R33-4. Supplemental Procurement Procedures, R33. Administrative Services, Purchasing and General Services, Utah Administrative Code

Utah Administrative Code (Current through November 1, 2019)

R33. Administrative Services, Purchasing and General Services

R33-4. Supplemental Procurement Procedures

R33-4-101a. Rejection of a Late Solicitation Response -- Delivery and Time Requirements

Latest version.

(1) Except as provided in Subsection (4), an issuing procurement unit may not accept a response to a request for statement of qualifications after the deadline for receipt of responses to a request for statement of qualifications has passed.

(2) When submitting a response to a request for statement of qualifications electronically, vendors 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 vendor is in the middle of uploading a response when the closing time arrives, the procurement unit will stop the process and the response will not be accepted.

(3) When submitting a response to a request for statement of qualification by physical delivery (U.S. Mail, courier service, hand-delivery, or other physical means) vendors 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 response being late.

(a) All responses 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 response not being received by the established due date and time, the response shall be accepted as being on time.

R33-4-101b. Vendors with Exclusive Authorization to Bid

Latest version.

(1) The requirements of this rule shall only apply when a procurement unit issues a request for statements of qualification under Utah Code 63G-6a-410 to responsible vendors with an exclusive dealership, franchise, distributorship, or other arrangement, from a manufacturer identifying the vendor as the only one authorized to submit bids or quotes for the specified procurement item within the State of Utah or a region within the State of Utah.

(a) Under the provisions of this rule, no vendor described in (1) may be excluded from the list of prequalified vendors, unless a determination is made by the procurement unit that a vendor is not qualified, responsive or responsible.

(b) The request for statements of qualifications shall indicate that all vendors on the prequalified vendor list will be invited to submit bids or quotes.

(2) After the prequalified list has been compiled, a procurement unit may award a contract by obtaining bids or quotes from all vendors on the prequalified list taking into consideration a best value analysis that includes, as applicable:

(a) cost;

(b) compatibility with existing equipment, technology, software, accessories, replacement parts, or service;

(d) past performance of vendors and pertaining to the procurement item being purchased;

(e) the costs associated with transitioning from an existing procurement item to a new procurement item; or

(f) other factors determined in writing by the chief procurement officer or head of a procurement unit with independent procurement authority.

(3) Procurement units must follow the requirements in R33-4-110 when obtaining quotes and the requirements in Part 6 of the Utah Procurement Code when obtaining bids.

(4) An exception to the requirements of this rule may be authorized by the chief procurement officer or head of a procurement unit with independent procurement authority.

R33-4-101. Request for Statement of Qualifications

Latest version.

Reserved.

R33-4-102. Thresholds for Approved Vendor Lists

Latest version.

(1) Public entities may establish approved vendor lists in accordance with the requirements of Sections 63G-6a-403 and 63G-6a-404.

(a) Contracts or purchases from an approved vendor list may not exceed the following thresholds:

(i) Construction Projects: $2,500,000 per contract, for direct construction costs, including design and allowable furniture or equipment costs, awarded using an invitation for bids or a request for proposals;

(ii) Professional and General Services, including architectural and engineering services: $100,000; and

(iii) Information Technology: $500,000

(b) Thresholds for other approved vendor lists may be established by the Chief Procurement Officer, or as applicable, the head of a procurement unit with independent procurement authority.

R33-4-103. Specifications

Latest version.

(1) Public entities shall include in solicitation documents specifications for the procurement item(s).

(2) Specifications shall be drafted with the objective of clearly describing the procurement unit's requirements and encouraging competition.

(a) Specifications shall emphasize the functional or performance criteria necessary to meet the needs of the procurement unit.

(3) Persons with a conflict of interest, or who anticipate responding to the proposal for which the specifications are written, may not participate in writing specifications. Procurement units may retain the services of a person to assist in writing specifications, scopes of work, requirements, qualifications, or other components of a solicitation. However the person assisting in writing specifications shall not, at any time during the procurement process, be employed in any capacity by, nor have an ownership interest in, an individual, public or private corporation, governmental entity, partnership, or unincorporated association bidding on or submitting a proposal in response to the solicitation.

(a) Subsection R33-4-104(3) does not apply to the following:

(i) a design build construction project; and

(ii) other procurements determined in writing by the chief procurement officer, or as applicable, the head of a procurement unit with independent procurement authority.

(b) Violations of this Subsection R33-4-104(3) may result in:

(i) the bidder or offeror being declared ineligible for award of the contract;

(ii) the solicitation being canceled;

(iii) termination of an awarded contract; or

(iv) any other action determined to be appropriate by the chief procurement officer, or as applicable, the head of a procurement unit with independent procurement authority.

(4) Brand Name or Equal Specifications.

(a) Brand name or equal specifications may be used when:

(i) "or equivalent" reference is included in the specification; and,

(ii) as many other brand names as practicable are also included in the specification.

(b) Brand name or equal specifications shall include a description of the particular design and functional or performance characteristics which are required. Specifications unique to the brands shall be described in sufficient detail that another person can respond with an equivalent brand.

(c) When a manufacturer's specification is used in a solicitation, the solicitation shall state the minimum acceptable requirements of an equivalent. When practicable, the procurement unit shall name at least three manufacturer's specifications.

(5) Brand Name Requirements.

(a) If only one brand can meet the requirements set forth in the specifications, the procurement unit shall solicit from as many providers of the brand as practicable; and

(b) If there is only one provider that can meet the requirements set forth in the specifications, the procurement unit shall conduct the procurement in accordance with Section 63G-6a-802 and Section R33-8-101b.

R33-4-109. Procedures When Two Bids, Quotes, or Statement of Qualifications Cannot Be Obtained

Latest version.

(1) The requirement that a procurement unit obtain a minimum of two bids, quotes, or statements of qualifications is waived when only one vendor submits a bid, provides a quote, or submits a statement of qualifications under the following circumstances:

(a) A solicitation meeting the public notice requirements of Utah Code 63G-6a-112 results in only one vendor willing to bid, provide quotes, or submit a statement of qualifications;

(b) Vendors on a multiple award contract, prequalification, or approved vendor list fail to bid, provide quotes, or submit statements of qualifications; or

(c) A procurement unit makes a reasonable effort to invite all known vendors to bid, provide quotes, or submit statements of qualifications and all but one of the invited vendors contacted fail to bid, provide quotes, or submit statements of qualifications.

(i) Reasonable effort shall mean:

(A) Public notice under Utah Code 63G-6a-112;

(B) An electronic or manual search for vendors within the specific industry, fails to identify any vendors willing to submit bids or provide quotes;

(D) A determination by the chief procurement officer, or as applicable, the head of a procurement unit with independent procurement authority that a reasonable effort has been made.

(2) Before accepting a bid or quote from only one vendor, the chief procurement officer, or as applicable, the head of a procurement unit with independent procurement authority, shall consider:

(a) whether pricing is fair and reasonable as set forth in R33-6-109(1);

(b) canceling the procurement as set forth in R33-9-103; and

(3) The chief procurement officer, or as applicable, the head of a procurement unit with independent procurement authority, shall maintain records documenting the circumstances and reasons why fewer than two bids, quotes, or statements of qualifications were obtained.

R33-4-110. Use of Electronic, Telephone, or Written Quotes

Latest version.

(1) Quote means an informal purchasing process which solicits pricing information from several sources.

(2) Quotation means a statement of price, terms of sale, and description of goods or services offered by a vendor to a procurement unit; and

(a) A quotation is nonbinding and does not obligate a procurement unit to make a purchase or a vendor to make a sale.

(3) Electronic quote means a price quotation provided by a vendor through electronic means such as the internet, online sources, email, an interactive web-based market center, or other technology.

(4) A procurement unit may use electronic, telephone, or written quotes to obtain pricing and other information for a procurement item within the small purchase or approved vendor threshold limits established by rule provided:

(a) Quotations are for the same procurement item, including terms of sale, description, and quantity of goods or services;

(b) It is disclosed to the vendor that the quote is for a governmental entity and an inquiry is made as to whether the vendor is willing to provide a price discount to a governmental entity; and

(i) The name of each vendor supplying a quotation; and

(ii) The amount of each vendor's quotation.

(5) An executive branch procurement unit, subject to this rule:

(a) May obtain electronic, telephone, or written quotations for a procurement item costing less than $5,000;

(b) Shall send a request to obtain quotations for a procurement item costing more than $5,000 to the division of state purchasing;

(i) The division shall obtain quotations for executive branch procurement units for procurement items costing more than $5,000; and

(c) May not obtain quotations for a procurement item available on state contract unless otherwise specified in the terms of a solicitation or contract or authorized by rule or statute.