Ohio Department of Health-DOH60268-Bureau of Health Improvement and Wellness-SFY27-Tobacco Compliance Checks

Tobacco retailer compliance checks support the evaluation of the Tobacco 21 law and is used to assess Ohio's statewide tobacco retailer compliance rate and current youth access and availability to nicotine products. The compliance checks will utilize underage purchasers (18-20 years old) to conduct unannounced checks.The ODH Tobacco Use Prevention and Cessation Program will work in collaboration with the contracted vendor by providing a sample list of retailer locations representative of the state. Training opportunities, resources, and data collection tools will be supplied to support the contractor in completing the required number of checks. Once completed, ODH will conduct an analysis to determine the statewide compliance rate and identify emerging trends and/or products reported through the checks.
ROUND 2 BEING POSTED TO CORRECT SCOPE OF WORK #2 TO REFLECT THE CORRECT NUMBER OF COMPLIANCE CHECKS, WHICH IS 1,495. ODH IS ALSO EXTENDING THE END DATE FROM 07/01 TO 07/06 DUE TO THE ANTICIPATED SHUTDOWN OF OHIO BUYS FOR THE CLOSE OF SFY26 AND TO ALLOW OFFERORS MORE TIME TO SUBMIT PROPOSALS DUE TO THE HOLIDAY ON 7/3/26 & 7/4/26. Offerors will need to review the attached RFP DOH60268 for #SRC0000039621. Each Offeror must submit a technical proposal and cost proposal as part of its total proposal before the closing date and time, which is 07/06/2026 at 3:00PM. Please carefully review the technical evaluation criteria as shown in the RFP to understand the weight of each section once scored. Please carefully review DOH Terms and Conditions. OHIOBUYS TRAINING MATERIALS OhioBuys training materials can be located at this site: https://procure.ohio.gov/bidders-and-suppliers/resources/bidder-and-supplier-training/04-ob-trainingTechnical Support: 1-877-644-6771 To participate or submit an inquiry for this solicitation, applicants need to be registered in the OhioBuys Supplier Portal. Suppliers are not required at this time to be registered in OAKS. If you need to seek technical support, clearly specify that you need access to an active OhioBuys solicitation. New bidders should register and access OhioBuys prior to a bid’s due date. Registering an OhioBuys account for your organization will ensure your company has access to, is familiar with, and is readily prepared to bid within OhioBuys when the time comes. To begin this process, navigate to https://ohiobuys.ohio.gov/ and click OhioBuys Log In. If you do not currently have an OH|ID, click Create Account; otherwise, enter your login credentials and click Log In. An OH|ID is a secure, single sign-on that provides users access to online services for multiple State of Ohio systems. A valid OH|ID is required for each OhioBuys user.
Public health administration
Inquiries Inquiry 90372 | Does a VFBE certified (small) business qualify for any points as an Embedded MBE? | Answer: No, VFBE is separate from MBE. Please keep in mind, embedded MBE means that the primary applicant is not MBE but follows the guidance in the terms and conditions to set aside a portion of the word for an Ohio certified MBE. An MBE vendor will not get any extra points; this is not an MBE set a side solicitation. | Answered: 6/2/2026 Inquiry 90375 | Are there any page limits or formatting standards required of the technical proposal? If so, are resumes included within the designated page limit? | Answer: There are no formatting guidelines or page limits; however PDF format, clarity and brevity are appreciated. See terms and conditions. | Answered: 6/2/2026 Inquiry 90411 | Section I Scope of Work references 1,245 compliance checks, while Deliverable 2.4 references 1,495 compliance checks (as well as the Cost Proposal Template). Please confirm the required annual inspection quantity for the base contract period and whether the quantity would apply separately to any exercised option periods/years? | Answer: The correct amount is 1,495 for the initial contract term. We will make the correction on the RFP and cost template and post as ROUND 2. If renewals are exercised, the awarded vendor will discuss that with ODH closeer to the renewal period. You can assume the same number if opting to complete the optional renewal year columbus on the cost form. Thank you. | Answered: 6/2/2026 Inquiry 90415 | Section 3. Technical Proposal Format includes a response outline (3.1.1 - 3.2.3), however this format differs from the provided narrative template in Appendix B. Please confirm Appendix B is the desired format for a technical response. | Answer: Section 3 is the standard terms and conditions. Since we have attached an appendix (appendix B) this will supersede that specific section about project narrative in the terms and conditions. | Answered: 6/2/2026 Inquiry 90418 | Is it at the contractors descretion to determine the other 'Contractor Staff' needed to conduct the inspections with the underage purchaser? | Answer: Yes. | Answered: 6/2/2026 Inquiry 90422 | Is this contract seeking Underage Purchasers only, or also Inspectors/Supervisors to travel with and supervise the Underage Purchasers? If only Underage Purchasers, do you anticipate employees from a partner agency, if not OHD, will accompany the Underage Purchasers to each retailer? Does ODH want the contractor to propose additional staff as necessary for each contractor's solution? | Answer: Please refer to the RFP & Scope of Work. Examples in RFP to follow: to recruit and train underage purchasers and staff; "Conduct" means the contractor staff and an underage purchaser goes to a tobacco retail outlet | Answered: 6/2/2026 Inquiry 90425 | If ODH is aware of the planned quantities (Usage) for each of the period years, please consider entering in the usage numbers into the template, not to be revised by the contractor? | Answer: ODH requires 1,495 checks. The cost form is a template and if able to be adjusted or revised, we will do so and post in an additional round. | Answered: 6/2/2026 Inquiry 90428 | Cost Propsoal spreadsheet does not allow for pricing escalation. Please consider revising template to allow for planned escalation in the option years? | Answer: You can delete the formular in that column to plug in your escalated costs. You can revise the spreadsheet how you see fit to accurately capture your costing information. You also have the option to include a cost narrative along with the spreadsheet. You can submit separately in the financial envelope. | Answered: 6/2/2026 Inquiry 90486 | There is not a summation formula in Cell M21 to capture Optional Year 3 Amounts, thus leaving Cell C8 empty for the total budget analysis section. Please consider revising the cost proposal form? | Answer: Sure, we will make that update during Round 2. You can also make changes to that spreadsheet as well, to best capture your proposed budget/cost proposal. | Answered: 6/3/2026 Inquiry 90490 | If there is an incumbent, can the new contractor receive a list of the retained underage purchasers upon award? | Answer: This will be discussed with the awarded vendor during contract developement. | Answered: 6/3/2026 Inquiry 90493 | Appendix C addresses training and data-collection requirements for contractor staff and underage purchasers but does not reference background screening. Does ODH require background checks for (a) adult contractor staff who are onsite during checks and (b) the 18–20-year-old underage purchasers? If so, please confirm the required scope (e.g., criminal history, sex offender registry, motor vehicle), the disqualifying criteria, the frequency (initial and/or annual), and whether ODH requires submission or approval of results prior to commencement of activity. | Answer: Please refer to the scope and deliverables. Please only include in your proposal the items in the scope of work and deliverables. Refer to section 3. Technical Proposal Format for guidance. | Answered: 6/3/2026 Inquiry 90496 | Would ODH consider relaxing (less than 48 months) or removing the Economic Price Adjustment provision altogether? Alternatively Offerors can build escalation directly into their proposed pricing which would lock in firm, all-inclusive pricing for the full term — escalation included and borne entirely at the contractor's risk — eliminating any need for mid-term price adjustments while allowing more competitive, accurately priced bids. | Answer: This is standard language on ODH terms and conditions and is typically enforced more on goods agreements, rather than service agreements. This RFP is for services through 06/30/2027 and any subsequent renewals and pricing will be discussed as the term date approaches. | Answered: 6/3/2026 Inquiry 90655 | Cell C9, total proposed budget for Option Years 1-4 includes cell C5 Total proposed budget for Period 1 (base year), please confirm this is accurate? | Answer: Cell C9 is the estimated budget for optional year 4 and pulls from cell o21. Please review more closely. | Answered: 6/4/2026 Inquiry 90656 | Cell C9, total proposed budget for Option Years 1-4 includes cell C5 Total proposed budget for Period 1 (base year), please confirm this is accurate? | Answer: Also, cell C10 reads total proposed budget including optional years 1-4 and pulls from cell C5-C9, which is correct. | Answered: 6/4/2026 Inquiry 90745 | Regarding payment for tobacco/nicotine purchases: 1) Are any protocols in place for payment? (i.e. Cash only?) 2) Is it the contractor responsibility to provide the payment method to the Underage Purchaser? 3) Should the contractor include the cost of tobacco within their cost per inspection price quoted? (or is this reimbursable)? | Answer: It is not limited to cash, although that usually is the easiest. It is the contractor’s responsibility to provide payment methods to the UP. They should incorporate the cost of tobacco within their inspection price quoted. | Answered: 6/5/2026