parking lot maintenance, and snow removal;
b. Irrigation systems, equipment, parts, and related installation and maintenance services;
c. Beach and waterfront maintenance equipment and accessories; and
d. Accessories, parts, and services related to the solutions described in subsection 1.a. - c. above, including maintenance or repair, and warranty programs. However, this solicitation should NOT be construed to include “service-only” solutions. Proposers may include related services to the extent that these solutions are complementary to the offering of the equipment and products being proposed.
2. The primary focus of this solicitation is on Grounds Maintenance Equipment, Attachments, and Accessories. This solicitation should NOT be construed to include equipment principally intended or designed for highway, road, right-of-way or sewer maintenance.
3. This solicitation does not include those equipment, products, or services covered under categories included in contracts currently maintained by Sourcewell:
a. Roadway Maintenance Equipment with Related Accessories, Attachments, Materials, and Supplies (RFP #052417)
b. Snow and Ice Handling Equipment, Supplies, and Accessories (RFP #080818) c. Portable Construction Equipment with Related Accessories and Attachments (RFP#041719)
d. Ag Tractors with Related Attachments, Accessories, and Supplies (RFP #110719)
Proposers may include related equipment, accessories, and services to the extent that these solutions are complementary to the equipment, products, or service(s) being proposed.
Generally, the solutions for Participating Entities are turn-key solutions, providing a combination of equipment, products and services, delivery, and installation to a properly operating status. However, equipment or products only solutions may be appropriate for situations where Participating Entities possess the ability, either in-house or through local third- party contractors, to properly install and bring to operation the equipment or products being proposed.
Sourcewell prefers vendors that provide a sole source of responsibility for the products and services provided under a resulting contract. If Proposer requires the use of dealers, resellers, or subcontractors to provide the products or services, the Proposal should address how the products or services will be provided to Participating Entities and describe the network of dealers, resellers, and/or subcontractors that will be available to serve Participating Entities under a resulting contract.
Rev. 2/2020 Sourcewell RFP #031121
Grounds Maintenance Equipment, Attachments, and Accessories with Related Services
So
urcewell desires the broadest possible selection of equipment, products, and services being proposed over the largest possible geographic area and to the largest possible cross-section of Sourcewell current and future Participating Entities.
C. REQUIREMENTS
I
t is expected that Proposers have knowledge of all applicable industry standards, laws, and regulations and possess an ability to market and distribute the equipment, products, or services to Participating Entities.
1. Safety Requirements. All items proposed must comply with current applicable safety or regulatory standards or codes.
2. Deviation from Industry Standard. Deviations from industry standards must be identified with an explanation of how the equipment, products, and services will provide equivalent function, coverage, performance, and/or related services.
3. New Equipment and Products. Proposed equipment and products must be for new, current model; however, Proposer may offer certain close-out equipment or products if it is specifically noted in the Pricing proposal.
4. Delivered and operational. Unless clearly noted in the Proposal, equipment and products must be delivered to the Participating Entity as operational.
5. Warranty. All equipment, products, supplies, and services must be covered by a warranty that is the industry standard or better.
D. ANTICIPATED CONTRACT TERM
Sourcewell anticipates that the term of any resulting contract(s) will be four (4) years. Up to two one-year extensions may be offered based on the best interests of Sourcewell and its Participating Entities.
E. ESTIMATED CONTRACT VALUE AND USAGE
Based on past volume of similar contracts, the estimated annual value of all transactions from contracts resulting from this RFP are a nticipated to be USD $85 Million; therefore, proposers are expected to propose volume pricing. Sourcewell anticipates considerable activity under the contract(s) awarded from this RFP; however, sales and sales volume from any resulting contract are not guaranteed.
F. MARKETING PLAN
Proposer’s sales force will be the primary source of communication with Participating Entities.
The Proposer’s Marketing Plan should demonstrate Proposer’s ability to deploy a sales force or dealer network to Participating Entities, as well as Proposer’s sales and service capabilities. It is expected that Proposer will promote and market any contract award.
Rev. 2/2020 Sourcewell RFP #031121
Grounds Maintenance Equipment, Attachments, and Accessories with Related Services
G. ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
1. Contracts will be awarded to Proposers able to best meet the need of Participating Entities. Proposers should submit their complete line of equipment, products, or services that are applicable to the scope of this RFP.
2. Proposers should include all relevant information in its proposal, since Sourcewell cannot consider information that is not included in the Proposal. Sourcewell reserves the right to verify Proposer’s information and may request clarification from a Proposer, including samples of the proposed equipment or products.
3. Depending upon the responses received in a given category, Sourcewell may need to organize responses into subcategories in order to provide the broadest coverage of the requested equipment, products, or services to Participating Entities. Awards may be based on a subcategory.
4. A Proposer’s documented negative past performance with Sourcewell or its Participating Entities occurring under a previously awarded Sourcewell contract may be considered in the evaluation of a proposal.
E. PRICING
A. REQUIREMENTS
All proposed pricing must be:
1. Either Line-Item Pricing or Percentage Discount from Catalog Pricing, or a combination of these:
a. Line-item Pricing is pricing based on each individual product or services. Each line must indicate the Vendor’s published “List Price,” as well as the “Contract Price.” b. Percentage Discount from Catalog or Category is based on a percentage discount from a catalog or list price, defined as a published Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for the products or services. Individualized percentage discounts can be applied to any number of defined product groupings. Proposers will be responsible for providing and maintaining current published MSRP with Sourcewell, and this pricing must be included in its proposal and provided throughout the term of a ny Contract resulting from this RFP.
2. The Proposer’s ceiling price (Ceiling price means that the proposed pricing will be considered as the highest price for which equipment, products, or services may be billed to a Participating Entity ). However, it is pe rmissible for vendors to sell at a price that is lower than the contracted price;
3. Stated in U.S. and Canadian dollars (as applicable); and
4. Clearly understood, complete, and fully describe the total cost of acquisition (e.g., the cost of the proposed equipment, products, and services delivered and operational for its intended purpose in the Participating Entity’s location).
Rev. 2/2020 Sourcewell RFP #031121
Grounds Maintenance Equipment, Attachments, and Accessories with Related Services
Proposers should clearly identify any costs that are NOT included in the proposed product or service pricing. This may include items s uch as installation, set up, mandatory training, or initial inspection. Include identification of any parties that impose such costs and their relationship to the Proposer. Additionally, Proposers should clearly describe any unique distribution and/or delivery methods or options offered in the Proposal.
B. ADMINISTRATIVE FEES
Proposers are expected to pay to Sourcewell an administrative fee in exchange for Sourcewell facilitating the resulting contracts. The administrative fee is normally calculated as a percentage of the total sales to Participating Entities for all contracted equipment, products, or services made during a calendar quarter, and is typically one perce nt (1%) to two percent (2%). In some categories, a flat fee may be an acceptable alternative.
F. CONTRACT
Proposers awarded a contract will be required to execute a contract with Sourcewell (see attached template). Only those modifications the Proposer indicates in its proposal will be available for discussion. Much of the language in the Contract reflects Minnesota legal requirements and cannot be altered. Numerous and/or onerous exceptions that contradict Minnesota law may result in the Proposal being disqualified from further review and evaluation.
To request a modification to the Contract terms, conditions, or specifications, a Proposer must complete and submit the Exceptions to Terms, Conditions, or Specifications table, with all requested modifications, through the Sourcewell Procurement Portal at the time of submitting the Proposer’s Proposal. Exceptions must:
1. Clearly identify the affected article and section, and
2. Clearly note what language is requested to be modified.
Unclear requests will be automatically denied.
Only those exceptions that have been accepted by Sourcewell will be included in the contract document provided to the awarded vendor for signature.
If a Proposer receives a contract award resulting from this solicitation it will have up to 30 days to sign and return the contract. After that time, at Sourcewell’s sole discretion, the contract award may be revoked.
G. RFP PROCESS
A. PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE
Sourcewell will hold an optional, non-mandatory pre-proposal conference via webcast on the date and time noted on page one of this RFP and on the Sourcewell Procurement Portal. The
Rev. 2/2020 Sourcewell RFP #031121
Grounds Maintenance Equipment, Attachments, and Accessories with Related Services
purpose of this conference is to allow potential Proposers to ask questions regarding this RFP and Sourcewell’s competitive contracting process. Information about the webcast will be sent to all entities that have registered for this solicitation opportunity through their Sourcewell Procurement Portal Vendor Account. Pre-proposal conference attendance is optional.
B. QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS RFP AND ORAL COMMUNICATION
Questions regarding this RFP must be submitted through the Sourcewell Procurement Portal.
The deadline for submission of questions is found in the Solicitation Schedule and on the Sourcewell Procurement Portal. Answers to questions will be issued through an addendum to this RFP. Repetitive questions will be summarized into a single answer and identifying information will be removed from the submitted questions.
All questions, whether specific to a Proposer or generally related to the RFP, must be submitted using this process. Do not contact individual Sourcewell staff to ask questions or request information as this may disqualify the Proposer from responding to this RFP. Sourcewell will not respond to questions submitted after the deadline.
C. ADDENDA
Sourcewell may modify this RFP at any time prior to the proposal due date by issuing an addendum. Addenda issued by Sourcewell become a part of the RFP and will be delivered to potential Proposers through the Sourcewell Procurement Portal. Sourcewell accepts no liability in connection with the delivery of any addenda.
Before a proposal will be accepted through the Sourcewell Procurement Portal, all addenda, if any, must be acknowledged by the Proposer by checking the box for each addendum. It is the responsibility of the Proposer to check for any addenda that may have been issued up to the solicitation due date and time.
If an addendum is issued after a Proposer submitted its proposal, the Sourcewell Procurement Portal will WITHDRAW the submission and change the Proposer’s proposal status to INCOMPLETE. The Proposer can view this status change in the “MY BIDS” section of the Sourcewell Procurement Portal Vendor Account. The Proposer is solely responsible to check the “MY BIDS” section of the Sourcewell Procurement Portal Vendor Account periodically after submitting its Proposal (and up to the Proposal due date). If the Proposer’s Proposal status has changed to INCOMPLETE, the Proposer is solely responsible to:
i) make any required adjustments to its proposal;
ii) acknowledge the addenda; and
iii) ensure the re-submitted proposal is received through the Sourcewell Procurement Portal no later than the Proposal Due Date and time shown in the Solicitation Schedule above.
D. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION
Rev. 2/2020 Sourcewell RFP #031121
Grounds Maintenance Equipment, Attachments, and Accessories with Related Services
Proposer’s complete proposal must be submitted through the Sourcewell Procurement Portal no later than the date and time specified in the Solicitation Schedule. Any other form of proposal submission, whether electronic, paper, or otherwise, will not be considered by Sourcewell. Late proposals will not be considered. It is the Proposer’s sole responsibility to ensure that the proposal is received on time.
It is recommended that Proposers allow sufficient time to upload the proposal and to resolve any issues that may arise. The time and date that a Proposal is received by Sourcewell is solely determined by the Sourcewell Procurement Portal web clock.
In the event of problems with the Sourcewell Procurement Portal, follow the instructions for technical support posted in the portal. It may take up to twenty-four (24) hours to respond to certain issues.
Upon successful submission of a proposal, the Portal will automatically generate a confirmation email to the Proposer. If the Proposer does not receive a confirmation email, contact Sourcewell’s support provider at [email protected].
To ensure receipt of the latest information and updates via email regarding this solicitation, or if the Proposer has obtained this solicitation document from a third party, the onus is on the Proposer to create a Sourcewell Procurement Portal Vendor Account and register for this solicitation opportunity.
Within the Procurement Portal, all proposals must be digitally acknowledged by an authorized representative of the Proposer attesting that the information contained in in the proposal is true and accurate. By submitting a proposal, Proposer warrants that the information provided is true, correct, and reliable for purposes of evaluation for potential contract award. The submission of inaccurate, misleading, or false information is grounds for disqualification from a contract award and may subject the Proposer to remedies available by law.
E. GENERAL PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS
Proposals must be:
• In substantial compliance with the requirements of this RFP or it will be considered nonresponsive and be rejected.
• Complete. A proposal will be rejected if it is conditional or incomplete. • Submitted in English.
• Valid and irrevocable for 90 days following the Proposal Due Date.
Any and all costs incurred in responding to this RFP will be borne by the Proposer.
F. PROPOSAL WITHDRAWAL
Prior to the proposal deadline, a Proposer may withdraw its proposal.
Rev. 2/2020 Sourcewell RFP #031121
Grounds Maintenance Equipment, Attachments, and Accessories with Related Services
G. OPENING
The Opening of Proposals will be conducted electronically through the Sourcewell Procurement Portal. A list of all Proposers will be made publicly available in the Sourcewell Procurement Portal after the Proposal Due Date, but no later than the Opening time listed in the Solicitation Schedule.
To view the list of Proposers, verify that the Sourcewell Procurement Portal opportunities list search is set to “All” or “Closed.” The solicitation status will automatically change to “Closed” after the Proposal Due Date and Time.
H. EVALUATION AND AWARD
A. EVALUATION
It is the intent of Sourcewell to award one or more contracts to responsive and responsible Proposer(s) offering the best overall quality, selection of equipment, products, and services, and price that meet the commonly requested specifications of Sourcewell and its Participating Entities. The award(s) will be limited to the number of Proposers that Sourcewell determines is necessary to meet the needs of Participating Entities. Factors to be considered in determining the number of contracts to be awarded in any category may include the following:
• The number of and geographic location of:
o Proposers necessary to offer a comprehensive selection of equipment, products, or services for Participating Entities’ use.
o A Proposer’s sales and service network to assure availability of product supply and coverage to meet Participating Entities’ anticipated needs. • Total evaluation scores.
• The attributes of Proposers, and their equipment, products, or services, to assist Participating Entities achieve environmental and social requirements, preferences, and goals. Information submitted as part of a proposal should be as specific as possible when responding to the RFP. Do not assume Sourcewell’s knowledge about a specific vendor or product.
B. AWARD(S)
Award(s) will be made to the Proposer(s) whose proposal conforms to all conditions and requirements of the RFP, and consistent with the award criteria defined in this RFP.
Sourcewell may request written clarification of a proposal at any time during the evaluation process.
Proposal evaluation will be based on the following scoring criteria and the Sourcewell Evaluator Scoring Guide (available in the Sourcewell Procurement Portal):
Rev. 2/2020 Sourcewell RFP #031121
Grounds Maintenance Equipment, Attachments, and Accessories with Related Services
Conformance to RFP Requirements 50
Financial Viability and Marketplace Success 75
Ability to Sell and Deliver Service 100
Marketing Plan 50
Value Added Attributes 75
Warranty 50
Depth and Breadth of Offered Equipment, Products, or Services 200 Pricing 400
TOTAL POINTS 1000
C. PROTESTS OF AWARDS
Any protest made under this RFP by a Proposer must be in writing, addressed to Sourcewell’s Executive Director, and delivered to the Sourcewell office located at 202 12th Street NE, P.O.
Box 219, Staples, MN 56479. The protest must be received no later than 10 calendar days’ following Sourcewell’s notice of contract award(s) or non-award and must be time stamped by Sourcewell no later than 4:30 p.m., Central Time.
A protest must include the following items:
• The name, address, and telephone number of the protester; • The original signature of the protester or its representative; • Identification of the solicitation by RFP number;
• A precise statement of the relevant facts;
• Identification of the issues to be resolved;
• Identification of the legal or factual basis;
• Any additional supporting documentation; and
• Protest bond in the amount of $20,000, except where prohibited by law or treaty.
Protests that do not address these elements will not be reviewed.
D. RIGHTS RESERVED
This RFP does not commit Sourcewell to award any contract and a proposal may be rejected if it is nonresponsive, conditional, incomplete, conflicting, or misleading. Proposals that contain false statements or do not support an attribute or condition stated by the Proposer may be rejected.
Sourcewell reserves the right to:
• Modify or cancel this RFP at any time;
• Reject any and all proposals received;
• Reject proposals that do not comply with the provisions of this RFP; • Select, for contracts or for discussion, a proposal other than that with the lowest cost;
Rev. 2/2020 Sourcewell RFP #031121
Grounds Maintenance Equipment, Attachments, and Accessories with Related Services
• Independently verify any information provided in a Proposal; • Disqualify any Proposer that does not meet the requirements of this RFP, is debarred or suspended by the United States or Canada, State of Minnesota, Participating Entity’s state or province; has an officer, or other key personnel, who have been charged with a serious crime; or is bankrupt, insolvent, or where bankruptcy or insolvency are a reasonable prospect;
• Waive or modify any informalities, irregularities, or inconsistencies in the proposals received;
• Clarify any part of a proposal and discuss any aspect of the proposal with any Proposer; and negotiate with more than one Proposer;
• Award a contract if only one responsive proposal is received if it is in the best interest of Participating Entities; and
• Award a contract to one or more Proposers if it is in the best interest of Participating Entities.
E. DISPOSITION OF PROPOSALS
All materials submitted in response to this RFP will become property of Sourcewell and will become public record in accordance with Minnesota Statutes Section 13.591, after negotiations are complete. Sourcewell considers that negotiations are complete upon execution of a resulting contract. It is the Proposer’s responsibility to clearly identify any data submitted that it considers to be protected. Proposer must also include a justification for the classification citing the applicable Minnesota law.
Sourcewell will not consider the prices submitted by the Proposer to be confidential, proprietary, or trade secret materials. Financial information, including financial statements, provided by a Proposer is not considered trade secret under the statutory definition.
The Proposer understands that Sourcewell will reject proposals that are marked confidential or nonpublic, either substantially or in their entirety.
1/19/2021
Addendum No. 1
Solicitation Number: RFP 031121
Solicitation Name: Grounds Maintenance Equipment, Attachments, and Accessories with Related Services
Consider the following Questions and Answers to be part of the above-titled solicitation documents. The remainder of the documents remain unchanged.
Question 1:
Is there a line item copy of this bid?
Answer 1:
Sourcewell utilizes a competitive, solutions-based solicitation approach that is not based on detailed specifications or finite quantities. A proposer can propose its entire line of equipment, products, and services falling within the requested equipment, products, and services as described in the RFP.
Question 2:
Is this the successor to Sourcewell Contract #062117?
Answer 2:
Each opportunity posted to the Sourcewell Procurement Portal represents a separate and distinct competitive solicitation.
End of Addendum
Acknowledgement of this Addendum to RFP 031121 posted to the Sourcewell Procurement Portal on 1/19/2021, is required at the time of proposal submittal.
1/20/2021
Addendum No. 2
Solicitation Number: RFP 031121
Solicitation Name: Grounds Maintenance Equipment, Attachments, and Accessories with Related Services
Consider the following Question and Answer to be part of the above-titled solicitation documents. The remainder of the documents remain unchanged.
Question 1:
Is there a way to publish the list of questions outlined in Tables 1-15 so bidders can review and access them off-line?
Answer 1:
After selecting “Start Submission”, a proposer may navigate to Step 4 – “Preview Bid” and select “Preview My Bid in PDF” if a downloadable PDF of the questionnaire tables is desired.
End of Addendum
Acknowledgement of this Addendum to RFP 031121 posted to the Sourcewell Procurement Portal on 1/20/2021, is required at the time of proposal submittal.
1/21/2021
Addendum No. 3
Solicitation Number: RFP 031121
Solicitation Name: Grounds Maintenance Equipment, Attachments, and Accessories with Related Services
Consider the following Questions and Answers to be part of the above-titled solicitation documents. The remainder of the documents remain unchanged.
Question 1:
We are a factory authorized dealer/distributor for products used in construction, agricultural, golf, municipal and mining industries. Would Sourcewell add these products to the RFP for Grounds Maintenance Equipment, Attachments, and Accessories with Related Services?
Answer 1:
Each proposer, in its discretion, will propose the equipment, products, and services that it deems to fall within Sourcewell’s requested equipment, products, and services as described in RFP Section II. B (Requested Equipment, Products and Services). Only those products and services within the scope of the RFP will be included in any contract awarded by Sourcewell as a result of this solicitation. Sourcewell does not anticipate an amendment of the description of requested equipment, products, and services in RFP Section II. B.
Question 2:
Does this RFP include the equipment that can go into the water to remove weeds and debris along the edges of beaches and waterfront? Answer 2:
Sourcewell utilizes a competitive, solutions-based solicitation approach that is not based on detailed specifications. Each proposer, in its discretion, will propose the equipment, products, and services that it deems to fall within Sourcewell’s requested equipment, products, and services as described in RFP Section II. B (Requested Equipment, Products and Services).
End of Addendum
Acknowledgement of this Addendum to RFP 031121 posted to the Sourcewell Procurement Portal on 1/21/2021, is required at the time of proposal submittal.
2/2/2021
Addendum No. 4
Solicitation Number: RFP 031121
Solicitation Name: Grounds Maintenance Equipment, Attachments, and Accessories with Related Services
Consider the following Question and Answer to be part of the above-titled solicitation documents. The remainder of the documents remain unchanged.
Question 1:
Clarify what data is needed for Table 3, Question 19, sales volume? Would you like this as an average overall or per contract?
Answer 1:
It is left to the discretion of each proposer to determine and articulate the response that best represents their current or previous contract volumes. Individual proposals are evaluated based on the criteria stated in the RFP.
End of Addendum
Acknowledgement of this Addendum to RFP 031121 posted to the Sourcewell Procurement Portal on 2/2/2021, is required at the time of proposal submittal.
2/12/2021
Addendum No. 5
Solicitation Number: RFP 031121
Solicitation Name: Grounds Maintenance Equipment, Attachments, and Accessories with Related Services
Consider the following Question and Answer to be part of the above-titled solicitation documents. The remainder of the documents remain unchanged.
Question 1:
For references in Table 4, are you just asking for customer types that bought from us before or customers that have bought from us but did not use Sourcewell? Answer 1:
In the competitive process, Sourcewell will not advise a proposer on the content of the proposal. So, it is left to the discretion of each proposer to determine the information necessary to best demonstrate their marketplace success and that they are willing to include.
End of Addendum
Acknowledgement of this Addendum to RFP 031121 posted to the Sourcewell Procurement Portal on 2/12/2021, is required at the time of proposal submittal.
2/16/2021
Addendum No. 6
Solicitation Number: RFP 031121
Solicitation Name: Grounds Maintenance Equipment, Attachments, and Accessories with Related Services
Consider the following Question and Answer to be part of the above-titled solicitation documents. The remainder of the documents remain unchanged.
Question 1:
In Table 5, Sourcewell asks for a list of our top five government or education customers, including the size of transactions and dollar volumes from the past three years. We consider this information confidential. Can we use "Confidential" in the required fields and still be considered a responsive responder?
Answer 1:
In the competitive process, Sourcewell will not advise a proposer on the content of the proposal. It is left to the discretion of each proposer to determine the information that they are willing to include and that is necessary to best demonstrate their marketplace success. Proposals are evaluated according the scoring criteria stated in the RFP on the content submitted.
End of Addendum
Acknowledgement of this Addendum to RFP 031121 posted to the Sourcewell Procurement Portal on 2/16/2021, is required at the time of proposal submittal.
2/17/2021
Addendum No. 7
Solicitation Number: RFP 031121
Solicitation Name: Grounds Maintenance Equipment, Attachments, and Accessories with Related Services
Consider the following Question and Answer to be part of the above-titled solicitation documents. The remainder of the documents remain unchanged.
Question 1:
For financial information and the Dunn and Bradstreet report, will the most current on file be suitable as our year end? The 2020 reports will not be complete until after the bid due date?
Answer 1:
In the competitive process, Sourcewell will not advise a proposer on the content of the proposal. It is left to the discretion of each proposer to determine the information necessary to best demonstrate their financial viability/success and that they are willing to include. Proposals are evaluated on the content submitted.
End of Addendum
Acknowledgement of this Addendum to RFP 031121 posted to the Sourcewell Procurement Portal on 2/17/2021, is required at the time of proposal submittal.
2/22/2021
Addendum No. 8
Solicitation Number: RFP 031121
Solicitation Name: Grounds Maintenance Equipment, Attachments, and Accessories with Related Services
Consider the following Question and Answer to be part of the above-titled solicitation documents. The remainder of the documents remain unchanged.
RFP Amendment:
As the result of a formatting error, several Section headings of the RFP document were mislabeled at the time of publication. The following listed RFP Section headings are revised to delete the erroneous section letter, and insert the correct section numeral, to read as indicated:
I. III. PRICING
J. IV. CONTRACT
K. V. RFP PROCESS
L. VI. EVALUATION AND AWARD
The remainder of the RFP Section headings and sub-headings, and all other RFP content remains unchanged.
Question 1:
Is it possible to submit two price lists? One for Canada and one for the U.S.? Answer 1:
Yes, if applicable, pricing is to be submitted in U.S. and Canadian dollars. Refer to RFP Section III. A. 3., Pricing - Requirements. (RFP Article numbering corrected above.) Proposals are evaluated based on the criteria stated in the RFP.
End of Addendum
Acknowledgement of this Addendum to RFP 031121 posted to the Sourcewell Procurement Portal on 2/22/2021, is required at the time of proposal submittal.
2/23/2021
Addendum No. 9
Solicitation Number: RFP 031121
Solicitation Name: Grounds Maintenance Equipment, Attachments, and Accessories with Related Services
Consider the following Question and Answer to be part of the above-titled solicitation documents. The remainder of the documents remain unchanged.
Question 1:
Are there any specific font type or size requirements related to our typed responses in the solicitation tables and/or attachment we provide?
Answer 1:
Sourcewell does not identify a mandatory font type or size. In the competitive process, Sourcewell will not advise a proposer on the format for attachments. It is left to the discretion of each proposer to determine the method it deems best suited to represent their proposal and meet the requirements of the RFP.
End of Addendum
Acknowledgement of this Addendum to RFP 031121 posted to the Sourcewell Procurement Portal on 2/23/2021, is required at the time of proposal submittal.
2/25/2021
Addendum No. 10
Solicitation Number: RFP 031121
Solicitation Name: Grounds Maintenance Equipment, Attachments, and Accessories with Related Services
Consider the following Question and Answer to be part of the above-titled solicitation documents. The remainder of the documents remain unchanged.
Question 1:
For line items 21 and 22, what references are required? Should these include previous entities we have worked with outside of Sourcewell?
Answer 1:
In the competitive process, Sourcewell will not advise a proposer on the content of the proposal. It is left to the discretion of each proposer to determine the information that they are willing to include and that is necessary to best demonstrate their marketplace success. Proposals are evaluated according the scoring criteria stated in the RFP on the content submitted.
End of Addendum
Acknowledgement of this Addendum to RFP 031121 posted to the Sourcewell Procurement Portal on 2/25/2021, is required at the time of proposal submittal.
3/4/2021
Addendum No. 11
Solicitation Number: RFP 031121
Solicitation Name: Grounds Maintenance Equipment, Attachments, and Accessories with Related Services
Consider the following Questions and Answers to be part of the above-titled solicitation documents. The remainder of the documents remain unchanged.
Question 1:
Are vendors only allowed one submission, or is it possible to propose multiple submissions?
Answer 1:
Each vendor may only submit one proposal as restricted by the rules set in the Sourcewell Procurement Portal.
Question 2:
Is the administrative fee paid to Sourcewell calculated on our proposed price or the proposed price plus additional costs such as set up and freight? Answer 2:
Refer to RFP Section III. B. – Administrative Fees, for directions on proposing an administrative fee. It is left to the discretion of each proposer to determine and propose an administrative fee that is consistent with its business and its industry.
Question 3:
If your company is not awarded a contract, does all proposal information become public?
Answer 3:
Refer to RFP Section VI. E. - Disposition of Proposals, for guidance on materials submitted in response to the RFP and applicable public data laws.
End of Addendum
Acknowledgement of this Addendum to RFP 031121 posted to the Sourcewell Procurement Portal on 3/4/2021, is required at the time of proposal submittal.