Tennessee CPO ITB 32101-13893

Invitation to Bid (ITB) For VAM Vehicle Wrap Materials Event # 32101- 13893 1. Section 1 -- Background Information 1.1. The State of Tennessee Department of General Services, Vehicle and Asset Management division is seeking to procure Vehicle Wrap Materials through an Invitation to Bid. 1.2. Pre-response Conference Notification . The Central Procurement Office will hold a pre-response conference for this solicitation at the date, time, and location specified below: Date/Time: April 29, 2026 at 1:30 p.m. Central T ime Location: Microsoft Teams Meeting Link : https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup - join/19%3ameeting_N2UxYTlkY2EtMGI2YS00ZDFiLWE1MDUtMDZhZDI0ZWEyZjg1% 40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22f345bebf -0d71- 4337- 9281- 24b941616c36%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%223a6edfba- 698b -4ce2- 9ae1- cf98f89c8571%22%7d Meeting ID: 273 486 278 029 787 Passcode: vR2ke7Dp Prospective respondents are encouraged to attend this pre- response conference; however attendance is not mandatory in order to submit a response. The Central Procurement Office conducts pre- response conferences to discuss and answer questions prior to response due date. The pre- response conference is for informational purposes only. Nothing stated at the pre- response conference shall change the solicitation unless the change is reflected in writing and disseminated to all prospective respondents that attended the pre- response conference. 1.3. Accommodation for People with Disabilities . Any individuals with disabilities who wish to participate in public meetings such as a scheduled pre- response conference or other scheduled function should contact the Solicitation Coordinator to discuss any auxiliary aids or services needed. Such contact should be made no less than three (3) business days prior to the public meeting to allow time for the Solicitation Coordinator to provide needed aids or services. 1.4. Questions and Comments . Each prospective Respondent must carefully review this ITB, including but not limited to, attachments, terms and conditions, and any amendments, for questions, comments, defects, objections, or any other matter requiring clarification or correction (collectively called "questions and comments"). Protests based on any objection to the ITB shall be considered waived and invalid if the objection has not been brought to the attention of the State, in writing, by the Written Questions & Comments Deadline. Any prospective Respondent having questions and comments concerning this ITB must provide them in writing to the Solicitation Coordinator. All questions must be submitted no later than May 04, 2026. 1.5. Responses Due. The response must be received by the State on or before the date and hour designated for the response opening. Responses that are submitted untimel y shall be rejected. 2. Award Criteria 2.1. Single Award -- Lowest Cost . A single contract will be awarded for all line items to the respondent whose response meets the requirements and criteria set forth in this ITB at the lowest cost. 3. Standard Terms of the Solicitation 3.1. Respondent Registration . Pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. § 4- 56-105 all respondents must be registered prior to the issuance of a contract or a purchase order. Respondents can register online at the State of Tennessee Supplier Portal: https://www.edison.tn.gov (please click the "Supplier Portal Home Page" button) 3.2. Respondent's Ability to Perform . The State shall have the right to require evidence of the r espondent's ability to perform the services or deliver the goods required pursuant to the terms and conditions of this IT B. 3.3. Quality of Workmanship and Materials. Unit price responses are requested on goods or services that equal or exceed the specifications, unless the specifications limit the dimensions, brands, or model of goods or services. The absence of detailed specifications or the omission of detailed descriptions shall mean that only the best commercial practices and only first quality goods and workmanship shall be supplied. 3.4. Performance. The respondent who is awarded a contract will be responsible for delivering the goods or providing the services set out in this ITB. All goods or services are subject to inspection and evaluation by the State. 3.5. Clarifications . The State reserves the right to conduct clarifications or negotiations with one or more respondents. All communications, clarifications, and negotiations shall be conducted in a manner that is fair and transparent. 3.6. Negotiations . The State may elect to negotiate by requesting revised Cost Proposals from apparently responsive and responsible respondents. However, the State reserves the right to award a contract on the basis of initial responses received. Therefore, each response should contain the respondent's best terms from a price and technical standpoint. The State reserves the right to conduct multiple negotiation rounds. If the State exercises its right to enter into negotiations, it may identify areas of a response that may require further clarification or areas in which it is apparent that there may have been miscommunications or misunderstandings as to the State's specifications or requirements. The State may seek to clarify those identified issues during negotiations. All responsive respondents will be given equivalent information with respect to cost negotiations. All cost negotiations will be documented for the procurement file. Additionally, the State may conduct target pricing and other price or service level negotiations. Target pricing may be based on considerations such as current pricing, market considerations, benchmarks, budget availability, or other method that does not reveal individual respondent pricing. During target price negotiations respondents are not obligated to meet or beat target prices, but will not be allowed to increase prices. All communications, clarifications and negotiations shall be conducted in a manner that supports fairness in response improvement. Note that each clarification sought by the State may be unique to an individual respondent. 3.7. Response Cancellation and Rejection . The State may cancel this ITB in its entirety and reissue it in whole or in part. The State may reject any or all responses in its sole discretion. Additionally, the State may reject a response that: (a) qualifies the offer to provide goods or services as required by this ITB; (b) proposes alternative goods or services unless expressly requested by this ITB; (c) involves collusion, consultation, communication, or agreement among respondents; (d) includes information the respondent knew or should have known was materially incorrect; or (e) does not comply with the terms, conditions, specifications, or performance requirements of this ITB. After the State opens the responses, no price changes shall be permitted except pursuant to target pricing or best and final offer negotiations as specified in this ITB. A Respondent must not submit a response as a prime contractor while also permitting one or more other Respondents to offer the Respondent as a subcontractor in their own responses. Such may result in the disqualification of all Respondents knowingly involved. This restriction does not, however, prohibit different Respondents from offering the same subcontractor as a part of their responses (provided that the subcontractor does not also submit a response as a prime contractor). 3.8. Communications and Contacts. Prospective respondents must direct communications concerning this ITB to the following person designated as the Solicitation Coordinator: DeRenne Raley Department of General Services, CPO 312 Rosa L Parks Avenue, 3rd Floor Tennessee Tower Nashville TN 37243- 1102 (615) 251- 5173 DeRenne.Raley@tn.gov Unauthorized contact about this ITB with employees or officials of the State of Tennessee except as detailed in this ITB may result in disqualification from consideration under this procurement process. Notwithstanding t he foregoing, respondents may alternatively contact: Staff of the Governor's Office of Business Initiatives and Development for assistance available to small businesses as well as general, public information relating to this ITB (visit https://www.tn.gov/generalservices/procurement/central -procurement -office --cpo- /go-bid/about -us.html for contact information); and The following individual designated by the State to coordinate compliance with the nondiscrimination requirements of the State of Tennessee, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and associated federal regulations: Helen Crowley Department of General Services, CPO 312 Rosa L Parks Avenue, 3rd Floor Tennessee Tower Nashville, TN 37243- 1102 615-741-1035 Helen.Crowley@tn.gov 3.9. Responses Submitted by Mail . If submitting a response by mail: (1) all prices must be typed or written in ink on the "Line Details" portion of this ITB; (2) any corrections, erasures, or other alterations to prices must be initialed by the respondent; and (3) the response shall be manually signed by the respondent in ink. Each individual response must be returned in a separate envelope package or container and must be properly labeled on the outside referencing the applicable event number and the response opening date. Responses should be mailed in a properly labeled sealed envelope to the following address: Bidder Services Department of General Services, C PO 312 Rosa L Parks Avenue, 3rd Floor Tennessee Tower Nashville, TN 37243- 1102. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in rejection of the response. 3.10. Respondent Certification . By signing or electronically submitting the response, the respondent agrees to the terms and conditions of this ITB and certifies that all goods or services included in the response meet or exceed the Scope or Specifications of this ITB. The respondent agrees that, if it is awarded a contract, it will deliver goods or services that meet or exceed the specifications in this ITB. 3.11. Exceptions or New Terms or Conditions . Exceptions to terms and conditions or new terms and conditions proposed by the respondent that vary from this ITB may, in the discretion of the State, render the response nonresponsive. A response deemed nonresponsive will not be consid ered for an award of a contract. 3.12. Conflict of Interest. The State shall not consider a response from an individual who is, or within the past six (6) months has been, a State employee. For purposes of this ITB: a. An individual shall be deemed a State employee until such time as all compensation for salary, termination pay, and annual leave has been paid; b. A contract with or a response from a company, corporation, or any other contracting entity in which a controlling interest is held by any State employee shall be considered to be a contract with or proposal from the employee; and c. A contract with or a response from a company, corporation, or any other contracting entity that employs an individual who is, or within the past six (6) months has been, a State employee shall not be considered a contract with or a proposal from the employee and shall not constitute a prohibited conflict of interest. 3.13. Specifications Govern . Brands or model numbers identified in the specifications of this ITB are deemed to meet all written specifications. In the event of a conflict between specified brands and models and the written specifications, the conflict shall be resolved in favor of the written specifications. 3.14. Firm Offer . The response constitutes a firm offer that is irrevocable for ninety (90) days. An award of a contract shall, subject to necessary State approvals, be binding on the respondent without any further action by the respondent. 3.15. F.O.B. Destination . Respondent's prices shall include delivery of all items F.O.B. destination or as otherwise specified by the State. 3.16. Tax Exemption . The State of Tennessee is exempt from local, state, and federal excise taxes. These taxes shall not be included in respondent's prices. The successful respondent shall pay all taxes lawfully imposed on it with respect to any goods or service s delivered in accordance with this ITB. 3.17. Prompt Pay Discount . Any prompt pay discounts offered by respondents shall be extended to all authorized users of the contract. 3.18. Fixed Discount or Surcharge . The percent discount or surcharge per line item must be fixed for the contract's term. 3.19. On-site Inspection . All respondents should visit the site to take exact measurements and examine the premises to become familiar with any problems or unusual circumstances. No allowances will be made by the State for errors in quotations due to any respondent not visiting the site prior to submitting their response. Respondents shall be responsible for their own measurements. 3.20. Used Equipment . When this ITB authorizes offers of used items, no used item is acceptable if serial numbers or any other manufacturer's identifying label or markings have been removed, obliterated, or changed in any way. 3.21. Tennessee Contractor License. Respondents shall be properly licensed as of the date it files a response to this ITB and shall provide evidence of compliance with all applicable provisions of the Contractors Licensing Act of 1994, Tenn. Code Ann. § 62- 6-101, et seq. in providing the specified information within this ITB. Any response that does not comply with Tenn. Code Ann. § 62- 6-119, when applicable, shall be rejected. 3.22. Purchase of Materials for Highways or Roadways. Respondents must comply with Tenn. Code Ann. § 54- 5-135 when purchasing materials used for highway or road construction, resurfacing, or maintenance. 3.23. Energy Star Products . Any goods ordered by the State must be Energy Star certified and meet applicable Energy Star specifications for energy efficiency. 3.24. Safety of Chemical Products. All respondents awarded a contract must maintain, for all