Promotional Items

The Health and Human Services Commission of Texas is soliciting bids for promotional items under solicitation number HHS0017577, an Invitation for Bids (IFB) targeted at Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUB) as a set-aside. The procurement covers specific promotional products listed in Exhibit C, including power clips, stress relievers, pens, notebooks, water bottles, and shopping totes, with fixed quantities specified for each item. All bids must submit firm, fixed unit prices for the life of the contract, with costs inclusive of all labor, materials, equipment, and related expenses. Respondents are required to use Exhibit C for pricing and must not include assumptions, as doing so will lead to disqualification. Proposals must be submitted via email, the HHS Online Bid Room, or physical delivery on a single USB drive by 10:30 a.m. Central Time on July 14, 2026, with late submissions automatically disqualified. The response must include fully completed and signed versions of Exhibit A (HHS Solicitation Affirmations) and Exhibit B (Contract Affirmations and HHS Uniform Terms and Conditions), as well as compliance with mandatory certifications regarding suspension/debarment status, child support obligations, franchise tax compliance, lobbying prohibitions, COVID-19 vaccine passport restrictions, and federal prohibitions on certain telecommunications equipment. All deliveries must be made to locations in Texas, with strict requirements that items be delivered complete, unaltered, and unmerged with other brands; split deliveries and substitutions are prohibited without prior written approval. Products must be of good quality, meet or exceed industry standards, and be free from defects, reworks, seconds, or previously refused items. Packaging must include outer carton labels with product description, purchase order number, and quantity per carton, with pallets required to be shrink-wrapped and labeled. Invoicing must reference the purchase order number and detail delivered work in alignment with the pricing sheet, with payments governed by Exhibit C and subject to Texas Administrative Code provisions on disputed invoices. Contractors must maintain an 11-digit Texas Identification Number (TIN) for payment, comply with E-Verify if applicable, and adhere to all state and federal anti-discrimination, safety, and human trafficking laws. The state retains exclusive ownership of all work product and intellectual property. Evaluation is based on pass/fail gates for past vendor performance—including unsatisfactory VPTS ratings, open corrective actions, or recent contract cancellations—and weighted