Furniture Purchasing Policy

Furniture Preferred Provider Program

1. No Price Justification is required with any Furniture Preferred Provider if the dollar value is less than $25,000

 

2. Direct furniture purchases by requesters are not to exceed either the $5,000 limit or Pcard signature authorization.

 

3. For furniture requirements greater than $25,000 and less than $50,000, you are to review the requirement with the Purchasing Director & provide your rationale if you are recommending a sole source award.

 

4. The Preferred Approach is to lay out our specifications & furniture requirements in a RFP & select contractor(s) to compete & evaluate for the best value contractor.

 

5. An alternative approach would be to issue a RFI & request firms provide their ideas for requested space.  The result is a final package representing the best ideas we receive from vendors. If many firms are contemplated then a Pre-Qualification review may be needed to narrow the number of firms we desire to issue a RFP. A pre-qualification requests responses to a limited number of questions to determine the most qualified firms to issue the RFP.

 

6. Always, always have the basis for selection, i.e., pricing, aesthetics, quality of product, references, etc., whether it be a RFP/Pre-Qualification or Final Selection

 

7. We should always strive to address installation separately within the original furniture order and where applicable or desirable, to establish a Not-to-Exceed figure.

 

8. Competition is required for all requirements >$50,000 unless you can provide a bona fide sole source agreed to by the Purchasing Director.  PD&C competition requirements, due to the nature & dollar value of new construction or major refurbishments, will require competition at >$100,000.

 

9. There are generally numerous approaches to soliciting offers:

a.    Provide your specifications & layouts to selected Preferred Providers & have them provide an offer based on our needs.

 

b.    Issue the RFP to selected firms with a site visit scheduled as part of the timeline. You can lay out your general requirements in the RFP & have the firms provide their specifications & layouts to you for final evaluation & selection of one firm for negotiations.

 

c.    Issue a RFI, include a site visit, & ask for input from various selected firms with the stated objective of then utilizing the input received to develop a RFP. You need to mention that we are not paying for any input received. You take the best of the input received, issue a RFP & compete it among the Preferred Providers. You have to set a short turnaround on the RFI or you will run into timeline problems.

 

d.   You can conduct a pre-qualification review based on a technical review of various submittals to a selected site.  Make sure you include a not-to-exceed price in the pre-qualification. Select only those that are acceptable & request a price submittal. You then can award to a vendor or negotiate with the apparent winner.