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Utah Administrative Code (Current through November 1, 2019) |
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R33. Administrative Services, Purchasing and General Services |
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R33-6. Bidding |
| R33-6-101. Competitive Sealed Bidding; Multiple Stage Bidding; Reverse Auction |
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(1) Competitive Sealed Bidding shall be conducted in accordance with the requirements set forth in Sections 63G-6a-601 through 63G-6a-612. All definitions in the Utah Procurement Code shall apply to this Rule unless otherwise specified in this Rule. This administrative rule provides additional requirements and procedures and must be used in conjunction with the Procurement Code. (2) The conducting procurement unit is responsible for all content contained in the competitive sealed bidding, multiple stage bidding, and reverse auction solicitation documents, including: (a) reviewing all schedules, dates, and timeframes; (b) approving content of attachments; (c) providing the issuing procurement unit with redacted documents, as applicable; (d) assuring that information contained in the solicitation documents is public information; and (e) understanding the description of the procurement item(s)being sought, all criteria, requirements, factors, and formulas to be used for determining the lowest responsible bidder and responsive bid. (3)(a) The award of a contract shall be to the responsible bidder with the lowest responsive bid who meets the objective criteria described in the invitation for bids. (b) Bids shall be based on the lowest bid for the entire term of the contract, excluding renewal periods. (c) Unless an exception is authorized in writing by the chief procurement officer or head of a procurement unit with independent procurement authority, cost may not be divided or evaluated on any other basis than the entire term of the contract, excluding renewal periods. |
| R33-6-102. Bidder Solicitation Response |
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(1) The invitation for bids shall include the information required by Section 63G-6a-603 and shall also include a "Bid Form" or forms, which shall provide lines for each of the following: (a) the bidder's bid price; (b) the bidder's acknowledged receipt of addenda issued by the procurement unit; (c) the bidder to identify other applicable submissions; and (d) the bidder's signature (2) Bidders may be required to submit descriptive literature and/or product samples to assist the chief procurement officer or head of a procurement unit with independent procurement authority in evaluating whether a procurement item meets the specifications and other requirements set forth in the invitation to bid. (a) Product samples must be furnished free of charge unless otherwise stated in the invitation for bids, and if not destroyed by testing, will upon written request within any deadline stated in the invitation for bids, be returned at the bidder's expense. Samples must be labeled or otherwise identified as specified in the invitation for bids by the procurement unit. (3) The provisions of Section R33-7-105 shall apply to protected records. (4) Bid, payment and performance bonds or other security may be required for procurement items as set forth in the invitation for bids. Bid, payment and performance bond amounts shall be as prescribed by applicable law or must be based upon the estimated level of risk associated with the procurement item and may not be increased above the estimated level of risk with the intent to reduce the number of qualified bidders. (5) All bids must be based upon a definite calculated price (a) "Indefinite quantity contract" means a fixed price contract for an indefinite amount of procurement items to be supplied as ordered by a procurement unit, and does not require a minimum purchase amount, or provide a maximum purchase limit; (b) "Definite quantity contract" means a fixed price contract that provides for the supply of a specified amount of goods over a specified period, with deliveries scheduled according to a specified schedule; and (c) Bids may not be based on using another bidder's price, including a percentage discount, formula, other amount related to another bidder's price, or conditions related to another bid or acceptance of an entire bid or a portion of a bid. |
| R33-6-103. Pre-Bid Conferences and Site Visits |
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(1) Mandatory pre-bid conferences and site visits may be held to explain the procurement requirements in accordance with the following: (a) Except as authorized in writing by the chief procurement officer or the head of a procurement unit with independent procurement authority, pre-bid conferences and site visits must require mandatory attendance by all bidders. (b) Except as authorized in writing by the chief procurement officer or the head of a procurement unit with independent procurement authority, pre-bid conferences and site visits allowing optional attendance by bidders are not permitted. (c) A pre-bid conference may be attended via the following: (i) attendance in person; (ii) teleconference participation; (iii) webinar participation; or (iv) participation through other electronic media approved by the chief procurement officer or head of a procurement unit with independent procurement authority. (d) Mandatory site visits must be attended in person. (e) All pre-bid conferences and site visits must be attended by an authorized representative of the person or vendor submitting a bid and as may be further specified in the procurement documents. (f) The solicitation must state that failure to attend a mandatory pre-bid conference shall result in the disqualification of any bidder that does not have an authorized representative attend the entire duration of the mandatory pre-bid conference. (g) The solicitation must state that failure to attend a mandatory site visit shall result in the disqualification of any bidder that does not have an authorized representative attend the entire duration of the mandatory site visit. (h) At the discretion of the conducting procurement unit, audio or video recordings of pre-bid conferences and site visits may be used. (i) Listening to or viewing audio or video recordings of a mandatory pre-bid conference or site visit may not be substituted for attendance. If the chief procurement officer or the head of a procurement unit with independent procurement authority grants an exception to the mandatory requirement in writing, the procurement unit may require all bidders that do not have an authorize representative in attendance for the entire pre-bid conference or site visit to review any audio or video recording made. (2)(a) If a pre-bid conference or site visit is held, the conducting procurement unit shall maintain: (i) an attendance log including the name of each attendee, the entity the attendee is representing, and the attendee's contact information; (ii) minutes of the pre-bid conference or site visit; and (iii) copies of any documents distributed by the conducting procurement unit to the attendees at the pre-bid conference or site visit. (b) The issuing procurement unit shall publish as an addendum to the solicitation: (i) the attendance log; (ii) minutes of the pre-bid conference or site visit; (iii) copies of any documents distributed to attendees at the pre-bid conference or site visit; and (iv) any verbal modifications made to any of the solicitation documents. All verbal modifications to the solicitation documents shall be reduced to writing. |
| R33-6-104. Addenda to Invitation for Bids |
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Prior to the deadline for receipt of solicitation responses, a procurement unit may issue addenda which may modify any aspect of the Invitation for Bids. (a) Addenda shall be distributed within a reasonable time to allow prospective bidders to consider the addenda in preparing bids. (b) After the due date and time for submitting bids, at the discretion of the chief procurement officer or head of a procurement unit with independent procurement authority, addenda to the Invitation for Bids may be limited to bidders that have submitted bids, provided the addenda does not make a substantial change to the Invitation for Bids that, in the opinion of the chief procurement officer or head of a procurement unit with independent procurement authority, likely would have impacted the number of bidders responding to the Invitation for Bids. |
| R33-6-105. Rejection of a Late Bid -- Delivery and Time Requirements |
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(1) Except as provided in Subsection (4), an issuing procurement unit may not accept a bid after the deadline for receipt of the solicitation responses to an invitation for bids has passed as set forth in Section 63G-6a-604(4). (2) When submitting a bid electronically, bidders must allow sufficient time to complete the online forms and upload documents. The solicitation will end at the closing time posted in the electronic system. If a bidder is in the middle of uploading a bid when the closing time arrives, the procurement unit will stop the process and the bid will not be accepted. (3) When submitting a bid by physical delivery (U.S. Mail, courier service, hand-delivery, or other physical means) bidders are solely responsible for meeting the deadline. Delays caused by a delivery service or other physical means will not be considered as an acceptable reason for a bid being late. (a) All bids received by physical delivery will be date and time stamped by the procurement unit. (4) To the extent that an error on the part of the procurement unit or an employee of a procurement unit results in a bid not being received by the established due date and time, the bid shall be accepted as being on time. |
| R33-6-106. Voluntary Withdrawal of a Bid |
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A bidder may voluntarily withdraw a bid at any time before a contract is awarded with respect to the invitation for bids for which the bid was submitted provided the bidder is not engaged in any type of bid rigging, collusion or other anticompetitive practice made unlawful under other applicable law. |
| R33-6-107. Errors Discovered After the Award of Contract |
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(1) Errors discovered after the award of a contract may only be corrected if, after consultation with the chief procurement officer or head of a procurement unit with independent procurement authority and the attorney general's office or other applicable legal counsel, it is determined that the correction of the mistake does not violate the requirements of the Utah Procurement Code or these administrative rules. (2) Any correction made under this subsection must be supported by a written determination signed by the chief procurement officer or the head of a procurement unit with independent procurement authority. |
| R33-6-108. Re-solicitation of a Bid |
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(1) Re-solicitation of a bid may occur only if the chief procurement officer or head of a procurement unit with independent procurement authority determines that: (a) A material change in the scope of work or specifications has occurred; (b) procedures outlined in the Utah Procurement Code were not followed; (c) additional public notice is desired; (d) there was a lack of adequate competition; or (e) other reasons exist that are in the best interests of the procurement unit. (2) Re-solicitation may not be used to avoid awarding a contract to a qualified vendor in an attempt to steer the award of a contract to a favored vendor. |
| R33-6-109. Only One Bid Received |
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(1) If only one responsive bid is received from a responsible bidder in response to an Invitation for Bids, including multiple stage bidding, an award may be made to the single bidder if the chief procurement officer or head of a procurement unit with independent procurement authority determines that the price submitted is fair and reasonable as set forth in R33-12-603 and R33-12-604, and that other prospective bidders had a reasonable opportunity to respond, or there is not adequate time for re-solicitation. Otherwise, the bid may be rejected and: (a) a new invitation for bids solicited; or (b) the procurement canceled. |
| R33-6-110. Multiple or Alternate Bids |
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(1) Multiple or alternate bids will not be accepted, unless otherwise specifically required or allowed in the invitation for bids. (2) If a bidder submits multiple or alternate bids that are not requested in the invitation for bids, the chief procurement officer or head of a procurement unit with independent procurement authority will only accept the bidder's primary bid and will not accept any other bids constituting multiple or alternate bids. |
| R33-6-111. Methods to Resolve Tie Bids |
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(1) In accordance with Section 63G-6a-608, in the event of tie bids, the contract shall be awarded to the procurement item offered by a Utah resident bidder, provided the bidder indicated on the invitation to bid form that it is a Utah resident bidder. (2) If a Utah resident bidder is not identified, the preferred method for resolving tie bids shall be for the chief procurement officer or head of a procurement unit with independent procurement authority by tossing a coin in the presence of a minimum of three witnesses with the firm first in alphabetical order being heads. (3) Other methods to resolve a tie bid described in Section 63G-6a-608 may be used as deemed appropriate by the chief procurement officer or head of a procurement unit with independent procurement authority. |
| R33-6-112. Publication of Award |
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(1) The issuing procurement unit shall, on the day on which the award of a contract is announced, make available to each bidder and to the public a notice that includes: (a) the name of the bidder to which the contract is awarded and the price(s) of the procurement item(s); and (b) the names and the prices of each bidder to which the contract is not awarded. |
| R33-6-113. Multiple Stage Bidding Process |
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Multiple stage bidding shall be conducted in accordance with the requirements set forth in Section 63G-6a-609. (1) The chief procurement officer or head of a procurement unit with independent procurement authority may hold a pre-bid conference as described in Section R33-6-103 to discuss the multiple stage bidding process or for any other permissible purpose. |
| 7. Errors in Bids |
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The following shall apply to the correction or withdrawal of an inadvertently erroneous bid, or the cancelation of an award or contract that is based on an unintentionally erroneous bid. A decision to permit the correction or withdrawal of a bid or the cancellation of any award or a contract under this Rule shall be supported in a written document, signed by the in the chief procurement officer or head of a procurement unit with independent procurement authority. (1) Errors attributed to a bidder's error in judgment may not be corrected. (2) Provided that there is no change in bid pricing or the cost evaluation formula, errors not attributed to a bidder's error in judgment may be corrected if it is in the best interest of the procurement unit and correcting the mistake maintains the fair treatment of other bidders. (a) Examples include: (i) missing signatures, (ii) missing acknowledging receipt of an addendum; (iii) missing copies of professional licenses, bonds, insurance certificates, provided that copies are submitted by the deadline established by the chief procurement officer or head of a procurement unit with independent procurement authority to correct this mistake; (iv) typographical errors; (v) mathematical errors not affecting the total bid price; or (vi) other errors deemed by the chief procurement officer or head of a procurement unit with independent procurement authority to be immaterial or inconsequential in nature. (3) The chief procurement officer or head of a procurement unit with independent procurement authority shall approve or deny, in writing, a bidder's request to correct or withdraw a bid. (4) Corrections or withdrawal of bids shall be conducted in accordance with Section 63G-6a-605. |