Mississippi Administrative Code › Title 36 - Technology › Part 2 - Information Systems Services › Chapter 6 - Procurement Instruments › Rule 36-2-6-206.1 - 011-010 Procurement Instruments: Requests for Proposals (RFPs)

Current through June 25, 2024
ITS law requires that all acquisitions of computer equipment
				  and services involving a lifecycle cost of more than $50,000.00 ($25,000.00 for
				  projects funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) be awarded based
				  on competitive and open specifications. Statute also requires that the
				  procurement be advertised in a newspaper having a general circulation in the
				  state (i.e.
The Clarion Ledger
) at least fourteen calendar
				  days prior to receiving vendor bids and proposals.
ITS uses the Request for Proposals (RFP) as the instrument
				  of choice for obtaining competitive pricing and offerings in compliance with
				  this state statute. The RFP outlines the functional requirements for the
				  equipment, software, and services needed, and vendors respond by proposing
				  solutions and pricing that satisfy these requirements. Proposals and vendors
				  are evaluated in terms of the ability of the solution to satisfy the stated
				  requirements and best meet the needs of the purchasing agency over the expected
				  life of the equipment or system. The evaluation is based on predefined
				  evaluation criteria in which price is not the only factor. Some of the criteria
				  for assessing the proposals received are necessarily subjective. It is the
				  responsibility of ITS and the purchasing entity to ensure the evaluation
				  process is fair and defensible.
Custom RFPs may be developed for the procurement of
				  high-dollar, complex, unique acquisitions by a single agency. The ITS staff and
				  the requesting agency or institution develop an RFP detailing the specific
				  equipment, system, software, and/or service requirements. General RFPs, Special
				  RFPs, and RFPs issued for Express Products Lists (EPLs) are prepared by ITS to
				  meet the needs of multiple customers. See the Multi-Use RFP Index (MURI) for a
				  list of current general, special, and EPL RFPs. While some smaller project may
				  require custom RFPs, ITS makes every effort to use the instruments on the MURI
				  for purchases of products and services within the scope of these instruments,
				  to lower the procurement costs for both customer and vendor.
Solicitations of proposals are published in
The
				  Clarion Ledger
and on the ITS website. Any vendor may request a
				  printed copy of the RFP (usually with an associated fee) or download the
				  contents from the Internet at no cost in either MS Word or Adobe format. The
				  link is RFPs and Sole Sources Advertised. (Note: This is also a Quick Link on
				  the right hand side of the homepage.)
Some RFPs include a mandatory or optional pre-proposal
				  vendor's conference. The date and location of the conference will be published
				  in the newspaper and Internet ads and will also be printed on the front page of
				  the RFP. For mandatory conferences, only companies who had representatives sign
				  in at the vendor's conference will be allowed to submit proposals as the
				  primary contractor.
Proposals are due at 3:00 p.m. on the specified date and are
				  submitted to the ITS administrative office at 3771 Eastwood Drive, Jackson,
				  Mississippi 39211, per instructions on the cover sheet of the RFP. ITS opens,
				  logs in, and performs a preliminary validation of proposals received. A
				  Register of Proposals is posted on the Internet following the proposal due
				  date.
ITS and the procuring agency jointly evaluate the proposals
				  received, obtain ITS Board approval if required, and negotiate a contract with
				  the awarded vendor.
Although most RFPs developed for specific customer agency
				  projects are used for a single purchase, the ITS RFP template contains language
				  allowing the reuse of any award at the discretion of the State and with the
				  concurrence of the vendor.
Refer to 009-001 ITS Procurement Process Flows for
				  additional information, specifically the flow labeled Competitive Procurements:
				  RFPs.
25-53-3
				  (g)