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Brief Descriptions of the various types of solicitations

INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB)

An invitation for bids (IFB) is a formal competitive procedure required when a contract is anticipated to exceed $50,000.00. Often called a "formal bid" or a "competitive sealed bid," an IFB is the preferred method for the procurement of goods and services. Registered vendors are notified of procurement activity in the commodity or service categories for which they are entered. Bids are opened in public at the time and place noted in the IFB.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

A request for proposals (RFP) is used when the contract will exceed $50,000.00 and the state needs to: (1) conduct negotiations concerning technical aspects of a proposal and/or (2) compare quality, proficiency and other relative elements. In an RFP, price is a factor but not the only factor. Vendors are notified when the RFP is for the commodity or service categories for which they are registered and the proposals are opened in public at the time and place designated in the RFP.

LATE BIDS/PROPOSALS ARE NEVER ACCEPTED

Late means any time after the precise moment the bid is due. For example, If the time and date of the bid opening is 3:00 P.M. on the 15th of April and you present your bid to the receiving clerk at 3:01 P.M. on that date, your bid will not be accepted. Exceptions are never made. All bids must be given to the proper receiving clerk before the specified time and date. Please be sure you are certain of the time and location your bid is due and deliver your bid well before it is required.

PUBLIC OPENING

A formal public opening is always conducted promptly at the designated time cited for receipt of bids/proposals. You are invited to attend the public opening of any IFB or RFP. However, there will be no decisions or discussions related to the award of a contract at the opening. After the public opening, the state will evaluate the offers in private and issue a notice of award to the successful vendor. Upon award of the contract, all records become available for examination. Any vendor who has a question about the evaluation should request a debriefing from the appropriate buyer. A frank debriefing will provide information that will enable you to be more competitive in the future.

RESPONDING TO A SOLICITATION

Once you are registered as a prospective vendor, you will receive notice of formal solicitations. Each IFB or RFP will list various terms and conditions, specifications and detailed instructions on how to respond. It is your responsibility to ensure that your bid complies with every requirement. Please take care to familiarize yourself with the entire document and if you have questions, please ask. If we have not made everything clear, please let us know.

Neglecting to read the entire solicitation document and subsequently failing to comply with a requirement is a mistake.

*Fill out your offer on the state forms provided. The offer and acceptance page (SPO form 203) must be submitted with an original ink signature by a person authorized to sign contracts. Failure to provide a signed form 203 will result in rejection of your offer. Submit your offer in a sealed envelope with the correct IFB or RFP number, the date and time the offer is due and your business name and address clearly indicated on the envelope.

**THIS REFERS TO NON-SPIRIT SOLICITATIONS.

NOTE: THE STATE WILL NOT ACCEPT FAX, MAILGRAMS OR TELEGRAPHIC OFFERS IN RESPONSE TO AN IFB OR RFP.

Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation, such as a sign language interpreter, by contacting the appropriate Procurement Agency. Requests should be made as early as possible to allow time to arrange the accommodation.

Request for Quotations (RFQ)

A Request for Quotations (RFQ) is a bid procedure selected for use when the purchase value of a contract is anticipated to be less than $50,000.00. Also known as a "informal bid," an RFQ is used to reduce the time, red tape and administrative cost of bidding when circumstances permit. It does not reduce the necessity to obtain a quality product or service in an economical, fair and objective fashion. However, an RFQ may dispense with the more strenuous requirements of an Invitation for Bids (IFB) or Request for Proposals (RFP). Both of these "formal" solicitation activities are utilized when the anticipated value of the requirement exceeds $50,000. For example, an RFQ does not require notification of all prospective vendors; a formal public bid opening or advertising in a newspaper.

RFQ activity below $50,000.00 may be accomplished through the FOD system (Informal State Agency Solicitations). This system uses an interactive electronic bulletin board to inform prospective vendors of RFQ activity. Bidders obtain information directly from the FOD system and respond directly to the issuing agency. The award is made to the responsible bidder that submitted the quotation that is most advantageous to the state. Quotations are public record and are available for review after the contract is awarded.

Written quotations must be in ink or typewritten. Penciled documents will not be accepted. Prior to submittal, please review all documents for completeness and accuracy and verify that they have been signed by someone in authority to commit your organization. Unless otherwise noted in the RFQ documentation, responses to RFQ's may be mailed, faxed or hand-carried to the location identified on the RFQ documents. The responses have a specific due date and time, and late submissions are not accepted.

Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation, such as a sign language interpreter, by contacting the appropriate Procurement Agency. Requests should be made as early as possible to allow time to arrange the accommodation.