R1: 19-11-105.
Employment of illegal immigrants-Prohibition-Certification by
contractor.
(a) Prior to award of a
contract, the contractor must certify that the contractor does not, and agrees
that for the aggregate term of the contract will not, employ or contract with
any illegal immigrant. The instructions for certification will be provided in
the contract solicitation.
(b) If
the contractor violates the above certification or is found to not be in
compliance during the term of the contract, the state shall require the
contractor to remedy the violation within 60 days of discovery of that
violation. Failure to remedy the violation within the 60 day period will result
in termination for breach of contract, and the contractor shall be liable to
the State for the State's actual damages.
(c) If the contractor uses a subcontractor at
the time of the above certification, the subcontractor shall certify that the
subcontractor does not employ or contract with an illegal immigrant. The
subcontractor's certification must be submitted within 30 days after award of
the contract, and the contractor is required to maintain the certification on
file for the remainder of the term of the contract.
(d) In the event that the contractor learns
that the subcontractor's certification is in violation of the Act, and
terminates the contract with the subcontractor, the termination of the
subcontract for a violation of this section will not be considered a breach of
the contractor's contract with the state. However, any subcontractor
subsequently hired by the contractor shall be required to provide like
certification.
R1:
19-11-203.
Definitions of terms used in this Act.
Exempt Commodities and Services Means:
(a) Under subsection (14)(D)(i) - Commodities
procured for resale does not include items used to support the sale of goods or
services such as reusable items or items used in preparing, serving,
dispensing, or packaging, except for vendor packaging included with the item
purchased.
(b) Under subsection
(14)(G)(i) - Farm products includes unprocessed feed for livestock.
(c) Under subsection (14)(K) - "License" does
not mean software license.
(d)
Under subsection (14)(M) - Livestock breeding to include ova and
semen.
(e) Under subsection (14)(N)
- Technical equipment for maintenance purposes shall include, but not be
limited to, medical, dental, laboratory, and health aid equipment, climate
control equipment, water treatment services, elevators, musical instruments,
communications equipment, data processing equipment, and specialized research
equipment.
(f) Under subsection
(14)(Q) - "Perishable foodstuffs" means the raw material of food before or
after processing, such being liable to spoil or decay in a short duration of
time, such as (but not limited to) produce, eggs, or milk.
(g) Retail gasoline credit card purchases are
exempt by regulation, regardless of the amount.
(h) Renewals of termite protection contracts
with the contractor who performed the initial treatment of the facility are
exempt. Not exempt are termite protection contracts which include the initial
treatment.
(i) Under subsection
(14)(H) - Fees that are uniform and fixed in advance by an authoritative body,
such as fees for membership in professional associations, court filing fees,
witness fees, workshop fees for professional conferences or training, medical
fees and physician fees, are exempt from Arkansas Procurement Law. Fees that
are payment for professional services for which there is generally free market
competition and which may reasonably be subject to negotiation, are not exempt
from Arkansas Procurement Law.
R2:
19-11-203.
Capital Improvements.
Under subsection (14)(Y), capital improvements valued at less than the
bid requirement threshold stated in Ark. Code Ann. §
22-9-202(b)(2)(C)
subject to Department of Finance and Administration Building Authority Division
minimum standards and criteria are exempt from the requirements of the
Procurement Law.
R3:
19-11-203.
Proprietary Software.
Software exemption under subsection (14)(AA) does not apply to the
initial purchase of proprietary software. Nor does the exemption apply to the
purchase of software that is part of any mandatory software contract. Exempt
software purchases shall include the purchase of additional proprietary
software licenses, copies, license renewals, software upgrades, and proprietary
software support for proprietary software after the initial
purchase.
R6: 19-11-203.
Hidden Damages.
(a) Under
subsection (14)(DD), "hidden or unknown damages" refers to damages to machinery
needing repair that were not visible or readily apparent to, or were otherwise
not within the knowledge of agency personnel at the time the piece of machinery
was being serviced by a vendor. By way of example and not limitation, if an
agency takes a piece of machinery to a vendor to repair one or more problems,
and in the course of such work the vendor notices one or more additional
problems that need repair, the agency may, but is not required to, authorize
that vendor to undertake such additional repairs without having to solicit
competitive bids.
(b) "Machinery"
means mechanical devices or combinations of mechanical powers and devices
purchased or constructed and used to perform some function and to produce a
certain effect or result.
(c) This
exemption does not apply to damages that are visible, readily apparent, or are
or could be within the knowledge of agency personnel with the exercise of
reasonable inspection or investigation.
R7: 19-11-203.
Academic Medical
Center.
EXEMPT COMMODITIES AND SERVICES MEANS:
Under subsection (14)(EE) and subsection 23(B)(ii), "Academic medical
center" consists of a public medical school and its primary teaching hospitals
and clinical programs.
R1:
19-11-204.
Requests for Qualification Procurement
Method.
(a) The request for
qualifications procurement method is used, with prior written approval from the
Director of the Office of State Procurement, when price competition is
irrelevant and/or the qualifications or specialized expertise of the vendor is
the most important factor in selection. For example, an RFQ would likely be
appropriate in instances where an agency is compiling a list of qualified
vendors and will be offering the same contract rates to all qualified vendors,
because price competition is irrelevant in such a situation. An agency should
give public notice of an RFQ opportunity, but may also send notice directly to
those vendors the agency considers to be best-qualified and capable of
performing the scope of work or services required.
(b) Notification of RFQs, for which OSP is
responsible, in amounts greater than seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000)
will be made on the OSP website. The agency makes its initial selection based
upon the respondent's qualifications. Only after the most qualified respondent
is identified does cost become a factor in determining the award. Discussion
may be conducted with qualified vendors who, based upon qualifications
submitted, are determined to reasonably be susceptible of being selected for
the purpose of clarification to assure full understanding of, and
responsiveness to the solicitation requirements, and to obtain best and final
offers. If the state agency or political subdivision is unable to negotiate a
satisfactory contract with the vendor selected, negotiations with that vendor
shall be terminated and the agency may proceed to negotiate with one or more of
the other qualified vendors.
R2:
19-11-204.
Ethical standards.
In accordance with Ark. Code Ann. §
19-11-708(a),
(b), and (c), the following statement must be
conspicuously set forth in all contracts and solicitations costing more than
twenty thousand dollars ($20,000): "It shall be a breach of ethical standards
for a person to be retained, or to retain a person, to solicit or secure a
state contract upon an agreement or understanding for a commission, percentage,
brokerage, or contingent fee, except for retention of bona fide employees or
bona fide established commercial selling agencies maintained by the contractor
for the purpose of securing business."
R1: 19-11-217.
Authority of the State
Procurement Director.
Quality ASSURANCE, INSPECTION, and TESTING. The State Procurement
Director shall procure or supervise the procurement of all commodities and
services for each state agency not having an agency procurement official and,
when requested to do so by such an official, procure commodities and services
not otherwise under state contract. However, in every instance the using agency
or college or university receiving commodities or services under the contract
shall be responsible for assuring that commodities and services conform to the
necessary specifications, terms and conditions of the contract. Unless
otherwise agreed, and subject to other applicable law, where commodities are
tendered or delivered or identified to the contract for sale, the using agency
has a right, before payment or acceptance, to inspect them at any reasonable
place and time and in any reasonable manner. When the seller is required or
authorized to send the commodities directly to the using agency, the inspection
may be after their arrival. Using agencies are to provide assessments of the
vendor's performance of services as required under Section
19-11-268
of the Arkansas Code Annotated.
Examination of commodities and services may, where and when necessary,
include laboratory testing and/or simulation studies.
R2: 19-11-217.
Authority of the State
Procurement Director.
Reporting. The State Procurement Director has the authority to collect
information from any designee, department, agency, and procurement official to
facilitate the preparation of statistical and financial reports on state
government procurement activity and monitoring of compliance with Arkansas
Procurement Law.
R3:
19-11-217.
Authority of the State Procurement
Director.
(a) Vendor Fee. Vendors
shall make application on the Office of State Procurement web site at
www.arkansas.gov/dfa/procurement to have their name placed on the State Master
Vendor list for the commodities and services they wish to supply or provide. An
annual fee may be required.
(b)
State Master Vendor List. Inclusion of the name of a business on the vendor's
list does not indicate whether the business is responsible with respect to a
particular procurement or otherwise capable of successfully performing a
contract.
(c) Vendors Not on Vendor
Lists. Hard copies of invitations to bid requested in response to public notice
or other notification of a particular procurement will be provided to the
requestor at a charge consistent with the current costs of reproduction and
distribution.
(d) Recommended
Vendors. Vendors listed as recommended vendors on agency purchase requests will
be furnished invitations to bid, however, if the contract is awarded to a
"recommended vendor," that vendor must register on the State Master Vendor List
prior to contract award and pay the fee.
R4: 19-11-217.
Vendors List.
(a) Vendors List. The Office of State
Procurement and each agency procurement official will maintain a vendors
list.
(b) Application. A vendor
must make application on the Office of State Procurement web site at
www.arkansas.gov/dfa/procurement to have its name placed on the vendors lists
for the commodities and services it wishes to supply or provide. The business
must provide complete information requested in the application before it will
be considered for placement on a vendors list.
(c) Determination. The procurement agencies
may refuse to list any prospective bidder not making proper application. The
prospective bidder has the burden of showing that it meets the qualifications
for inclusion on the vendors list on which it seeks to be listed. The
prospective bidder will be promptly advised if its application is disapproved
and the reasons for disapproval will be stated.
(d) Reapplication. Any prospective bidder
whose application is disapproved may reapply following the date of
disapproval.
(e) Removal.
(1) Any bidder who requests in writing to be
removed from the vendors list will be removed.
(2) Bidders who have been suspended and/or
debarred will be removed from the vendors list.
(f) Vendors seeking to contract with colleges
and universities need to contact those institutions. Note: A foreign
corporation may not transact business in this state until it obtains a
certificate of authority from the Secretary of State.
R1: 19-11-223.
Commodities and services
under state contract.
(a) Request for
Exclusion. State agencies having agency procurement officials may request
exemption from a proposed state contract by submitting to the State Procurement
Director a written justification for such exemption.
(b) Determination by State Procurement
Director. Approval or denial of exemption from a state contract shall be made
in writing by the State Procurement Director.
R1: 19-11-229.
Competitive sealed
bidding.
Definition.
Invitations for bids for which OSP is responsible will be posted on the
OSP website www.arkansas.gov/dfa/procurement in adequate time to allow
response.
R2: 19-11-229.
Competitive sealed bidding.
Conditions for Use.
(a) Lease.
All contracts for the lease of a commodity which exceed a cost of seventy-five
thousand dollars ($75,000) during the initial period of the contract shall be
awarded on the basis of competitive sealed bids. All contracts for the lease of
a commodity that do not exceed seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) during
the initial period of the contract but contain an option to purchase a
commodity costing more than seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) will be
awarded on the basis of competitive sealed bids. No lease duration including
renewals can extend beyond a seven-year period. The term "lease" includes
rent.
(b) Purchase of Commodities
Subject to the Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 54. Commodities subject to the
Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 54 (printing, stationery and supplies) may be
purchased only by the State Procurement Director or his
designee.
R3: 19-11-229.
Competitive sealed bidding.
Commodities and services which are not practicable to procure by
competitive sealed bidding:
(1)
Postage meter leases;
(2) Motor
vehicle rentals (for thirty (30) days or less) may be procured by use of
competitive bid procedures. All motor vehicle leases (over thirty days) must be
approved by the State Procurement Director under the provisions of Ark. Code
Ann. §
22-8-102.
(3) Agricultural equipment leases for one
hundred eighty (180) days or less may be procured by use of competitive bid
procedures.
R5:
19-11-229.
Competitive sealed bidding.
Bid Submission.
(1) Bidders
shall submit bids at the place and on or before the date and time set in the
invitation for bids. Bids received after the date and time designated for bid
opening are late bids and shall not be considered.
(2) All bids and any modifications to bids
previously filed, received prior to the date and time fixed for opening bids,
shall be kept secure and unopened. If a bid is submitted and the invitation for
bids number is not clearly marked to indicate the date and time of bid opening,
the State Procurement Director or agency procurement official may make a
reasonable attempt to determine which bid the sealed submission corresponds
to.
(3) Retrieval of a bid for
purposes of modification or withdrawal shall be permitted prior to date and
time of opening upon positive identification of a bona fide representative of
the business.
R7:
19-11-229.
Competitive sealed bidding. Bid
Evaluation.
(1) Those criteria that
will affect the bid price and be considered in evaluation for award shall be
stated in the bid and objectively measured, such as transportation costs and
total or life cycle cost. Judgmental evaluation of commodities and services may
be used in determining whether the commodity or service offered by a bidder
meets the specification requirements of the procurement, or the bidder is
qualified to provide the service.
(2) The following matters will be applicable
to all invitations for bids issued, bids submitted, and contracts awarded for
the purchase of commodities:
(A) Time
discounts or cash discounts will not be considered;
(B) Quantity discounts should be included in
the price of the item. When not included in the item price, the discount will
be considered only if the procurement agency, or the agency for whose benefit
the procurement has been undertaken, deems it to be in the state's best
interest. The unit price shown on the contract will be the net price, less the
discount, unless otherwise indicated in the bid;
(C) An award may be made to the lowest
aggregate bidder for all items, group of items, or on an individual item basis,
whichever is deemed to be in the state's best interest.
(D) Only signed, sealed bids delivered prior
to the date and time of bid opening will be accepted.
(E) Past Performance
(i) The past performance of a bidder on a
state contract may be used by the procurement agency to determine whether the
bidder is "responsible." Past performance must be supported by written
documentation not greater than three years old. Documentation may be a formal
Vendor Performance Report, an informal memo (signed and dated) or any other
appropriate authenticated notation of performance to the vendor file. Reports,
memos and files may be in electronic form. Past performance may be positive or
negative.
(ii) Past performance on
contracts from other Arkansas State Agencies may also be used for evaluation.
Supporting documentation should be provided.
(iii) Past performance evaluation should not
take the place of suspension or debarment procedures.
(3) Tie Bids.
(A) Definitions: As used in this section
(i) "Arkansas company" means a domestic
corporation, limited liability company, partnership, or not-for-profit
organization as defined by Arkansas law; and
(ii) "Out-of-state company" means all foreign
entities as defined by Arkansas law.
(B) In the event the lowest prices offered
result in a tie bid, the person responsible for awarding a contract must ensure
that all offers meet specifications.
(C) In the event of a tie bid between two or
more offers that meet the specifications as required and where one of the
offerors is an Arkansas company, then the award will be made to that Arkansas
company.
(D) In the event of a tie
bid between two or more offers that meet the specifications as required
(i) and where at least two of the offerors
are Arkansas companies, then an award will be determined by lot (flip of a
coin) between those Arkansas companies;
(ii) or if all of the offerors are
out-of-state companies, then an award will be determined by lot (flip of a
coin) among all the bidders.
(E) The coin flip will be done in the
presence of at least one witness by the person responsible for awarding the
contract. All witnesses must be employees of the State of Arkansas. A
documentation of the coin flip must be included on the tabulation or bid
history sheet and be signed by the person responsible for awarding the contract
and all witnesses.
R8:
19-11-229.
Competitive sealed bidding.
Rejection. Grounds for rejection of bids include but are not be limited
to:
(1) failure of a bid to conform to
the essential requirements of an invitation for bids;
(2) any bid which does not conform to the
specifications contained or referenced in any invitation for bids unless the
items offered as alternatives meet the requirements specified in the
invitation;
(3) any bid which fails
to conform to a delivery schedule established in an invitation for bids, unless
the invitation for bids contains provisions for acceptance of offers with
alternative delivery schedules;
(4)
a bid imposing conditions which would modify the stated terms and conditions of
the invitation for bids;
(5) any
bid determined by the procurement official in writing to be unreasonable as to
price;
(6) bids received from
bidders determined to be nonresponsible bidders;
(7) failure to furnish a bid guarantee when
required by an invitation for bids; and
(8) any or all bids when the procurement
official makes a written determination that it is in the best interest of the
state.
R9: 19-11-229.
Competitive sealed bidding.
(a)
Correction or Withdrawal of Bids.
(1) The
State Procurement Director or agency procurement official may waive
technicalities (small details) or minor irregularities (something irregular in
form or nature) in bids which do not affect the material substance of the bids
when it is in the state's best interest to do so.
(2) Amendments to bids shall be allowed if
the amendments are in writing and signed, are received prior to the date and
time of bid opening, and clearly indicate the date and time of bid opening and
bid number.
(3) If there is a
suspected bid mistake, the State Procurement Director or agency procurement
official may request confirmation of a bid and shall request the confirmation
to be made in writing. The bid of any bidder who fails or refuses to clarify in
writing within a reasonable time any matter contained in his bid shall be
rejected. The written clarification shall become a part of the contract awarded
on the basis of that bid.
(4) Bid
prices shall be based on the unit prices and any correction of the price
extension or of the price addition by the Office of State Procurement or state
agency having an agency procurement official shall not be considered the
correction of a bid. Bid prices shall not be increased after the date and hour
of bid opening. A bid price may be decreased only after a determination has
been made that the bid is low.
(5)
An otherwise low bidder may be permitted the opportunity to furnish other
information requested in the invitation for bids and not supplied due to
oversight, so long as it does not affect responsiveness.
(6) When a mistake in a bid is claimed by the
vendor prior to award and the evidence is clear and convincing that a material
mistake was made in the bid, and that due to such mistake the bid submitted was
not the bid intended, the bidder may be permitted to withdraw his bid. Where
the evidence is clear and convincing that a material mistake has been made in a
bid after the award of a contract and the contractor will sustain a financial
loss (a reduction or diminution in profit margin shall not be deemed a
financial loss under this subsection) if required to perform the contract, the
contract may be rescinded.
(b) Correction. Any negotiated adjustments,
as defined in Ark. Code Ann. §
19-11-229(h),
will not be considered the correction of a bid.
R10: 19-11-229.
Competitive sealed
bidding.
(a) Award. After a reasonable
bid evaluation period, the bid shall be awarded to the responsive and
responsible bidder who has submitted the lowest bid that meets the requirements
and criteria set forth in the invitation for bids. All bids may be rejected if,
after evaluation of the bids, including consideration of any clarifying or
explanatory information submitted by the bidders, it is determined by the
procurement official that no satisfactory bid has been received.
(b) Negotiation. In the event that
negotiation is necessary, a bidder may be determined to be non-responsive if
the bidder and agency are unable to reach a mutually agreeable negotiated
adjustment. If negotiations fail or the agency is unable to reach a negotiated
adjustment with the apparent low bidder, the next lowest bidder can be
contacted for the purposes of entering into negotiations.
(c) Unsuccessful Bid. In the event no bids
are received or items bid do not meet specifications and it is apparent that
further solicitation of bids would be futile, requested commodities may be
purchased from any available source.
R12: 19-11-229.
Cancellation of
invitations for bids.
When an invitation for bids is cancelled, notice of cancellation of OSP
bids will be posted on the OSP website www.arkansas.gov/dfa/procurement. The
bids may be returned if the bid is properly identified.
R13: 19-11-229.
Ethical
standards.
In accordance with Ark. Code Ann. §
19-11-708(a),
(b), and (c), the following statement must be
conspicuously set forth in all contracts and solicitations costing more than
twenty thousand dollars ($20,000): "It shall be a breach of ethical standards
for a person to be retained, or to retain a person, to solicit or secure a
state contract upon an agreement or understanding for a commission, percentage,
brokerage, or contingent fee, except for retention of bona fide employees or
bona fide established commercial selling agencies maintained by the contractor
for the purpose of securing business."
R14: 19-11-229.
Negotiations.
(a) Negotiation of Competitive Sealed Bids
should be used only in those cases where the best interests of the State are
served, such as where the lowest bid submitted by a responsive and responsible
bidder exceeds the available funding to pay for the commodity or service (as
certified by the appropriate fiscal officer of the procurement agency) or can
be shown to be above the fair market price available on the open market to a
reasonably prudent buyer. Procurement officials who conduct negotiations should
be trained in negotiation and Arkansas Procurement Law.
(b) Prior to negotiation, a written
justification supporting negotiations must be included in the bid folder. The
justification must include, as applicable:
(1) Bid tabulation with indication of lowest
responsive and responsible bidder.
(2) Certification of funds budgeted for the
procurement by agency chief fiscal officer in instances where all bids received
from responsive and responsible bidders exceed the available funding.
(3) Reason(s) precluding re-solicitation,
including but not limited to time constraints and economic impact to
agency.
(c) After it is
determined that negotiation is in the best interests of the State and
permissible under Ark. Code Ann. §
19-11-229(2)(A),
appropriate representatives will proceed with negotiations and award
recommendation.
Appropriate representatives include purchasing staff and
representatives from the original requesting unit.
(d) Agency should investigate the factors
affecting the price offered by the apparent low bidder to include but not be
limited to cost, delivery requirements, warranty, location of supplier,
volatile nature of goods or services requested and current economic condition
of the market.
(e) The agency must
develop a plan to include at least:
(1) The
acceptable range of price, the desired "best" price and the highest acceptable
price.
(2) What adjustment may be
made to delivery requirements that may affect price.
(3) Acceptable adjustments in
quantity.
(4) A prioritized list of
acceptable adjustments in specifications that may result in price
reduction.
(5) Timetable for
completion of negotiation.
(f) Negotiation plans shall not be revealed
to bidder(s) nor made available for public review until after the anticipated
award is made public in order to avoid revealing information that if disclosed
would give advantage to competitors or bidders.
(g) An acceptable negotiated contract must be
signed and in writing listing agreed upon terms, conditions, specifications,
quantities and pricing.
(h) If a
negotiated contract cannot be developed, the bidder may be declared
non-responsive and time permitting, the negotiation process may be repeated
with the next low bidder.
(i) If
negotiations do not result in an acceptable contract, the Director or head of a
procurement agency may authorize that a new solicitation be issued or elect to
procure by special procurement (Ark. Code Ann. §
19-11-263
).
R1: 19-11-230.
Competitive sealed proposals.
Request for Proposals for which OSP is responsible will be posted on
the OSP website in adequate time to allow response.
R2: 19-11-230.
Competitive sealed
proposals.
Conditions of Use. The key element in determining the necessity for
utilization of the competitive sealed proposal method is the type of evaluation
required. Where evaluation involves the relative abilities of offerors to
perform, including the degree of technical or professional experience, and
price is not the only consideration, use of competitive sealed proposals is
appropriate. Further, where the types of supplies or services may require the
use of comparative, judgmental evaluation, competitive sealed proposals are the
appropriate procurement method.
R3:
19-11-230.
Competitive sealed proposals. Proposal
Submission.
(1) Offerors shall submit
proposals at the place and on or before the date and time set in the Request
for Proposal. Proposals received after the date and time designated for the
proposal opening are considered late and shall not be considered.
(2) All proposals and any modifications to
the proposals previously filed, received prior to the date and time fixed for
opening the proposals, shall be kept secure and unopened. If a proposal is
submitted and the Request for Proposals number is not clearly marked to
indicate the date and time of the proposal opening the State Procurement
Director or agency procurement official may make a reasonable attempt to
determine which solicitation the sealed submission corresponds to.
(3) Retrieval of a proposal for purposes of
modification or withdrawal shall be permitted prior to date and time of opening
upon positive identification of a bona fide representative of the offeror who
submitted the proposal.
R4:
19-11-230.
Competitive sealed proposals.
Request for Proposals Opening. The names of the offerors may be read
aloud. An abstract of proposals listing the names of offerors shall be prepared
by the entity responsible for the RFP and shall be retained in the Request for
Proposals file and shall be available for public inspection.
R5: 19-11-230.
Competitive sealed
proposals.
(a) Evaluation. The
evaluation shall be based on the evaluation factors set forth in the Request
for Proposals. All members of evaluation committees shall participate in
Evaluation Committee Training sponsored either by OSP or the college or
university agency procurement official. Evaluations will be conducted in
accordance with the OSP Policy. A written recommendation shall be made by the
evaluation committee and submitted by the chairperson to the State Procurement
Director or agency procurement official stating the basis on which the
recommendation for award was found to be most advantageous to the
state.
(a)
(1) Responsibility of Offeror. Past
performance of an offeror may be used by the procurement agency to determine
whether the offeror is "responsible." No points for past performance may be
used in the evaluation scoring criteria. Past performance must be supported by
written documentation not greater than three (3) years old. Documentation may
be a formal Vendor Performance Report, an informal memo (signed and dated) or
any other appropriate authenticated notation of performance to the vendor file.
Reports, memos and files may be in electronic form. Past performance may be
positive or negative.
(i) Past performance on
contracts from other Arkansas State Agencies may also be used for evaluation.
Supporting documentation should be provided.
(ii) Past performance evaluation should not
take the place of suspension or debarment procedures.
(2) The awarding of points for references may
be used as evaluation scoring criteria if set forth in the
solicitation.
(c) Tie
Bids.
(1) Definitions: As used in this section
(i) "Arkansas company" means a domestic
corporation, limited liability company, partnership, or not-for-profit
organization as defined by Arkansas law; and
(ii) "Out-of-state company" means all foreign
entities as defined by Arkansas law.
(2) In the event the lowest prices offered
result in a tie bid, the person responsible for awarding a contract must ensure
that all offers meet specifications.
(3) In the event of a tie bid between two or
more offers that meet the specifications as required and where one of the
offerors is an Arkansas company, then the award shall be made to that Arkansas
company.
(4) In the event of a tie
bid between two or more offers that meet the specifications as required
(i) and where at least two of the offerors
are Arkansas companies, then an award will be determined by lot (flip of a
coin) between those Arkansas companies;
(ii) or if all of the offerors are
out-of-state companies, then an award will be determined by lot (flip of a
coin) among all the offerors.
(5) The coin flip will be done in the
presence of at least one witness by the person responsible for awarding the
contract. All witnesses must be employees of the State of Arkansas. A
documentation of the coin flip must be included on the tabulation or bid
history sheet and be signed by the person responsible for awarding the contract
and all witnesses.
R6:
19-11-230.
Rejection of proposals.
Grounds for rejection of proposals include but shall not be limited
to:
(1) failure of a proposal to
conform to the essential requirements of a Request for Proposals;
(2) a proposal imposing conditions which
would modify the stated terms and conditions of the Request for
Proposal;
(3) any proposal
determined by the procurement official in writing to be unreasonable as to
price;
(4) failure to furnish a
bond when required by a Request for Proposals; and
(5) the offeror's record of poor past
performance or irresponsibility; and
(6) any or all proposals when the procurement
official makes a written determination that it is in the best interest of the
State and documents the reason(s) supporting the
determination.
R7:
19-11-230.
Correction or withdrawal of proposals.
(a) There is a strong public interest in
favor of conserving public funds in awarding public contracts, and little, if
any, public benefit in disqualifying proposals for technical deficiencies in
form or minor irregularities where the offeror does not derive any unfair
competitive advantage therefrom. The State Procurement Director or agency
procurement official may waive technicalities in proposals or minor
irregularities in a procurement which do not affect the material substance of
the Request for Proposals when it is in the State's best interest to do
so.
(b) Amendments to proposals
shall be allowed if the amendments are in writing and signed, are received
prior to the date and time of the proposal opening, and clearly indicate the
date and time of proposal opening and Request for Proposals number.
(c) If there is a suspected proposal mistake,
the State Procurement Director or agency procurement official may request
confirmation of a proposal and shall request the confirmation to be made in
writing. The response of any offeror who fails or refuses to clarify in writing
within a reasonable time any matter contained in his or her proposal may be
rejected. Any written clarification submitted shall become a part of the
contract awarded on the basis of that proposal.
(d) Proposal prices shall not be increased
after the date and hour of the proposal opening.
(e) When a mistake in a proposal is claimed
by the vendor prior to award and the evidence is clear and convincing that a
material mistake was made in the proposal, and that due to such mistake the
proposal submitted was not the proposal intended, the bidder may be permitted
to withdraw his proposal.
R8:
19-11-230.
Negotiations.
(a) Negotiation of Request for Proposals
should be authorized in those cases where the best interests of the State are
served. Negotiations are begun with the highest ranked offeror based on the
scores as established in the Request for Proposals' scoring criteria. If a
satisfactorily negotiated contract cannot be developed, the offeror may be
declared not to be a responsible offeror, the proposal may be rejected, and
time permitting, the negotiation process may be repeated with the next
respondent deemed most likely to be awarded a contract.
(b) Prior to negotiation, the Request for
Proposals file must include documentation giving the stated purpose for the
negotiation and the objective to be achieved.
(c) An agency should investigate with the
provider determined most likely to be awarded a contract, factors affecting the
price, performance, and scope of services to be offered including current
market conditions.
(d) Prior to
initiating negotiations, the agency must develop a plan to include at least:
(1) The acceptable range of price, the
desired "best" price and the highest acceptable price.
(2) Adjustments to the scheduled delivery of
services that may have an impact on price.
(3) Acceptable modifications in the overall
scope of work.
(4) A prioritized
list of acceptable changes in services that may result in price
reduction.
(5) Timetable for
completion of negotiation.
(e) No part of any negotiation plan shall be
revealed to bidder(s) or made available for public review until after a contact
award.
(f) An acceptable negotiated
contract shall list the agreed upon terms, conditions, specifications,
quantities and pricing, and be signed by the agency and the provider.
(g) All proposals may be rejected if, after
evaluation of the proposals, including consideration of any clarifying or
explanatory information submitted by the bidders, it is determined by the
procurement official that no satisfactory proposal has been
received.
R9: 19-11-230.
Cancellation of the Request for Proposals.
A notice of cancellation of an OSP Request for Proposals shall be
posted on the OSP website. The proposals may be returned if properly
identified.
R10: 19-11-230.
Ethical standards.
In accordance with Ark. Code Ann. §
19-11-708(a),
(b), and (c), the following statement must be
conspicuously set forth in all contracts and solicitations costing more than
twenty thousand dollars ($20,000): "It shall be a breach of ethical standards
for a person to be retained, or to retain a person, to solicit or secure a
state contract upon an agreement or understanding for a commission, percentage,
brokerage, or contingent fee, except for retention of bona fide employees or
bona fide established commercial selling agencies maintained by the contractor
for the purpose of securing business."
R1: 19-11-231.
Small procurements -
Conditions for use.
(1) LEASE. All
state agencies may lease commodities with the exclusion of vehicles (See Ark.
Code Ann. §
22-8-102
) where the cost does not exceed twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) during the
initial period of the contract without seeking competitive bids, provided the
lease does not contain an option to purchase. Such leases may not be renewed
beyond accumulated expenditures of twenty thousand dollars ($20,000).
(2)
(2)
PURCHASE OF COMMODITIES SUBJECT TO AMENDMENT 54 TO THE ARKANSAS CONSTITUTION.
Purchase of commodities subject to Amendment 54 to the Arkansas Constitution
must be procured in accordance with competitive bidding and competitive sealed
bidding procedures. (See Ark. Code Ann. §
19-11-222(b)
for definitions of printing, stationery, and supplies.)
(3)
(3)
CERTIFIED MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISE OR CERTIFIED WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESS
ENTERPRISE. A procurement that does not exceed two (2) times the amount stated
in Ark. Code Ann. §
19-11-204(13)
may be procured without seeking competitive bids or competitive sealed bids if
the procurement is with a certified minority business enterprise or certified
women-owned business enterprise. The certification process is administered by
the Division of Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise of the Arkansas
Economic Development Commission.
R1: 19-11-232.
Proprietary or sole
source procurements.
(a) GENERAL. Sole
source procurements of commodities and technical services are those
procurements which, by virtue of the performance specification, are available
from a single source. Brand name preferences or merely aesthetic design
specifications are not sufficient justification for sole source awards. Such
procurements may include but are not limited to:
(1) requirements of performance compatibility
with existing commodities or services; or
(2) repairs involving hidden
damage.
(b) APPROVAL.
Request for approval shall be made in writing and shall include in the
justification:
(1) a copy of the purchase
order or requisition
(2) why the
service is needed;
(3) the methods
used to determine that a lack of responsible/responsive competition exists for
the service;
(4) how it was
determined that the provider possesses exclusive capabilities;
(5) why the service is unique;
(6) whether or not there are patent or
proprietary rights which make the required service unavailable from other
sources;
(7) what the agency would
do if the provider/service were no longer available;
(8) any program considerations which make the
use of a "Sole Source" critical to the successful completion of the agency's
task; and
(9) the "Contract and
Grant Disclosure and Certification Form" required by Governor's Executive Order
98-04, if applicable.
(c) Procurements under this section must be
approved in advance by the head of a state agency having an agency procurement
official or the State Procurement Director for all other state agencies, or a
designee of either officer above the level of agency procurement
official.
(d) SOLE SOURCE
PROCUREMENTS OF PROFESSIONAL AND CONSULTANT SERVICES. The procurement from a
single source, as it relates to professional and consultant service contracts,
should only be used when all other methods of contracting are clearly not
applicable. The agency chief fiscal officer or equivalent or director, division
director or deputy director of an agency, college or university may authorize
the use of sole source purchases.
(e) SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION. Sole source professional and
consultant service contracts, except for those exempt by law, must be
accompanied by written justification and be approved by the Director of the
Office of State Procurement. The justification must clearly demonstrate that to
contract otherwise would not be in the best interests of the state. The
justification must fully address:
(1) why the
service is needed;
(2) the methods
used to determine that a lack of responsible/responsive competition exists for
the service;
(3) how it was
determined that the provider possesses exclusive capabilities;
(4) why the service is unique;
(5) whether or not there are patent or
proprietary rights which make the required service unavailable from other
sources;
(6) what the agency would
do if the provider/service were no longer available; and
(7) any program considerations which make the
use of a "Sole Source" critical to the successful completion of the agency's
task.
(f) SOLE SOURCE BY
LAW. The procurement of professional and consultant services from a specific
provider that results from a mandate issued by the court systems or state or
federal law.
R2:
19-11-232.
Ethical standards.
In accordance with Ark. Code Ann. §
19-11-708(a),
(b), and (c), the following statement must be
conspicuously set forth in all contracts and solicitations costing more than
twenty thousand dollars ($20,000): "It shall be a breach of ethical standards
for a person to be retained, or to retain a person, to solicit or secure a
state contract upon an agreement or understanding for a commission, percentage,
brokerage, or contingent fee, except for retention of bona fide employees or
bona fide established commercial selling agencies maintained by the contractor
for the purpose of securing business."
R1: 19-11-233.
Emergency
procurements.
(a) BIDS. The state
agency must, at a minimum, receive three (3) competitive bids unless the
emergency is critical. The quotation abstract must show the names of at least
three (3) firms contacted in attempting to obtain competition.
(b) APPROVAL. All emergency procurements must
be approved in advance by the State Procurement Director, the head of a
procurement agency, or a designee of either officer. Where time or circumstance
does not permit prior approval, approval must be obtained at the earliest
practical date. Requests for approval must be made in writing and include:
(1) a copy of the purchase order;
(2) a copy of the quotation abstract;
and
(3) a written explanation of
the emergency.
(c) TIE
BIDS.
(1) Definitions: As used in this section
(i) "Arkansas company" means a domestic
corporation, limited liability company, partnership, or not-for-profit
organization as defined by Arkansas law; and
(ii) "Out-of-state company" means all foreign
entities as defined by Arkansas law.
(2) In the event the lowest prices offered
result in a tie bid, the person responsible for awarding a contract must ensure
that all offers meet specifications.
(3) In the event of a tie bid between two or
more offers that meet the specifications as required and where one of the
offerors is an Arkansas company, then the award will be made to that Arkansas
company.
(4) In the event of a tie
bid between two or more offers that meet the specifications as required
(i) and where at least two of the offerors
are Arkansas companies, then an award will be determined by lot (flip of a
coin) between those Arkansas companies;
(ii) or if all of the offerors are
out-of-state companies, then an award will be determined by lot (flip of a
coin) among all the bidders.
(5) The coin flip will be done in the
presence of at least one witness by the person responsible for awarding the
contract. All witnesses must be employees of the State of Arkansas. A
documentation of the coin flip must be included on the tabulation or bid
history sheet and be signed by the person responsible for awarding the contract
and all witnesses.
(d)
PROFESSIONAL AND CONSULTANT SERVICES. Emergency procurements of professional
and consultant services with a total projected contract amount, including any
amendments or possible extensions, of less than fifty thousand dollars
($50,000) may be procured using the method as described in R1:
19-11-233(A)
through (C). For those PCS contracts with a
total projected contract amount, including any amendments or possible
extensions, of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) or more, the agency chief
fiscal officer or equivalent or director, division director or deputy director
of an agency, college or university may institute a request for emergency
action review of a professional or consultant service contract by providing in
writing a request to the Director of State Procurement. The request must detail
that to procure using other methods would endanger human life or health, state
property or the functional capability of the agency. The State Procurement
Director may then approve submission of the contract to the Legislative
Council. Under its emergency action procedures, the Co-chairpersons of the
Legislative Council and/or the Co-chairpersons of the Legislative Council
Review Committee may review PCS contracts on behalf of the Legislative Council,
provided a written report of the review process is presented to the Legislative
Council at its next regular meeting.
(e) TECHNICAL AND GENERAL SERVICES. Emergency
procurements of technical and general services with a total projected contract
amount, including any amendments or possible extensions, of less than one
hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) may be procured using the method as
described in R1:
19-11-233(A)
through (C). For those technical and general
services contracts with a total projected contract amount, including any
amendments or possible extensions, of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000)
or more, the agency chief fiscal officer or equivalent or director, division
director or deputy director of an agency, college or university may institute a
request for emergency action review of a technical and general services
contract by providing in writing a request to the Director of State
Procurement. The request must detail that to procure using other methods would
endanger human life or health, state property or the functional capability of
the agency. The State Procurement Director may then approve submission of the
contract to the Legislative Council. Under its emergency action procedures, the
Co-chairpersons of the Legislative Council and/or the Co-chairpersons of the
Legislative Council Review Committee may review technical and general services
contracts on behalf of the Legislative Council, provided a written report of
the review process is presented to the Legislative Council at its next regular
meeting.
R2: 19-11-233.
Ethical standards.
In accordance with Ark. Code Ann. §
19-11-708(a),
(b), and (c), the following statement must be
conspicuously set forth in all contracts and solicitations costing more than
twenty thousand dollars ($20,000): "It shall be a breach of ethical standards
for a person to be retained, or to retain a person, to solicit or secure a
state contract upon an agreement or understanding for a commission, percentage,
brokerage, or contingent fee, except for retention of bona fide employees or
bona fide established commercial selling agencies maintained by the contractor
for the purpose of securing business."
R1: 19-11-234.
Competitive bidding -
Conditions for use.
Purchase of Commodities Subject to the Arkansas Constitution, Amendment
54. The commodities subject to Amendment 54 to the Arkansas Constitution are
printing, stationery, and supplies. (See also Ark. Code Ann. §
19-11-222(b).)
(1) SUPPLIES. All state agencies may purchase
certain supplies subject to Amendment 54 under the following condition: If the
cost of the commodity is seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) or less, the
state agency must obtain, wherever possible, at least three (3) written
competitive bids.
(2) PRINTING AND
STATIONERY. The State Procurement Director or his designee shall purchase all
printing and stationery subject to Amendment 54 under the following condition:
If the cost of the commodity is seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) or
less, the State Procurement Director or his designee must obtain, wherever
possible at least three (3) written competitive bids.
R2: 19-11-234.
Competitive
bidding.
Leases.
(1) Lease of
commodities on state contract. No contract greater than ninety (90) days for
the lease of commodities on state contract will be approved unless the State
Procurement Director determines in writing that it is in the best interest of
the State and states the reason therefore.
(2) All contracts for the lease of a
commodity that exceed a cost of twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) but are less
than seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) during the initial period of the
contract will be awarded on the basis of competitive bidding. A purchase option
and/or lease renewal is allowed as long as the accumulated expenditure does not
exceed seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000).
R7: 19-11-234.
Ethical
standards.
In accordance with Ark. Code Ann. §
19-11-708(a),
(b), and (c), the following statement must be
conspicuously set forth in all contracts and solicitations costing more than
twenty thousand dollars ($20,000): "It shall be
a breach of ethical standards for a person to be retained, or to retain
a person, to solicit or secure a state contract upon an agreement or
understanding for a commission, percentage, brokerage, or contingent fee,
except for retention of bona fide employees of bona fide established commercial
selling agencies maintained by the contractor for the purpose of securing
business."
R1: 19-11-241.
Issuance of restrictive specifications.
Restrictive Specifications. A specification may be drafted which
describes a product which is proprietary to one manufacturer only where there
is a requirement for specifying a particular design or make of product due to
factors of compatibility, standardization, or maintainability.
R2: 19-11-241.
Issuance of qualified
products list specifications - Qualified products list.
(1) Restrictions on Use. A specification for
commodities may include a qualified products list only when the State
Procurement Director has approved in writing the written determination of the
Agency Procurement Official or Office of State Procurement that:
(A) the interests of the state require
assurance before award that the desired commodity is satisfactory;
and
(B) the cost or the time
required to test before award would be excessive.
(2) NOTICE OF INTENT TO ADOPT A QUALIFIED
PRODUCTS LIST. Whenever it is determined to include a qualified products list
in any specification or to adopt such a list, prompt notice of the intent will
be given to all reasonably known makers and suppliers of the affected
commodity. Such notice must describe all requirements for achieving
qualification.
(3) WRITTEN RECORDS
OF EVALUATION. Detailed written records must be made of the evaluation of any
and all commodities offered for inclusion on any qualified products list.
Except for records which contain trade secrets or other proprietary
information, those records will be made available for inspection by any member
of the public upon request.
R1:
19-11-242.
Agency commodity management procedures -
Disposition of commodities other than computers and electronic
equipment.
(a) RESALE. Marketing and
Redistribution ("M & R") will make available to agencies, tax-supported
entities, or not-for-profit organizations as defined in Ark. Code Ann. §
22-1-101
commodities in serviceable condition and/or commodities of potential use by
agencies, tax-supported entities, or not-for-profit organizations for a
twenty-day period prior to making them available to the general public. During
the twenty-day hold period, commodities may only be sold to agencies,
tax-supported entities, or not-for-profit organizations by Marketing and
Redistribution. At the sole discretion of the Director or the Director's
designee at Marketing and Redistribution, commodities which the Director or the
Director's designee at Marketing and Redistribution reasonably believe to be
valued at one hundred dollars ($100) or less per individual item, or
commodities that historically have not sold to agencies, tax-supported
entities, or not-for-profit organizations or items that are unserviceable may
be offered for sale to the general public without the requirement of the
twenty-day hold period. The Director or the Director's designee at Marketing
and Redistribution may waive the twenty-day requirement when he determines that
such waiver is in the state's best interest.
(b) INTRASTATE AGENCY SALE. Commodities that
are no longer needed by an agency may be sold to another agency by completing
and submitting an Intrastate Agency Sale Form, which can be found on the M
& R website under forms, to Marketing & Redistribution. This form must
be completed and forwarded electronically from the selling agency to the
purchasing agency, then to M & R, where it is forwarded to DFA Office of
Accounting for completion and transfer of funds.
(c) DISPOSAL. When commodities have no scrap
or resale value, a certificate of property disposal ("CPD") form must be
submitted to Marketing and Redistribution, which will then return to the
requestor within ten (10) working days, a certificate of property disposal
authorization, indicating the proper handling procedure for the
commodities.
(d) CANNIBALIZATION.
"Cannibalization" means the process whereby a nonexpendable surplus or excess
commodity is dismantled for parts to be used as replacements or as components
of other machines or devices.
(1) The
disassembly of an item for use of its component parts for repair or maintenance
of a similar item will only be authorized if such action has greater potential
value and benefit than disposal or trade-in of the item in its existing form.
Authorization for cannibalization will be approved by Marketing and
Redistribution prior to any disassembly or removal of components parts. If
authorized, the item will be removed from the agency's property listing by the
requesting agency. Any residual material remaining after cannibalization must
be processed through Marketing and Redistribution. Requests for authorization
for cannibalization will be expedited. If properly marked, authorization should
be returned to agency with ten (10) working days. It is understood that there
may be no residual material remaining after cannibalization, but if any,
residual material must be processed through Marketing and
Redistribution.
(2) Motor vehicles
eligible to be registered for highway use (cars and trucks), whether registered
or not, may be cannibalized after obtaining authorization from Marketing and
Redistribution. These vehicles WILL NOT be removed from the property listing
until the carcass of the vehicle has been disposed of by Marketing and
Redistribution. In no event should more than ninety days (90) elapse between
the authorization of cannibalization and processing of the carcass by Marketing
and Redistribution. These procedures do not exempt an agency from compliance
with any other requirements relating to the disposal or acquisition of motor
vehicles.
(e) HANDLING
OF SURPLUS EQUIPMENT. Agencies with surplus items must contact Marketing and
Redistribution to schedule a delivery or pick-up date. A Surplus Disposal Form
("SDF") must be transmitted by the agency showing the agency name, address,
phone number, contact person and listing of all items with serial and property
numbers (if available). The Surplus Disposal Form will be processed by
Marketing and Redistribution when the surplus items are delivered or picked
up.
R2: 19-11-242.
Auction and on-site sales.
DISPOSITION OF COMMODITIES.
(1) GENERAL REQUIREMENTS. Commodities that
are not subject to or have completed the twenty-day hold period, pursuant to
R1:
19-11-242(a),
may be offered for sale. Furniture or equipment may be loaned or rented to a
state agency with the approval of the owning agency. The rental fee(s) less
applicable handling fee(s) will be remitted to the owning agency.
(2) NOTICE REQUIRED. Public notice of
commodities sold by competitive sealed bid should be given at least five days
prior to the date established for the sale. The notice will include publication
in any electronic or printed medium.
(3) PUBLIC AUCTION.
(A) Public auction whether electronic or
traditional may be used when deemed in the best interest of the State. Auction
costs will be paid from proceeds. In a traditional auction, if proceeds do not
cover the costs, the agency requesting the auction will be responsible for any
expenses not covered from the proceeds. Any cost associated with an electronic
auction will be covered by proceeds from the sale.
(B) PROCEDURES. In a traditional auction a
licensed auctioneer will be used. The solicitation to bidders must stipulate,
at a minimum: all terms and conditions of any sale, that the purchaser must
remove all items purchased within a stated time, and that the state retains the
right to reject any and all bids. In an electronic auction the purchaser must
pick up or otherwise cause the items purchased to be removed within a stated
time.
(4) COMPETITIVE
SEALED BIDDING.
(A) Competitive sealed bidding
will be used when:
(i) the value of the item
cannot be determined based on market value or past history of same or similar
items sold; or
(ii) it is
determined by Marketing and Redistribution that it is in the best interest of
the State.
(B)
PROCEDURES.
(i) When surplus commodities are
to be sold by competitive sealed bidding, the procedures followed must be in
accordance with Ark. Code Ann. §
19-11-204,
§
19-11-228,
§
19-11-229
and the regulations promulgated hereunder except:
(ii) the award will be made to the highest
bidder with the state retaining the right to accept or reject any or all bids
when in the best interest of the State.
(5) ONSITE SALES.
(A) DEFINITION. Onsite sales includes the
process of (1) internet auctioning and (2) sale of commodities to the general
public from the Marketing and Redistribution office, a satellite location
and/or other agency locations when approved by Marketing and
Redistribution.
(B) Onsite sales
will be used for surplus items not purchased by other state agencies or tax
supported entities.
(C) PROCEDURE.
Selling price will be established by Marketing and Redistribution based upon
demand, condition of commodities, past experience gained from auction or
competitive sealed bid sales; and prevailing retail prices for same or similar
commodities in the local market.
(6) NEGOTIATED SALE. Negotiated sale may be
used if no acceptable bids were received during the bid process and an offer is
made "after the fact" for the item. Offers will only be accepted from bidders
that participated in the sealed bid offering the item.
(7) TRADE-IN. Surplus commodities may be
traded in when the Marketing and Redistribution Manager or Assistant Marketing
and Redistribution Manager determines that the trade-in value is expected to
exceed the value estimated to be obtained through the sale of the commodity
less administrative expenses incurred during a sale.
(8) LEASE OR DONATION. Surplus commodities
may be leased or donated to tax supported entities or non-profit organizations
when requested in writing by the owning agency and approved by the Director of
the Office of State Procurement.
(A) Written
requests must be submitted to the Marketing and Redistribution Manager
identifying the equipment by name, serial number, property number, the benefit
to the public in cases of proposed donations, and lease terms in cases of
proposed property leasing. The Marketing and Redistribution Manager will
estimate the property value and forward the request to the Director of the
Office of State Procurement for his approval/disapproval.
(B) The Director of the Office of State
Procurement will respond in written communication to the requesting agency on a
case-by-case basis.
(C) The
requesting agency must maintain a copy of the original written request and the
written approval/disapproval from the Director of the Office of State
Procurement for audit purposes.
(D)
Copies of the request and approval/disapproval will also be maintained at
Marketing and Redistribution.
(9) The Arkansas State Highway and
Transportation Department may dispose of commodities without the assistance of
the Office of State Procurement, but it must comply with the procedures
outlined herein for said disposition. Nothing herein is intended to prohibit
the use of the Office of State Procurement for the disposition of those
commodities, and the Department may request the Office of State Procurement
make the disposition.
(10) Excess
commodities in remote locations and/or property too heavy or expensive to
transport to Marketing and Redistribution.
(A)
Excess commodities that are in remote locations and/or commodities where the
cost to transport to Marketing and Redistribution would be prohibitive should
be reported by written communication to Marketing and Redistribution with a
complete description and details of the condition of the equipment. Marketing
and Redistribution will make one of the following recommendations:
(i) The commodity should be redistributed for
state use and Marketing and Redistribution will notify agencies and/or tax-
supported entities that could utilize the commodity. When the property is sold,
the receiving agency will be responsible for the removal of the item(s), with
the expense of moving being taken into consideration when price is
determined.
(ii) Marketing and
Redistribution will prepare an invitation for bids or authorize the agency to
prepare an invitation for bids with inspection being held at the agency
location.
(iii) A certificate of
property disposal will be transmitted to the owning agency designated as
follows:
(a) The property identified is
authorized for cannibalization by the Marketing and Redistribution Manager who
hereby authorizes the agency to perform the cannibalization.
(b) The property identified is authorized for
destruction by the Marketing and Redistribution manager who hereby authorizes
the agency to perform the destruction.
(c) Property that has a material content of
lead, copper, brass, iron, etc. will be disposed of by sale to a local scrap
dealer(s) at local prices.
Payment(s) received are to be sent and made payable to: Marketing and
Redistribution with a copy of the Certificate of Property Disposal authorizing
the sale.
(d) Property with
resale value that is not feasible for transport to Marketing and Redistribution
may be disposed of by obtaining quote bids "as is, where is." Owning agencies
should attempt to obtain (3) bids. A copy of the bid quotes, a copy of the
Certificate of Property Disposal authorizing the sale and the proceeds are to
be sent and made payable to Marketing and Redistribution.
(11) Specialized
commodities may be offered for trade-in with the trade-in price offered being
forwarded in a written transmission to Marketing and Redistribution for
determination of price acceptability.
(12) If none of the above procedures are
applicable, the Director of the Office of State Procurement will make an
individual determination.
R3:
19-11-242.
Definitions of terms used in this section.
(1) "Not-for-profit organization" means a
private corporation under §
4-28-201 et seq., that is
an exempt organization as described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal
Revenue Code,
26 U.S.C.
§
501(c)(3), and that:
(A) Has a benevolent, philanthropic,
patriotic, or charitable purpose; and
(B) Performs a function that would be
performed at the public expense if it were not performed by the
organization.
(2)
"Lease" means a transfer of the right to possession and use of surplus
commodities, for a specified term length not to exceed a seven-year period, for
a monetary fee or other consideration, while retaining ownership and title in
the surplus commodities. Monetary fees or other consideration may not be
nominal.
(3) "Donation", as used in
R2:
19-11-242(8),
means a transfer of ownership and title in surplus commodities for no monetary
fees or consideration.
R1:
19-11-244
Definitions.
R 1-19-11
-244.1
"Aggrieved in connection with the award of a
contract" is the condition of being an actual bidder, offeror, or contractor
who has been denied the award of a contract as the result of the improper or
unlawful award of the contract.
R 1-19-11
-244.2
"Aggrieved in connection with a solicitation" is the
condition of being an actual or prospective bidder, offeror, or contractor
interested in submitting a bid, offer, or qualifications (as applicable) in
response to a solicitation, but who is denied the opportunity to compete fairly
for award of a contract because of improper or unlawful solicitation terms or
conduct.
R 1-19-11 -244.3
"Anticipation to award a contract" means the State's identification of
the person (or persons) it anticipates contracting with as the result of a
solicitation.
R 1-19-11
-244.4
"Award of a Contract" means the State's process for
formally accepting a responsive bid, proposal, or qualifications as the basis
for a contract with the State. Award of a contract is generally preceded by
notice of the State's anticipation to award a contract.
R 1-19-11 -244.5
"Constructive
knowledge", as used in these rules, means knowledge or information that a
protestor would have by a given date if the protestor had exercised reasonable
care or diligence, regardless of whether the protestor actually had the
knowledge or information. It includes knowledge of:
(i) applicable provisions of Arkansas
Procurement Law and other applicable law and administrative rules;
(ii) solicitation instructions, criteria,
deadlines, and requirements contained in solicitation documents or otherwise
available to persons interested in the solicitation or provided in a mandatory
pre-solicitation meeting;
(iii)
available public records kept in connection with a solicitation or award of a
contract;
(iv) communications or
actions regarding the solicitation to any person whose knowledge is imputed to
the protestor under the law of agency, fiduciaries, partnership, respondeat
superior, or otherwise;
(v) facts
not subject to reasonable dispute that are generally known or ascertained by
resort to readily available sources whose accuracy cannot reasonably be
questioned; and
(vi) any other
applicable information discoverable by the exercise of reasonable care or
diligence, such as a request for information.
R 1-19-11 -244.6
"Interested Party",
when used in relation to a protest in connection with a solicitation, means any
actual or prospective bidder, offeror, or contractor actually or prospectively
participating in a solicitation. When used in relation to a protest in
connection with the award of a contract, it means a bidder, offeror, or
contractor who actually submitted a bid or offer or who holds a contract to
provide the commodities or services solicited.
R 1-19-11 -244.7
"Protest" means a
written objection from a person setting forth facts showing that the person is
an interested party who has been aggrieved in connection with:
(a)
the solicitation of a contract;
or
(b)
the award of a
contract.
R 1-19-11
-244.8
"Solicitation" means an instance of soliciting bids,
proposals, or qualifications for a contract for commodities or services, and
includes "competitive bidding," "competitive sealed bidding," "competitive
sealed proposals," and "request for qualifications," as those terms are defined
in Arkansas Procurement Law.
R2: 19-11-244
Protest
Requirements.
R 2-19-11 -244.1
Substantive Requirements. A protest must set forth facts showing that the
protestor is an interested party with standing to protest under Ark. Code Ann.
§
19-11-244(a),
who has been aggrieved:
(i)
in
connection with a solicitation, or
(ii)
in connection with the award of a
contract.
R 2-19-11
-244.2
Formal Requirements. A protest must be submitted in
writing to the State Procurement Director or the head of the relevant
procurement agency. To expedite handling of protests, if delivered by mail, the
envelope containing a protest should be clearly labeled "Protest." Protests
delivered by electronic means should be identified as a protest in the subject
line and marked as important. A protest shall include as a minimum the
following:
(a) The name and address of
the protestor (or the protestor's attorney);
(b) Appropriate identification of the
solicitation by reference to its number, if a number has been assigned;
and
(c) Unless good cause is shown
for its absence, a copy of any documents or supporting evidence upon which the
protest is based, attached to or enclosed with the protest as an exhibit. Where
such documents or supporting evidence substantiating any claims made in a
protest are believed or known to exist, but are not available with reasonable
diligence to include as an exhibit within the time for submitting a protest,
the anticipated documents must be described in the protest so as to explain how
they are expected to support the protest and when the protestor reasonably
anticipates they will be available, if ever. Failure to provide such supporting
exhibits without good cause or within a reasonable time may result in the
protest not being sustained.
R
2-19-11 -244.3
Time Periods for Submission.
There are two types of protests permitted under Ark. Code Ann. §
19-11-244:
(i) a protest in connection with the
solicitation of a contract; and
(ii) a protest in connection with the award of a contract. To be
timely, a protest, must be submitted in writing to the State Procurement
Director or the head of the procurement agency conducting the procurement:
(a) at least seventy-two (72) hours before
the deadline for submitting a response to the solicitation, if it is a protest
in connection with the solicitation of a contract; or
(b) within fourteen (14) calendar days after
the aggrieved person knows or should have known of the facts giving rise to the
grievance, if it is a protest in connection with the award of a contract. The
phrase "should have known" indicates that constructive knowledge, and not just
actual knowledge, is considered in determining the timeliness of a protest in
connection with the award of a contract.
R 2-19-11 -244.4
Informing Other
Interested Parties. A protestor or other interested party should serve every
other known interested party with a copy of any protest or other document that
party submits to the State Procurement Director or the head of the relevant
procurement agency in response to a protest. A protest or other document
responding to a protest should manifest or certify compliance with this
rule.
R3:
19-11-244
Burden of Supporting a Protest and Supplying
Requested Information.
A party submitting a protest has the burden of stating facts showing
that the protestor has been aggrieved in connection with a solicitation or in
connection with the award of a contract. The State Procurement Director or the
head of a procurement agency determining a protest may, but has no duty to,
request a protestor or other interested party to submit documentation or
information relevant to the protest. Failure of any person to comply
expeditiously with a request for documents or information by the State
Procurement Director or the head of a procurement agency determining a protest
may result in the protest being determined without consideration of the
requested information. Delivery of requested documents or information after
three business days from the request is generally not considered expeditious,
but the State Procurement Director or the head of a procurement agency may
allow additional time for good cause.
R4: 19-11-244
Stay of Procurements
During Protest.
When a protest has been timely submitted, no award of the contract
shall be made until the protest has been settled or determined by the State
Procurement Director or relevant procurement agency head, unless the State
Procurement Director or relevant procurement agency head makes a written
determination, after consulting with the head of the using agency or the head
of the procurement agency, that the award of the contract without delay is
necessary to protect substantial interests of the State.
R5: 19-11-244
Making Information on
Protests Available.
In the interest of transparency, a person who is an interested party in
a solicitation should be given the same access to solicitation documents that
are public records (as defined in Ark. Code. Ann. §
25-19-103(7)
) as a citizen of the State of Arkansas is entitled to under the Arkansas
Freedom of Information Act of 1967.
R6:
19-11-244
Decision by the State Procurement Director or the
Head of a Procurement Agency.
R 6-19-11
-244.1
Time for Decisions. A decision on a protest shall be
made by the State Procurement Director or the head of a procurement agency with
reasonable promptness after receiving all relevant and requested information,
or upon determining that information requested by the State Procurement
Director or the head of a procurement agency will not be made readily
available. If a protest is sustained, the available remedies include, but are
not limited to, those set forth in Ark. Code Ann. §
19-11-244(g),
and Ark. Code Ann. §
19-11-247.
R 6-19-11 -244.2
Remedies for
Successful Protestor. When a protest is sustained and the successfully
protesting bidder or offeror denied the contract award, the protesting bidder
or offeror may submit a claim for the reasonable costs incurred in connection
with the solicitation, including bid preparation costs, through the Arkansas
Claims Commission (the "Commission"). The Commission regulates the procedure by
which such claims are submitted and determined.
R3: 19-11-245.
Authority to debar or
suspend.
(a) General. Any bidder or
contractor to the State of Arkansas who, except for good cause shown, has
engaged in any of the conduct listed in subsection (2) may be suspended or
debarred from consideration for award of contracts.
(b) Causes for Debarment or Suspension. The
causes for debarment or suspension include, but are not limited to, the
following:
(1) conviction for commission of a
criminal offense as an incident to obtaining or attempting to obtain a public
or private contract or subcontract, or in the performance of such contract or
subcontract;
(2) conviction under
state or federal statutes of embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery,
falsification or destruction of records, receiving stolen property, or any
other offense indicating a lack of business integrity or business honesty which
currently, seriously, and directly affects responsibility as a state
contractor;
(3) conviction under
state or federal antitrust statutes arising out of submission of bids or
proposals;
(4) violation of
contract provisions, as set forth below, of a character which is regarded by
the State Procurement Director or the head of a procurement agency to be so
serious as to justify debarment action:
(A)
deliberate failure without good cause to perform in accordance with the
specifications or within the time limit provided in the contract; or
(B) a recent record of failure to perform or
of unsatisfactory performance in accordance with the terms of one or more
contracts; provided that failure to perform or unsatisfactory performance
caused by acts beyond the control of the contractor will not be considered to
be a basis for debarment;
(5) continuous failure to post bid or
performance bonds, or to provide alternate bid or performance guarantee in the
form acceptable to the procurement agency in lieu of a bond, as required by an
invitation for bids or a solicitation for proposals;
(6) substitution of commodities without the
prior written approval of the contracting authority;
(7) failure to replace inferior or defective
commodities within a reasonable time after notification by the procurement
agency or the agency to which such commodity has been delivered;
(8) refusal to accept a contract awarded
pursuant to the terms and conditions of the contractor's bid;
(9) falsifying invoices, or making false
representations to any state agency or state official, or untrue statements
about any payment under a contract or to procure award of a contract, or to
induce a modification in the price or the terms of a contract to the
contractor's advantage;
(10)
collusion or collaboration with another bidder or other bidders in the
submission of a bid or bids for the purpose of lessening or reducing
competition;
(11) falsifying
information in the submission of an application for listing on a state vendor's
list;
(12) repeated failure of a
vendor or any of its owners to pay all outstanding tax liabilities to the State
of Arkansas;
(A) "repeated failure" shall
include, but not be limited to,
(i) the
existence of seven (7) or more certificates of indebtedness, liens, or other
evidence of tax indebtedness that are in the public record during any biennial
period;
(ii) the suspension or
revocation of a state excise tax permit or any other state permit for
non-payment of taxes;
(iii) the
existence of three (3) or more writs of garnishment issued for non-payment of
taxes during any biennial period;
(B) This rule does not apply to
(i) tax debts that are the subject of an
administrative or judicial proceeding contesting the validity of such debt
until such proceedings are concluded and such tax debts are adjudicated to be
valid, or
(ii) any outstanding
individual tax liability of a non-owner employee of a vendor or that of
non-controlling, individual shareholders in a Subchapter C
corporation;
(13) any other cause the State Procurement
Director or head of a procurement agency determines to be so serious and
compelling as to affect responsibility as a state contractor, including
debarment by any other governmental entity for any cause; or violation of the
ethical standards set forth in Ark. Code Ann. §
19-11-708.
(c) Debarment. Prior to any action
for debarment, the Office of State Procurement or agency procurement official
must notify the bidder of the opportunity for a hearing at least fourteen (14)
days prior to said hearing. Such notification must state the facts of any
allegation or claim. The State Procurement Director or the head of a
procurement agency must consult with the Attorney General or his designee prior
to debarring a person for cause from consideration for award of
contracts.
(d) Debarment Hearing.
(1) The director or head of a procurement
agency shall must form a Committee composed of three qualified individuals,
from government and private industry to hear the Debarment
proceedings.
(2) The Attorney
General or his designee representing the Director or the head of a procurement
agency will have the right to present evidence and elicit testimony from
witnesses and cross examine opposing witnesses before the Committee.
(3) The Contractor may be heard in person or
by counsel, may cross-examine witnesses and may offer witnesses, documentary
evidence and/or evidentiary depositions in defense of the debarment charges.
The committee will subpoena witnesses for the Contractor upon timely request.
Should Contractor fail to appear, the Committee shall proceed to hear the
state's evidence and make its recommendations to the Director or head of a
procurement agency.
(4) After
hearing the evidence the Committee will make recommendations to the Director or
head of the procurement agency.
(5)
The Director or head of a procurement agency will receive the recommendation
and review the record of the hearing and make a decision regarding the
debarment.
(e) Decision.
The written decision concerning debarment will be sent to the contractor within
14 days and must state the reasons for the action taken and inform the debarred
person involved of his rights to judicial review.
(f) Other Remedies. The procedures in this
section do not preclude the taking of other action by the state, based on the
same facts, as may be otherwise available, either at law or in
equity.
(g) Distribution of
Decisions. All agency procurement officials must send a copy of any
determination of debarment to the Office of State Procurement and the Office of
State Procurement must post the results of any debarment on the OSP
website.
R1: 19-11-246.
Authority to resolve contract and breach of contract
controversies.
(a) General. Any
contract which is determined in writing by the State Procurement Director, or
the procurement official, or a designee of either officer, to be terminable due
to a breach of any of the terms and conditions of the contract, mistake,
misrepresentation, or other cause, may be terminated as a result of such cause.
Declaration of default and/or contract termination may only be determined by
the procurement official who awarded the contract, and only after the
contractor has been afforded the opportunity, to discuss with the Director or
agency procurement official circumstances giving rise to the potential cause
for termination and potential cures.
(b) Default. A default in performance by a
contractor for which a contract may be terminated shall include, but shall not
necessarily be limited to, failure to perform the contract according to its
terms, conditions and specifications, or failure to make delivery within the
time specified or according to a delivery schedule fixed by the
contract.
(c) Contractor's
Liability. The contractor and/or his surety, if a performance or payment bond
has been required under the contract, shall be jointly and severally liable to
the State for any and all loss or damage as provided in the contract between
the State and the contractor as a result of the contractor's default; provided,
however, that a contractor's surety's liability shall not exceed the final sum
specified in the contractor's bond.
R1: 19-11-265.
Review Requirements of
Technical and General Services Contracts that are Amended.
(a) Amendments to contracts that were
originally reviewed by Legislative Council or Joint Budget Committee. An
amendment will require review by Legislative Council or Joint Budget Committee
prior to approval by the Department of Finance and Administration and before
the execution date of the amendment if the original contract was reviewed by
Legislative Council or Joint Budget Committee and the amendment increases the
dollar amount and/or involves major changes in the objectives and scope of the
contract.
(b) Amendments to
contracts that originally did not require review by Legislative Council or
Joint Budget Committee. Any amendment which increases the total projected
contract amount, including any amendments or possible extensions, of a
technical and general services contract to one hundred thousand dollars
($100,000) or more shall require review by the Legislative Council or Joint
Budget Committee, prior to the approval of the Department of Finance and
Administration and before the execution date of the amendment. The amendment
along with a copy of the original contract and any attachments thereto must be
submitted to the Office of State Procurement in accordance with the time
guidelines as prescribed in R5:
19-11-265.
Contracts that have expired cannot be amended.
R2: 19-11-265.
Technical and General
Services Contract Form.
Each contract presented for review should be submitted using the
appropriate contract form as specified by the Office of State Procurement.
Contract forms are available on the OSP website.
R3: 19-11-265.
Disclosure Requirements
for Technical and General Service Contracts.
(1) No contract for Technical or general
services greater than the dollar limit established by Executive Order 98-04,
will be awarded, extended, amended, or renewed by any agency to any contractor
who has not disclosed as required in Executive Order 98-04. However, contracts
with another government entity such as a state agency, public education
institution, federal government entity, or body of a local government are
exempt from Executive Order 98-04 disclosure requirements.
(2) No contract for technical or general
services greater than the dollar limit established by the ACA §
19-11-105
Illegal Immigrant Certification program will be awarded extended, amended or
renewed by any agency to any contractor or subcontractor who has not completed
the proper certification.
(3) No
contract for technical or general services greater than the dollar limit
established by the ACA §
25-1-503
Certification program will be awarded by any agency to any contractor who has
not completed the proper certification.
(4) The failure of any person or entity to
disclose as required under any term of Executive Order 98-04, the ACA §
19-11-105
Illegal Immigrant Certification requests, the ACA §
25-1-503
Certification program or the violation of any rule, regulation or policy
promulgated by the Department of Finance and Administration pursuant to this
Order, will be considered a material breach of the terms of the contract,
lease, purchase agreement, or grant and will subject the party failing to
disclose, or in violation, to all legal remedies available to the agency under
the provisions of existing law.
R5:
19-11-265.
Reporting of Technical and General Services
Contracts.
(1) Technical and general
services contracts with a total projected contract amount, including any
amendments and possible extensions, of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000)
and less than one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) shall be reported to the
Legislative Council or the Joint Budget Committee monthly. Agencies must report
contracts using the appropriate method as determined by the Office of State
Procurement.
(2) Maintenance
contracts are not considered services of one (1) or more individuals for
regular full-time or part-time weekly work, and do not require reporting to the
Legislative Council or the Joint Budget Committee. Maintenance contracts are
narrowly defined as providing help or assistance needed to support the
continuous operation of procured commodities according to the commodities'
original functionality and specifications, including but not limited to
software maintenance contracts. Agencies should not apply maintenance contracts
so broadly as to frustrate the legislative intent of statutes requiring
reporting of certain consulting services or professional service
contracts.
(3) Under subsection
(a)(1), "regular" is defined by giving the word its ordinary and usually
accepted meaning in common language, which in the context of subsection (a)(1)
shall be constituted, conducted, scheduled, or done in conformity with
established or prescribed usages, rules, or discipline.
R1: 19-11-715.
Requesting an advisory
opinion or waiver.
(1) Requests for
advisory opinions or requests for waivers must be submitted in writing to the
Director of the Department of Finance and Administration, and should clearly
and concisely state whether the request is for an advisory opinion under Ark.
Code Ann. §
19-11-715(b),
a waiver under Ark. Code Ann. §
19-11-715(c),
or both. To expedite handling of requests, if delivered by mail, the envelope
containing a request should be clearly labeled as a request for an advisory
opinion or a request for a waiver, as the case may be.
Requests delivered by electronic means should be identified as a
request for an advisory opinion or a request for a waiver, as the case may be,
in the subject line and marked as important.
(2) Requests for advisory opinions or
requests for waivers shall include as a minimum the following:
(a) The name and address of the requester (or
the requester's attorney);
(b)
Appropriate identification of the proposed contract by reference to its
contract number or solicitation number, if a number has been
assigned;
(c) Sufficient
information and relevant background facts so that it is not necessary to infer
any aspect of the situation on which the request is based, including but not
limited to (i) the nature of the disclosed potential conflict of interest,
including the relevant persons, relationships, financial interests, and direct
or indirect participation in the procurement of the contract; (ii) information
regarding the relevant state employee, including the employing state agency,
employee's dates of hire and termination, employee's job scope and duties, and
employee's potential conflict of interest; (iii) information regarding the
proposed contract, including the contracting state agency, contract value, work
to be done under the contract, and procurement method; (iv) information
regarding the contractor relevant to the contract and potential conflict of
interest, including ownership interests and positions of control. Failure to
provide such supporting information may result in the request being denied;
and
(d) The using agency shall act
to coordinate the individuals, requests, and documents involved and ensure
sufficient information and relevant background facts are submitted.
(3) Requests for a waiver must
additionally articulate why the interests of the state so require a waiver and
granting of permission to proceed with the proposed transaction, or that the
ethical conflict is insubstantial or remote.
R1: 19-11-802.
Request for
Qualifications (RFQ) Procurement Method Used in the Establishment of
Professional and Consultant Service Contracts.
Request for Qualifications (RFQ): The Request for Qualifications is, in
the absence of sole-source justification, the procurement method recommended
when contracting for architectural, engineering, land surveying, legal, and
interior design services. It may also be used, with prior approval from the
Office of State Procurement, as the selection method for other PCS contracts
when it is determined to be the most suitable method of contracting.
The RFQ is sent to those vendors registered with the Office of State
Procurement for the scope of work or services required, or vendors recommended
to the Office of State Procurement as best suited to perform the work
specified. Notification to the public must be in accordance with the provisions
of Ark. Code Ann. §
19-11-229(d).
The agency makes its initial selection based upon the respondent's
qualifications. Only after the most qualified respondent is identified does
cost become a factor in determining the award. Discussions may be conducted
with responsible offerors who, based upon qualifications submitted, are
determined to be reasonably susceptible of being selected for the purpose of
clarification to assure full understanding of, and responsiveness to, the
solicitation requirements, and to obtain best and final
offers.
R1: 25-1-503
Prohibition From Public Entities Contracting With Companies That Boycott
Israel
(a) The contractor must certify
that the contractor is not currently engaged in, and agrees that for the
aggregate term of the contract will not engage in, a boycott of Israel. The
instructions for certification on contracts over seventy-five thousand dollars
($75,000) will be provided in the contract solicitation. The instructions for
certification on contracts under seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) will
be provided on the OSP website.
(b)
If the contractor violates the above certification or is found to not be in
compliance during the term of the contract, the state may require the
contractor to remedy the violation within 60 days of discovery of that
violation. Failure to remedy the violation within the 60 day period may result
in termination for breach of contract, and the contractor may be liable to the
State for the State's actual damages.
(c) This rule applies to written contracts
only and is to be applied prospectively. Any written contract entered into
prior to August 1, 2017 does not require certification.
(d) Vendors are not required to submit a
certificate for commodity purchases made with a p-card as they do not require a
written contract.
(e) Certification
is required at the time a written contract is entered into, renewals or
extensions of contracts do not require certification.
(f) This Rule does not apply to:
(1) A company that fails to meet the
requirements under Act 710 subdivision (a)(1) of this section but offers to
provide the goods or services for at least twenty percent (20%) less than the
lowest certifying business; or
(2)
Contracts with a total potential value of less than one thousand dollars
($1,000).
R1:
15-4-3803
Definitions
(a) Local farm or food products includes
Arkansas agricultural products that have met the requirements of the "Arkansas
Grown Branding Program" administered through the Arkansas Agriculture
Department.
(b) Packaged and
Processed means bottled, canned, cartoned, securely bagged, or securely
wrapped, whether packaged in a food service establishment or a food processing
plant.
(c) Packaged and Processed
does not include a wrapper, carry-out box, or other nondurable container used
to containerize food with the purpose of facilitating food protection during
service and receipt of the food by the consumer or recipient.
(d) On campus-cafeteria does not include a
franchise as defined by Ark. Code Ann. §
4-72-202.
R1: 15-4-3804
Procurement
Goal-Preference Method of Procurement for Purchase of Food Products
(a) An agency should utilize an appropriate
method of procurement as prescribed in Arkansas Procurement law for the
purchase of food products. This may be a competitive sealed bid if price alone
is being considered as the determinative factor, or a request for proposals if
other factors, such as a history of health code violations, are being
considered. A cooperative purchasing agreement may also be an appropriate
mechanism for procuring local farm of food products as a means of reducing the
administrative cost of food procurement.
(b) In the event an agency utilizes a
procurement method wherein a contract is to be awarded to the lowest responsive
bidder, such as competitive sealed bidding, the lowest bid should be accepted
only if the bid does not exceed the lowest bid from a provider of local food or
farm products by more than ten percent (10%) and if the bidder submitting the
lowest bid is not a provider of local farm or food
products.