NCJA PRINT SHOP COPIER PROJECT

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

North Carolina Department of Justice

Invitation for Bid #: WS2219162158

NCJA Print Shop Copier Project

Date Issued: July 29, 2026

Bid Opening Date: September 2, 2026

At 2:00 PM ET

Direct all inquiries concerning this IFB to:

Anthony Farrior

Business Office Manager

Email: afarrior@ncdoj.gov

Phone: 910-926-6059

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

Invitation for Bids #

WS2219162158

______________________________________________________

For internal State agency processing, including tabulation of bids, provide your company's eVP (Electronic Vendor Portal) Number. Pursuant to G.S. 132-1.10(b) this identification number shall not be released to the public. This page will be removed and shredded, or otherwise kept confidential, before the procurement file is made available for public inspection.

This page shall be filled out and returned with your bid. Failure to do so may subject your bid to rejection.

___________________________________________________ Vendor Name

______________________________

Vendor eVP#

Note: For a contract to be awarded to you, your company (you) must be a North Carolina registered Vendor in good standing. You must enter the Vendor number assigned through eVP (Electronic Vendor Portal). If you do not have a Vendor number, register at https://evp.nc.gov/SignIn

EXECUTION In compliance with this Invitation for Bids (IFB), and subject to all the conditions herein, the undersigned Vendor offers and agrees to furnish and deliver any or all items upon which prices are bid, at the prices set opposite each item within the time specified herein.

By executing this bid, the undersigned Vendor understands that false certification is a Class I felony and certifies that:

this bid is submitted competitively and without collusion (G.S. 143-54),

that none of its officers, directors, or owners of an unincorporated business entity has been convicted of any violations of Chapter 78A of the General Statutes, the Securities Act of 1933, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (G.S. 143-59.2), and

it is not an ineligible Vendor as set forth in G.S. 143-59.1.

Furthermore, by executing this bid, the undersigned certifies to the best of Vendor's knowledge and belief, that:

it and its principals are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible or voluntarily excluded from covered transactions by any Federal or State department or agency.

As required by G.S. 143-48.5, the undersigned Vendor certifies that it, and each of its sub-Contractors for any Contract awarded as a result of this IFB, complies with the requirements of Article 2 of Chapter 64 of the NC General Statutes, including the requirement for each employer with more than 25 employees in North Carolina to verify the work authorization of its employees through the federal E-Verify system.

As required by Executive Order 24 (2017), the undersigned Vendor certifies it will comply with all Federal and State requirements concerning fair employment and that it does not and will not discriminate, harass, or retaliate against any employee in connection with performance of any Contract arising from this solicitation.

G.S. 133-32 and Executive Order 24 (2009) prohibit the offer to, or acceptance by, any State Employee associated with the preparing plans, specifications, estimates for public Contract; or awarding or administering public Contracts; or inspecting or supervising delivery of the public Contract of any gift from anyone with a Contract with the State, or from any person seeking to do business with the State. By execution of this bid response to the IFB, the undersigned certifies, for Vendor's entire organization and its employees or agents, that Vendor is not aware that any such gift has been offered, accepted, or promised by any employees or agents of Vendor's organization.

By executing this bid, Vendor certifies that it has read and agreed to the INSTRUCTION TO VENDORS and the NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS incorporated below. These documents can be accessed from the Ariba Sourcing Tool.

Failure to execute/sign bid prior to submittal may render bid invalid and it MAY BE REJECTED. Late bids cannot be accepted.

VALIDITY PERIOD

Offer shall be valid for at least sixty (60) days from date of bid opening, unless otherwise stated here: ______ days, or if extended by mutual agreement in writing of the parties. Any withdrawal of this offer shall be made in writing, effective upon receipt by the agency issuing this IFB.

BID ACCEPTANCE

If your bid is accepted, all provisions of this IFB, along with the written results of any negotiations, shall constitute the written agreement between the parties ("Contract"). The NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS are incorporated herein and shall apply. Depending upon the Goods or Services being offered, other terms and conditions may apply, as mutually agreed.

(Authorized Representative of the NC Department of Justice

PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

The North Carolina Justice Academy is seeking to establish a five-year equipment lease for a Mimaki UCJV330-160 printer/cutter, an AeroCut X finishing system, and a Bubble-Free Pro Table Applicator for use in the NCJA print shop. This leased equipment will be utilized by print shop staff to support academy-wide printing, graphics, and finishing needs.

The purpose of this procurement is to modernize and expand the print shop's in-house production capabilities by improving print quality, increasing efficiency, reducing turnaround times, and minimizing reliance on outsourced printing services. The equipment will support the production of books, brochures, pamphlets, business cards, posters, signage, banners, labels, stickers, and other academy-related materials.

Leasing this equipment for a five-year term will improve workflow automation, enhance finishing accuracy, reduce manual labor, and increase the printshop's ability to produce professional-quality color and specialty print products in-house. Required functions include high-resolution color printing, integrated print-and-cut capabilities, automated cutting, creasing, perforating, laminating, and mounting for a wide range of print media. If this procurement is not pursued, the print shop will remain limited in its ability to produce color and specialty printed materials internally, resulting in continued outsourcing costs, longer turnaround times, and reduced operational efficiency. The end goal is to establish a more efficient, self-sufficient print operation that delivers high-quality, cost-effective, and timely printing services to support the academy's operational and administrative needs.

The intent of this solicitation is to award an Agency Specific Contract.

CONTRACT TERM

The Contract shall have an initial term of five (5) years beginning on the date of final Contract execution. Bids shall be submitted in accordance with the terms and conditions of this IFB and any addenda issued hereto.

GENERAL INFORMATION

INVITATION FOR BID DOCUMENT

The IFB is comprised of the base IFB document, any attachments, and any addenda released before Contract award, which are incorporated herein by reference.

2.2 E-PROCUREMENT FEE

ATTENTION: This is an NC eProcurement solicitation facilitated by the Ariba Network. The E-Procurement fee may apply to this solicitation. See paragraph entitled ELECTRONIC PROCUREMENT of the North Carolina General Terms and Conditions.

General information on the E-Procurement Services can be found at: .

What is the Ariba Network?

The Ariba Network is a web-based platform that serves as a connection point for buyers and Vendors. Vendors can log in to the Ariba Network to view purchase orders, respond to electronic requests for quotes, participate in Sourcing Events, and collaborate with buyers on contract documents.

For training on how to use the Sourcing Tool to view solicitations, submit questions, develop responses, upload documents, and submit offers to the State, Vendors should go to the following site:

http://eprocurement.nc.gov/training/vendor-training.

2.3 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING IFB TERMS AND CONDITIONS

It shall be the Vendor's responsibility to read the Instructions to Vendors, the North Carolina General Terms and Conditions, all relevant exhibits and attachments, and any other components made a part of this IFB and comply with all requirements and specifications herein. Vendors are also responsible for obtaining and complying with all Addenda and other changes that may be issued in connection with this IFB.

If Vendors have questions, issues, or exceptions regarding any component within this IFB, those must be submitted as questions in accordance with the instructions in the BID QUESTIONS Section. If the State determines that any changes will be made as a result of the questions asked, then such decisions will be communicated in the form of an IFB addendum. The State may also elect to leave open the possibility for later negotiation and amendment of specific provisions of the Contract that have been addressed during the question-and-answer period.

Other than through the process of negotiations under 01 NCAC 05B.0503, the State rejects and will not be required to evaluate or consider any additional or modified terms and conditions submitted with the Vendor's bid. This applies to any language appearing in or attached to the document as part of the Vendor's bid that purports to vary any terms and conditions or Vendor's instructions herein or to render the bid non-binding or subject to further negotiation. Vendor's bid shall constitute a firm offer that shall be held open for the period required herein ("Validity Period" above).

The State may exercise its discretion to consider the Vendor's proposed modifications. By execution and delivery of this IFB response, the Vendor agrees that any additional or modified terms and conditions, whether submitted purposely or inadvertently, shall have no force or effect, and will be disregarded unless expressly agreed to during negotiations and incorporated by way of a Best and Final Offer (BAFO). Noncompliance with, or any attempt to alter or delete, this paragraph shall constitute sufficient grounds to reject Vendor's bid as nonresponsive.

2.4 IFB SCHEDULE

The table below shows the intended schedule for this IFB. The State will make every effort to adhere to this schedule.

2.5 BID QUESTIONS

Upon review of the IFB documents, Vendors may have questions to clarify or interpret the IFB in order to submit the best bid possible. To accommodate the Bid Questions process, Vendors shall submit any such questions by the "Submit Written Questions" date and time provided in the IFB SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum.

Questions related to the content of the solicitation, or the procurement process, should be directed to the person on the title page of this document via the Sourcing Tool's message board by the date and time specified in the IFB SCHEDULE Section of this IFB. Vendors will enter "IFB # WS2219162158-Questions as the subject of the message. Question submittals should include a reference to the applicable IFB section. This is the only manner in which questions will be received.

Questions or issues related to using the Sourcing Tool itself can be directed to the North Carolina eProcurement Help Desk at 888-211-7440, Option 2. Help Desk representatives are available Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM ET to 5:00 PM ET.

Questions received prior to the submission deadline date, the State's response, and any additional terms deemed necessary by the State will be posted in the Sourcing Tool in the form of an addendum and shall become an Addendum to this IFB. No information, instruction, or advice provided orally or informally by any State personnel, whether made in response to a question or otherwise in connection with this IFB, shall be considered authoritative or binding. Vendors shall rely only on written material contained in an Addendum to this IFB.

2.6 BID SUBMITTAL

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is an absolute requirement. Late bids, regardless of cause, will not be opened or considered, and will be automatically disqualified from further consideration. Vendor shall bear the sole risk of late submission due to unintended or unanticipated delay. It is the Vendor's sole responsibility to ensure its bid has been received as described in this IFB by the specified time and date of opening. Failure to submit a bid in strict accordance with instructions provided shall constitute sufficient cause to reject a Vendor's bid(s). Solicitation responses are subject to Sealed Bidding requirements.

Vendor's bids for this procurement must be submitted through the Sourcing Tool. For training on how to use the Sourcing Tool to view solicitations, submit questions, develop responses, upload documents, and submit offers to the State, Vendors should go to the following site:

Questions or issues related to using the Sourcing Tool itself can be directed to the North Carolina eProcurement Help Desk at 888-211-7440, Option 2. Help Desk representatives are available Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM EST to 5:00 PM EST.

Tips for Using the Sourcing Tool

Vendors should review available training and confirm that they are able to access the Sourcing Event, enter responses, and upload files well in advance of the date and time responses are due to allow sufficient time to seek assistance from the North Carolina eProcurement Help Desk.

Vendors may submit their responses early to make sure there are no issues, and then submit a revised response any time prior to the response due date and time. The State will only review the most recent response.

Vendors should respond to all relevant sections of the Sourcing Event. Certain questions or items are required in order to submit a response and are denoted with an asterisk. The Sourcing Tool will not allow a response to be submitted unless all required items are completed. The Sourcing Tool will provide error messages to help identify any required information that is missing when the response is submitted.

Simply saving your response in the Sourcing Tool is not the same as submitting your response to the State. Vendors should make sure they complete the submission process and receive a message that their response was successfully submitted.

Only Bids submitted through the Content Section of the Ariba Sourcing Event will be considered. Bids submitted through the Message Board will not be accepted or considered for award.

2.8 BID CONTENTS

Vendors shall provide responses to all questions and complete all attachments for this IFB that require the Vendor to provide information and upload them to the Sourcing Event in the Sourcing Tool. The vendor may not be able to submit its response in the Sourcing Tool unless all required items are addressed. Vendors shall provide authorized signatures where requested. Failure to provide all required items, or Vendor's submission of incomplete items, may result in the State rejecting Vendor's bid, in the State's sole discretion.

Vendors shall upload the following items and attachments in the Sourcing Tool:

Title Page: Include the company name, address, phone number, and authorized representative along with the Bid Number.

Completed and signed version of EXECUTION PAGES, along with the body of the IFB.

Vendor's Response (4.5, 4.6, & 4.7, 4.12, 4.13, 4.14, & 6.1)

Completed version of ATTACHMENT A: PRICING

Completed and signed version of ATTACHMENT F: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR

2.9 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS

Relevant definitions for this IFB are provided in 01 NCAC 05A .0112 and in the Instructions to Vendors found in the Sourcing Tool, which are incorporated herein by this reference.

METHOD OF AWARD AND BID EVALUATION PROCESS

3.1 METHOD OF AWARD

North Carolina G.S. 143-52 provides a general list of criteria the State shall use to award contracts, as supplemented by the additional criteria herein. The Goods or Services being procured shall dictate the application and order of criteria; however, all award decisions shall be in the State's best interest.

All responsive bids will be reviewed, and award(s) will be based on the responsive bid(s) offering the lowest price that meets the specifications provided herein, to include any required verifications set out herein, such as, but not limited to, past performance, references, and financial documents.

While this IFB intends to award a Contract(s) to multiple Vendors. The State reserves the right to make separate awards to different Vendors for one or more line items, to not award one or more line items, or to cancel this IFB in its entirety without awarding a Contract, if it is considered to be most advantageous to the State to do so.

If a Vendor selected for award is determined by the State to be a non-resident of North Carolina, all responsive bids will be reviewed to determine if any of them were submitted by a North Carolina resident Vendor who requested an opportunity to match the price of the winning bid, pursuant to Executive Order #50 and G.S. 143-59 (for more information, please refer to ATTACHMENT H: VENDOR REQUEST FOR EXECUTIVE ORDER #50 PRICE MATCHING. If such bid(s) are identified, the State will then determine whether any such bid falls within the price-match range, and, if so, make a Contract award in accordance with the process that implements G.S. 143-59 and Executive Order #50.

The State reserves the right to waive any minor informality or technicality in bids received.

3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION

While this IFB is under evaluation, the responding Vendor, including any subcontractors and suppliers, is prohibited from engaging in conversations intended to influence the outcome of the evaluation. See the Paragraph of the Instructions To Vendors entitled COMMUNICATIONS BY VENDORS.

Each Vendor submitting a bid to this IFB, including its employees, agents, subcontractors, suppliers, subsidiaries and affiliates, is prohibited from having any communications with any person inside or outside the using agency; issuing agency; other government agency office or body (including the purchaser named above, any department secretary, agency head, members of the General Assembly and Governor's office); or private entity, if the communication refers to the content of Vendor's proposal or qualifications, the content of another Vendor's proposal, another Vendor's qualifications or ability to perform a resulting contract, and/or the transmittal of any other communication of information that could be reasonably considered to have the effect of directly or indirectly influencing the evaluation of proposals, the award of a contract, or both.

Any Vendor not in compliance with this provision shall be disqualified from evaluation and award. A Vendor's proposal may be disqualified if its subcontractor and/or supplier engages in any of the foregoing communications during the time that the procurement is active (i.e., the issuance date of the procurement until the date of contract award or cancellation of the procurement). Only those discussions, communications, or transmittals of information authorized or initiated by the issuing agency for this IFB or inquiries directed to the purchaser named in this IFB regarding requirements of the IFB (prior to proposal submission) or the status of the award (after submission) are excepted from this provision.

3.3 BID EVALUATION PROCESS

Only responsive submissions will be evaluated.

The State will conduct an evaluation of responsive Bids, as follows:

Bids will be received according to the method stated in the Bid Submittal section above.

All bids must be received by the issuing agency not later than the date and time specified in the IFB SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum. Vendors are cautioned that this is a request for offers, not an offer or request to contract, and the State reserves the unqualified right to reject any and all offers at any time if such rejection is deemed to be in the best interest of the State.

At the date and time provided in the IFB SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum, the bids from each responding Vendor will be opened publicly, and all offers (except those that have been previously withdrawn or voided bids) will be tabulated. The tabulation shall be made public at the time it is created. When negotiations after receipt of bids are authorized pursuant to G.S. 143-49 and 01 NCAC 05B.0503, only the names of offerors and the Goods and Services offered shall be tabulated at the time of opening. Cost and price shall become available for public inspection at the time of the award... Interested parties are cautioned that these costs and their components are subject to further evaluation for completeness and correctness, and therefore may not be an exact indicator of a Vendor's pricing position.

At their option, the evaluators may request oral presentations or discussions with any or all Vendors for clarification or to amplify the materials presented in any part of the bid. Vendors are cautioned, however, that the evaluators are not required to request presentations or other clarification, and often do not. Therefore, all bids should be complete and reflect the most favorable terms available from the Vendor. Prices bid cannot be altered or modified as part of a clarification.

Bids will generally be evaluated based on completeness, content, cost, and responsibility of the Vendor to supply the requested Goods and Services. Specific evaluation criteria are listed in Section 3.1 METHOD OF AWARD.

Upon completion of the evaluation process, the State will make Award(s) based on the evaluation and post the award(s) to the electronic Vendor Portal (eVP), , under the IFB number for this solicitation. Award of a Contract to one Vendor does not mean that the other bids lacked merit, but that, all factors considered, the selected bid was deemed most advantageous and represented the best value to the State.

The State reserves the right to negotiate with one or more Vendors, or to reject all original offers and negotiate with one or more sources of supply that may be capable of satisfying the requirement, and in either case to require the Vendor to submit a Best and Final Offer (BAFO) based on discussions and negotiations with the State.

PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

Vendor shall complete ATTACHMENT F: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR. In addition to any other evaluation criteria identified in this IFB, the State may also consider, for purposes of evaluating proposed or actual contract performance outside of the United States, how that performance may affect the following factors to ensure that any award will be in the best interest of the State:

Total cost to the State

Level of quality provided by the Vendor

Process and performance capability across multiple jurisdictions

Protection of the State's information and intellectual property

Availability of pertinent skills

Ability to understand the State's business requirements and internal operational culture

Particular risk factors, such as the security of the State's information technology

Relations with citizens and employees

Contract enforcement jurisdictional issues

3.5 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES

This IFB serves two functions: (1) to advise potential Vendors of the parameters of the solution being sought by the State; and (2) to provide (together with other specified documents) the terms of the Contract resulting from this procurement. The use of phrases such as "shall," "must," and "requirements" is intended to create enforceable contract conditions. In determining whether bids should be evaluated or rejected, the State will take into consideration the degree to which Vendors have proposed or failed to propose solutions that will satisfy the State's needs as described in the IFB. Except as specifically stated in the IFB, no one requirement shall automatically disqualify a Vendor from consideration. However, failure to comply with any single requirement may result in the State exercising its discretion to reject a bid in its entirety.

REQUIREMENTS

This Section lists the requirements related to this IFB. By submitting a bid, the Vendor agrees to meet all stated requirements in this Section, as well as any other specifications, requirements, and terms and conditions stated in this IFB. If a Vendor is unclear about a requirement or specification or believes a change in a requirement would allow for the State to receive a better bid, the Vendor is encouraged to submit these items in the form of a question during the question-and-answer period in accordance with the Bid Questions Section above.

PRICING

Bid price shall constitute the total cost to the State for delivery of fully assembled and ready-for-use equipment, including all applicable charges for shipping, delivery, handling, administrative, and other similar fees. Pricing shall also include installation, setup, configuration, enduser training, and all maintenance requirements identified in this IFB, at no additional cost to the State. Complete ATTACHMENT A: PRICING FORM and upload in the Sourcing Tool.

PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION

BRAND SPECIFIC

The manufacturer's name and product descriptions used in this solicitation are product-specific. The items offered in response to this solicitation shall be by the manufacturer and of the type specified. These specific products are needed due to compatibility and continuity of support. Failure to comply with this requirement shall be a sufficient basis for disqualifying a bid from further consideration.

4.4 TRANSPORTATION AND IDENTIFICATION

The Vendor shall deliver Free-On-Board (FOB) Destination to any requested location within the State of North Carolina with all transportation costs and fees included in the total bid price.

When an order is placed using a purchase order, the purchase order number shall be shown on all packages and shipping manifests to ensure proper identification and payment of invoices. If an order is placed without using a purchase order, such as via phone, the Buyer's name shall be shown on all packages. A complete packing list shall accompany each shipment. Vendors shall not ship any products until they have received an order.

4.5 DELIVERY AND INSTALLATION

The Vendor shall deliver Free-On-Board (FOB) Destination to the following location(s): North Carolina Justice Academy: 203 Faculty Street, Salemburg, NC 28385.

Vendor shall complete delivery and installation within thirty (30) consecutive calendar days after receipt of purchase order. Installation shall include delivery, setup, configuration, and enduser training, and shall be provided at no additional cost to the State.

For completion by Vendor: Delivery will be made from __________________________________________ (city, state) within _____ consecutive calendar days after receipt of purchase order. Promptness of delivery may be used as a factor in the award criteria.

4.6 AUTHORIZED RESELLER

The Vendor shall be authorized by the manufacturer to distribute or resell the products and/or maintenance offered in this IFB. The Vendor shall provide a signed statement from the manufacturer confirming authorization upon the agency's request.

Authorized: Yes No Attached Manufacturer's Authority: Yes No

4.7 WARRANTY

Manufacturer's standard warranty shall apply. Vendors shall include a copy of the manufacturer's standard warranty with the bid response.

Vendor warrants that all equipment furnished under this IFB will be newly manufactured, of good material and workmanship. The warranty will apply from the date the equipment is put into operation for a minimum period of twelve (12) months or the length of the manufacturer's warranty, whichever is longer. Warranty obligations are separate from and do not replace maintenance and requirements (4.14) under this IFB. Such warranty shall cover the cost of all defective parts replacement, labor, freight, and technicians' travel at no additional cost to the State, or as specified by the Procurement Entity herein. To the extent not superseded by the terms of this paragraph, the manufacturer's warranty terms shall apply. Vendor's warranty shall be at least the level of coverage provided to its comparable customers.

The report of a problem does not presuppose that every call must result in an "on-site" visit for service/repair. The Vendor and/or service sub-contractor shall utilize best efforts to resolve problems in a timely fashion by using acceptable servicing methods, including, but not limited to, verbal problem analysis and remote diagnosis. The warranty requirement does not impose any additional duty on the State to make other than normal and good faith problem resolution efforts or expenditures of time. Vendor shall be responsible for compliance with warranty terms by any third-party service provider. Vendor shall provide contact information for the warranty service provider below.

Is the vendor authorized by the manufacturer to repair equipment offered during the warranty period? YES NO

Will the Vendor provide warranty service? YES NO, a manufacturer-authorized third party will perform

warranty service.

Contact information for warranty service provider:

Company Name: _______________________________________________

Company Address: _____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Contact Person (name): _________________________________________

Contact Person (phone number): __________________________________

Contact Person (email): _________________________________________

4.8 VENDOR'S REPRESENTATIONS

If Vendor's bid results in an award, Vendor agrees that it will not enter into any agreement with a third party that may abridge any rights of the State under the Contract. If any Services, deliverables, functions, or responsibilities not specifically described in this solicitation are required for Vendor's proper performance, provision and delivery of the Service and deliverables under a resulting Contract, or are an inherent part of or necessary sub-task included within such service, they will be deemed to be implied by and included within the scope of the contract to the same extent and in the same manner as if specifically described in the Contract. Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, Vendor will furnish all of its own necessary management, supervision, labor, facilities, furniture, computer and telecommunications equipment, software, supplies and materials necessary for the Vendor to provide and deliver the Services and/or other Deliverables.

4.9 AGENCY INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS MODIFICATION

A. Default Insurance Coverage from the General Terms and Conditions applicable to this Solicitation:

Small Purchases

Contract value in excess of the Small Purchase threshold, but up to $1,000,000.00

Contract value in excess of $1,000,000.00

4.10 SUBCONTRACTORS

No portion of the work shall be subcontracted without prior written consent of the State. In the event that the Vendor desires to subcontract some part of the work specified herein, the Vendor shall furnish with their bid the names, qualifications, and experience of their proposed subcontractors. The Vendor shall, however, remain solely and fully liable and responsible for the work done by its subcontractor(s) and shall ensure compliance with all the requirements and specifications of the contract.

SECRETARY OF STATE REGISTRATION

Prior to entering into a contract with the State, the awarded Vendor(s) must complete registration with the NC Secretary of State. Upon notification of award, the selected Vendor(s) must furnish evidence of filing within 10 business days. Failure to provide this documentation may result in the disqualification of the Vendor(s) bid from further consideration for the award. No purchase orders shall be issued prior to confirmation of completed registration with the Secretary of State.

A contract award under the above-referenced solicitation, and the resulting purchase orders, will produce repeated orders and transactions in North Carolina and will constitute "transacting business" in the State, which requires a certificate of authority from the North Carolina Secretary of State as provided in G.S. 55-15-01 (corporations) or 57D-7-01 (LLCs). Please go to: to register.

Vendor has registered with the North Carolina Secretary of State: Yes No

SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS

According to G.S. 143-58.2, it is the policy of this State to encourage and promote the purchase of products with recycled content and to purchase items that are reusable, refillable, repairable, more durable, and less toxic to the extent that the purchase or use is practicable and cost-effective. The bid must describe how environmental requirements relate to clear labeling of the environmental/sustainability attributes (e.g., environmental certifications, total and post-consumer recycled content, etc.) of products in the proposed product catalogs and demonstrate the ability to run usage reports that include information about each product's environmental/sustainability attributes, packaging, and recycling of spent products.

MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS

The Vendor shall provide a full maintenance agreement for all equipment furnished under this IFB for the entire five (5) year lease term. Maintenance shall be included in the monthly lease price and provided at no additional cost to the State.

At a minimum, the maintenance agreement shall include:

All preventative and corrective maintenance required to keep the equipment fully operational;

All parts, labor, and technician travel costs;

All consumables required for normal operation, including toner and waste toner bottles;

Repair or replacement of equipment components necessary to maintain operational performance; and

A guaranteed four (4) hour response time for service requests during normal business hours.

The Vendor shall ensure equipment remains fully operational throughout the lease term. If equipment cannot be restored in a timely manner, the Vendor shall provide temporary replacement equipment or an equivalent solution at no additional cost to the State.

The Vendor is responsible for compliance with all service obligations, including those performed by third-party service providers.

PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATION

The Vendor shall provide new, productiongrade equipment under a fiveyear lease, meeting or exceeding the minimum specifications listed identified in this IFB. All leased equipment must be fully operational, installed, and supported for the duration of the lease term. All installation and maintenance services shall be included in the monthly lease price at no additional cost to the State.

CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

All Contract Administration requirements are conditioned on an award resulting from this solicitation. This information is provided for the Vendor's planning purposes

6.1 CONTRACT MANAGER AND CUSTOMER SERVICE

The Vendor shall be required to designate and make available to the State a contract manager. The contract manager shall be the State's point of contact for contract-related issues and issues concerning performance, progress review, scheduling, and service.

6.4 ACCEPTANCE OF WORK

Equipment will be deemed accepted upon installation by the technician, successful completion of all required diagnostic routines, and turnover to the State for the State's use.

INVOICES

Vendor shall invoice the Procurement Entity. The standard format for invoicing shall be Single Invoices, meaning that the Vendor shall provide the Procurement Entity with an invoice for each order. Invoices shall include detailed line-item information to allow the Procurement Entity to verify pricing at the point of receipt matches the correct price from the original date of order. At a minimum, the following fields shall be included on all invoices:

Vendor's Billing Address, Customer Account Number, NC Contract Number, Order Date, Buyer's Order Number, Manufacturer Part Numbers, Vendor Part Numbers, Item Descriptions, Price, Quantity, and Unit of Measure.

INVOICES MAY NOT BE PAID UNTIL AN INSPECTION HAS OCCURRED AND THE GOODS HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED.

DISPUTE RESOLUTION

During the performance of the Contract, the Parties agree that it is in their mutual interest to resolve disputes informally. Any claims by the Vendor shall be submitted in writing to the State's Contract Manager for resolution. Any claims by the State shall be submitted in writing to the Vendor's Project Manager for resolution. The Parties shall agree to negotiate in good faith and use all reasonable efforts to resolve such dispute(s).

During the time the Parties are attempting to resolve any dispute, each shall proceed diligently to perform their respective duties and responsibilities under this Contract. The Parties will agree on a reasonable amount of time to resolve a dispute. If a dispute cannot be resolved between the Parties within the agreed-upon period, either Party may elect to exercise any other remedies available under the Contract, or at law. This provision, when agreed in the Contract, shall not constitute an agreement by either party to mediate or arbitrate any dispute.

PPRODUCT RECALL

Vendor expressly assumes full responsibility for prompt notification to the Buyer listed on the face of this IFB of any product recall in accordance with the applicable state or federal regulations. The Vendor shall support the State, as necessary, to promptly replace any such products, at no cost to the State.

ATTACHMENTS

All attachments to this IFB are incorporated herein and shall be submitted by responding in the Sourcing Tool. These attachments can be found at the following Vendor Forms link for reference purposes only:

All attachments to this IFB are the copies found within the Ariba Sourcing Tool, and are incorporated herein, and shall be submitted by responding in the Sourcing Tool.

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ATTACHMENT A - PRICING FORM

Five-Year Equipment Lease

Vendor shall provide firm, fixed pricing for the five-year lease of the equipment listed below. Pricing must include the cost of installation, including setup and enduser training, and all maintenance required under this IFB. All installation and maintenance services shall be included in the monthly lease price at no additional cost to the State.

Total Monthly Lease Cost: $________ Total 5-Year Lease Cost (Evaluated Amount): $________