DAR File No. 38977

Administrative Services, Purchasing and General Services

Rule R33-12

Terms and Conditions, Contracts, Change Orders and Costs

Notice of Proposed Rule

(Amendment)

DAR File No.: 38977
Filed: 11/24/2014 03:25:31 PM

RULE ANALYSIS

Purpose of the rule or reason for the change:

The purpose of this amendment is to continue the update of this rule.

Summary of the rule or change:

The changes define criteria for multiple award contracts and multi-year contracts.

State statutory or constitutional authorization for this rule:

• Title 63G, Chapter 6a

Anticipated cost or savings to:

the state budget:

No fiscal impact is anticipated because this is simply a change in how a proposal will be evaluated and awarded.

local governments:

No fiscal impact is anticipated because this is simply a change in how a proposal will be evaluated and awarded.

small businesses:

No fiscal impact is anticipated because this is simply a change in how a proposal will be evaluated and awarded.

persons other than small businesses, businesses, or local governmental entities:

No fiscal impact is anticipated because this is simply a change in how a proposal will be evaluated and awarded.

Compliance costs for affected persons:

No fiscal impact is anticipated because this is simply a change in how a proposal will be evaluated and awarded.

Comments by the department head on the fiscal impact the rule may have on businesses:

This amendment has no fiscal impact of businesses.

Kimberly Hood, Executive Director

The full text of this rule may be inspected, during regular business hours, at the Division of Administrative Rules, or at:

Administrative Services
Purchasing and General Services
Room 3150 STATE OFFICE BLDG
450 N STATE ST
SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84114-1201

Direct questions regarding this rule to:

• Alan Bachman at the above address, by phone at 801-538-3105, by FAX at 801-538-3313, or by Internet E-mail at abachman@utah.gov

Interested persons may present their views on this rule by submitting written comments to the address above no later than 5:00 p.m. on:

01/14/2015

This rule may become effective on:

01/21/2015

Authorized by:

Kent Beers, Director

R33. Administrative Services, Division of Purchasing and General Services.

R33-12. Terms and Conditions, Contracts, Change Orders and Costs.

[R33-12-301. Multiple Award Contracts -- Indefinite Quantity Contracts.

(1) A multiple award is an award of an indefinite quantity contract for one or more similar procurement items to more than one bidder or offeror, and the procurement unit is obligated to order all of its actual, normal requirements for the specified procurement items from those contractors. A multiple award may be in the procurement unit's best interest when an award to two or more bidders or offerors for similar procurement items is needed for adequate delivery, service, or availability, or for product compatibility. In making a multiple award, care shall be exercised to protect and promote the principles of competitive solicitation. All eligible users of the contract shall be named in the solicitation, and it shall be mandatory that the requirements of the users that can be met under the contract be obtained in accordance with the contract, provided, that:

(a) the procurement unit shall reserve the right to take bids separately if a particular quantity requirement arises which exceeds an amount specified in the contract; or

(b) the procurement unit shall reserve the right to take bids separately if the chief procurement officer or head of a procurement unit with independent procurement authority approves a finding that the procurement item available under the contract will not meet a nonrecurring special need of the procurement unit.

(2) As permitted by Section 63G-6a-1204.5, the division or a procurement unit with independent procurement authority may enter into multiple award contracts. In addition to the content requirements contained in Section 63G-6a-603 and Section 63G-6a-703, when it is anticipated that a procurement will result in multiple contract awards, the solicitation shall include:

(a) statement that award may be made to more than one bidder or offeror; and,

(b) the maximum number of awards anticipated; or

(c) the methodology used to determine the number of contract awards.

(3) Use of Multiple Award Contracts.

(a) Whenever practicable, a solicitation for a multiple award contract shall include requirements that procurement units shall:

(i) obtain a minimum of two quotes for the procurement item(s) sought from the multiple award contractors;

(ii) use a rotational system of selecting the multiple awarded contractor for the procurement item(s) needed;

(iii) based on geographical area of assignment or area of expertise; or

(iv) use other methods to ensure each awarded contractor a fair opportunity to be considered for each order of a procurement item(s) from the procurement unit.

(4) No method, such as allocation or designation of a preferred awarded contractor, which would not result in fair consideration being given to all multiple award contractors shall be used.

(5) Multiple award contracts may be awarded by geographical regions, by line items, or any manner that serves the best interest of the procurement units, as determined in writing by the chief procurement officer or head of a procurement unit with independent procurement authority.]

R33-12-301. Awarding Multiple Award Contracts.

(1) A multiple award contract is a procurement process where two or more bidders or offerors are awarded a contract under a single solicitation. Purchases are made through an order placed with a vendor on multiple award contract pursuant to the procedures established in R33-12-301.2, ordering from a multiple award contract.

(2) As authorized under Section 63G-6a-1204.5, the division or a procurement unit with independent procurement authority may enter into multiple award contracts.

(3) A multiple award contract may be awarded under a single solicitation when two or more bidders or offerors for similar procurement items are needed for:

(a) Coverage on a statewide, regional, combined statewide and regional basis, agency specific requirement, or other criteria specified in the solicitation such as:

(i) delivery;

(ii) service;

(iii) product availability; or

(iv) Compatibility with existing equipment or infrastructure.

(4) In addition to the requirements set forth in Section 63G-6a-603 and Section 63G-6a-703, when it is anticipated that a procurement will result in multiple contract awards, the solicitation shall include a statement that:

(a) Indicates that contracts may be awarded to more than one bidder or offeror;

(b) Specifies whether contracts will be awarded on a statewide, regional, combined statewide and regional basis, or agency specific requirement; and

(c) Describes specific methodology or a formula that will be used to determine the number of contract awards.

(5) Multiple award contracts in an invitation for bids shall be conducted and awarded in accordance with Utah Code 63G-6a, Part 6 to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder(s) who meet the objective criteria described in the invitation for bids and may be awarded to provide adequate regional, statewide, or combined regional and statewide coverage, agency specific requirement, or delivery, or product availability using the following methods:

(a) lowest bids for all procurement items solicited provided the solicitation indicates that multiple contracts will be awarded to the lowest bidders for all procurement items being solicited as determined by the following methods:

(i) all bids within a specified percentage, not to exceed five percent, of the lowest responsive and responsible bid, unless otherwise approved in writing by the chief procurement officer or head of a procurement unit with independent procurement authority;

(ii) all responsive and responsible bidders will be awarded a contract, provided the contract specifically directs that orders must be placed first with low bidder unless the lowest bidder cannot provide the needed procurement item, then with the second lowest bidder unless the second lowest bidder cannot provide the needed procurement item, then with the third lowest bidder unless the third lowest bidder cannot provide the needed procurement item, and so on in order from the lowest responsive and responsible bidder to the highest responsive and responsible bidder; or

(iii) other methodology described in the solicitation to award contracts;

(b) lowest bid by Category provided:

(i) the solicitation indicates that a contract will be awarded based on the lowest bid per category;

(ii) only one bidder may be awarded a contract per category;

(c) lowest bid by line item provided:

(i) the solicitation indicates that a contract will be awarded based on the lowest bid per line item, task or service;

(ii) only one bidder may be awarded a contract per line item, task or service; or

(d) Other specific objective methodology described in the solicitation, such as R33-12-302 for primary and secondary contracts, approved by the chief procurement officer or head of a procurement unit with independent procurement authority.

(6) Multiple award contracts in a request for proposals shall be conducted and awarded in accordance with Utah Code 63G-6a, Part 7 and may be awarded on a statewide, regional, combination statewide and regional basis, agency specific requirement, or other criteria set forth in the solicitation and in accordance with point thresholds and other methodology set forth in the RFP describing how multiple award contracts will be awarded with enough specificity as to avoid the appearance of any favoritism affecting the decision of whether to award a multiple contract and who should receive a multiple award contract.

 

R33-12-301a. Multiple Award Contracts for Unidentified Procurement Items.

(1) An unidentified procurement item is defined as a procurement item that at the time the solicitation is issued:

(a) Has not been specifically identified but will be identified at some time in the future, such as an approved vendor list or approved consultant list;

(b) Does not have a clearly defined project or procurement specific scope of work; and

(c) Does not have a clearly defined project or procurement specific budget.

(2) Unidentified procurement items may be procured under the approved vendor list thresholds established by the applicable rule making authority or administrative rule R33-4-102.

(3) An RFP, request for statements of qualifications, or multi stage solicitation issued for a multiple award contract for unidentified procurement item(s) must specify the methodology that the procurement unit will use to determine which vendor under the multiple award contract will be selected.

(a) The methodology must include a procedure to document that the procurement unit is obtaining best value, including an analysis of cost and other evaluation criteria outlined in the solicitation.

(b) The methodology must also ensure the fair and equitable treatment of each multiple award contract vendor, including using methods to select a vendor such as:

(i) a rotation system, organized alphabetically, numerically, or randomly;

(ii) assigning a potential vendor or contractor to a specified geographical area;

(iii) classifying each potential vendor or contractor based on the potential vendor's or contractor's field or area of expertise; or

(iv) obtaining quotes or bids from two or more vendors or contractors.

 

R33-12-301b. Ordering From A Multiple Award Contract.

(1)(a) When buying a procurement item from a multiple award contract solicited through an invitation for bids, a procurement unit shall:

(i) obtain a minimum of two quotes for the procurement item if the contract was awarded based on the method described in R33-12-301(5)(a)(i) and place the order for the procurement item with the vendor or contractor with the lowest quoted price;

(ii) place the order for the procurement item with the lowest bidder on contract unless the lowest bidder cannot provide the needed procurement item, then the order may be placed with the second lowest bidder unless the second lowest bidder cannot provide the needed procurement item and on, in order, from lowest bidder to highest bidder as described in R33-12-301(5)(a)(ii);

(iii) place the order in accordance with instructions contained in the contract for the procurement item if the contract was awarded based on the method described in R33-12-301(5)(a)(iii);

(iv) place the order for the procurement item if the contract was awarded based on the method described in R33-12-301(5)(b); or

(v) place the order for the procurement item if the contract was awarded based on the method described in R33-12-301(5)(c);

(b) The requirement to obtain two or more quotes in section (1)(a)(i) is waived when there is only one bidder award for the particular procurement item or only one bidder is awarded per geographical area.

(2) When buying a procurement item from a multiple award contract solicited through an RFP, a procurement unit may place orders with any vendor or contractor under contract based on which procurement item best meets the needs of the procurement unit. Contracts awarded through the RFP process are awarded based on best value as determined by cost and non-price criteria specified in the RFP. As a result, all vendors, contractors and procurement items under contract issued through an RFP have been determined to provide best value to procurement units buying from these contracts.

(3) A procurement unit may not use a multiple award contract to steer purchases to a favored vendor or use any other means or methods that do not result in fair consideration being given to all vendors that have been awarded a contract under a multiple award.

 

R33-12-404. Multi-Year Contracts.

(1) Procurement units may issue multi-year contracts in accordance with Section 63G-6a-1204.

(2) The standard contract term for executive branch procurement units is five years, unless the chief procurement officer or head of a procurement unit with independent procurement authority determines that a shorter or longer term contract is in the best interest of the procurement unit after considering:

(a) the cost associated with conducting more than one procurement within a five-year period if a shorter term is required;

(b) the impact on competition if a longer term is required;

(c) standard practices for the industry; and

(d) the needs of the procurement unit.

 

R33-12-404a. Contracts With Renewal Options.

(1) In order to ensure fair and open competition in the procurement process and to avoid costs associated with administering contracts with renewal options, executive branch procurement units shall document in writing why renewal options are in the best interest of the procurement unit taking into consideration:

(a) federal funding requirements;

(b) the cost associated with administering renewal options;

(c) how the cost of the procurement item will be established during any renewal periods; and

(d) how the principle of upholding fair and open competition will be maintained.

 

KEY: terms and conditions, contracts, change orders, costs

Date of Enactment or Last Substantive Amendment: [July 8, 2014]2015

Notice of Continuation: July 8, 2014

Authorizing, and Implemented or Interpreted Law: 63G-6a