Preferred Storage, Packaging , Shipping Contract

Auburn University Request for Proposal Specialty Packaging, Shipping, and Storage Contract RFP Opening Date 8/26/2026 (10:30 AM CST) Proposals received after the date and time specified above will not be considered. **All questions related to this RFP must be submitted through the Sourcing Event Q&A Board found within this solicitation.** Auburn University bid openings will be done solely through the JAGGAER Sourcing Event Portal. In order to comply with State of Alabama bid law, bid openings will now be made public via the below conference call information. Telephone: Meeting ID: 819 3159 5507 Dial: +1 305 224 1968 (US Toll) or +1 309 205 3325 (US Toll) If you wish to listen to bid openings, please make sure your microphone is muted, as only PBS staff should be speaking during these openings. Please note that when opening an RFP, PBS staff will only read the vendor names of responses received. RFP pricing will not be read aloud as additional factors are involved in the evaluation. All questions related to this bid must be directed to Kyle Long via the Q&A Board found in the event. TABLE OF CONTENTS Section I: Request for Proposal Section II: Instructions to Proposers Section III: Form of Proposal Section IV: Evaluation Criteria Section I. Request for Proposal A. Intent and Scope for the Auburn University Specialty Packaging, Shipping, and Storage Contract Background – (Nature of RFP) • Auburn University is in the process of evaluating partners for a preferred specialty packaging and warehouse supplies contract. Attached is a spreadsheet that lists Auburn University's spend for the 2025 fiscal year. Please note that there may be additional pricing requests or on-site demonstrations before our evaluation team makes a final selection. • Please return the attached spreadsheet with your proposal by 10:30 am CST Wednesday, August 26 ,2026. Please provide the most competitive pricing available for Auburn University. If pricing is offered through a state contract, cooperative contract, or other competitively sourced contract vehicle, the proposer must provide the contract name, contract number, administering entity, B. Proposal Overview and Definitions Proposals will be received until 10:30 AM CDT on the specified date. Throughout the remainder of this Request for Proposal, all entities involved will be referred to as follows: Auburn University will be referred to as “University” or “AU”. Commodity/Service Provider will be referred to as “Contractor” or “Supplier”. This document will be referred to as “RFP”. C. Term of Agreement This contract will be awarded for a team of five (5) years Section II. Instructions to Proposers A. Proposal Response Proposals should be submitted to the Procurement & Business Services Sourcing Event Portal on or before the time and date set for closing. Pursuant to the provisions of the State of Alabama Competitive Bid Law rules and regulations adopted there under, sealed bids will be received on the items noted herein by Procurement and Business Services of Auburn University, until the date and time stated. All bids are to be "F.O.B. Destination - Freight Prepaid and Allowed." Alabama law (Section 41-4-116, code of Alabama 1975) provides that every bid submitted and contract executed shall contain a certification that the vendor, contractor, and all of its affiliates that make sales for delivery into Alabama or leases for use in Alabama are registered, collecting, and remitting Alabama state and local sales, use, and/or lease tax on all taxable sales and leases into Alabama. BY SUBMITTING THIS BID, THE BIDDER IS HEREBY CERTIFYING THAT THEY ARE IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH ACT NO. 2006-557, they are not barred from bidding or entering into a contract pursuant to 41-4-116, and acknowledges that the awarding authority may declare the contract void if the certification is false. Bidder certifies that neither it, nor any of its employees who will provide or perform services under this contract have been debarred, suspended or declared ineligible as defined in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR 48 C.F.R. Ch. 1 Subpart 9.4). Bidder will immediately notify the University if the Bidder or any of its employees who will provide or perform services under this contract is placed on the Consolidated List of Debarred, Suspended, and Ineligible Bidders. AU reserves the right to award in whole or in part, by line item, or make multiple awards, where such action serves Auburn University’s best interest. When a Sourcing Event’s Progress is listed as “Awarded” in TigerBuy, this serves as the University’s notice of intent to award to the indicated supplier. A proposer with a legitimate award dispute may file a formal protest within five days of the university’s notice of intent to award by submitting a notice of protest through the sourcing event’s Q&A Board. The disputing proposer will be provided with the University’s sourcing dispute procedures within five days of filing, and the disputing proposer will then have five days to comply with the provided dispute procedures. Proposers may withdraw proposals at any time prior to the time and date set for opening. The University reserves the sole and exclusive right to reject or accept any or all proposals and to waive any informality in proposal. The best interest of the University and their subsequent facilities shall be considered as the number one determining factor in selecting or not selecting a Proposer. No department, school, or office at the University has the authority to solicit official proposals other than Procurement and Business Services. All solicitation is performed under the direct supervision of the Director of Procurement and Business Services and incomplete accordance with the University policies and procedures. The University reserves the right to conduct discussions with proposers, and to accept revisions of proposals, and to negotiate price changes. The University will make reasonable efforts to protect proprietary information but all records are subject to State of Alabama open records laws. Proposers submitting proposals which meet the selection criteria and which are deemed to be the most advantageous to the University may be requested to give an oral presentation to a selection committee. Procurement and Business Services will schedule the presentations. The University is committed to the development of Small Business and Small Disadvantaged business (SB & SDB) suppliers. If subcontracting is necessary, the contractor will make every effort to use SB & SDB in the performance of this contract. Reporting will be required throughout the duration of the contract indicating the extent of SB & SDB participation. The Suppliers shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the University, its officers, agents, and employees from any claims, damages, and actions of any kind or nature arising from or caused by the use of any materials, goods, equipment, or services furnished by the Supplier, provided that such liability does not attribute to the sole negligence of the University. The successful supplier will have to attest to the following: By signing this contract, the contracting parties affirm, for the duration of the agreement, that they will not violate federal immigration law or knowingly employ, hire for employment, or continue to employ an unauthorized alien within the state of Alabama, Furthermore, a contracting party found to be in violation of this provision shall be deemed in breach of the agreement and shall be responsible for all damages resulting therefrom.” Read and comply with all instructions, specifications, General Terms and Conditions, and Bid Conditions. Section III. Form of Proposal A. Proposal Format Proposals should be submitted in Excel® and/or Adobe PDF® formatting only. If there is any information or required submittals, which due to size limitations cannot be incorporated following the preferred formatting, please note for the evaluator where the information can be found in the response. B. Tabular / Paginated Format Tab 1: A one to two page executive summary of the respondent’s proposal, including brief descriptions of the company’s expertise procuring a contract the size and scope described in the RFP, and how the proposer plans to address the University’s requirements. Tab 2: Official Bid Price Sheet Tab 3: Contact name(s) and title(s) of the individual(s) responsible for the company’s proposal and negotiation during this RFP process. Tab 4: A listing of the company projects/customers similar in size and scope to the services described in the RFP (Attachment “ “). This list must include the name, telephone, and email address of the client contract administrator. If applicable, please list examples of services rendered in the state of Alabama, particularly within institutions of higher learning. Tab 5: Sample contract for review by Auburn University. Tab 6: Supplier's ability to integrate with an e-procurement system (required), specifically the JAGGAER e-procurement system, however we would also like a list of other e-procurement or ERP systems the supplier is able to integrate with. This section should include the names and positions/duties of those who will be servicing the AU account for this integration. Explain order resolution processes, returns, refunds, etc. Tab 7: The financial statements of the company for the past three years. If the company is a division of a larger corporation, the statements must be submitted for the corporation as a whole and for that division of the corporation. Tab 8: Description of the process of producing the best value for the University and its users, through creative marketing and/or other programs. Tab 9: Describe your approach to informing campus departments of your program's performance, opportunities, & concerns. Currently, Auburn University has an onsite presence within our Facilities Division. The desire of this contract is to continue with the same format. At minimum, an annual review with both PBS and Facilities is required. Tab 10: Description of any financial considerations and flexibility of the supplier; i.e. rebate programs, signing bonus, conversion bonus, etc. Tab 11: Explain how often pricing is audited, and how often POs are processed to ensure contractual compliance Tab 12: Exceptions to any terms and conditions Tab 13: Description of environmental and sustainability policies of the supplier. Tab 14: Additional comments. Section IV. Evaluation Criteria In awarding the contract, the University may take into consideration the skill, facilities, capacity, experience, ability, responsibility, previous work, reputation, financial standing of the bidder or respondents, and the amount of other work being carried on by the bidder. The inability of any bidder to meet the requirements mentioned above may be cause for rejection of proposal. Selection shall be made in the best interest of the University. An Agreement will be awarded to the successful respondent who, in the opinion of the University, has best demonstrated competence and qualification for the type of services required at fair and reasonable prices/compensation and whose proposal is deemed to be in the best interest of the University. Where contract negotiations with a respondent do not proceed to an executed contract within a time deemed reasonable by the University (for whatever reasons), the University may reconsider the proposals of other respondents and, if appropriate, enter into contract negotiations with one or more of the other respondents. Proposals shall remain valid and current for the period of 90 days after the closing date and time for submission of proposals. The respondent and University agree that time is of the essence in all respects concerning the award of contract and performance hereunder. 1) Pricing – 50% • Supplier having the lowest overall cost in dollars o This will include the Top 200 Purchased Products & % Off MSRP for Product Categories, as well as any additional financial considerations provided by each supplier. 2) Customer Service (with supporting documentation) – 25% • Supplier overview (describe customer service program, interaction with customers, responsiveness to questions. List any unique aspects of your service model that differentiates your organization from others.) • Relevant experience • Demonstration of the selected supplier's prior successful experience with the specified activities at the specified and designated institution types • References (at least three (3) references similar in scope and size to that of Auburn University.) • Issue Resolution (returns, refunds, etc.) • Account Management Plan/JAGGAER or Integration Processes and Plan (describe your approach to informing campus departments of your program's performance, opportunities, and concerns. Additionally, what interaction will you have with PBS during the life of this contract?) • Audit/Compliance (explain how often pricing is audited, how often POs are processed to ensure contractual compliance) • Delivery Terms o Auburn University is requesting free shipping for all orders, with the understanding that special orders may incur shipping charges. • Payment Terms o Auburn University is requesting no credit card fees. 3) Complete/Thorough Proposal – 25% • Understanding of the nature of the project • The suppliers compliance with all requirements of the RFP specifications • The selected supplier's proposed commitment to its relationship with the University and customers • Detailed proof of all requested qualifications and specified services.