JEFFERSON COUNTYCOMMISSION

PURCHASING DIVISION

ROOM 830 COURTHOUSE

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA35203-0009

OFFICE: (205) 521-7593/FAX: (205) 214-4034

PRINCIPAL BUYER: DOROTHEA ROBINSONDECEMBER 15, 2014

PURCHASING AGENT: MICHAEL MATTHEWSITB NO: 14-15

TO: / Prospective Bidders
INVITATION TO BID NO.: / 14-15 (Full document available for download at )
SEALED BIDS FOR: / OFFICE SUPPLIES, GENERAL
INVITATION TO BID RESPONSES WILL BE RECEIVED BY: / Dorothea Robinson, Principal Buyer
Room 830, 716 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North
Birmingham, AL 35203
***IMPORTANT SOLICITATION DATES***
BID DUE DATE: / BID OPENING DATE:
JANUARY 14, 2015
5:00 PM (Central Standard Time) / JANUARY 15, 2015
2:00 PM (Central Standard Time)
Return responses to this Invitation to Bid in a sealed envelope marked:
“ITB #14-15 FOR OFFICE SUPPLIES, GENERAL”
JeffersonCounty Courthouse
Purchasing Division, Room 830
716 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd North
Birmingham, AL 35203-0009
NOTIFICATION OF INTENT:
All recipients of this solicitation are required to complete and return the enclosed Notification of Intent. Only those vendors submitting the Notification of Intent will be advised of any clarifications, addendum, answers to inquiries, etc. pertaining to this ITB. Notification of Intent may be faxed to 205-214-4034 or emailed to Dorothea Robinson no later than JANUARY 9, 2015. (Full document available for download at )
TELEPHONE INQUIRIES – NOT ACCEPTED:
Telephone inquiries with questions regarding clarification on any and all specifications of the ITB will not be accepted. All questions must be written and faxed to (205) 214-4034 or e-mailed to Dorothea Robinson at .
Submissions may be withdrawn, modified, and resubmitted prior to the formal bid opening due date. Any submission modification(s) after the “Bid Opening Due Date” will not be considered.
Jefferson County, Alabama reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids, or any part of any bid, and to waive any informalities or irregularities in the bid.
All costs incurred by the company to respond to this solicitation will be wholly the responsibility of the Bidder. All copies and contents of the bid, attachments, and explanations thereto submitted in response to this ITB, except copyrighted material, shall become the property of the Jefferson County Commission regardless of the Consultant selected. Response to this solicitation does not constitute an agreement between the Bidder and the County.
The County is not responsible for delays occasioned by the U.S. Postal Service, the internal mail delivery system of Jefferson County, or any other means of delivery employed by the Bidder. Similarly, the County is not responsible for, and will not open, any bid responses which are received later than the date and time indicated above. Late bid responses will be retained in the ITB file, unopened.
Released by:
______


INVITATION TO BID

# 14-15

“OFFICE SUPPLIES, GENERAL”

Dorothea Robinson, Principal Buyer

Room 830*716 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd North

Birmingham, Alabama 35203

Phone: (205) 521-7593

Email:

PURCHASING ASSOCIATION OF CENTRAL ALABAMA

TO ALL BIDDERS:

The attached ITB/RFP presents a cooperative bid/proposal for the Purchasing Association of Central Alabama (PACA) members below:

Alabama School of Fine Arts

Alabaster Board of Education

Bessemer, City of

Bessemer Board of Education

Birmingham Board of Education

Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center

Birmingham Public Library

Birmingport Fire Districts

Brookside, City of

CahabaValley Fire & Rescue

Center Point, City of

Center Point Fire District

Chelsea, City of

Chilton/Shelby Mental Health Board

Clay, City of

Concord Fire Department

Eastern Valley Volunteer Fire Dept

Fairfield Board of Education

Forestdale Fire Department

Four Mile Fire Department

Fultondale, City of

Glennwood Fire District

Gardendale, City of

Auburn d/b/a Harris Early LearningCenter

Helena, City of

Homewood, City of

Hoover, City of

Hueytown, City of

Irondale, City of

JeffersonCounty 911 Emergency

Communication District, Inc.

JeffersonCounty Board of Education

Jefferson CountyCommission

JeffersonCounty Assisted Housing Corp

Jefferson CountyHousing Authority

JeffersonCounty Library Coop

JeffersonStateCommunity College

Kimberly, Town of

Lawley Fire Department

LawsonStateCommunity College

Leeds Board of Education

Leeds, City of

McAdory Fire Departments

Midfield, City of

Midfield Board of Education

MinorHeights Fire Department

Morris, City of

Mountain Brook, City of

Mountain Brook Board of Education

North Shelby Fire Department

Palmerdale Fire Department

Pelham, City of

Pelham Board of Education

Pelham Civic Center

Pelham Water Department

PellCitySchool System

Pinson, City of

Pleasant Grove, City of

Rocky Ridge Fire/Rescue

Shannon Fire Department

ShelbyCounty Board of Education

St. Clair County Board of Education

Storm Water Management Authority

Tarrant, City of

TarrantCity Board of Education

Trussville Board of Education

Trussville Volunteer Fire Department

TuscaloosaCounty Board of Education

TuscaloosaCountyCommission

Vestavia Hills, City of

Vestavia Hills Board of Education

Walker County Board of Education

Warrior, City of

WarriorRiver Fire & Rescue Service

WaterRiver Water Authority

Other government entities and all school systems within JeffersonCounty and counties adjoining thereto may elect to participate in this cooperative bid. Vendors must agree that if any additional government entity does join the Association, vendors shall honor prices on this Invitation to Bid for those additional entities that may join the Association.

ITB/RFP #:14-15

Commodity: “OFFICE SUPPLIES, GENERAL”

Principal Buyer:DOROTHEA ROBINSON

Telephone:(205) 521-7593

The proposal award will be made by the Jefferson County Commission on behalf of the Association in accordance with the provision of the intergovernmental agreement between the Jefferson County Commission and the members of the Association. Each participating governmental entity of the Association will be responsible for issuing its own purchase orders, delivery instructions, invoicing, insurance requirements, and issue its own tax exemption certificate as required by vendors.

This cover letter is considered an integral part of this Request for Proposal document and shall be included by reference into any contract.

Acknowledged by

______

Vendor Name Authorized Signature/Title

JEFFERSON COUNTY COMMISSION

PURCHASING DIVISION

ROOM 830 * 716 RICHARD ARRINGTON JR BLVD NORTH

BIRMINGHAM, AL 35203

(205) 325-5381

PRINCIPAL BUYER: DOROTHEA ROBINSONDECEMBER 15, 2014

PURCHASING AGENT: MICHAEL MATTHEWSITB NO: 14-15

INVITATION TO BID

Sealed bids marked "OFFICE SUPPLIES, GENERAL" will be received by the Purchasing Coordinator, Room 830 * 716 Richard Arrington Jr Blvd N, Birmingham, Alabama.

Bids will be accepted until 5:00 P.M. central time (standard or daylight savings time, as applicable) on

January 14, 2015. Bids submitted after this date and time will not be considered.

Bids will be publicly opened at 2:00 P.M. on January 15, 2015.

The County is not responsible for delays occasioned by the U.S. Postal Service, the internal mail delivery system of the County, or any other means of delivery employed by the bidder. Similarly, the County is not responsible for, and will not open, any bid/proposal responses, which are received later than the date and time, indicated above. Late bids/proposals will be retained in the bid/proposal file, unopened.

TERM OF CONTRACT:

Any contract resulting from this ITB will become effective upon bid award (or within 30 days of award notification, approval of the CountyCommission and purchase order is issued). Contract will expire on February 29, 2016. However, the contract may be extended, at the County’s option, for a period of up to (2) additional 1 year terms.

CONTRACT PERIOD:

Contract will be good for the period 3/1/15 – 2/29/16 with renewal, at County’s option, each fiscal year until 2018.

NOTIFICATION OF INTENT:

All recipients of this ITB are asked to return a letter of Notification of Intent indicating that they intend to submit a Bid. Only those vendors submitting the Notification of Intent will be advised of any clarifications, addendum, answers to inquiries, etc. pertaining to this Bid. Notification of intent must be sent via faxed (205) 214-4034 or e-mailed to Dorothea Robinson at .

TELEPHONE INQUIRIES – NOT ACCEPTED:

Telephone inquiries with questions regarding clarification of any and all specifications of the ITB will not be accepted. All questions must be e-mailed to Dorothea Robinson at .

TELEGRAPHIC/ELECTRONIC ITB RESPONSES:

Bid responses sent by electronic devices (i.e., facsimile machines and email) are not acceptable and will be rejected upon receipt. Vendors will be expected to allow adequate time for delivery of their ITB responses either by airfreight, postal services, or by other means.

INTERPRETATIONS AND ADDENDA:

No interpretation or modification made to any respondent as to the meaning of the ITB shall be binding on the Jefferson County Commission unless submitted in writing and distributed as an addendum by the Jefferson County Purchasing Department. Interpretations and/or clarifications shall be requested in writing and directed to Dorothea Robinson, Principal Buyer, Jefferson County Purchasing Division, 830 Courthouse, 716 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North, Birmingham, AL 35203, (Fax 205 214-4034) or email: . Verbal information obtained otherwise will not be considered in awarding of contract. All addenda shall become part of the ITB.

JEFFERSON COUNTYCOMMISSION

PURCHASING DIVISION

ROOM 830 * 716 RICHARD ARRINGTON JR BLVD NORTH

BIRMINGHAM, AL 35203

(205) 325-5381

PRINCIPAL BUYER: DOROTHEA ROBINSONDECEMBER 15, 2014

PURCHASING AGENT: MICHAEL MATTHEWSITB NO: 14-15

INVITATION TO BID

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE:

The purpose of this ITB is to establish a contract for a manufacturer’s entire line of Office Supplies. For purpose herein used, the term “entire line”, shall include all none manufactured by bidder (or the bidder’s supplier). Unit prices of items specifically listed on BID will be compared with the price list submitted, to determine if proportionate pricing can be established for every item of the manufacturer’s entire line. IF PROPORTIONATE PRICING CAN NOT BE DETERMINED, THE BID MAY BE REJECTED.

SPECIFICATIONS:

GROUP 1: Folders and Dividers

GROUP 2:School Supplies

GROUP 3:Storage Boxes

GROUP 4:Miscellaneous

GROUP 5:Pads/Sheet Protectors/Labels

GROUP 6:Desk Accessories

GROUP 7:Pens/Pencils/Marker/Corrections

GROUP 8:Calendar

GROUP 9:Cards/Indexes

GROUP 10:Adding Paper/Clips/Staples

GROUP 11:Binders/Binding Combs

GROUP 12:Envelopes

Use of specific names and numbers is not intended to restrict the bidding of any seller and/or manufacturer, but is solely for the purpose of indicating the type, size and quality of materials, products, service, or equipment considered best adapted to the County's intended use.

Proprietary specifications may be waived for functional equivalents offered.

LANGUAGE, WORDS USED INTERCHANGEABLY:

The word COUNTY refers to the JEFFERSON COUNTY COMMISSION and/or JEFFERSON COUNTY, ALABAMA throughout this document. Similarly, RESPONDENT, VENDOR, and BIDDER refer to the person or company submitting an offer to sell its goods or services to the COUNTY. The words PROPOSAL, QUOTATION, and ITB are all offers from the BIDDER. The County has established for the purposes of this ITB that the words SHALL, MUST or WILL are equivalent in this ITB and indicate a mandatory requirement or condition, the material deviation from which shall not be waived by the County. A deviation is material if, at the sole discretion of the County, the deficient response is not in substantial accord with this ITB’s mandatory condition requirements. The words SHOULD and MAY is equivalent in the BID and indicates very desirable conditions or requirements but are permissive in nature. Deviation from, or omission of, such a desirable condition or requirement will not in and of itself cause automatic rejection of a proposal, but may result in being considered as not in the best interest of the County.

BID SUBMITTAL:

The County shall not reimburse any firm for cost incurred in the preparation and presentation of their bid. Bidders submitting bids shall provide an original and two (2) hardcopies of the bid.

JEFFERSON COUNTYCOMMISSION

PURCHASING DIVISION

ROOM 830 * 716 RICHARD ARRINGTON JR BLVD NORTH

BIRMINGHAM, AL 35203

(205) 325-5381

PRINCIPAL BUYER: DOROTHEA ROBINSONDECEMBER 15, 2014

PURCHASING AGENT: MICHAEL MATTHEWSITB NO: 14-15

INVITATION TO BID

BID SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS:

FAILURE TO INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING SHALL RESULT IN THE DISQUALIFICATION OF BID:

  1. Original and two (2) hard copies
  2. Completed bid form on Page 14 - 16and 21 – 33of this ITB – pricing is required for evaluation and qualification for award (costs must include all billable charges).
  3. Signed and notarized Non-Collusion Affidavit – Page 18 of this ITB
  4. Bidder must sign the EEOC Form (non-discrimination form – Page 19 and Statement of Compliance form - Page 20 of this ITB) and return as part of bidresponse.
  5. Completed and signed Signature Page – Page 21 of this ITB).

DELIVERY:

Delivery will be to JeffersonCounty and PACA members. All deliveries will be required within forty-eight (48) hours after receipt of order. In order to reduce both internal processing costs, and reduce the carbon footprint resulting from County Operations, Jefferson County will allow the vendor to charge a small order handling fee which not to exceed $7.95 on any orders under $25.00. With the exception of the Small Order Handling Fee, prices shall include all transportation costs including fuel surcharges.

INVOICING:

All invoices must agree with the purchase order in description and price and include the following information:

1)Purchase Order Number; 2) Ship-to department name and address.

In order to ensure prompt payment, ALL ORIGINAL INVOICES*MUST BE SENT TO:

Jefferson CountyCommission

Finance Department

Room 820 CountyCourthouse

716 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North

Birmingham, AL 35203

*If invoice does not agree with purchase order, credits or a corrected invoice will be required in order for the County to process payment. Invoices that do not reference an authorized Purchase Order will be returned to the vendor.

THIRD-PARTY “REMIT-TO”:

If Bidder has a third-party “remit-to” company, that information must appear on the Bidder’s response. JeffersonCounty will send payment to the company designated by Bidder on its response, but will not be responsible for resolving payment issues, should the Bidder change payment processing companies after a payment has been mailed or without forty-five (45) days written notification to the Purchasing and Accounting division of JeffersonCounty.

Purchase orders will be issued as deliveries are required.

F.O.B. Destination via best way.

JEFFERSON COUNTY COMMISSION

PURCHASING DIVISION

ROOM 830 * 716 RICHARD ARRINGTON JR BLVD NORTH

BIRMINGHAM, AL 35203

(205) 325-5381

PRINCIPAL BUYER: DOROTHEA ROBINSONDECEMBER 15, 2014

PURCHASING AGENT: MICHAEL MATTHEWSITB NO: 14-15

INVITATION TO BID

CANCELLATION:

Failure to deliver as specified and in accordance with the bid submitted, including promised delivery will constitute sufficient grounds for cancellation of the order at the option of the CountyCommission.

TERMINATION OF CONTRACT:

This contract may be terminated by the County with a thirty (30) day written notice to the other party regardless of reason. Any violation of this agreement shall constitute a breach and default of this agreement. Upon such breach, the
County shall have the right to immediately terminate the contract and withhold further payments. Such termination shall not relieve the Contractor of any liability to the County for damages sustained by virtue of a breach by the Contractor.

PRICES:

Include transportation (including fuel surcharge, if applicable).

Pricing shall remain firm for the initial annual term of the contract. Prices for subsequent annual periods will be adjusted as follows:

  1. Core List Items:

Core list pricing will be updated based on supplied manufacture’s documentation. Vendor shall submit revised core list pricing and manufacture’s documentation for any increases to Jefferson County Purchasing Department for approval.

  1. Non-Core Pricing:

Discounts from Manufacturer’s Suggested List Price shall remain firm for any renewal periods. Vendor shall apply the quoted discount from list by category to the then current Manufacturer’s Suggested List Price and supply an updated catalog file to Jefferson County Purchasing Department for approval. Updated Non-Core Pricing will remain firm for the annual contract extension.

No Margin/Cost of doing business will be allowed.

PRE-PAYMENTS:

No prepayments of any kind will be made prior to shipment.

If mutually agreed upon, additional contracts may be executed, based upon this bid for the same item(s) or related types and/or sizes.

Bidder agrees that JeffersonCounty will be charged no more for item(s) bid than the State of Alabama, and that in the event of a price reduction; the County will receive the benefit of such reduction on any undelivered portion of contract.

PRICE REDUCTION:

In the event of a general price reduction, the County will receive the benefit of such reduction on any undelivered portion of contract.

WAREHOUSE STOCK:

Warehouse stock located in or near JeffersonCounty will be a requirement.

JEFFERSON COUNTY COMMISSION

PURCHASING DIVISION

ROOM 830 * 716 RICHARD ARRINGTON JR BLVD NORTH

BIRMINGHAM, AL 35203

(205) 325-5381

PRINCIPAL BUYER: DOROTHEA ROBINSONDECEMBER 15, 2014

PURCHASING AGENT: MICHAEL MATTHEWSITB NO: 14-15

INVITATION TO BID

SAMPLES:

If requested, bidder will furnish a sample of each item on which he has bid within seven (7) day (s).

Samples will be returned within thirty (30) days following the bid opening, if picked up by the bidder.

QUANTITIES:

Quantities shown are estimates, and are not a guarantee to buy in the amount shown.

GUARANTEE:

Bidder certifies by bidding, that he is fully aware of the conditions of service and purpose for which item(s) included in this bid are to be purchased, and that his offering will meet these requirements of service and purpose to the satisfaction of the Jefferson County Commission and its agent.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Bids will be considered only from companies that have been established for a minimum of three (3) years under the same name and ownership.

REQUIREMENTS:

Vendor must have the capability to provide the following:

  • Core list items and items other than core items.
  • Provide an electronic CD with all core list items.
  • Provide a hard copy net pricer of all catalog items showing manufacturer list price, selling price and percentage discounted from full line catalog.
  • Bidders are required to respond with a minimum catalog size of 8,000 items. Include the number of items from full-line catalog (general office supplies / school supplies) to which your discount applies.
  • Deliveries in a 2-day/48-hour turn around after receipt of order.
  • Discrepancies must be handled promptly (within 7-days on incorrect delivery and within 30-days for invoicing errors/problems.
  • Vendor must provide the percentage of discount for all core items and all items in its catalog. Discount must be given on core items and a separate discount for non-core items listed in the full-line catalog.

•In lieu of rebates vendors must provide an electronic semi-annual cost savings report to Jefferson County and PACA members.